Diablo 4 Update 1.98 Patch Notes (D4 Patch 1.98) – December 12, 2025

Diablo 4 update 1.98 (2.5) is available to download on PS4, PC and Xbox One. According to the official Diablo 4 1.98 patch notes, the latest update fixes expand sanctification to non-ancestral items, improve affix ranges, and boost divine gift progression. Lesser Evil encounters run faster with improved clarity and rewards. Apart from this, today’s D4 update 1.98 also includes major balance updates for mythic unique items and all classes, increasing damage, adjusting cooldowns, and removing outdated tempering affixes. Overall, the update raises power consistency and smooths gameplay.

Diablo 4 1.98 patch notes (v2.5) – December 12, 2025

Summary of Major Changes

• Sanctification expanded to non-ancestral items, with major affix and quality updates.

• Divine Gifts now scale Glyph upgrade chances and improve Purified Gifts.

• Lesser Evil Invasions receive faster phases, clearer targeting, and improved rewards.

• Balance updates hit Mythic Unique Items and all classes with tuning, bug fixes, and redesigns.

• Large buffs applied across Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, and Tempering categories.

Vessel of Hatred Patch Notes

I. SANCTIFICATION & AFFIX UPDATES

• General: Affix ranges have been adjusted. Values are generally increased, ranges are narrower, and some affixes now have a higher maximum.

• Sanctification:

  • Items only need an Item Power of 750+ in Torment (instead of being Ancestral) to be sanctified.

  • Upgrading an affix to a Greater Affix can now occur on non-Ancestral items.

• Item Restrictions: Affixes on Ancestral Unique or Mythic Items can no longer be replaced.

• Affix Replacement: The “Indestructible” affix has been replaced by an affix that adds 5-25 Quality ranks.

• Legendary Powers: Additional Legendary powers have been added.

II. DIVINE GIFTS & GLYPH UPGRADES

• Andariel: Reduced item quality rewards in pre-Torment difficulties.

• Duriel: Adjusted bonus experience from maggots in Helltide.

• Glyph Upgrades:

  • Now have a scaling chance to grant an extra upgrade attempt based on Divine Gift rank (25% at Rank 1, up to 100% at Rank 5).

  • Purified Gifts now grant 2 levels instead of 1.

III. LESSER EVIL INVASION

• Andariel: No longer regenerates Health if you die. Phase transition is much quicker.

• Belial: Eyeball size increased for easier targeting. Death animation finishes more quickly.

• Azmodan: Shrines no longer disappear during his fight. Granted resilience to align with other World Bosses.

• Events: Lesser Evil events in the Overworld now reward unique items from Lair Boss reward pools.

IV. BALANCE UPDATES

MYTHIC UNIQUE ITEMS

• Ahavarion, Spear of Lycander: Lucky Hit gain resource reduced from 66% to 22%.

• Melted Heart of Selig: Primary resource generation reduced to 50%.

  • PTR Version: Each point in Primary Stat increases Primary Resource by 3% but you have 75% reduced life. Damage is dealt to Primary Resource before Life. If no damage is taken in 6 seconds, Resource regenerates to full over 3 seconds.

  • New Version: Damage is dealt to Primary Resource before Life and is drastically reduced. Primary Resource is doubled but Maximum Life is reduced by 75%.

  • Dev Note: Adjusted to reduce required caps. Provides less Primary Resource but similar durability.

BARBARIAN

• Stat Scaling: Damage per 10 Strength increased from 1% to 1.1%.

• Skills:

  • Kick: Hitbox width doubled.

  • Power Kick: Reverted Fury cap from PTR.

  • Leap: Adjusted attack speed scaling.

  • Enhanced Hammer of the Ancients: Now increases maximum Fury (up to 100). Fury generation per enemy hit increased from 3% to 10% (up to 10 stacks).

• Items:

  • Aspect of Anger Management:

    • Previous: While above 55-40 Fury, you are Berserk, but 2 Fury drains per second.

