Diablo II: Resurrected Patch 2.4 Balance PTR

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

Developer Comments: We wanted to give more advantages for using Amazon melee skills, so we are freeing up skill synergy reliance on “Lightning Fury”, which will make the lightning melee skills a cheaper skill point alternative to build around. Also, we are improving the power of the lesser-used melee skills such as “Impale” and “Fend.” Lastly, “Plague Javelin” has received improvements with Casting Delay, damage synergy, and duration scaling, to further diversify its usage compared to “Poison Javelin.”

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Passive And Magic Skills

Inner Sight

• This skill’s radius has increased by 35%

Slow Missiles

• Missile slow now scales instead of staying at a flat base of 33%
• This skill’s radius has increased by 35%
• This skill will now reduce enemy missile damage based on skill level

Valkyrie

• Casting Delay reduced from 6 seconds to 0.6 seconds
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Dodge

• The animation can now be interrupted and will no longer lock out the Amazon from performing other actions

Avoid

• The animation can now be interrupted and will no longer lock out the Amazon from performing other actions

Developer Comments: We wanted to add some quality-of-life changes to certain Passive and Magic Skills. We improved the radius for “Inner Sight” and “Slow Missiles”, and we gave more reason to invest skill points for “Slow Missiles.” Also, we wanted to alleviate the disadvantage of the animation lockout from using the “Dodge” and “Avoid” skills so that players are more willing to spend points on these skills.

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Bow And Crossbow Skills

Freezing Arrow

• Mana Cost per level reduced from +0.5 to +0.25

Magic Arrow

• Increased the amount of physical damage converted to magic damage for the base level and per level

Guided Arrow

• Damage bonus per level increased from +5% to +7%

Strafe

• Removed the 25% weapon damage reduction from this skill
• Now also gives increased Attack Rating with +30% baseline and +9% per level

Fire Arrow

• Mana Cost no longer increases per level

Exploding Arrow

• Damage scaling increased by about 50% for higher skill levels
• Fire Arrow synergy increased from +12% to +14%
• Mana Cost per level reduced from +0.5 to +0.25

Immolation Arrow

• Average Fire Damage per second scaling increased by about 100%
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay
• Mana Cost per level reduced from +0.5 to +0.25

Developer Comments: Fire bow skills are receiving damage scaling improvements at higher levels so that they consistently fulfill their fire elemental damage type roles for their level tier. Also, mana costs were reduced for the elemental arrow skills to give them more general usage. “Strafe” will no longer have weapon damage reduction and will also provide Attack Rating so that it can have distinctive advantages over the other physical bow skills.

Martial Arts

Fist of Fire

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Claws of Thunder

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Blades of Ice

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Tiger Strike

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Cobra Strike

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Phoenix Strike

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +15% to +25% baseline, and from +7% to +10% per level

Dragon Talon

• Now consumes only 1 of each Martial Arts charge when cast
• Now always hits the target only if the Assassin has any Martial Arts charges

Dragon Claw

• Now consumes only 1 of each Martial Arts charge when cast
• Now always hits the target only if the Assassin has any Martial Arts charges
• Damage bonus per level increased from 5% to 15%

Dragon Tail

• Now consumes only 1 of each Martial Arts charge when cast
• Now always hits the target only if the Assassin has any Martial Arts charges
• Damage bonus per level increased from 10% to 20%

Dragon Flight

• Now consumes only 1 of each Martial Arts charge when cast
• Now guarantee hits the target only if the Assassin has any Martial Arts charges
• Casting Delay removed
• Damage bonus per level increased from 25% to 35%

Developer Comments: Martial Arts skills are receiving a significant change with having Finishing Moves (including the Attack skill) only consume 1 of each charge at a time instead of all 3 at once. We feel like this will allow Martial Arts to perform smoother during combat by better maintaining current charges instead of having to re-acquire charges too often. In addition to this, we are increasing Attack Rating for Charge-up skills to compliment the smoothness of gaining and spending charges Lastly, we wanted to improve damage payoff for the lesser used Finishing Move skills.

