First ‘Diablo 4’ balance patch is a big win for Necromancers

Diablo 4 has received its first balance patch since launching in Early Access, with update 1.0.2d’s patch notes detailing major buffs to the Necromancer class along with tweaks to every other class.

In patch notes published over the weekend (June 3), developer Blizzard Entertainment outlined that Diablo 4‘s first patch aims to dial down builds that let players “survive unreasonably high amounts of damage,” while bringing some weaker skills up to speed.

For Diablo 4‘s Barbarian and Druid class, patch 1.0.2d is bad news. A number of skills and Legendary Aspect modifiers for Barbarian have been dialed down to offer less damage, while Druids will find it harder to keep Grizzly Rage and the bonus from Obsidian Slam running.

However, the update also brings across-the-board improvements to the Necromancer class. This includes a sizeable 20 second cooldown reduction and 15 per cent damage increase for the Necromancer’s Army Of The Dead ultimate ability, along with higher damage rates for Skeleton Warrior and Golem minions.

Elsewhere, Diablo 4‘s first patch also introduces some slight changes to dial the Sorcerer back, while the Rogue received a mixed bag of buffs and nerfs.

The patch comes just days after Diablo 4‘s Early Access period kicked off on June 2, with the game set to launch in full tomorrow (June 6).

Reception to Blizzard’s latest game has been largely positive, with NME‘s four-star review describing it as the developer’s “gothic fantasy at its most ambitious”.

“Theory-crafters, lore hounds and newcomers can all find something to love about Diablo 4 — as long as their interests converge on beating demons to death,” reads the review. “Gruesomely satisfying combat, expansive skill trees and a bustling open world make Diablo 4 a delightfully gory way to kick off summer, and a must-play for ARPG fans.”

In other news, Halsey and BTS’ Suga are releasing a new version of ‘Lilith’ to celebrate Diablo 4‘s launch.