    • Now: While above 50 Fury, deal 10-30%[x] increased damage and gain Berserking, but 3 Fury drains per second.

  • Chainscourge Mail: The cooldown reduction for the last-used Brawling skill now scales with attack speed.

  • Fields of Crimson: Blood Pool bonus damage now applies to all players, not just the caster.

• Paragon Nodes (Damage Increases):

  • Hemorrhage: 45%[x] → 60%[x]

  • Blood Rage: 45%[x] → 60%[x]

  • Carnage: 30%[x] → 45%[x]

  • Decimator: 20%[x] → 25%[x]

  • Flawless Technique (Crit Damage): 30%[x] → 45%[x]

  • Weapons Master (vs. Injured/Healthy): 30%[x] → 45%[x]

  • Undaunted Glyph: Max DR from Fortify 10% → 15%

• Tempering (Affixes Removed):

  • Berserking Finesse: Damage while War Cry is Active.

  • Arsenal Finesse: No longer available.

  • Weapon Attunement: Resource Generation for Two-Handed Bludgeoning, Dual Wield, and Two-Handed Slashing weapons.

DRUID

• Skills:

  • Stoneburst: Lucky Hit chance for channeled damage increased from 2% to 6%.

  • Grizzly Rage: Cooldown 50 → 35 sec. Duration 10 → 12 sec. Damage Reduction 20% → 30%.

    • Rank 5: Changed from “+30%[+] Armor while active” to “Cooldown reduced by 10 seconds.”

• Passives:

  • Earthen Might: Damage vs. Immobilized 15%[x] → 25%[x]. Critical Strike Damage 15%[x] → 20%[x].

• Items:

  • Aspect of the Rampaging Werebeast:

    • Previous: Grizzly Rage duration +3-10 sec. Crits while active increase Crit Damage by 10%[x], up to 200%[x].

    • Now: Crits while in Grizzly Rage increase your damage by 3%[x] for 60 sec, up to 120%[x].

  • Aspect of the Rabid Beast (Bear):

    • Renamed to Aspect of the Rabid Beast.

    • Previous (Bear): While Grizzly Rage is active, convert direct damage to Poison, deal 40-80%[x] more Poison damage, and passively spread Rabies.

    • Now: Deal 40-80%[x] more Poison Damage. While Shapeshifted, convert direct damage to Poison.

  • Khamsin Steppewalkers (New Boots):

    • Power (PTR): Damaging 200-100 enemies with Storm Skills grants a charge. Casting a Defensive Skill consumes charges for 1 sec of Max Move Speed/Unhindered per charge. While Charged, enemies you run into are Immobilized for 1 sec.

    • Power (Now): Damaging 150-100 enemies with Nature Magic Skills grants Max Move Speed and Unhindered for 4-8 sec. Enemies you run through are Immobilized for 1 sec.

    • Affix: Movement Speed replaced with +1-2 ranks of Endless Tempest.

• Paragon:

  • Earthen Devastation:

    • Previous: Earth Skills deal 10%[x] increased Crit Damage, increased by 20%[x] of your Damage vs Crowd Controlled bonus (max 60%[x]).

    • Now: Earth Skills deal 70%[x] increased Crit Damage.

  • Constricting Tendrils:

    • Previous: Nature Magic Skills deal 35%[x] increased damage to Poisoned enemies. Lucky Hit: Up to 40% chance to Poison for 800% damage over 4 sec.

    • Now: Deal 40%[x] increased damage to Poisoned enemies. Lucky Hit: Up to 40% chance to Poison for 1000% damage over 4 sec.

• Tempering: Druid Motion affix “Digitigrade Gait” removed.

NECROMANCER

• Book of the Dead: Iron Golem Attack Speed increased by 25%.

• Skills: Bone Spirit – Reverted Essence cap from PTR.

• Passives:

  • Hellbent Commander: Removed requirement for controlling 7+ Minions.

  • Rathma’s Vigor: Overpower timer reduced from 15 to 10 seconds.