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Shadow Disciplines

Fade

• Tooltip updated to now show the physical damage resist reduction

Venom

• Buff Duration scaling per level changed from 4 seconds to 12 seconds (matching Burst of Speed and Fade)

Shadow Warrior

• Casting Delay reduced from 6 seconds to 0.6 seconds
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Shadow Master

• Casting Delay reduced from 6 seconds to 0.6 seconds
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Developer Comments: We felt that Shadow Disciplines are generally widely used and effective, but we wanted to add some quality-of-life changes, so we added tooltip clarity, buff duration consistency improvements, and casting delay changes.

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Traps

Shock Web

• Removed synergy from Death Sentry skill
• Charged Bolt Sentry synergy increased from +11% to +17%
• Lightning Sentry synergy increased from +11% to +17%
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Charged Bolt Sentry

• Removed synergy from Death Sentry skill
• Fire Blast synergy increased from +6% to +9%
• Lightning Sentry synergy increased from +6% to +9%

Lightning Sentry

• Removed synergy from Death Sentry skill
• Shock Web synergy increased from +12% to +18%
• Charged Bolt Sentry synergy increased from +12% to +18%

Fire Blast

• Removed synergy from Death Sentry skill
• Shock Web synergy increased from +9% to +11%
• Charged Bolt Sentry synergy increased from +9% to +11%
• Wake of Fire synergy increased from +9% to +11%
• Lightning Sentry synergy increased from +9% to +11%
• Wake of Inferno Sentry synergy increased from +9% to +11%

Wake of Fire

• Fire Blast synergy increased from +8% to +10%
• Wake of Inferno synergy increased from +8% to +10%

Wake of Inferno

• Removed synergy from Death Sentry
• Fire Blast synergy increased from +10% to +18%
• Wake of Fire synergy increased from +7% to +18%

Blade Sentinel

• Casting Delay reduced from 2 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
• Missile speed increased by 20%
• Weapon Damage increased from 37% to 75%
• Blade Fury synergy added: +10% Damage per level
• Blade Shield synergy added: +10% Damage per level

Blade Fury

• Blade Sentinel synergy added: +10% Damage per level
• Blade Shield synergy added: +10% Damage per level

Blade Shield

• Duration baseline value increased from 20 seconds to 120 seconds (matching Burst of Speed and Fade)
• Duration scaling per level increased from 5 seconds to 12 seconds (matching Burst of Speed and Fade)
• Weapon Damage increased from 25% to 75%
• Blade Sentinel synergy added: +10% Damage per level
• Blade Fury synergy added: +10% Damage per level
• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Developer Comments: With Trap skills, there are multiple underused skills that can be more effective or have improved synergy distribution. For Lightning and Fire Traps, we are freeing up synergy reliance on “Death Sentry” to give more build possibilities elsewhere. Also, Fire traps are receiving damage synergy improvements to make them more effective at higher difficulties. Lastly, the Blade skills are receiving multiple improvements to make them more viable to dedicate builds around these skills.

Warcries

General

• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Howl

• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Battle Cry

• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

War Cry

• Damage increased by about 30%
• Tooltip updated to now display Radius
• War Cry's mana cost now increases by only 0.75 per level instead of 1

Developer Comments: We've seen your feedback that the mana cost for War Cry is too high compared to how it performs. We want to try out a modification to its mana cost and see how that affects its cost-effectiveness.

Shout

• Duration baseline increased from 20 seconds to 30 seconds (matching Battle Orders)
• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Battle Orders

• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Battle Command

• Duration baseline increased from 5 seconds to 30 seconds (matching Battle Orders)
• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Grim Ward

• Radius baseline value increased
• Now also Slows and increases Damage Taken for nearby enemies.
• Find Potion synergy added: +5% Damage Taken per level

Developer Comments: We are adding more tooltip descriptions to Warcries for clarification on hidden skill mechanics. “Shout” and “Battle Command” durations were updated to be consistent with each other for quality-of-life purposes. For “War Cry,” we want to make it more effective and rewarding to use at higher difficulties. Lastly, with “Grim Ward”, we are adding a new functionality and synergy to give more reason to use the skill, which also gives more reason to spend skill points on “Find Potion.”

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Combat Masteries

Throwing Mastery

• Added chance to pierce

Developer Comments: We added pierce chance to “Throwing Mastery” so that the Barbarian can better handle groups of enemies with Throwing skills.

