The updated patch notes for Season 9 brought some bad news with them. One of the builds the new seasonal Horadric Spell system made possible was really hyping players up. It was looking like the new Enigma seemingly showed up in Diablo 4! However, as predicted by many, it just wasn’t to be.
Too Fast, Too Furious
The Propulsion Catalyst enabled any class that selected the right combo of Arcana and Infusion to basically endlessly teleport as long as there were easily killable mobs around. This was the build that was very much making players excited for the season, especially for those lower mobility classes. Now, the build wasn’t for high-end pushing, but rather relatively low-end (around Pit 50-60) farming. However, even this was too much for Blizzard, as they put an end to it.
The infinite teleport combo was pretty simple, with the Propulsion Mana Blast Catalyst got an added blink effect to enemies via Floaty Bobble, and then the Bloody Charm reset Propulsion on monster kill. The nerf comes in the form of the main infinite reset generator, Bloody Charm. It now just increases players’ movement speed. Propulsion’s cooldown was also lowered, but just by a second, so the combo is now just a teleport every 3 seconds at max rank. Not exactly bad, but also not
Not the Only High-Profile Nerf
There was one more significant nerf to Horadric Spells, but this one feels more justified. The Sharpening Gizmo has been entirely changed. It no longer deals all of a target’s damage over time to it on Lucky Hit, instead just dealing a set amount of damage. Players were using this one to pull of some extremely high damage builds, some even going infinite, so it was another expected change.
There’s more changes to be found below, as well as all the Catalysts, Infusions, and Arcana that weren’t changed. And if you aren’t sure how the Horadric spells work, head on over to our guide.
Catalysts
Celestial Surge
Astral Magic
- Awaken an Oracular Rune that Pulls In all surrounding enemies. A torrent of stars follow that randomly strike the area 20 times for damage each.
- Cooldown: 15 seconds (11.2 seconds at Rank 20).
- Lucky Hit Chance:
30%18% - Rank 10: Stars periodically fall around you and are guaranteed to crash around a Nearby enemy for the same damage.
Disintegrate
Arcane Magic
- Form an Arcane Conductor that emits a persistent beam between itself and you, dealing a steady blitz of damage over 8 seconds.
- Cooldown: 10 seconds (5.3 at Rank 20).
- Lucky Hit Chance: 9%
- Rank 10: Enemies within the beam are Slowed by 50%.
Propulsion
Arcane Magic
- Generate a Mana Blast that delivers damage and Knocks Back all foes. Enemies that collide take another damage.
- Cooldown:
98 seconds (4.33 at Rank 20). - Lucky Hit Chance: 15%.
- Rank 10: The Knock Back is gargantuan and enemies slammed into terrain by it form a Lesser Mana Blast the first time it happens to them.
Cosmic Anomaly
Astral Magic
- Passive: Manifest up to 5 Anomalies that emit particles which deal damage over 4 seconds.
- Active: Command your Anomalies to converge and implode, dealing damage per detonation.
- Spawn Rate: Every 5 seconds.
- Lucky Hit Chance: 20%
- Rank 10: While at 5 Anomalies, you are Unstoppable and the next implosion will deal double damage.
Astral Pillar
Astral Magic
- Shape an Ethereal Column that Taunts for 3.0 seconds. Piercing waves flow from it and deal damage, until you create another one or move too far away.
- Cooldown: 7 seconds.
- Lucky Hit Chance: 12%
- Rank 10: The Taunted enemies become Vulnerable and move faster.
Infusions
These incantations imbue your Catalyst with power and magic.
- Modifies the type of damage or damage-over-time that your Catalyst deals.
- After levelling to Rank 5, each Infusion gains its own bonus that allows your Catalyst to deactivate specific monster affixes.
Smoldering Ember
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Fire and or Burning damage.
- Bonus: It destroys enemy structures and has a 10% chance to ignite the ground beneath enemies, dealing
150%450% Burning damage over 5 seconds. While equipped, your Fire Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus. - Rank 5: Deactivates monster Chilling Winds effects for
58 seconds.
Nebulous Extract
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Shadow and or Corrupting damage.
- Bonus: Enemies hit by it deal 5-10% reduced damage for 7 seconds. While equipped, your Shadow Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Summoner effects for
58 seconds.
Glacial Nimbus
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Cold and or Frostbiting damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it are Chilled for 15-25%. This effect happens once per enemy every 1 second. While equipped, your Cold Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Explosive effects for
58 seconds.
Corrosive Vapor
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Poison and or Poisoning damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it take
150%320% Poisoning damage over 4 seconds. This effect can only happen on each enemy every 3 seconds. While equipped, your Poison Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus. - Rank 5: Deactivates monster Vampiric effects for
58 seconds.
Thunderous Particle
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Lightning and or Sparking damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it arc
150%320% Lightning damage to a surrounding enemy. This effect can only happen on each enemy every 3 seconds. While equipped, your Lightning Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus. - Rank 5: Deactivates monster Suppressor effects for
58 seconds.
Arcana
Equip up to three different Arcana to modify your Catalyst in many ways.
- There are 3 tiers of Rarity for Arcana: Magic, Rare, and Legendary.
- Legendary Arcana adjust their effects based on the Catalyst they are bound to. Discover the depth and complexity as you delve through the possibilities.
- Contain Specific spell tags that can be relied on to further modify your spell. Many powerful Horadric Jewels relate to these tags, incredible combinations await.
Magic
Tendrilous Bundle
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has up to a 35% chance to Immobilize for 5 seconds (+5% each rank).
Tranquil Stone
- Invoking your Catalyst grants Unstoppable for 3 seconds whenever it activates (+0.4 each rank).
