Diablo 4 Releases New Update for Season 3

Blizzard releases a new update for Diablo 4 to adjust and fix a number of issues currently impacting Season 3 players. Blizzard originally revealed Season of the Construct for Diablo 4 a few weeks back, giving fans a look at what Season 3 is bringing to the table. Taking place in the Kehjistan region, players are facing off against a demon known as Malphas, who has taken over Zoltun Kulle’s lab stored with technology and constructs. In addition to delving into new dungeons called Vaults, players would also get access to their own allied construct known as The Seneschal, which could be customized to compliment various playstyles.

Unfortunately, Season 3 hasn’t been nearly as smooth as many Diablo 4 players have expected, especially coming off of the popular Season of Blood. After the launch of the season, fans have been fairly vocal at what isn’t working well in the season, including the construct companion feeling underwhelming and not worth the effort to level it up. Others have gotten frustrated with the Vaults feeling unfair with the traps coming off as too strong and hard to avoid consistently. Thankfully, Blizzard has heard these concerns and has begun the process of evolving the gameplay mechanics through the newest update.

In response to player feedback, Blizzard has begun making updates to Diablo 4 based on feedback from fans to address concerns about the current season. The first change is with the Echo of Malphas, an end game level boss located in the Vault of the Loom dungeon. In addition to a buff to the health pool and a level increase from 85 to 100, Blizzard has added a new item called Ingeous Cores, so players can access the Uber Vault rather than having to spend Pearls of Warding. Alongside the boss buffs, the rewards players can earn have also been increased with more Legendary Items and improved odds for finding Unique Stones.

The other main focuses of the Diablo 4 patch, outside of bug fixing, include quality of life updates to Vaults, Arcane Tremors, as well as much-needed buffs to The Seneschal. Blizzard has increased the Zoltun’s Warning stack from 300 to 999, and better yet, consuming one Pearl of Warding now grants 10 stacks instead of just 3. Blizzard also tweaked numerous gameplay elements, making Vaults more rewarding while removing some of the more frustrating aspects, like Obelisk Hazards having knockback effects.

As for The Seneschal companion in Diablo 4, Blizzard attempted to make the companion more powerful by giving players more ways to earn Governing and Tuning Stones to help level it up faster. Part of that is tweaking the cost of crafting these stones, which is now set at 200 Shattered Stone and 20 Iron Chunks regardless of level. Completing Whispers can now reward Governing and Tuning stones, Seneschal Stone Caches now reward 2, and Son of Malphas will drop 2-3 after defeat. Finally, Experience requirements have also been reduced to allow them to be ranking up more naturally with the player’s leveling experience.

Diablo 4 Update 1.3.0a Patch Notes

Echo of Malphas

Developer’s Note: We have noticed players tended to use their Pearls of Warding for fighting Echo of Malphas instead of on Zoltun’s Warding. We are adding in Igneous Cores—a new item used solely to summon Malphas instead of Pearls—so players don’t have to choose between extra protection in the Vaults or fighting the boss. Additionally, we have made the fight against Malphas more difficult but also increased the rewards it provides.

• Echo of Malphas has had their Level raised from 85 to 100.
• The Health pool of Echo of Malphas has been increased by 30%.
• A new item—Igneous Cores—now exists for the purpose of accessing the Uber Vault and Echo of Malphas. This item will replace the usage of Pearls of Warding in providing access.
  • Igneous Cores have a chance to drop from Vault Heralds and are guaranteed to drop from Son of Malphas in World Tier IV.
• Loot Updates
  • The drop rate of Unique Stones from Malphas increased from .25% to .5%.
  • Unique Stones now have a 3% chance of dropping from the chest after the boss.
  • Defeating Echo of Malphas will now reward more Legendary items. Additionally, Item Level 925 items will drop more often.

The Seneschal

Developer’s Note: We’ve received feedback that the Seneschal does not feel powerful. The Seneschal becomes more powerful as it reaches max level, but we have noticed that many players have not had the chance to level up their Seneschal enough to experience this. We are introducing multiple changes to ensure players have more sources to earn Governing and Tuning Stones from so they can level up their Seneschal and unlock their new companion’s full potential.

• Crafting a Governing or Tuning Stone will now always cost 200 Shattered Stone and 20 Iron Chunks regardless of level.
• Finding a max level Governing or Tuning Stone will now grant 150 –200 Shattered Stone.
• Governing and Tuning stones can now be acquired as rewards for completing Whispers.
• Son of Malphas now always drops 2-3 Governing and Tuning Stones.
• Stones awarded from Seneschal Stone Caches has been increased from 1 to 2 stones.
• Experience requirements for Governing and Tuning Stones have been reduced so they can be ranked up more naturally with your leveling experience.

Vaults and Arcane Tremors

We have made multiple quality-of-life changes to the player experience in the Vaults and Arcane Tremors.

• Consuming a Pearl of Warding at a Statue of Zoltun Kulle now grants 10 stacks of Zoltun’s Warding, instead of 3.
• The max stacks of Zoltun’s Warding has been increased from 300 to 999.
• The grace period for losing stacks of Zoltun’s Warding when being hit by multiple traps at once has been increased from 1 second to 1.5 seconds. (Ex: If 3 darts hit you in the span of 1.5 seconds, you’ll only lose 1 stack instead of 3).
• Heralds of Malphas now guaranteed a Legendary item drop starting at Level 26, with a 15% chance to drop a second Legendary item.
• Knockback has been removed from all Obelisk Hazards.
• Chests will now appear after completing a Vault’s ending encounter. These new chests will drop a guaranteed Legendary item starting from level 26+, with a 35% chance to drop another Legendary item.
• The projectile speed from Elemental Dart hazards has been reduced by 20%.
• The hitbox for floor-based Elemental Grate and Spike hazards have been reduced by roughly 15%.
• The spout hitbox for Elemental Pillars has been reduced by roughly 15%.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where the Gatehall would not display on the map for players on PlayStation.
• Fixed an issue where the Brazier could not be interacted with in certain circumstances during the Drums of the Vault quest.
• Fixed an issue where the Beckoning Thunder Horse cosmetic was invisible for Druid players.
• Fixed an issue where the damage effect and the visual effect were not in sync for floor traps in Vaults.
• Various stability and performance improvements.

Diablo 4

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Diablo 4 is an action RPG developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It’s the fourth mainline game in the franchise and lets players pick from five playable classes as they explore an open world Sanctuary in order to take down Lilith, while also completing quests, leveling up, and gaining better loot. 

Released

June 6, 2023

Genre(s)

Action RPG , Hack and Slash

Platforms That Support Crossplay

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S