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Combat Skills

Leap

• Baseline minimum distance increased
• Speed of the leap motion increased by 75%
• Tooltip updated to now display Knockback Radius

Leap Attack

• Speed of the leap motion increased by 75%
• Damage baseline increased from 100% to 200%
• Attack Rating baseline increased from 50% to 100%
• Attack Rating per level increased from 15% to 20%
• Leap synergy increased from +10% to +15% Damage per level

Berserk

• Shout synergy replaced with Battle Orders

Double Throw

• Added damage bonus with 16% baseline and 8% damage increase per level

Frenzy

• Increased Stamina synergy added: +0.4 Seconds per Level

Developer Comments: We want to make the Leap skills move a lot faster so that they are less awkward to use. “Leap Attack” is receiving better level scaling to make it a more reliable damage skill to build around. For “Berserk”, the existing “Shout” synergy is changing to “Battle Orders,” because the Defense loss from the skill contradicts the usage of “Shout,” and this will better connect with other skill synergy build possibilities. “Double Throw” will now have a baseline damage increase so that it will not purely rely on synergies for damage. Lastly, “Frenzy” is receiving a new synergy from the lesser-used “Increased Stamina” skill to give more reasons to invest skill points there and add new build diversity.

Elemental Skills

Firestorm

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Molten Boulder

• Missile speed increased by 100%. Missile range decreased by 50% (The overall travel length remains the same)
• Casting Delay reduced from 2 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
• Volcano synergy increased from 10% to 12%

Fissure

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Volcano

• Molten Boulder synergy increased from 12% to 16%
• Tooltip updated to now show Volcano duration
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Armageddon

• Casting Delay has been removed for this skill
• Physical Damage significantly increased
• Tooltip updated to now display Physical Damage
• Volcano synergy changed to increase Physical Damage instead of Fire Damage, and increased from 14% to 18%

Arctic Blast

• Removed synergy from Hurricane
• Base damage and level scaling increased by ~100% (also to compensate for the incorrect damage calculation in the past)
• Controls are updated so that the skill now casts in free form and no longer locks onto one target at a time

Cyclone Armor

• Can now be cast while in Werewolf or Werebear form

Twister

• Damage scaling increased by 50%
• Arctic Blast synergy added: +20% Stun Duration per level

Hurricane

• Casting Delay removed
• Can now be cast while in Werewolf or Werebear form

Developer Comments: With the Casting Delay changes, Druid Fire skills are generally going to be more widely used. In addition, we are increasing the physical damage scaling for Fire skills to be a reliable alternative damage source. We felt that “Arctic Blast” is generally lacking power, so we are increasing the damage scaling, reducing the synergy requirements to free up skill points, and improving the general player controls to allow for smoother freeform targeting. In addition, we wanted to complement the “Arctic Blast” changes with improvements to “Twister” to add more build possibilities. Lastly, we are allowing Shapeshift forms to cast each of the elemental buff skills to avoid the current hassle of having to change forms to continuously maintain these active buffs.

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Shape Shifting Skills

General

• The previous logic for shapeshifting attack speed has been restored. The new logic remains in place, and whichever resulting calculation is faster is the one that will be used in an attack.

Developer Comments: It was not our intent to nerf Werebear and Werewolf as a result of our changes to attack speed. Our end goal is to allow the player to fully realize the fantasy of a fast Werewolf or a slower but hard-hitting Werebear. We are evaluating what the best solution for this is, but in the meantime, our hope is by utilizing both systems and always choosing the fastest speed calculation, we get the best of both worlds where it is a buff in some situations and a status-quo in others

Werewolf

• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay
• Changed how attack speed is determined while transformed as a Werewolf. Attack speeds while transformed should match attack speeds while untransformed (enhanced by the Werewolf's increased attack speed).

Rabies

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +7% to +10% per level
• Poison Creeper synergy increased from 18% to 20%

Fury

• Attack Rating bonus increased from +7% to +10% per level

Werebear

• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay
• Changed how attack speed is determined while transformed as a Werebear. Attack speeds while transformed should match attack speeds while untransformed.

