Set items are coming back to Diablo 4, and Diablo 3 players are afraid that the same mistakes will be repeated.
However, during a Discord Q&A last night, developers were asked directly how they plan to avoid repeating what some see as Diablo 3’s biggest issue. Sets were just dominating the meta in the end, and locking players into rigid, high-multiplier builds.
It seems that this time, Blizzard’s answer was to change the structure entirely.
Sets Will Not Compete With Your Gear
During the Q&A, the devs explained that in Diablo 3, sets were tied to armor slots. If you were not wearing your full six-piece bonus, you were often leaving an enormous amount of damage on the table. That system made many builds feel mandatory rather than optional.
This is why they chose to take a different route for Diablo 4.
As we all know, sets are now part of the new Talisman system, which unlocks during the Lord of Hatred campaign. Instead of replacing armor pieces, sets exist as Charms that you socket into your Talisman. That means they do not compete with your main gear slots at all. They are an addition to your build, not a replacement anymore.
Another important difference that the devs explained was flexibility. Instead of pushing players toward a large, “all-or-nothing” set bonus, the system allows for smaller combinations like 2/2/2. In other words, you can mix different sets instead of committing entirely to one.
Developers stressed that these sets are meant to change how a build plays, not just inflate damage numbers. The focus, at least for now, appears to be on interaction and playstyle rather than billion-percent multipliers.
A Different Approach Than Diablo 3
When asked how Diablo 4 would avoid the problems seen in Diablo 3, the developers pointed out that the game is in a very different balance state. Sets are being introduced into a system already built around layered itemization and synergy. By isolating sets within the Talisman system and keeping them separate from armor slots, Blizzard is trying to prevent them from overtaking the rest of the gear ecosystem.
It is hard to know if that will hold long-term and how strong these set bonuses end up being at endgame. But structurally, this is clearly not a return to the Diablo 3 mistake.
For now, it looks like Diablo 4’s take on sets is more about expanding build options than defining them. Most players who played through Diablo 3 agree that it is a very good step forward for the game. Even if a few people are waiting to see how it really plays during Endgame, the overall feeling is already very optimistic!
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