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Spiritborn

Yes, you read that right. Goats! Season 9 of Diablo 4 is bringing multiple new pets into Sanctuary, and some of them are gloriously goat-themed!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Are the New Pets?</h2>



A Reddit screenshot has uncovered four new pets coming in Season 9 and two of them are goats!



<ul>
<li>Ammon &#8211; Source unknown</li>



<li>Demon Goat &#8211; Can be purchased from the Reliquary for Platinum</li>



<li>Lil&#8217;Mal &#8211; Battle Pass Premium Reward</li>



<li>Baby Goat &#8211; Season Journey Reward</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/spoiler-some-of-the-new-pets-from-season-9-v0-l4hzsnsu3q2f1.png.webp" alt="" class="wp-image 78623" style="width:367px;height:545px" width="367" height="545"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/diablo4/comments/1kuagpf/spoiler_some_of_the_new_pets_from_season_9/">Reddit</a></figcaption></figure>



Are you looking forward to the new pets?

Diablo 4’s Season 9 Adds Goats as Pets, and Players Are Already Obsessed

Season 9 of <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diablo IV</a>, called Sins of the Horadrim, starts with a brand-new seasonal questline: The Embers Yet Smolder. This story takes place in Cerrigar, where you will meet a Druid named Bryona, who is struggling with dangerous consequences from Donan&#8217;s past decisions. Donan, the Horadric mage who once sealed away <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/diablo-4-season-9-preview-astaroth-returns-with-a-vengeance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astaroth</a>, may have left behind more trouble than he realized.



Now, it is up to you to track down and destroy corrupted blood relics before demons get their hands on them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to Start the Questline</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/d4-season-quest-druid-bryona.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 78752" /></figure>



To begin The Embers Yet Smolder questline, you will have to:



<ul>
<li>You will need to complete the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/quick-reference-campaign-leveling-guide-for-diablo-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">main campaign</a> of Diablo IV.</li>



<li>Create a new character in the Seasonal Realm.</li>



<li>Then, go to Cerrigar and look for Bryona, located northwest of the Waypoint.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Explore Horadric Secrets and Earn Powerful Rewards</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/horadric-knowledge-d4-news.webp" alt="" class="wp-image 78754" /></figure>



As you progress through the questline, you will unlock:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-strongrooms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Horadric Strongrooms</a> &#8211; Secret chambers full of lore and loot.</li>



<li>The Horadric Focus in Cerrigar &#8211; A new device that tracks your Seasonal Reputation (called Horadric Knowledge).</li>
</ul>



You can earn Horadric Knowledge by defeating:



<ul>
<li>Mummified Horadrim in Strongrooms.</li>



<li>Elite enemies and bosses.</li>



<li>Lair Bosses, but only if you unlock their Hoard after the fight.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">New Seasonal Items and Crafting</h2>



In Season 9, you will also collect:



<ul>
<li>Horadric Phials &#8211; Found in <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/nightmare-dungeon-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nightmare Dungeons</a>, Escalations, Strongrooms, and <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/lair-boss-system-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lair Hoards</a>.</li>



<li>These can be traded at the Lapidary for more Horadric Knowledge or used to craft Horadric Jewels.</li>
</ul>



You will also unlock the Horadric Wayfinder, a tool that helps you locate Strongrooms hidden inside Nightmare Dungeons!



Basically, the new questline will unlock all the seasonal mechanics, items, and give you access to the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-spells-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Horadric Spells</a>, so don&#8217;t skip it!

A Dark Past Returns in Diablo 4 Season 9: Sins of the Horadrim

We&#8217;ve already talked about all the new Unique items coming with Season 9. However, Blizzard has taken the PTR data and implemented some more tuning for them. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Changes</h2>



From seemingly minor tweaks like the increased radius of the Barbarian&#8217;s Cleave boots, to simple flat buffs to stats, bigger reworks like the Druid&#8217;s Pulverize poison puddles, complete stat changes like Crit Chance to Attack Speed for Sorcerer&#8217;s Hydra amulet, there&#8217;s plenty of changes to check out. 