Maul

• Damage bonus per level increased from 20% to 30%
• Attack Rating bonus increased from +20% to +40% baseline, and +10% to +15% per level
• Tooltip Stun value will now properly cap at 10 seconds, which follows the core game's Stun duration cap

Shock Wave

• Maul synergy increased from 5% to 10%

Fire Claws

• Damage increased by 75%
• Removed synergy from Fissure
• Removed synergy from Volcano

Developer Comments: Werewolf skills are receiving Attack Rating improvements to help melee gameplay. For “Fire Claws,” we wanted to reduce the heavy skill point synergy costs to open more build possibilities. Werebear skills are receiving damage improvements to make them more viable for higher difficulties.

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Summoning Skills

Oak Sage

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Physical Damage Resist in Normal Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Nightmare Difficulty reduced from 100% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Hell Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%

Heart of the Wolverine

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Physical Damage Resist in Normal Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Nightmare Difficulty reduced from 100% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Hell Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%

Spirit of Barbs

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Aura no longer returns a percentage of damage when hit. Now the aura will deal a flat amount of damage when the aura-effected targets are attacked.
• Physical Damage Resist in Normal Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Nightmare Difficulty reduced from 100% to 25%
• Physical Damage Resist in Hell Difficulty increased from 0% to 25%

Raven

• Number of hits per Raven reduced from 12 to 5, and no longer increases per level (*Restored to original value)
• Reduced the damage gain for skill ranges 2-8, 9-16, and 17-22

Developer Comments: We hope that by restoring the original Raven hit functionality and reducing the damage scaling at early levels, we hope to correct any damage reductions caused by our original balance changes while also ensuring that Raven isn't doing too much damage at early levels.

• Attack Rating bonus per level increased from 15% to 30% (now also displays in the tooltip)
• Modified the AI so that the Ravens attack more often
• Damage level scaling significantly increased
• Summon Spirit Wolf synergy added: +12% Damage per level
• Summon Dire Wolf synergy added: +12% Damage per level
• Summon Grizzly synergy added: +12% Damage per level

Summon Spirit Wolf

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Attacks now deal cold damage and chill for a duration (Provides utility with chilling and acts as an alternative damage type compared to Dire Wolves)
• Damage level scaling increased by 10%
• Base Life increased by about 80%
• Life now increases by 10% per level
• Updated the tooltip to display each synergy bonus value

Summon Dire Wolf

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Damage level scaling increased by 30%
• Base Life increased by about 90%
• Life synergy reduced from 25% to 15% (This is because the base life was increased, and Spirit Wolf and Grizzly now gain Life per level)
• Updated the tooltip to display each synergy bonus value

Summon Grizzly

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Base Life increased by ~15%
• Life now increases by 10% per level
• Updated the tooltip to display each synergy bonus value

Poison Creeper

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Poison damage level scaling significantly increased
• Life scaling increased by 100%
• Rabies synergy added: +10% Poison Damage per level

Carrion Vine

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Life recovery has been reworked to be +1% Healing per level, instead of using a diminishing calculation ranging from 3%-12%

Solar Creeper

• Min Life and Max Life values are averaged to always be the same, accurate to the tooltip
• Mana recovery has been reworked to be +3% Mana baseline with +1% Mana per level, instead of using a diminishing calculation ranging from 1%-8%

Developer Comments: There are plenty of Druid summons that could be improved to better build around. In general, all summons will no longer have hidden randomized health values so that the tooltip is more accurate and so summons perform more consistently. Ravens are getting significant changes to help them function as a spell-like skill for summoning Druids to use, and this includes damage scaling buffs and new synergies from other summons to fuel their damage. Wolves are getting improvements to give them more of an identity as damage-dealing summons. The spirit summons are receiving a physical damage resist change across each difficulty to make them survive more consistently. ”Spirit of Barbs” is receiving changes to Thorns to make it a more reliable source of damage. Lastly, each of the creeper summons are receiving improvements to give more reason to invest skill points and to have them perform better at higher levels.

Summoning Skills

Raise Skeletal Mage

• Percentage HP per level increased from 7% to 10%
• Poison total damage scaling increased by about 750%. Poison duration no longer scales and now lasts 4 seconds
• Cold damage scaling increased by about 50%
• Lightning damage scaling increased by about 5%
• The tooltip will now properly display the Life scaling per level

Blood Golem

• Now gains Max Life per level
• Damage scaling per level has been increased

Iron Golem

• Thorns no longer return a percentage of damage when hit. Now thorns will deal a flat amount of damage when the aura-effected targets are attacked.