• Items:

  • Aspect of Shielding Storm: Barrier reduced from 1-8% to 1-3% of Max Life.

  • Sanguivor, Blade of Zir: Consuming a Corpse grants 3 souls (up from 1) to Vampiric Curse. Damage bonus per soul increased from 15-25% to 20-30%.

  • Cruor’s Embrace: Damage increased from 40-80% to 60-120% of weapon damage.

  • Mutilator Plate: Blood Lance Damage increased from 10-40% to 30-60%.

  • Ring of Mendeln: Damage increased from 520-900% to 650-1100% of weapon damage. Bone Golem’s two-swing combo now counts as one attack for Mendeln.

• Tempering: Weapon Attunement affixes for Resource Generation with Two-Handed Weapons and while Wielding a Shield removed.

ROGUE

• Stat Scaling: Damage per 10 Dexterity increased from 1.1% to 1.25%.

• Skills/Passives:

  • Improved Flurry: Healing reduced from 10% to 6%.

  • Siphoning Strikes: Healing per Rank reduced from 1% to 0.5% of Max Life.

• Legendary Aspects:

  • Trickshot Aspect: Damage increased from 10-30% to 20-40%.

  • Bladedancer’s Aspect: Damage increased from 100-120% to 100-140%.

• Unique Items:

  • Beastfall Boots: Reverted Energy cap from PTR.

  • Windforce: Chance for triple damage vs. Knocked Down increased from 50-75% to 50-100%.

  • Scoundrel’s Kiss: Bonus damage increased from 35-55% to 50-70%.

  • Deathmask of Nirmitruq: Bonus damage increased from 70-100% to 70-130%.

• Tempering: Rogue Motion affix “Ranks to Stutter Step” removed. Rogue Persistence no longer available.

SORCERER

• Dev Note: Teleport changes revisited. Cooldown reduction power shifted back into itemization. Players can choose to invest in items/tempering for a low-cooldown or resetting Teleport.

• Enchantments: Teleport Enchantment description clarified to specify it “invokes” Teleport, not “Casts” it.

• Skills:

  • Shimmering Teleport:

    • PTR: Teleport Dazes enemies at endpoint for 1.5 sec.

    • Now: Gain 25%[+] All Resistance for 3 sec after Teleporting.

• Passives:

  • Potent Warding:

    • Previous: Casting a Skill grants 3%[+] All Resistance and 2%[+] Max Resistance to that Skill’s Element for 9 sec.

    • Now: Casting a Skill grants 3%[+] All Resistance and 5%[+] Resistance to that Skill’s Element for 9 sec.

  • Energy Focus: Maximum Barrier reduced from 30% to 20% of Max Life.

  • Protection: Barrier per Rank reduced from 10% to 5% of Max Life.

  • Warmth: Healing per Rank reduced from 1% to 0.2% of Max Life. Healing from Bosses reduced from 4% to 2% of Max Life.

• Legendary Aspects:

  • Aspect of Mind’s Awakening: Barrier reduced from 3-6% to 1.5-3% of Max Life.

  • Serpentine Aspect: Reverted Mana cap from Season of Infernal Chaos.

  • Aspect of the Bounding Conduit: Teleport Cooldown reduction increased from 1-2.5 to 3-4.5 sec.

  • Aspect of Biting Cold:

    • Previous: When you Freeze an enemy, 25-45% chance they become Vulnerable for 3 sec.

    • Now: Frost Skills deal 20-30%[x] increased damage and have a 40% chance to apply Vulnerable for 4 sec.

• Unique Items:

  • The Oculus:

    • PTR: Casting Teleport grants Galvanization stack (30-50% increased damage for 8 sec). Becoming Injured Teleports you randomly.

    • Now: Each enemy hit by Teleport increases next cast’s damage by 5-15%[x] and reduces its CD by 0.5 sec. Becoming Injured Teleports you randomly.