There are some Uniques below with no changes at all, but we included them in case you forgot everything that was coming.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/barbarian/builds/">Barbarian</a></h4>



Hooves of the Mountain God (Unique Boots):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>Inherent – Attacks Reduce Evades Cooldown by 2.5 Seconds</li>



<li>+17.5-23% Movement Speed</li>



<li>+16-25% Basic Attack Speed</li>



<li>+7-10 Fury Per Seconds</li>



<li>+2-3 Ranks to Belligerence</li>



<li>Cleave Radius 150 <s>135</s></li>
</ul>



Unique Power:



<ul>
<li>When reaching Maximum Fury, your Fury will rapidly drain until you run out and all your Basic skills now cleave and deal 70-100%[x] increased damage.</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/druid/builds/">Druid</a></h4>



Rotting Lightbringer (Unique Two-Handed Weapon):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>Inherent: 110% Damage to Poisoned enemies</li>



<li>18-22% <s>14-18%</s> Willpower</li>



<li>406-550% <s>114-150%</s> Poison Damage</li>



<li>26-35% Chance for Pulverize to Hit Twice</li>



<li>26-35% Resource Cost Reduction</li>
</ul>



Unique Powers:



<ul>
<li>If no puddle is around you, Pulverize forms a puddle that guarantees its own Overpowers and deals 200-600% of its normal damage as Poisoning over 7 seconds. Pulverize causes all close puddles to splash 20-60% of their total damage within their areas and around them. Pulverize radius increase will affect the size of the puddle and its splashes. <s>Every 10 seconds, Pulverize forms a puddle that deals 200-400% of its damage as Poisoning damage over 6 seconds. Pulverizing the puddle splashes an additional 20-40% of the puddle’s total damage within the area and around it.</s></li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/necromancer/builds/">Necromancer</a></h4>



The Hand of Naz (Unique Gloves):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>77.5-100% Skeletal Mage Damage</li>



<li>10.5-15% Attack Speed</li>



<li>+424-457 Maximum Life</li>



<li>+2-4 Skeletal Mage Mastery</li>
</ul>



Unique Powers:



<ul>
<li>Sacrificing both Skeletal Warriors and Golems grants an additional Skeletal Mage for each Minion sacrificed.</li>



<li>When a Skeletal Mage attacks enemies 25 times without dying it upgrades to a Skeletal Arch-Mage.</li>



<li>Skeletal Arch-Mages teleport to safety when attacked and their attacks occasionally shatter on impact dealing 50-100% increased damage to the target and up to 3 additional targets. The time between attacks shattering has been reduced by 50%. Skeletal Arch-Mages now become unstoppable for 1 second after teleporting. Arch-Mage size slightly increased.</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/rogue/builds/">Rogue</a></h4>



Deathmask of Nirmitruq (Unique Helm):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>+424-457 Maximum Life</li>



<li>+2-3 Skill ranks to Flurry</li>



<li>+16-25 Movement Speed</li>



<li>+224-296 Armor</li>
</ul>



Unique Power:



You can now overexert yourself while Casting Flurry, spending 8% 10% life when you don’t have enough Energy. Spending life to Cast Flurry increases its damage by 50-70% 30-50% and your Attack Speed by 50% for 5 seconds.



<ul>
<li>Developer’s Note: Flurry will fail to cast when the player has neither enough energy or health available.</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/sorcerer/builds/">Sorcerer</a></h4>



Ophidian Iris (Unique Amulet):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>Inherent: +30% Resistance to all Elements</li>



<li>Inherent: Casted Hydras Have +2 Heads</li>



<li>+11.5-15.7% Intelligence</li>



<li>+10.5%-15.0% Attack Speed <s>Critical Strike Chance</s></li>



<li>+77.5-100% Pyromancy Damage</li>



<li>+1-2 to Primordial Binding <s>Devouring Blaze</s></li>
</ul>



Unique Power:



<ul>
<li>Hydra is now a Core Skill and always Summons a 3-headed Hydra whose attacks explode on impact.</li>



<li>For each head above 3 that it would have had, the Hydra instead grows larger and deals 50-100%[x] increased damage.</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/spiritborn/builds/">Spiritborn</a></h4>