Fire Golem

• Holy Fire level bonus per level increased from 1 to 2

Developer Comments: We saw a good opportunity to improve lesser-used summons for the Necromancer. Skeletal Mages have received significant damage scaling improvements so that their elemental damage values are more consistent. This means that Cold damage is more effective but still slightly weaker than Fire damage because of its chill utility, and Poison damage is much more reliable with a fixed duration and better damage scaling. “Blood Golem“ and “Fire Golem” are receiving damage improvements to make them more competitive with the other Golems. For “Iron Golem,” we are changing the “Thorns” aura to deal more reliable damage to improve its source of effectiveness (See Paladin changes below for more details).

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Poison And Bone Skills

Bone Armor

• Damage Absorbed per level increased from 10 to 15

Bone Spear

• Teeth synergy increased from 7% to 8%
• Bone Wall synergy increased from 7% to 8%
• Bone Spear synergy increased from 7% to 8%
• Bone Prison synergy increased from 7% to 8%

Bone Spirit

• Teeth synergy increased from 6% to 8%
• Bone Wall synergy increased from 6% to 8%
• Bone Spear synergy increased from 6% to 8%
• Bone Prison synergy increased from 6% to 8%

Developer Comments: Bone skills are generally well performing but we saw an opportunity to improve synergy bonuses to better scale in the late game and to make their heavy skill point investment more valuable. Additionally, “Bone Armor” is receiving better damage absorb scaling to make it more rewarding to spend points on the skill itself instead of relying too heavily on its synergies.

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Curses

Weaken

• Damage reduction now scales based on level, from just 33%, to now 33% and +1% per level

Decrepify

• Tooltip updated to now show the status changes

Developer Comments: For the “Weaken” skill, we added new damage reduction scaling to give more reason to spend additional points on the skill and to give it a more powerful identity.

Defensive Auras

Resist Fire

• Tooltip now displays max resist bonus

Resist Cold

• Tooltip now displays max resist bonus

Resist Lightning

• Tooltip now displays max resist bonus

Developer Comments: We added more information to tooltips to describe hidden functionality for certain Defensive Auras.

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Offensive Auras

Blessed Aim

• Tooltip now displays passive Attack Rating bonus

Holy Fire

• Area damage now scales based on the distance of the enemy to the caster. It will now deal a range from 100% damage to 200% based on the furthest distance to the closest distance to the caster.
• Damage level scaling increased to 90% 70%
• Resist Fire synergy increased from 18% to 24% (*Restored to original value)
• Salvation synergy increased from 6% to 10%

Holy Freeze

• Area damage now scales based on the distance of the enemy to the caster. It will now deal a range from 100% damage to 200% based on the furthest distance to the closest distance to the caster.

Holy Shock

• Area damage now scales based on the distance of the enemy to the caster. It will now deal a range from 100% damage to 200% based on the furthest distance to the closest distance to the caster.

Thorns

• Aura no longer returns a percentage of damage when hit. Now the aura will deal a flat amount of damage when the aura-effected targets are attacked.

Sanctuary

• Area damage now scales based on the distance of the enemy to the caster. It will now deal a range from 100% damage to 200% based on the furthest distance to the closest distance to the caster.

Developer Comments: We felt our original changes to Holy Fire made it too strong at higher levels. Additionally, the new area damage scaling on these auras had greater benefits than we originally intended - we are removing them, for now.

Developer Comments: We wanted to add more potential to the AoE (Area of Effect) Damage auras since they are a capable way for the Paladin to handle groups of monsters. By increasing damage based on distance to the caster, each AoE damage aura will have increased effectiveness while still maintaining the same cadence of visual VFX on the screen. Also, we saw that “Holy Fire” should scale better at higher skill levels to be consistent with general Fire Damage power compared to the other elements. For “Thorns”, we want to improve the gameplay around getting hit to deal damage, so we are making the skill deal flat damage based on attack attempts rather than returning damage after getting hit. This will allow Thorns to have a more consistent combat performance instead of unpredictable and riskier results.