  • Raiment of the Infinite:

    • Power (PTR): After Casting Teleport, pull Close enemies. 10-30% chance to reset per enemy killed.

    • Power (Now): Teleport pulls Close enemies to you and grants 10-30% Damage Reduction.

    • Affixes: Ranks to Elemental Attunement replaced with All Resistance. Ranks to Shocking Impact replaced with 30-40% Teleport CDR.

• Tempering: Sorcerer Motion affix “Ranks to Conduction” removed. Frost Finesse affix “Frost Critical Strike Chance” added.

SPIRITBORN

• Skills:

  • Poised Payback: Reverted Vigor cap from PTR.

  • Poised Rushing Claw: Now reduces charge recharge time by 5 sec.

• Passives:

  • Fueled:

    • Previous: Gain Life On Kill equal to 5% of Max Life while you have at least 4 stacks of Ferocity.

    • Now: Gain 1-181 (scaling) Life On Hit while you have at least 4 stacks of Ferocity.

  • Potent:

    • PTR: Gain 2/4/6% Jaguar Attack Speed and Cooldown Reduction.

    • Now: Jaguar Skills deal 6/12/18%[x] increased direct damage to up to 3 closest enemies.

• Items:

  • Aspect of Forest Power: Barrier reduced from 25% to 15% of Max Life.

  • Rod of Kepeleke: Reverted Vigor cap from PTR.

  • Peacemonger’s Signet: Dodge chance affix changed to Dexterity.

V. MASTERWORKING & CRAFTING UPDATES

• Masterworking:

  • Maximum Quality increased from 20 to 25.

  • Quality increase per Masterwork raised from 1-3 to 2-5.

  • Quality now increases all affix values by 1% per point.

  • Fully Masterworking an item (Quality 25) gives a 50% boost to a random affix (can be Tempered). This affix is highlighted with a different color.

  • Costs scale exponentially with Quality (e.g., Q0: 10 Obducite, Q5: 25, Q15: 66, Q25: 100).

• Tempering:

  • Chance for a tempered affix to be applied as a Greater Affix.

  • Added Resource gain affixes for Helms and Rings. Added Resource per second affix for Pants.

  • Adjusted recipes to remove redundant or unused affixes.

• Class-Wide Tempering Adjustments:

  • Natural Motion: Move Speed 16-25% → 15-25%. Move Speed After Killing an Elite 20-22.5% → 25-45%.

  • Worldly Endurance: Max Life 84-141 → 349-450.

  • Natural Schemes: Thorns 45-70 → 211-281.

  • Worldly Stability: New affix “Casting Ultimate Skills Restores Primary Resource.”

VI. UI & SYSTEMS

• Toughness:

  • Now displayed in Character Stats. Tooltip breaks down DR per damage type.

  • Item comparisons show % Toughness difference instead of flat Armor difference.

  • Torment difficulties display a recommended Toughness.

• Affix Pools: Fortify and Barrier Generation added to the general defensive affix pool.

• Monster Scaling: Open-world monsters no longer scale 1:1 with player level (player scales better). Monster damage reduced at low levels. Power slightly reduced in early Torment tiers.

• Bosses: Base Health for bosses increased.

• Loot:

  • Chance for items with multiple Greater Affixes increased in Torment.

  • More items drop from levels 1-15.

• Capstone Dungeons: Closest affiliated difficulty is now displayed while inside.

• Cooldown Reduction: Can now naturally appear on Rings, Gloves, and Shields.

• Miscellaneous: Various tuning to Capstone Dungeons, monster spawns, and seasonal activities.