Balazan’s Maxtlatl (Unique Pants):



Affixes:



<ul>
<li>+107-121 Dexterity</li>



<li>+424-457 Maximum Life</li>



<li>+268-373 Thorns</li>



<li>+2-3 Ranks to Bastion</li>
</ul>



Unique Powers:



<ul>
<li>Each attack damages Close enemies for 100-150% <s>200-300%</s> of your Thorns and also deals 100% of this damage as Poisoning over 3 seconds.</li>



<li>Each time you’ve retaliated with Thorns, for 5 seconds the Poisoning damage is increased by 100%, up to 300%.</li>
</ul>











So, which one&#8217;s your favorite?

New Season 9 Uniques Changed Before Launch

Based on 2.3.0 PTR feedback, Blizzard has implemented some last-minute changes to Horadric Jewels!



<ul>
<li>They&#8217;ve added a new Horadric Jewel called Willbreaker so physical builds have something to chase.</li>



<li>The <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_S09_Gem_3.webp" alt="Liminal Echo">Liminal Echo</a> &#8220;cheat death&#8221; Jewel no longer drops in Hardcore to preserve the integrity of the mode.</li>



<li>Some of the Jewels received additional tuning, as seen in the patch notes snippet linked below.</li>
</ul>



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<section class="blog">Additional changes made since the PTR’s conclusion are highlighted in blue.&nbsp;
Known for their incredible ability as Mages, the Horadrim possess the ability to refine stone into powerful artifacts to aid them in their quest.
Upon reaching Torment I, Horadric Tomes can appear as rewards from completed Strongrooms. Horadric Tomes are consumable items that give you the ability to craft socketable Horadric Jewels at the Horadric Lapidary. These powerful gems grant a variety of alluring powers and effects, from empowering your Horadric Spell, making enemies explode with elemental damage, and more.
Head to the Horadric Lapdiary in Cerrigar to craft Horadric Jewels once you’ve learned the secrets to their making through Horadric Tomes. The first Horadric Tome can be earned from the Horadric Knowledge Seasonal Reputation board.
Horadric Jewels can be crafted using Horadric Phials, Gem Fragments, and can be socketed in Amulets and both Ring slots.
Following the PTR, we have added an entirely new Horadric Jewel to earn:
Willbreaker
Physical damage you deal shatters enemies’ spirits, causing them to take 40%[x] more Physical damage for 6 seconds. This effect applies when first damaging a Boss or Elite, or when they are affected by Crowd Control.
<blockquote>Developer’s Note: As this season offers extensive options for elemental character builds, we wanted to introduce this new Horadric Jewel so physical builds have something to chase as well.</blockquote>
The following Horadric Jewels are available:
Seal of Control
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Control equipped, gain 45%[+] Control Duration and 30%[+] Lucky Hit Chance.
Seal of Power
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Power equipped, gain 25%[+] Movement Speed and 15%[+] Critical Strike Chance.
Seal of Denial
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Denial equipped, gain 30%[x] more Barrier, Fortify and Thorns.
Horadric Crest
For each Arcana from a unique School you have equipped, gain 5%[+] Damage Reduction and 1%[+] Maximum Resistance to All Elements.
Reverie Horn
Reverie Horn
After you injure or kill an enemy, your Summons are empowered, growing larger and dealing 50%[x] <s>30%[x]</s> more damage for 4 seconds.
Scornful Light
You deal 20%[x] and take 10%[x] more Elemental damage.
Tyrant Bane
After you deal damage over time to an enemy, they take 0.33%[x] more damage over time from you forever.
Liminal Echo
If you would take fatal damage, instead prevent that damage, invoke Propulsion, and become Invulnerable for 3 seconds. This can only occur once every 75 seconds.
Note: This Horadric Jewel no longer drops when playing in Hardcore.
<blockquote>Developer’s Note: It’s important to us as Developers to maintain the integrity and spirit of Hardcore. We welcome any feedback regarding what that means to the community!</blockquote>
Idol From Below
You gain 6%[x] primary stat, 6%[x] <s>8%[x]</s> maximum life and you are always Unhindered. However, you will be hunted in Sanctuary’s darkest places by Jewel Guardians who were entombed to protect this relic. Jewel Guardians generated by Idol from Below can no longer appear in Training Grounds or after a Dungeon’s objective has been completed. They now also spawn at specfici intervals as opposed to two random times.
Myriad Stone
After you cast your Catalytic Skill, if it is an Ultimate, gain 30%[+] Attack Speed for 10 seconds.
Spark of Creation
After you cast your Catalytic Skill, gain 5 <s>10</s> Primary Resource.
Luminate Eye
Your Catalytic Skill gains 25%[+] Cooldown Reduction.
Brilliant Sigil
Your Infusions are 150%[x] more potent.
Elemental Brand
Your Catalytic Skill deals 33% damage of your Infusion’s element over 3 seconds. Lucky Hit: Dealing damage of your Infusion’s element has up to a 33% chance to trigger its secondary effect.
The Starflux
Your Catalysts deal 100%[x] more damage. However, you lose control over Horadric Spellcraft, causing your Catalysts to inherit Infusions randomly.
</section>
</div>
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</div>

