Step into the world of Barbarian in Diablo 4! Explore our in-depth Barbarian class guides, including the best gear, builds and legendaries.

Barbarian

Druid

Necromancer

Rogue

Sorcerer

Spiritborn


<p>Blizzard is rolling out a hotfix for Diablo 4 with fixes for the quest issue with &#8220;Drums of the Vault&#8221; that led to a progression blocker.</p>



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        <p><strong>This hotfix is being rolled out currently and will be available to all players by early afternoon on January 24th PST</strong></p>
<p><strong>HOTFIX 1 &#8211; January 24, 2024 &#8211; 1.3.0</strong></p>
<h3><a class="anchor" href="https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d4/t/hotfix-1-january-24-2024-130/147145#bug-fixes-1" name="bug-fixes-1"></a>BUG FIXES</h3>
<p>*Addressed an issue with the quest ‘Drums of the Vault’ that led to a progression blocker.<br />
*Stability and performance updates</p>
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Diablo 4 Patch 1.3.0 Hotfixes: January 24th


<p>Blizzard just released a new Diablo 4 video recapping the game&#8217;s campaign so far. It is a perfect refresher for players wanting to catch up on where we left off before starting the next chapter with Vessel of Hatred!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Story So Far</h2>



<p>The base game mainly focused on the fight between Lilith and Inarius. Throughout the campaign, we witnessed Lilith&#8217;s quest to destroy her father, Mephisto, and an enraged Inarius trying to stop her at every turn. Things did not end well for either of them. Inarius met his end at Lilith’s hands, and we, the players, brought Lilith down in that unforgettable final battle. This video perfectly summarizes all the events that have unfolded throughout the story so far and is preparing us for the upcoming expansion, &#8220;Vessel of Hatred.&#8221;</p>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="[SPOILER WARNING] Diablo IV | The Story So Far" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlV3Bu_ysF4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p>The story follows a world on the brink of destruction. It highlights the twisted plans of Lilith and Inarius, the creators of Sanctuary. In the story of Diablo 4, your character is known as the wanderer, who is bonded to Lilith by demon blood and plays an important role in uncovering her twisted plot. Along the way, we meet important allies like Lorath, Donan, and Neyrelle who join the fight. Lilith&#8217;s ultimate plan is to consume the essence of her father, Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, who is on the verge of being reborn in Hell. If she succeeds, all would be doomed.</p>



<p>Inarius and his Cathedral of Light also pursue Lilith, believing it is his destiny to kill her. Meanwhile, Mephisto, lurking in the shadows, manipulates events to protect himself. He sends a herald to assist the Wanderer in hunting down Lilith. Eventually, Neyrelle manages to imprison Mephisto, stripping Lilith of her power. In her final moments, Lilith warns of a dire future, leaving Neyrelle with the burden of dealing with Mephisto as the battle between Heaven, Hell, and humanity continues.</p>



<p>If you are new to Diablo 4 and plan on starting with the expansion, or if you just want to refresh your knowledge of the story before the campaign in <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/vessel-of-hatred-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vessel of Hatred</a> continues, this recap video is a definite &#8220;must-watch&#8221;!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Not the First Time</h2>



<p>Blizzard has previously provided similar recap videos for World of Warcraft, such as <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/topic/81010-war-within-story-so-far-recap-cinematic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the one for &#8220;The War Within</a>,&#8221; which summarized important events leading up to that expansion. I think it is safe to say that we, the fans, really appreciate these efforts, and it’s great to see this trend continue with Diablo 4.</p>


Blizzard Releases Official Diablo 4 Story Recap Video!


<p>If you&#8217;re playing Diablo 4, checking the in-game shop daily can score you free and exclusive items. Here&#8217;s what you need to know.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s Available in the Shop?</h2>



<p>Sometimes, the Diablo 4 shop offers limited-time free items that you can claim. One of the recent free items is the Orichalcum Greatsword!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://preview.redd.it/this-is-why-i-check-the-shop-every-day-v0-qufn27vpmwod1.png?width=1919&amp;format=png&amp;auto=webp&amp;s=ec090c3f5c54fe3af4a9b120640669301d994b9b" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1fh4t15/this_is_why_i_check_the_shop_every_day/">Free Orichalcum Greatsword in the Diablo 4 shop</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>Players have also spotted that Blizzard is offering cosmetics that were previously available through exclusive promotions for free. For example, the Trumming Axle cosmetic Staff from the KFC promotion has made a return in the shop. These don&#8217;t last long so make sure to check and claim them before they&#8217;re gone!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://preview.redd.it/it-seems-blizzard-is-giving-away-cosmetics-previously-only-v0-fj0gf0d2fsod1.png?auto=webp&amp;s=832be1172c116da39db31ce6e675ee90863f5458" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1fgnr1u/it_seems_blizzard_is_giving_away_cosmetics/">Thrumming Axle from the KFC promotion</a></figcaption></figure>


Don’t Miss Out on Free Items in the Diablo 4 Shop!