VII. BUG FIXES (SUMMARY)

Activities: Fixed issues with Duriel maggots, Luminary respawn, self-damage in Torrid Menagerie, dungeon exits, Belial/Varshan loot, Echo of Lilith blood orb damage, monster spawns, boss spawns (including Duriel replacing Blood Maiden), illusory/life-link monsters, dungeon progression (Animus, teleport blocks), Nightmare Dungeon affixes persisting, and monster damage.
Skills & Equipment (General): Fixed enchanting costs, Masterworking material display, DPS display, excessive salvage materials, Soulbrand barrier, Feo rune cooldown, Attack Speed on 2H weapons via enchantment, Paragon node effects, incorrect elemental resistances, and Heavenly Sigil consumption.
Class-Specific Fixes: Applied to Barbarian (Rallying Cry, Ugly Bastard Helm, Brash Node, Yul rune, Ramaladni’s Magnum Opus, Kick cost), Druid (Earthen Bulwark, Ancestral Fortitude, Khamsin Steppewalkers, Grizzly Rage description), Necromancer (Golem size, Rapid Ossification, Defender sacrifice, Paranormal Sever), Rogue (Dance of Knives tempering), Sorcerer (Teleport Enchantment tooltip, Oculus random teleport), and Spiritborn (Antivenom Passive, Jaguar Main Hall, Aspect of Unyielding Hits, Ravager dash, Eagle Primary Hall scaling, Mystic Circle, The Protector).
Miscellaneous: Fixed tempering UI, map in Capstone dungeons, Fortify visual indicator, Masterworking quest, combat in Heavenly Forge, Champion behavior/loot, Undercity tribute drops/access, boss experience, Torment unlock level, and various stability/UI/visual issues.

VIII. VESSEL OF HATRED CONTENT & UPDATES

SPIRITBORN

• New Unique: Path of the Emissary (Boots) from Lord Zir. Affixes: +30% Move Speed (Inherent), +16-25% Move Speed, +155-200% Core Skill Damage, +1-2 Core Skill Ranks, +26.5-40% Impairment Reduction. Power: Every 12-4 meters moved, invoke a Core Skill from your primary Spirit Hall.

• Skills:

  • Rushing Claw: Damage 80% → 160%.

  • Adaptable Concussive Stomp: Changed from granting dodge on enemy recovery to granting block on recovery from a Cast Stomp.

  • Poised Payback: Now consumes up to 500 Vigor.

• Passives: Potent reverted to PTR version: Gain 2/4/6% Jaguar Skill Attack Speed and Cooldown Reduction.

• Unique Item Updates:

  • Ring of the Midday Hunt: “Poisoning effects deal damage across 33% of normal duration” → “new Poisoning effects last 33% longer.”

  • Ring of Writhing Moon: “Generates 3 Vigor per hit” → “Reduces an equipped Eagle Skill’s cooldown by 0.25 sec per hit.”

  • Peacemonger’s Signet: “1-7 Vigor per second” → “5-15%[x] increased damage and Armor.”

  • Band of First Breath: % Max Life replaced with additive Max Life. Crit Chance replaced with Resolve generation.

  • Rod of Kepeleke: Now only consumes up to 500 Vigor.

  • Multiple Items (Harmony, Loyalty’s, Wound Drinker, Jacinth Shell, Protection of the Prime): Various defensive affixes (Damage Reduction, Armor %) replaced with Dexterity, All Resistance, or flat Armor.

• Spirit Hall Updates: All main Hall potency affixes changed to main Spirit Hall Damage. Scaling damage is shown in blue.

  • Jaguar: Reworked. Now: Every 15th Jaguar Skill hit unleashes a Beast Strike (100% weapon damage), increasing all your damage by 3% and doubling Beast Strike’s damage (stacks 5x, lost after 1 sec of not attacking).

  • Eagle: Now scales damage instead of Vulnerable duration.

  • Gorilla: Now only scales Thorns damage. Barrier per hit 5% → 2.5% (no cap). Clarified Gorilla skills need not be Cast.

  • Centipede: Now scales damage instead of Slow/DR. DR per stack 2% → 4%. Debuff duration 6 → 8 sec. Total poison 70% → 160%.

• Legendary Aspects: Reactive Armor tooltip clarified.

• Paragon: Sapping Node: Vigor Restoration 15% → 15 Vigor.