Hardcore Diablo 4 Just Lost Its “Cheat Death” Jewel — Here’s Why

Blizzard have listened to the feedback from the PTR! There&#8217;s plenty of evidence for that throughout the patch notes, but one of the most obvious is the changes to the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-strongrooms/">Horadric Strongrooms</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Worthwhile Side-Dungeon</h2>



Strongrooms are timed mini-dungeons inside <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/season-9-nightmare-dungeon-rotation/">Nightmare Dungeons</a>. The main issue players had with them was their seeming contradiction with the basic purpose of NMDs. Players head into Nightmare Dungeons to gather Obducite for Masterworking items. However, the Strongrooms didn&#8217;t reward any, making them very empty for those who came to the dungeon for this specific purpose. Luckily, Blizzard listened to the feedback and added Obducite as a reward from these mini-dungeons! Not only that, but they also added some new buffs granted at the end of a Strongroom run! 



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Another new addition since the PTR is the option to fight different bosses at the end of a Strongroom. After you defeat any of them, you will be able to choose your Grand Horadric Cache reward, based on how much Attunement you managed to gather throughout the run, similar to Infernal Hordes chests. Obducite is one of the new options for the cache rewards pointed out specifically in the patch notes. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Buffs as Additional Rewards</h2>



But that&#8217;s not all in terms of rewards. Upon finishing the boss fight and leaving the Strongroom, players will also be getting special buffs that last until the end of the Nightmare Dungeon! They range from extra experience to reputation, gold, and probably the most coveted, extra Obducite drops! We don&#8217;t know whether the buffs will simply be randomly chosen or if there will be a way to target them. Here are all the buffs:



<ul>
<li>Experience
<ul>
<li>You gain increased Experience from Monster Kills.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Reputation
<ul>
<li>You gain increased Horadric Favor from Monster Kills.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Obducite
<ul>
<li>You gain increased Obducite from Monster Kills in this dungeon.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Gold
<ul>
<li>You find 25% more gold.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Horadric Phials
<ul>
<li>Monsters in this dungeon can drop Horadric Phials.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Improvements</h2>



There were a few other updates to the Strongrooms in the patch notes as well. First off, you can now complete the Horadric Pillars in any order. They also have larger radiuses and are faster to complete. There was also a negative update, as any deaths within the Strongroom will remove time from the 100 seconds total you have to gather as much Horadric Attument as you can! 



There is also a new Nightmare Dungeon affix which guarantees a Horadric Strongroom spawn.



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Here is the full section from the patch notes in case you aren&#8217;t familiar with the base Strongroom mechanics. 