<p>Blizzard has announced that the next Diablo 4 Campfire chat will be all about the players! The devs will be answering submitted questions, and you can add yours to the pile as well. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where to Submit</h2>



<p>You can ask your D4 questions in the below X thread, and Blizzard will then pick the ones they want to answer for the stream. It seems the questions are limited to the patch 2.0 changes, but players have been asking pretty much everything already, from the cow level onward. </p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Questions about upcoming progression changes like Runewords, leveling adjustments, or difficulty settings? <br><br>Drop them below. <br><br>You may get a direct answer in the next <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DiabloIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DiabloIV</a> dev video 🔥🔥🔥</p>&mdash; Diablo (@Diablo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Diablo/status/1833551008330395713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When&#8217;s the Campfire?</h2>



<p>Unfortunately, no dates have been announced, and we don&#8217;t even have a window of when it might be coming. It&#8217;s safe to presume it will be sooner rather than later, probably within the next week or two.</p>


Next Campfire Will Answer Player Questions – Here’s Where to Submit Them

All Datamined Aspects Coming in Vessel of Hatred


<p>If you&#8217;ve been farming Uniques in Diablo 4, you may have noticed how these items are distributed across different classes and gear slots. </p>



<p>As a Necromancer main, Reddit user <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/tjglaser1s/">tjglaser1s</a> couldn&#8217;t help but wonder why, after more than a year, the class still hasn&#8217;t seen any unique focus items, with Sorcerers also lacking in this area. As a result, the player decided to dig deeper and break down the Unique items per class and slot, and the results are the following:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://preview.redd.it/unique-items-per-class-breakdown-by-class-slot-v0-2p2xhelakfod1.png?width=1720&amp;format=png&amp;auto=webp&amp;s=1679683640ed88fd4a19c63c8e01ca2955fe9899" alt=""/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1ff8pv4/unique_items_per_class_breakdown_by_classslot/">Source: Reddit</a></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Breaking Down the Numbers</h2>



<p>From the chart, we see the total number of Uniques per class and here are some key highlights:</p>



<ul>
<li>Necromancers and Sorcerers haven&#8217;t received any Focus Uniques so far in Diablo IV.</li>



<li>Overall, the number of total Uniques for each class seems pretty balanced.</li>



<li>Rogue, Barbarian, and Sorc have the most weapon Uniques (11).</li>
</ul>


Unique Items Per Class in Diablo IV – A Closer Look at Stat Distribution


<p>Until now, hitting Tier 5 <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/renown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Renown</a> has been a go-to strategy for grabbing additional Paragon points. But with Season 6 on the horizon, players are starting to wonder: will it still be worth it?</p>



<p>In the latest Diablo 4 PTR update, Blizzard shook things up by swapping the rewards for Renown Tiers 4 and 5, along with adjusting the gold payout for each Renown unlock.</p>



<p>Before, Tier 5 was a big deal, rewarding players with +4 Paragon Points for each zone where they unlocked Tier 5 Renown. These points are account-wide, so they have always been a high-priority reward.</p>



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<p>But now? Blizzard has moved those Paragon points down to Tier 4! So what is left for Tier 5? You will still get +80 Max Obols to your Obols cap, but it is nowhere near as interesting as getting additional Paragon Points.</p>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Is Tier 5 Still Worth It?</h3>



<p>That is exactly what players are debating. The new question is: should you still grind Renown up to Tier 5 for Season 6? With the shift in rewards, many are saying <strong>probably not</strong>. Of course, this is only a question pondered over by new players or those who have not yet completed the original Renown grind.</p>



<p>This change seems to make the game more approachable for new and returning players by giving them easier access to Paragon Points without the hefty Tier 5 grind. It definitely makes things less intimidating!</p>



<p>Right now, the consensus is that players should focus on hitting Tier 4 Renown in each region, along with hunting down those Altars of Lilith. After that? The extra Obols cap from Tier 5 is more of a &#8220;nice to have&#8221; rather than a &#8220;must have.&#8221;</p>



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<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" style="height:316px" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Diablo/comments/1faqw8b/is_completing_renown_useless_now_that_paragon_is/">Is completing renown useless now that paragon is changing in season 6?</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/SwampyTraveler/">u/SwampyTraveler</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Diablo/">Diablo</a></blockquote><script async src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
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Is It Still Worth Grinding Renown to Tier 5?