Shifting Powder
- Your Catalyst increases your Movement Speed by 30% during its effect and for 5 more seconds after it ends (+8% each rank).
Luminous Gem
- Your Catalyst will Daze enemies it damages for 2 seconds (+1 each rank).
Murky Essence
- Invoking your Catalyst grants Stealth for 2 seconds whenever it activates (+0.4 each rank).
Invigorating Helix
- Once per enemy every 5 seconds, damage from your Catalyst will Fortify and Heal you for 5% of your Maximum Life (+1% each rank).
Bottled Wind
- Invoking your Catalyst grants a Barrier equal to 30% of your Maximum Life for 4 seconds. After it dissipates, its essence is bottled back up (+4% each rank).
Jagged Bramble
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has up to a 50% chance to deal
100%150% of your Thorns damage (+30% each rank).
Reactive Ooze
- After your Catalyst activates, you gain 5% Maximum Resource Generation per second for the next 10 seconds (+3% each rank).
Volatile Crystal
- After your Catalyst activates, it grants 10% Resistance and Maximum Resistance to the Element of your Infusion for 10 seconds (+2% each rank).
Rare
Gleaming Conduit
- The effect size of your Catalyst is increased by 10% (+8% each rank).
Fractured Core
- Your Catalyst deactivates monster Damage Resistance Aura effects for 2.5 seconds, but you take 10% more stacking damage for the same time (+0.5 each rank).
Sapping Crux
- Your Catalyst applies Vulnerable for 3 seconds (+1 each rank).
Potent Alloy
- Your Catalyst destroys enemy Barriers and Knocks them Down for 1.0 seconds after the removal (+0.8 each rank).
Sharpening Gizmo
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has a
40%-80%50% chance to deal 200% Physical damageconsume damage-over-time effects and deal 100% of their damage instantly.Your Catalyst Lucky Hit Chance is doubled. (+30%8%each rank).
Legendary
Floaty Bobble
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized blink effect that grants Unhindered for 2.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank).
- Floaty Bobble creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: Blinks you to the center of its Oracular Rune when it forms and grants Unhindered.
- Disintegrate: Blinks you to your target but leaves its Arcane Conductor behind. You are Unhindered while the beam is active and for 2.0 seconds afterwards.
- Propulsion: Blinks you to the center of the blast and makes you Unhindered for 2.0 seconds. The melee variant blinks you to the Knocked Back enemies.
- Astral Pillar: Blinks you to your focused destination and grants Unhindered for 2.0 seconds while dropping the flare at your previous spot for ranged variants.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Blinks you to its implosion, grants Unhindered, and cleanses all your negative effects.
Nightmare Orb
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Fear effect that lasts 4.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank)
- Nightmare Orb creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: Stars Fear unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. After the Fear ends, there is a
25%50% chance for another star to fall. - Disintegrate: Fears unaffected enemies and deals 100% increased damage to them while they are Feared.
for 4.0 seconds. Killing affected enemies restores 5% Maximum Life and Primary Resource. - Propulsion: Removes enemy Vulnerable effects to Fear them. While Feared, those enemies randomly form Lesser Mana Blasts.
to Fear unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. After the Fear ends, a Lesser Mana Blast is formed. - Astral Pillar: Every 9th wave Fears
for 4.0 seconds.Enemies close to it are Taunted and have their Fear removed.Solar Flare automatically Taunts and lures enemies that are Feared. - Cosmic Anomaly: Anomalies Fear and apply an
80%90% Slow to unaffected enemies they come into contact with for 4 seconds.
- Celestial Surge: Stars Fear unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. After the Fear ends, there is a
Frigid Heart
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Freeze effect that lasts 3.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank)
- Frigid Heart creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The Oracular Rune from Celestial Surge explodes and Freezes enemies. A second one forms after the star strikes end.
- Disintegrate: Your Disintegrate beams Freeze all affected enemies for 3.0 seconds after you Evade and also grant 15% Dodge Chance for double that duration.
- Propulsion: Enemies that collide twice are Frozen for 3.0 seconds.
- Astral Pillar: The flare Freezes surrounding enemies for 3.0 seconds when removed. Each Freeze increases your Lucky Hit Chance by 10% for 5 seconds, up to 25%.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Anomalies have a
10%30% chance to preserve themselves instead of imploding and Freeze surrounding enemies.
Pressurized Steam
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Stun effect that lasts 1.0 seconds (+0.4 each rank).
- Pressurized Steam creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The stars have a 25% chance to Stun and are guaranteed to Critically Strike Stunned enemies.
- Disintegrate: After being invoked, Disintegrate Stuns each enemy it damages one time. This Stun applies 100% more Stagger to Bosses.
- Propulsion: Enemies slammed into terrain by Propulsion are Stunned and have a chance to miss their next 2 attacks.
- Astral Pillar: Waves have a 30% chance to Stun for 1.0 seconds and are guaranteed to Overpower Stunned enemies.
- Cosmic Anomaly: The particles from your Anomalies deal their damage instantly and have a 25% chance to Stun.
Bloody Charm
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Execute effect for non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life. (+2% each rank)
- Bloody Charm creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The moon’s impact Executes non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life. Successful Executions reduce your Cooldowns by 2 seconds.
- Disintegrate: Non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life are immediately Executed. This threshold is doubled for non-Elite enemies.
- Propulsion: The Mana Blast from Propulsion will Execute non-Boss enemies.
with 10% or less Life.Successful Executionsreset itgrant 70% Movement Speed for 5 seconds. - Astral Pillar: Will launch additional waves towards Executable non-Boss enemies to Execute them.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Executes non-Boss enemies with its implosion. Successful Executions increase your Attack Speed by 20% for 8 seconds.