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 Hidden deep within Nightmare Dungeons, members of this once revered order left obscured Horadric Relics powered by the blood of a great enemy far away from the unworthy. Such Horadric Relics are protected within Strongrooms, revealed to only those who have the wisdom and courage to unveil their awesome potential.
Found within Nightmare Dungeons, Horadric Strongrooms are potent micro-dungeons that hold powerful rewards and new fearsome mummified enemies, delve into these rare Horadric tombs and fight your way out. Slay demons and satiate Horadric Pillars within to bolster your ability to earn Horadric Attunement, which is used in exchange for illustrious rewards upon emerging triumphant.
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Obtained through the Seasonal Questline, use your Horadric Wayfinder to isolate these repositories of Horadric knowledge. But beware, for there are unyielding mummified entities that will attempt to take your life in exchange for disturbing their unending sleep. Once the Strongroom is unsealed, there will only be a limited amount of time to complete the Strongroom before the Horadric Relics are sealed away again forever.
<h4>Hunt for Knowledge: Finding Strongrooms</h4>
There are a couple of ways to improve your chances of finding Horadric Strongrooms within Nightmare Dungeons. The first is by increasing your difficulty level or Torment Tier. The second, and more potent method, is to find and use a Nightmare Dungeon Sigil with an affix that guarantees a Horadric Strongroom will appear.
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Once you’ve entered a Nightmare Dungeon, follow the distinct flash emanating from your Horadric Wayfinder that will lead you to a Horadric Gateway. Once you locate the Gateway, activating it will trigger monsters to ambush your location. Defeat them, and a Horadric Portal will materialize to teleport you into the safeguarded Strongroom.
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<h4>Fight the Horrors Sealed Away</h4>
Once you’ve stepped into the musty, iron-tinged confines of the Strongroom, you’ll have a few decisions to make.
Initiate the Horadric Artifact Pillar and slay the enemies to complete the initial ritual. Once completed, you’ll be presented with a selection of Horadric Statues that augment the Strongroom. Some of these Statues have held the bonds of their original intent, while others have been corrupted by Astaroth’s influence and pose significant danger with vastly increased rewards.
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You’ll need to invoke these Horadric Statues to influence your Strongroom, so choose wisely. The number of Statues you need to select and have available to choose from will increase once you reach Torment Tiers.
Within the Strongroom, you’ll have 100 seconds to ramp up the carnage and earn as much Horadric Attunement possible. Stay near the Pillars to satisfy their base needs, and keep in mind the specific Horadric Pillars selected prior to the run to maximize your Horadric Attunement. These Pillar Rituals can be completed in any order, and these Rituals now complete more quickly with a larger radius to kill within.
Upon Completing each Pillar Ritual, all monster kills will grant +2 increased Horadric Attunement for 15 seconds. Tread carefully, for any deaths will remove time from your Strongroom run.
Locate Sacrifice Shrines within the Strongroom to aid your fight, which spawns an ambush on your location. When the time runs out in the Strongroom, you’ll need to fight one of the several potential bosses that can spawn to leave the Strongroom with your Attunement in-hand. If you manage to max out your Horadric Attunement during your run, you’ll go directly to the boss.
On defeating the final boss, you’ll have the option to select a Grand Horadric cache which scales its rewards based off the amount of Horadric Attunement earned within the Strongroom, earning you powerful rewards such as Obducite. On leaving the Strongroom, you’ll also be given one of the following buffs for completing the Strongroom, which will last until the end of your Nightmare Dungeon. Check to see which one you’ve earned by checking the active buffs above your Action bar.
Experience
You gain increased Experience from Monster Kills.
Reputation
You gain increased Horadric Favor from Monster Kills.
Obducite
You gain increased Obducite from Monster Kills in this dungeon.
Gold
You find 25% more gold.
Horadric Phials
Monsters in this dungeon can drop Horadric Phials.
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Horadric Strongrooms Just Got Good: Obducite, XP, Rep Buffs, and More

Blizzard has just dropped the official gameplay trailer for Season 9: Sins of Horadrim. We see Astaroth and learn more about <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-spells-guide/">Horadric Powers</a> that core mechanic of Season 9. 



We also catch a glimpse of the new Season Journey reward: Dante the Dog!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-24-at-20.54.12.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image 78713"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dante the Dog will be available to players who complete the sixth chapter of the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/latest-season-journey-for-diablo-4/">Season Journey</a> in Season 9. </figcaption></figure>



You can watch the trailer below. Don&#8217;t forget to check out the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/updated-season-9-patch-2-3-0-notes/#Unlock">updated Season 9 notes</a> as well for the latest changes!