• Tempering: Moved Mystic Circle Potency from Jaguar Finesse to Plains Augments (Weapon).

MERCENARIES

• Raheir: Shield Charge Fortify 5% → 0.2% Max Life. Ground Slam required attacks 3 → 20, Healing 5% → 8% Max Life.

• Subo: Seeker perk changed from “restore 50% Max Resource” to “gain 50 primary resource.”

• Varyana: Taste of Flesh Healing 2% → 1% Max Life.

• Aldkin: Ember’s Gift changed from “33% of max resource per second” to “33 resource per second.”

KURAST UNDERCITY

• Tribute Buffs: Significantly increased rewards for Pride (legendaries), Mystique (magic runes), Growth (pre-60 XP), Refinement (Obducite), and Radiance (ancestral legendaries). Buffed item/XP rewards in Torment difficulty.

• Drop Adjustments: Tribute of Pride and Mystique quality increased to Rare (drop chance reduced). Chance for pre-torment Tributes reduced.

BUG FIXES (VESSEL OF HATRED)

• Skills: Protector Thorns, Touch of Death swarm spawn, Poised Touch of Death application.

• Paragon: Convergency Node scaling with Canny Glyph, Drive Node damage scaling.

• Items: Unyielding Hits Aspect with Centipede, Hesha E Kesungi Greater Affix display, Aspect of Fleet Wings (Unhindered, snapshotting), Bruiser’s Aspect display in town.

• Runes: Xal (Life %), Moni (counter reset on weapon swap), Jah (random direction with Oculus).

• Mercenaries: Subo’s Bargaining Chips (Overpower), Ambusher (Lucky Hit), Loaded Munitions (Vulnerable).

• Miscellaneous: Event completion in Nahantu, Ehecatl disappearing, Undercity portal failures, Darm The Bloom Warden, and Raze/Cull events.

IX. BASE GAME UPDATES (SEASONAL & ETERNAL)

NEW UNIQUE ITEMS

• Barbarian – Chainscourged Mail (Pants from Lord Zir): Casting a damaging Brawling Skill disables it. When all on-action-bar Brawling Skills are disabled, they re-enable with cooldowns refreshed. Brawling Skills deal 50-100%[x] increased damage per disabled Skill.

• Druid – Khamsin Steppewalkers (Boots from Grigoire): Power combines both PTR and live versions (damaging enemies with Nature Magic grants Move Speed/Unhindered; damaging with Storm grants charges for Defensive Skill activation).

• Necromancer – Gravebloom (1H Mace from Beast in Ice): You raise 3 smaller, faster Golems (40-60% damage, +30% Attack Speed). Golems respawn 50% faster.

• Rogue – Death’s Pavane (Pants from Andariel/Duriel): Dance of Knives drops knives. Picking them up grants a Charge and increases its damage by 10-20% for 6 sec (stacks 3x).

• Sorcerer – Orsivane (1H Mace from Varshan): For each Defensive Skill not on your bar, deal 20-40% increased damage and gain its Enchantment effect.

BALANCE UPDATES (ALL CLASSES)

• Unique Items: Major reworks and affix adjustments for Melted Heart of Selig (reverted to a hybrid of old/PTR effects), Shattered Vow, Tassets of the Dawning Sky, Tyrael’s Might, Andariel’s Visage, Soulbrand, Temerity, Tibault’s Will, Flickerstep, Banished Lord’s Talisman. Focus on replacing % Max Life and specific Damage Reduction with stats like flat Life, Armor, All Resist, or main stat.

• Legendary Aspects: Aspect of Elements renamed to “Of Elemental Fate,” now can stack the same bonus multiple times. Needleflair Aspect frequency reduced, chance increased. Assimilation Aspect Fortify reduced. Several aspects now have 21 ranks (up from 16).

CLASS BALANCE (BASE GAME)

• Barbarian:

  • Expertise: Rank 10 bonus applies when weapon is in Technique Slot.