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Combat Skills

Sacrifice

• Damage to self now reduces per level, from 8% to 8%-1%

Conversion

• Maximum conversion chance increased from 50% to 90%

Smite

• Tooltip now shows that the skill always hits

Holy Bolt

• Removed synergy Blessed Hammer
• Damage increased by 50%
• Now pierces targets (Undead and Allies)
• Prayer synergy increased from 15% to 20%

Fist of the Heavens

• Casting Delay reduced from 1 second to 0.4 seconds
• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay
• Holy Bolts now pierce targets (Undead and Allies)
• No longer forces you to attack when out of mana
• Improved targeting functionality for auto acquiring enemies

Developer Comments: We wanted to improve the lesser-used Combat skills to give more viable build options. “Holy Bolt” will now pierce to increase its combat use cases and will have less skill point synergy investment to open more possibilities to spend skill points elsewhere. “Fist of the Heavens” is also getting the same “Holy Bolt” pierce changes and will now have less Casting Delay and improved controls to help make it a more effective Level 30 skill to use.

Cold Skills

Frost Nova

• Damage level scaling increased by about 25%

Blizzard

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Frozen Orb

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Frozen Armor

• Base duration increased from 120 seconds to 144 seconds

Shiver Armor

• Damage level scaling increased by about 25%
• Base duration increased from 120 seconds to 144 seconds

Chilling Armor

• Damage level scaling increased by about 200%
• Duration bonus per level increased from 6 seconds to 12 seconds
• Chill length bonus per level for level 16+ increased from 1 second to 2 seconds (matching Shiver Armor)
• Defense baseline increased from 45% to 60%
• Defense bonus per level increased from 5% to 7%
• Frozen Armor damage synergy increased from 7% to 9%
• Chilling Armor damage synergy increased from 7% to 9%

Developer Comments: With the cold armor skills, we want to further diversify them by ensuring that each has distinctive advantages. After these changes, “Chilling Armor” will have the greatest Defense bonus and damage potential while still only triggering on ranged attacks. Also, “Frost Nova” is receiving damage scaling improvements to give it more power where it was lacking in the later game.

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Lightning Skills

Nova

• Static Field synergy added: +5% Lightning Damage per level

Thunder Storm

• Static Field synergy added: +7% Lightning Damage per level
• Duration baseline increased from 32 seconds to 144 seconds
• Duration bonus per level increased from 8 seconds to 24 seconds
• Tooltip updated to now display Radius

Energy Shield

• Tooltip updated to display more information about the Mana consumed and the Telekinesis synergy

Developer Comments: We saw an opportunity to add new synergies for lesser used Lightning skills to increase their damage potential and create new skill build possibilities.

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Fire Skills

Inferno

• Base damage and level scaling increased by about 75% (also to compensate for the incorrect damage calculation in the past)
• Warmth synergy increased from 13% to 16%
• Controls are updated so that the skill now casts in free form and no longer locks onto one target at a time
• Mana Cost baseline reduced from 7 Mana per second to 4 Mana per second
• Range baseline increased by 75%

Blaze

• Damage scaling increased by about 60%
• Warmth synergy increased from 4% to 6%
• Removed synergy from Fire Wall
• Now also increases Run/Walk Speed by 2% per level
• Tooltip now also displays Blaze duration

Fire Wall

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Meteor

• Casting Delay will no longer share its cooldown with other skills that have Casting Delays
• Tooltip updated to now display Casting Delay

Hydra

• You can now spawn multiple hydras on controller when holding the button down
• Casting delay removed
• Limited max number of Hydra groups to 6
• Fire Bolt synergy increased from +3% to +5% (*Restored to original value)
• Fire Ball synergy increased from +3% to +5% (*Restored to original value)

Developer Comments: We wanted to improve the lesser used Fire skills and give more reasons to use them. Inferno is receiving player control improvements with free form casting, like Arctic Blast, and better damage scaling. Blaze is an often-ignored skill so we wanted to free up synergy requirements and provide more utility and power with damage increases and a new Run/Walk Speed buff for extra utility. Lastly, with Hydra, we wanted to improve the gameplay of summoning Hydras to make it easier to use to skill in combat situations. The removal of Casting Delay and the new limitation on max Hydras will match the maximum Hydra count achievable from before the changes, but now players will have a much easier time to summon that amount.