Every new season of Diablo IV brings about monumental changes that completely alter the game’s meta. We usually wind up with colossal skill nerfs, pushing one class down the tier list and bumping another up. Well, the Season of Witchcraft proves no different, as we have class updates for each to contend with on release. It’s not all bad, though. My beloved Barbarian is getting a buff!
Class Skill Buffs and Nerfs in Diablo 4 Season of Witchcraft
If you want to take a gander at the full Diablo IV Season of Witchcraft patch notes, well, I certainly won’t stop you. I will warn you, however, that they’re absolutely massive. You’ll scroll for a day and a half to reach the end. But I’m primarily interested in how the class skills change in the season:
Spiritborn
The Seeker
- Rank 5 Bonus: Scaling increased from 30% to 40%.
Harmonious Seeker
- Previous – The Seeker’s first hit Knocks enemies Down for 4 seconds and the second hit is a guaranteed Critical Strike.
- Now – The Seeker’s first hit Knocks Down enemies for 4 seconds. Both its first and second hits are guaranteed to Critically Strike.
Barbarian
Hammer of the Ancients
- Damage increased from 80% to 90%.
Furious Hammer of the Ancients
- Critical Strike Chance and Damage per 10 Fury increased from 3% to 5%.
Whirlwind
- Damage increased from 18% to 22%.
Iron Maelstrom
- Rank 5 Bonus: Damage while Healthy/Injured scaling bonus reduced from 80 to 60%.
Prime Iron Maelstrom
- Critical Strike Damage increased from 40% to 50%.
Supreme Iron Maelstrom
- Previous – Dealing direct damage to an enemy after swapping weapons reduces Iron Maelstrom’s Cooldown by 1 second.
- Now – Swapping weapons reduces Iron Maelstrom’s Cooldown by 1 second.
Druid
Lacerate
- Rank 5 Bonus: Critical Strike Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.
- Can now be cancelled when using the skill again.
Raging Shred
- Poisoning damage increased from 30[x] to 150%[x].
Related: When Does Diablo 4 Season 7 Start? – Season of Witchcraft Start Date and Time
Necromancer
Enhanced Bone Spear
- Previous – Bone Spear breaks into 3 bone shards when it is destroyed, dealing 25% damage each.
- Now – Bone Spear makes the first enemy hit Vulnerable for 3 seconds and breaks into 3 bone shards when destroyed, dealing 25% damage each.
Supernatural Bone Spear
- Previous – Bone Spear makes the first enemy hit Vulnerable for 3 seconds and deals 30% increased Overpower damage.
- Now – Bone Spear deals 40% more Overpower damage and restores 5% Maximum Life after Overpowering.
Army of the Dead
- Skeleton Mage and Golem Damage scaling bonus reduced from 80 to 40%.
Blood Wave
- Rank 5 Bonus: Damage scaling reduced from 60% to 30%.
Bone Storm
- Rank 5 Bonus: Critical Strike Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.
Supreme Bone Storm
- Previous – Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by 20% while Bone Storm is active.
- Now – Your Critical Strike Chance and Attack Speed are increased by 20% while Bone Storm is active.
Sorcerer
Ice Shards
- Damage to Frozen enemies increased from 25% to 50%.
Mystical Frost Nova
- Previous – Frost Nova makes enemies Vulnerable for 4 seconds, increased to 6 seconds against Bosses.
- Now – Frost Nova makes enemies Vulnerable and increases the damage they take from you by 15%[x] for 4 seconds, increased to 8 seconds against Bosses.
Shimmering Frost Nova
- Previous – Frost Nova grants 3%[+] Dodge Chance per enemy hit for 8 seconds, up to 15[+]. Dodging while this effect is active restores 20 Mana. Hitting a Boss with Frost Nova grants the maximum Dodge Chance Bonus.
- Now – Casting Frost Nova grants 15%[+] Dodge Chance for 8 seconds and restores 10% of your Missing Mana for every enemy hit. Hitting a Boss with Frost Nova restores 100% of your Mana.
Invoked Ice Blades
- Previous – Your Ice Blades gain 10% Attack Speed per active Ice Blade.
- Now – You and your Ice Blades gain 10% Attack Speed per active Ice Blade.
Deep Freeze
- Previous – Encase yourself in ice, becoming Immune for 4 seconds, continually dealing damage, and Chilling enemies for 14%. When Deep Freeze expires, it deals an additional 183% damage.
- Now – Encase yourself in ice and become Immune for 4 seconds, Chilling surrounding enemies for 14% and continuously dealing damage to them. When Deep Freeze ends, you explode for 183% more damage.
- Additionally, the final explosion will now happen no matter how Deep Freeze ends.
- Rank 5 Bonus: Vulnerable Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.
Supreme Deep Freeze
- Previous – When Deep Freeze ends, surrounding enemies are made Vulnerable for 5 seconds and your Non-Ultimate Cooldowns are instantly reset.
- Now – Deep Freeze’s initial hit makes surrounding enemies Vulnerable for 5 seconds. After it ends, your Non-Ultimate Cooldowns are instantly reset and your Frost Skills deal 25% increased damage for 5 seconds.
Inferno
- Rank 5 Bonus
- Previous – Enemies within Inferno are Vulnerable.
- Now – Enemies within Inferno are continually made Vulnerable for 5 seconds.
Rogue
Disciplined Dance of Knives
- Pierce chance increased from 20% to 35%.
Supreme Death Trap
- Damage to enemies who resist its Pull In increased from 120% to 180% of its damage.
Shadow Step
- Cleave area increased when using Shadow Step Cleaves Tempering affix.
- Radius increased by 15%.
- Angle increased by 33%.
Rain of Arrows
- Rank 5 Bonus: Damage to Distant Enemies scaling bonus reduced from 100 to 80%.
Which class do you intend to play first in Diablo 4 Season of Witchcraft? Let us know in the comments, or start a discussion on the official Insider Gaming community forums!
Can this new season of Diablo 4 elevate the ARPG to the top most-played games on Steam alongside its competitor, Path of Exile 2?
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