  • Skills: Kick/Power Kick/Mighty Kick damage increased. Power Kick consumes up to 500 Fury. Leap scales with Attack Speed. Upheaval cancel time reduced. Iron Skin reworked (+30% Max Life, Barrier absorbs 80% missing Life). Ground Stomp Pulls enemies. Call of Ancients duration increased. Iron Maelstrom damages doubled. Various Fortify values reduced on skills/passives.

  • Aspects: Veteran Brawler, Dire Whirlwind, Numbing Wrath, Steadfast Berserker’s, Tempering Blows reworked (Fortify based on % Max Life). Anger Management, Executioner’s, Fortress aspect ranks increased.

  • Uniques: Bane of Ahjad-Den cooldown halved (6 sec), damage bonus halved.

  • Paragon: Dominate Glyph timer reduced. Might Glyph bonus includes Injured. Weapons Master Node restores flat Fury. Warbringer Node requires more Fury spent.

• Druid:

  • Spirit Boons: Bolster Fortify drastically reduced.

  • Skills: Grizzly Rage reworked (no stacking duration, CD starts after effect ends, ranks grant damage). Bad Omen reworked (calls Lightning on Immobilize/Stun, ranks increase lightning damage). Energize & Earthen Might now restore 100 Spirit (not full). Various Fortify values reduced.

  • Aspects: Skinwalker’s reworked (grants Fortify on shapeshift). Calm Breeze restores 100 Spirit. Rejuvenating & Spirit Bond ranks increased.

  • Uniques: Vasily’s Prayer Fortify reduced. Mjölnic Ring restores 500 Spirit.

• Necromancer:

  • Book of the Dead: Golem respawn 20 → 10 sec. Golem active directs minions, Unstoppable duration increased. Bone Mage Fortify reduced.

  • Skills: Corpse Explosion/Blighted damage increased. Bone Spirit consumes up to 500 Essence.

  • Passives: Kalan’s Edict reworked (flat 40% Attack Speed/damage bonus). Necrotic Carapace & Drain Vitality Fortify reduced. Supernatural Blood Surge reworked (65% increased damage while Fortified). Initiate’s Hemorrhage reworked.

  • Aspects: Hungry Blood now triggers on any first hit, not just lanced enemies. Cursed Aura & Shademist ranks increased.

  • Uniques: Major affix changes for Mutilator Plate, Kessime’s Legacy, Indira’s Memory (fully reworked), Greaves of the Empty Tomb, The Unmaker, Cruor’s Embrace (replacing % Max Life with Intelligence).

  • Tempering: Minion Chance to Fortify reduced.

  • Paragon: Gravekeeper Glyph bonus includes Injured. Blood-drinker & Exhumation Glyph Fortify reduced (Exhumation DR increased, duration doubled).

• Rogue:

  • Specialization: Inner Sight reworked. When full: restore 300 Energy, gain 100% Energy Cost Reduction, +25% Crit Chance, +25%[x] Crit Damage.

  • Skills: Shadow Clone targeting improved.

  • Aspects: Star Shards damage per Combo Point increased. Galvanized Slasher restores 100 Energy.

  • Uniques: Beastfall Boots consumes up to 500 Energy. Various items (Scoundrel’s Leathers, Eyes in the Dark, etc.) have Damage Reduction affixes replaced with Dexterity.

  • Paragon: Deadly Ambush bonus now also applies to Damage Over Time.

• Sorcerer:

  • Skills: Teleport damage increased. Mystical Teleport now generates Crackling Energy. Shimmering Teleport now Dazes. Frozen Orb Chill reduced. Enhanced Frozen Orb damage bonus changed. Shimmering Frost Nova restores flat Mana.

  • Passives: Primordial Binding reworked (flat Summon Damage bonus).

  • Aspects: Tenuous Destruction → Tenuous Survival (Defensive aspect, grants Armor/Life regen). Tenuous Agility reworked (huge Move Speed bonus, removed for 10 sec after Casting a Defensive Skill). Snowveiled reworked (grants Armor, interacts with free-cast). Firebird reworked (Meteorites while Flame Shield is active). Jolting & Winter Touch ranks increased.

