Season 11 of Diablo 4 has only been live for a few days, but despite the negative outlook that built up during the PTR and the lead-up to launch, reception has been surprisingly solid. Going in, a lot of fans expected Season 11 to struggle, especially coming off how strong Season 10 was. Instead, early impressions have been far better than most people anticipated.
What Changed With Diablo 4 Season 11?
Season 11 brings back the Lesser Evils, introduces a new world boss, Azmodan, and adds The Tower as a new endgame activity. On top of that, Blizzard delivered reworks to both Tempering and Masterworking. The season also introduced the new Sanctification system—something that nearly tanked hype during the PTR.
Initially, Sanctification didn’t feel like a meaningful power boost. Instead, it came off more like gambling for extra stats or bonus Legendary effects rather than a true gear upgrade. PTR feedback was loud, and to Blizzard’s credit, many of those issues were addressed before the season hit live servers. Still, concerns remained.
Another sticking point was the return of Capstone Dungeons. Many players saw them as unnecessary roadblocks in progression, and some still do. However, they’ve been received far better than expected once players actually got their hands on them. Add in the fact that Path of Exile 2’s new league launched just a day later, and most fans were convinced Season 11 was going to feel underwhelming.
So, Why Is Season 11 Actually Fun?
In a surprising turn of events, players are finding Season 11 to be way more enjoyable than expected. Every class is performing well, with each one having at least a single S-tier build this season. The Tempering and Masterworking reworks have also proven to be genuinely solid additions that improve progression instead of slowing it down.
And then… there’s Paladin.
Did Paladin Save Season 11?
With Season 11 launching the same week as The Game Awards, Blizzard made the interesting decision to push the season’s release to one hour after the show ended. That timing alone hinted that something big was coming—and it did.
Not only did we get our first real look at the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion, but Blizzard also shadow-dropped the Paladin. The class wasn’t available during the PTR, and suddenly it was live via preorder at the start of the new season.
It’s fair to ask: did Paladin save Season 11?
While it’s probably not the only reason the season feels strong, it’s definitely a major factor. Diablo 4’s latest trailer reignited hype worldwide, and finding out that a brand-new class was instantly playable gave players a reason to jump back in immediately.
When you combine Paladin’s surprise arrival with the better-than-expected reworks, balance changes, and overall pacing, Season 11 is shaping up to be far better than most of the player base ever predicted.
Now Blizzard just needs to finish the job and bring back Chaos Armor.