<p>The 2.0 PTR is revealing quite a few unannounced features, as you&#8217;d expect. Today we&#8217;re taking a look at a small but very welcome one. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Boss Tree</h2>



<p>Players rarely go out of their way to do Whisper bounties, basically making them a side-effect of whatever content you&#8217;re doing. Well, that list of accidental bonuses has now been increased! As spotted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Hallistra/">Hallistra</a>, the ladder/endgame bosses are now part of the Whisper system. You can get a bounty for a boss, which will award 5 Grim Favors. Presumably, all bosses will be on the list (perhaps not Duriel and Andariel), and hopefully their Tormented versions will also work for the Whisper. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-reddit wp-block-embed-reddit"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" style="height:500px" ><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1fb0266/nice_to_see_that_boss_ladder_has_been/">Nice to see that boss ladder has been incorporated into whispers! [PTR]</a><br> by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Hallistra/">u/Hallistra</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/">diablo4</a></blockquote><script async src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
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<p>So, more Whisper caches for everyone! That&#8217;s definitely a good thing since they&#8217;ve actually <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/player-has-mythic-unique-drop-from-a-whisper-cache/">been known to drop Mythic Uniques as well</a>! </p>


Endgame Bosses Added to Tree of Whispers Bounties in Patch 2.0!


<p>A Diablo IV player has just set a jaw-dropping record by hitting 333 undecillion damage in-game! This is the highest damage number ever reached in the game!</p>



<p>The player, who&#8217;s none other than Rob2628, noted that Diablo IV maxes out at <strong>340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,455,</strong> which is the largest number representable by a 128-bit unsigned integer. After that, you only get the infinity symbol!</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I still can&#39;t believe it. After 1.5 year of playing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DiabloIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DiabloIV</a> we did 333 undecillion damage!<br><br>The maximum seems to be: 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,455 which is the largest number that can be represented by a 128-bit unsigned integer. After that the game just… <a href="https://t.co/NFHct3Ztt2">pic.twitter.com/NFHct3Ztt2</a></p>&mdash; Rob2628 (@Rob_2628) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rob_2628/status/1833521342425042996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How&#8217;s That Even Possible?</h2>



<p>Rob used the<a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/whirlwind-barbarian-build/"> Whirlwind Barbarian</a> on the Season 6 PTR allowing for these eye-watering numbers! In his latest video, Rob demonstrates the infinite damage numbers using Whirlwind and Thorns! The build uses the New Barbarian key passive combined with Thorns scaling, where every attack increases Thorns damage exponentially. </p>



<p>By continuously attacking while spinning, the Thorns damage keeps stacking indefinitely, eventually breaking the damage system, and leading to infinite damage.</p>



<p>This bug has obviously been reported to Blizzard and it won&#8217;t make it live!</p>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="HIGHEST DAMAGE DONE in Diablo 4 Ever - Infinite Damage Unlocked" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SXXuWP6hkOM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The Highest Damage Number in Diablo IV Has Been Reached—And It’s Mind-Blowing!


<p>The PTR (Public Test Realm) kicked off last week, and players are now sharing their thoughts on the endgame and system changes Blizzard announced during the recent Campfire Chat. While there are some exciting improvements, the community also raises serious concerns about gear, difficulty scaling, and overall progression.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Positives: Smoother Gameplay and Quality of Life</h2>



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<p>Players appreciate that the game feels less punishing, even though it has not become easier. The update makes Diablo 4&#8217;s pace more welcoming, and <strong>leveling</strong> feels smoother in that regard. <em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1fdbv5r/yet_another_ptr_20_feedback_post/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">CyberTarekOnReddit</a></em> pointed out that many players are now leveling through more diverse activities such as running strongholds and whispers, which were previously pretty much ignored while leveling.</p>



