Diablo II Resurrected 2.4 patch notes – what’s incoming in the next update?

Another massive Diablo 2 patch is about to land - let's go adventuring into the notes

Table of Contents Table of Contents

We love a diablo patch around these parts, oh yes. None of your meager hotfix fair, Diablo patches are nice and juicy. The 2.4 Balance patch on the PTR (Public Test Realm) will see a host of changes to the PTR (on the PC only) and will go live on Tuesday 26th January.

Blizzard is warning players on the PTR that all character progression will be wiped at the same time as the balance build is pushed out.

As we mentioned in our 2.4 preview a while back, this is the first balance patch for Diablo II on about, ooh 100 years. Now the devs are clearly excited about what they have achieved and said: “We’re ecstatic to make balance changes that will improve the viability of each class while retaining the class fantasy of our favorite heroes. It has been more than eleven years since we’ve made changes like this to the game! So, when we started making balance adjustments, we wanted to focus on expanding more skill build variety and adding more viable possibilities with playing each class.”

You can read more from them on the patch page but let’s pick out a few highlights in case you don’t have time to go through the lengthy notes.

Diablo II Resurrected ladder

The must vaunted first ladder for D2 (basically season) will not be included in the PTR patch arriving on Tuesday. Blizzard say they need this patch t o focus on how well the balance tweaks work, so we still have that to look forward to.

Diablo 2 patch notes

General gameplay changes

• Character hit block will no longer apply while your character is playing a skill pre-cast animation (Block will still trigger for the skill’s post-cast animation).
• Changed how attack speed is determined while dual-wielding weapons.  Swapping weapons between hands should no longer result in dramatically different attack speeds.
• Character hit recovery will now have diminishing returns when being hit by another player.

New Rune Words

Plague
Pattern
Unbending Will
Wisdom
Obsession
Flickering Flame
Mist

Class changes

Javelin And Spear Skills

Impale

• This skill is now an uninterruptible attack
• Attack Rating modification has been removed. Now this skill will always hit the target
• This skill now slows the target by a percentage for a duration

Fend

• Attack Speed increased by 100% (Reduced the rollback frames value between each attack)

Power Strike

• Removed synergy from Lightning Fury skill
• Lightning Bolt synergy increased from +10% to +14%
• Charged Strike synergy increased from +10% to +14%
• Lightning Strike synergy increased from +10% to +14%

Charged Strike

• Removed synergy from Lightning Fury skill
• Power Strike synergy increased from +10% to +14%
• Lightning Bolt synergy increased from +10% to +14%
• Lightning Strike synergy increased from +10% to +14%

Lightning Strike

• Removed synergy from Lightning Fury 
• Power Strike synergy increased from +8% to +11%
• Lightning Bolt synergy increased from +8% to +11%
• Charged Strike synergy increased from +8% to +11%

Poison Javelin

• This skill’s damage scaling at high levels has been slightly adjusted
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Plague Javelin

• Poison duration is now fixed at 3 seconds
• Poison Javelin synergy increased from +10% to +14%
• Casting Delay reduced from 4 seconds to 1 second
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Set Item Bonus Changes#

Arcanna’s Tricks

• Increased +25 Mana to +50 Mana (2 Items)
• Added Regenerate Mana 12% (3 Items)
• Added +1 to All Skills (Full Set)

Arctic Gear

• Changed 6-14 Cold Damage to +2-198 to Maximum Cold Damage (+2 Per Character Level) (Full Set)

Bul-Kathos’ Children

• Increased +20 Fire Damage to +200 Fire Damage (Full Set)
• Increased +25 Defense to +200 Defense (Full Set)
• Added 10% Life Stolen Per Hit (Full Set)
• Added +20% Deadly Strike (Full Set)

Cathan’s Traps

• Added Regenerate Mana 16% (2 Items)

Civerb’s Vestments

• Increased Fire Resist +15% to Fire Resist +25% (2 Items)
• Added 25% Bonus to Attack Rating (Full Set)
• Added 4-396 Defense (+4 Per Character Level) (Full Set)

Cow King’s Leathers

• Added 5-495 Defense (+5 Per Character Level) (2 Items)
• Added +100 to Life (Full Set)
• Added +1 To All Skills (Full Set)

Infernal Tools

• Added Maximum Mana 20% (Full Set)
• Added Cannot Be Frozen (Full Set)

Iratha’s Finery

• Added +24% Piercing Attack (3 Items)

Milabrega’s Regalia

• Added Cannot Be Frozen (3 Items)
• Added +2-198 To Lightning Damage (+2 Per Character Level) (2 Items)

Naj’s Ancient Vestige

• Added 1-148% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items (+1.5 Per Character Level) (2 Items)
• Increased Replenish Life +10 to Replenish Life +20 (Full Set)
• Added +2 To Fire Skills (Full Set)
• Added Increased Maximum Life 12% (Full Set)

Sazabi’s Grand Tribute

• Added Poison Length Reduced by 75% (2 Items)
• Added +1 To All Skills (Full Set)
• Added Damage Reduced by 16% (Full Set)

Vidala’s Rig

• Added 7% Mana Stolen Per Hit (2 Items)
• Changed Adds 15-20 Cold Damage to +1-148 to Maximum Cold Damage (+1.5 Per Character Level) (Full Set)

How to join the Diablo II Resurrected PTR

To participate in the public test, you must have a Diablo II: Resurrected game license attached to a Battle.net account – one that hasn’t been suspended or banned. In addition, you will also need to download and install the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app if you have not already done so.

Step 1: Restart the Battle.net desktop app.

Step 2: Navigate to the Diablo II: Resurrected tab on the left-hand menu.

Step 3: On the Diablo II: Resurrected screen, there is a drop-down menu right above the “Play” button (note that this may say “Install” if you do not have Diablo II: Resurrected currently installed). Select “PTR: Diablo II: Resurrected” from this drop-down menu before proceeding.

Step 4: Click Install to begin the installation process.

Your PTR account will be created automatically if you do not already have one. The PTR is available in all supported languages, and accounts from all regions are eligible to participate. For additional assistance with installing and launching the PTR, click here.