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Astaroth Returns in Diablo 4 Season 9 Trailer — And There’s a Dog

Blizzard has posted <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/updated-season-9-patch-2-3-0-notes/">updated notes for Season 9</a>, and with it, we finally know the exact start time of the new season! The season launches on July 1 at 12 PM PDT.



For your convenience, here are the global launch times for Season 9!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">North &amp; South America</h2>



<ul>
<li>Los Angeles (PDT)&nbsp;– July 1, 12:00 PM</li>



<li>Mexico City&nbsp;– July 1, 1:00 PM</li>



<li>New York (EDT)&nbsp;– July 1, 3:00 PM</li>



<li>Brasília&nbsp;– July 1, 4:00 PM</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Europe &amp; Africa</h2>



<ul>
<li>London (BST)&nbsp;– July 1, 8:00 PM</li>



<li>Paris (CEST)&nbsp;– July 1, 9:00 PM</li>



<li>Berlin (CEST)&nbsp;– July 1, 9:00 PM</li>



<li>Cape Town (SAST)&nbsp;– July 1, 9:00 PM</li>



<li>Moscow (MSK) – July 1, 10:00 PM</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asia &amp; Oceania</h2>



<ul>
<li>New Delhi (IST)&nbsp;– July 2, 12:30 AM</li>



<li>Beijing (CST)&nbsp;– July 2, 3:00 AM</li>



<li>Tokyo (JST)&nbsp;– July 2, 4:00 AM</li>



<li>Sydney (AEST)&nbsp;– July 2, 5:00 AM</li>
</ul>

Diablo 4 Season 9 Global Launch Times: When Will the New Season Go Live in Your Region?

Updated Official Diablo 4 Season 9 Patch 2.3.0 Notes

Diablo IV Season 9 is almost here, and many players are already prepping their strongest builds! However, if you want to play what is likely the best meta build, you will need access to the Spiritborn class from the Vessel of Hatred expansion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Power of Spiritborn Poison Thorns</h2>



Since the Season 9 PTR, the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/poison-thorns-spiritborn-build-for-diablo-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Poison Thorns</a> <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/spiritborn/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spiritborn</a> build is currently topping early tier lists for good reason:



<ul>
<li><a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Items_Legs_Unique_9.webp" alt="Balazan's Maxtlatl">Balazan&#8217;s Maxtlatl</a> (new Unique pants): Provides great synergy with Thorns and Poison, as well as the <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" data-tooltip-name="Noxious Resonance" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DUI_Talents_Spiritborn_44.webp" alt="Noxious Resonance">Noxious Resonance</a> key passive, making the build incredibly lethal.</li>



<li>Double Jaguar Spirit bug: Currently there is a bug that allows the double Jaguar Spirit Hall powers to cause double-dipping, which boosts effectiveness (though likely to be fixed).</li>



<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-spells-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Horadric Spells</a>: These allow for flexible and devastating combos that push the build even further, especially with additional poison damage.</li>
</ul>



Put together, this build offers high survivability, a ton of reactive damage, and insane synergy, all with a pretty smooth and easy playstyle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Expansion Owners Only</h2>



Here is the catch: <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/spiritborn/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spiritborn</a> is still only playable for owners of the <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/vessel-of-hatred-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vessel of Hatred</a> expansion, which has already been out for a few seasons. If you are still only playing the base game, you won&#8217;t be able to access this class, and this build, at all.



Currently, the expansion in on sale for half the price if you have been waiting for a discount. You have until June 30!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best Alternatives If You Don&#8217;t Have Spiritborn</h2>



If you are locked out of the Spiritborn build, don&#8217;t worry, there are still a few strong options this season. However, most of them are currently pulled up by bugs, which may change after the June 27 Developer Livestream.