<p><strong>The Pit and Nightmare Dungeons</strong> updates give both activities real purpose, and the changes to the <strong>Paragon </strong>system and glyphs provide solid power scaling. Most of us agree that the revamped Paragon UI is more intuitive and easier to navigate. The <strong><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/impactful-skill-tree-update-on-ptr-new-way-to-reach-passives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Skill Tree overhaul</a></strong> also offers more ways to choose your passives, and players are enjoying the adjustments made to ultimate skills.</p>



<p>Blizzard also introduced some highly requested <strong>Quality-of-Life </strong>features. You can now set a favorite town portal, access the wardrobe from anywhere, use a new Party Finder, and find useful new inventory tabs. On top of that, there are fun customization options like added pigments for transmogs, new hairstyles, and more!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Negatives: Gear and Itemization Issues</h2>



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<p>However, players are experiencing <strong>significant issues with gear</strong>. Many report that item power has dropped across the board, and valuable gear drops are scarce, even after reaching Level 60. <strong>Ancestral Legendaries</strong> are especially rare, and when they do drop, they often are not useful. <em><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1fbk0vo/my_thoughts_on_diablo_4_20_ptr_after_clearing_a/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Diggitydave76</a></em> noted on Reddit that the current drop rates feel off, with Mythic Uniques being easier to obtain than valuable Ancestral Legendaries. The itemization system, which Blizzard had fine-tuned during Seasons 4 and 5, now feels disrupted. </p>



<p><strong>Gameplay slows noticeably in higher difficulties</strong>. Torment 3 already feels sluggish, and players worry that Torment 4 might be out of reach without perfect gear. But with the current drop rates, getting that gear is extremely difficult.</p>



<p>The <strong>restriction on Tempering</strong> (only 1 temper) <strong>and Masterworking</strong> (only to rank 4) items with item power under 800 also slows progression, preventing you from reaching harder content. <strong>Runewords</strong>, a feature that the community had very high hopes for, feels like a missed opportunity. <em><a href="https://discord.com/channels/989899054815281243/1283003276052135977/1283003276052135977" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">DaBrownBull</a></em> shared on Discord that Runes are disappointing in terms of the lack of creativity. Runewords should have been a way to introduce more effects or fun interactions rather than just more damage.</p>



<p>Last but not least, players find <strong>grinding Paragon points</strong> to be a longer, more tedious process now that they are account-wide. <em><a href="https://discord.com/channels/989899054815281243/1281468126445310032/1281469422829310108" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Ignition</a></em> remarked on Discord that the system feels slow and unrewarding, suggesting that playing in higher Torment should be made more beneficial.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Feedback Highlights Gearing Concerns</h2>



<p>The overall feedback from the PTR has been underwhelming. While most of us welcome the many quality-of-life improvements and skill tree changes, the new difficulty system and gear issues are causing frustration. Itemization, which had reached a sweet spot in Seasons 4 and 5, now feels slower and less rewarding. Although players are looking forward to Vessel of Hatred, the new Spiritborn class, and campaign content, many feel less motivated to grind through the endgame for future seasons.</p>


More Player Feedback on PTR Endgame Changes and System Overhauls


<p>The latest PTR (Public Test Realm) introduced some exciting changes to the Skill Tree, revealing new ways to obtain passives!</p>



<p>In Diablo 4, passive points used to be separate from normal skills, often forcing you to invest in unnecessary passives just to unlock the ones you wanted. With this Skill Tree update, you can now access some passive points directly through connected skills! And the best part? <strong>This change applies to every class</strong>.</p>



<p>Take <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/rogue/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Rogue</a>, for example &#8211; if you are running a Twisting Blades build and want to grab the <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><span class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Siphoning Strikes" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Talents_Rogue_32.webp" alt="Siphoning Strikes"><span class="tooltip-spell-name d4-text">Siphoning Strikes</span></span></a> passive, you can now access it directly after putting a point into Twisting Blades. No more unnecessary point-spending!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full has-custom-border"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/rogueskilltree.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 39965" style="border-radius:8px"/></figure>



<p>The update also improves <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/sorcerer/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Sorceress</a>&#8216; skill tree, giving each elemental path easier access to nearby passive points. Previously, these were hidden at the back of the tree.</p>



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<p>These adjustments make the Skill Tree much more flexible, allowing you to easily allocate points through various ways and possibilities. With direct access to passives through skills, you will be able to save a few skill points, which you can then invest in one of the new Ultimate upgrades or other must-have passives!</p>


Diablo 4 Patch 1.3.0 Hotfixes: January 24th

BUG FIXES

Diablo IV News