  • Uniques: The Oculus fully reworked (new inherent: Nova Size; power combines live and PTR effects). Fractured Winterglass reworked (Frozen Orb damage per Summon, chance to create Conjuration). Raiment of the Infinite reverted to PTR power (pull and chance to reset on kill). Various uniques (Axial Conduit, Okun’s, Esadora’s) have defensive affixes replaced with Intelligence or Cooldown Reduction.

  • Enchantments: Ice Armor reworked (potions apply Ice Armor, may refund). Frost Nova Lucky Hit chance reduced. Teleport reworked (Evade becomes a 5-sec CD Teleport that cannot be reduced). Frozen Orb proc condition changed.

ENEMY, ECONOMY, & SYSTEM UPDATES

• Enemies: Elite densities adjusted. New rarity system applied to Undercity Afflicted. Elite affixes significantly buffed (Shock Lance, Waller, Poison Enchanted, Electrified Obelisk, Explosive, Fire Enchanted, Suppressor, Plaguebearer).

• Economy & Loot:

  • Item rarity progression smoothed. Legendaries rarer before 40 but have 4 affixes total.

  • Elites/Champions always drop equipment and gold.

  • Monsters can drop level-appropriate Gems.

  • Altars of Lilith now grant consumables (fragments, obols, gold), not permanent stats.

• Crafters:

  • Costs no longer scale with Item Power.

  • Occultist: Imprinting and Enchanting costs simplified (mostly Veiled Crystals/Forgotten Souls + gold).

  • Blacksmith: Salvage yields adjusted (more materials from Rares, Legendaries give Legendary Salvage + Forgotten Souls).

  • Tempering: Redesigned. Choose specific affixes. Roll charges: Rares get 1, Legendaries+ get 3 + 1 per Greater Affix. Scrolls of Restoration restore 1 charge (unlimited use). Costs adjusted.

  • Masterworking: Redesigned into a Refinement system (0-20%). Increases base item/affix values linearly. At 20%, one affix can be upgraded to Greater Affix (re-rollable with Neathiron). Obducite gain reduced 85%.

• Vendors: Sell value reduced 60%, purchase cost reduced 90%.

• Healing Overhaul:

  • Potions heal 35% Max Life instantly (no HoT), recharge every 12 sec, no upgrades needed.

  • Life Regen, Life on Kill, Life Per Hit, and Healing % affixes reintroduced/boosted and spread across gear.

• Nightmare Dungeons: Reduced chance for Sigil drop (replaced with Powder). Horadric Strongrooms have better loot, more gold, higher Sigil drop chance, but appear less often.

• Miscellaneous:

  • Single-element resistances can roll higher than All Resistance.

  • Jeweler/Occultist added to training grounds.

  • The Pit: Free entry, unlock at Tier 10 (available before 60).

  • Obol capacity +500.

  • Elixir/Incense updates (Armor elixirs buffed, Fortitude % Max Life reduced, Song of Mountain gives % Armor).

  • Rare tempering manuals drop at 30 (was 45).

  • Campaign skippers get all non-stronghold waypoints.

  • All skill slots unlocked at level 1. Skill tree progression faster.

  • Aether rewards (Infernal Hordes) increased.

  • Monsters scale attack speed with difficulty.

  • Tempering affix variance increased.

  • Resistance/Armor affixes adjusted for Toughness.

  • Renown removed on Seasonal Realm. Rewards moved to Season Journey/Rank.

  • Season Rank: New challenging journey tied to Capstone Dungeon completion.

Previously, Diablo 4 patch 1.12 introduced new unique items and legendary aspects. Unfortunately, since the last patch 1.21, players are experiencing error codes and bugs. Today’s D4 patch 1.98 will address a few of these issues.

Download free Diablo 4 patch 1.98 on PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One.