Here are your top alternatives for the time being:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/flay-barbarian-build/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flay Barbarian</a>
<ul>
<li>Core item: <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Items_Boots_Unique_9.webp" alt="Hooves of the Mountain God">Hooves of the Mountain God</a> (new Unique boots)</li>



<li>Why it&#8217;s strong: Benefits from a powerful bug allowing him to deal negative damage and one-shot enemies.</li>



<li>Note: This strength likely won&#8217;t last, this bug will most likely be patched before Season 9 launches.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/sorcerer/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hydra Sorcerer</a>
<ul>
<li>Core item: <a class="icy-gtnbrg-link" href="#"><img decoding="async" class="icy-gtnbrg-tooltip-img" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/static/d4/latest/images/icons/2DInventory_Amulets_64.webp" alt="Ophidian Iris">Ophidian Iris</a> (new Unique staff)</li>



<li>Why it&#8217;s strong: If the other builds get nerfed, Hydra Sorcerer could become the most reliable, top-performing build thanks to the powerful three-headed Hydra from the unique.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Blizzard is hosting a <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/season-9-diablo-4-livestream-watch-june-27-for-sins-of-the-horadrim-reveal/">Developer Update Livestream on June 27</a>, which will reveal final balance changes and patch notes. If bugs are removed, or if Hydra gets buffed or nerfed, the entire meta could shift before Season 9 even begins.



If you want to take a look at the full list of best classes for Season 9 you can also check our <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/season9-best-class/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest breakdown</a>. Or take a look at our <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/tier-lists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tier Lists</a> which will be updated for Season 9 after the Patch Notes released!

Season 9’s Meta-Breaking Build Is Paywalled Behind Spiritborn

Blizzard is hosting another <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diablo IV</a> Developer Update <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/news/season-9-diablo-4-livestream-watch-june-27-for-sins-of-the-horadrim-reveal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Livestream (Campfire)</a> on June 27, and if you watch it on Twitch, you can claim a free Sorcerer weapon via Twitch Drops!



As a reminder, the stream will go over the new upcoming Season 9 with:



<ul>
<li>Details on the new questline</li>



<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/horadric-spells-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Horadric Spellcraft</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/guides/nightmare-dungeon-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Escalating Nightmares</a></li>



<li>Q&amp;A segment at the end of the stream</li>



<li>And more!</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Is the Free Item?</h2>



If you watch any Diablo IV livestream on Twitch with Drops enabled for 30 minutes, while the official stream is on, you will earn:



<ul>
<li>Lacuni&#8217;s Pupil &#8211; A 2-Handed <a href="https://www.icy-veins.com/d4/sorcerer/builds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sorcerer</a> Staff</li>
</ul>



This limited-time item is part of a special Twitch Drop event during the livestream window. The Livestream begins on June 27 at 11:00 am PDT/ 20:00 CEST, and the drop is available only up until the end of the official stream, so make sure to tune in on time!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/d4-staff-livestream-sorc-free.png" alt="" class="wp-image 78428" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to Get the Drop</h2>



If you are familiar with Twitch drops, this one works the exact same as any other: you watch any streamer under the Diablo IV category during the time of the official livestream (this includes the official stream as well of course), and then you can claim your drop. 



For those who are not used to Twitch Drops, here is a quick run-down of what you need to do:



<ul>
<li>Link your Battle.net and Twitch accounts <a href="https://account.battle.net/connections" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">here</a>.</li>



<li>Watch any eligible Diablo IV Twitch stream for 30 minutes between the drop period.</li>



<li>Claim your reward on the stream or in your <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/drops/inventory" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Twitch Drops Inventory</a>.</li>



<li>Log into Diablo IV on your Battle.net account to find the weapon in-game.</li>
</ul>



It is important to note that you do not need to own Diablo IV to earn the drop. You can watch on PC, Mac, or mobile, but it will not work on console apps or smart TVs. Make sure that the sound of the stream is at least at 1% as well, as drops tend to bug out if you mute the stream. You can also switch between streamers, your watch time still counts. Both the official stream and any streamer under the Diablo IV category with drops enabled will work.



Don&#8217;t forget to manually claim the drop on Twitch afterward, otherwise the reward will never appear in your game.

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