Since release, new Pay2Win accusations have been surfacing, and the image of Diablo Immortal has suffered greatly. However, a little-known mechanic takes it to the next level: gem resonance. MeinMMO takes a closer look at the mechanics.
The most important points at a glance:
- With Diablo Immortal, the action-RPG series has gone mobile and celebrated a strong launch with many players.
- However, even beforehand, testers and players were concerned: Many mechanics in the game seem to lead to an extensive Pay2Win system.
- After the release, it became clear: Diablo Immortal gives you many ways to buy strong advantages with real money. But an extreme mechanic is only just becoming known: gem resonance.
Gem resonance takes Pay2Win to a new level
What does gem resonance bring? Through this mechanic, the controversial legendary gems can be further improved and expanded. Through the merchant “Master Jeweler,” you then have access to a whole new menu that promises additional strong bonuses.
This menu only appears when you own the following items:
- Legendary gem at rank 10
- Legendary item at rank 6
- Real money item “Awakening Echo”
This item combination can be “awakened.” This gives you an immediate boost to the legendary effect of the equipment item. With the shoulder equipment “Sorrow’s Spike” from the Necromancer, the awakened effect immediately provides 10% more damage on “Corpse Explosion.”
The bonus is additional to the normal legendary effect and differs for each legendary item. Even before the release, the “Awakening” garnered attention. But an additional mechanic takes this to the extreme.
Because it is closely intertwined with the legendary gems. Once you have a gem at rank 10, you can insert other legendaries into this gem, unlocking extra bonuses. These bonuses correspond directly with the advantages of the gem, providing an even stronger boost for your build.
The “Awakening” brings Pay2Win and your character to a new level:
- The resonance increases, enhancing all attributes in your build
- The combat rating increases
- The gem effect is enhanced
- Additional effects by inserting gems
The awakened effect is then considered an upgrade and can be transferred to other equipment.
More information about the legendary gems can be found in our video:
Extra menu only appears when you pay
How does it work? As a Free2Play player, gem resonance is theoretically attainable, aside from the item “Awakening Echo.” However, you need a lot of luck with the legendary gems or be skilled at trading platinum.
To level up the legendary gems to a new rank, you need the same gem again and gem power, which you primarily obtain by breaking down legendary gems. However, the gem does not need to have the same number of stars.
For the ?/5-star gems, which you can only obtain via legendary emblems, it becomes really expensive. You need to upgrade the gem to rank 10 again: once to rank 3 and twice to rank 5. You must also upgrade these items with gems and gem power beforehand.
Once the gem is at rank 10, it can be further upgraded via the “gem resonance” menu. For that, you need specific legendary gems that must also be at rank 5 or 10 for additional bonuses. These vary with each legendary gem.
However, you must first upgrade the gem with the item “Awakening Echo.” This costs about 15 euros and unlocks the above-mentioned menu with the Master Jeweler.
Over €1,000 for the complete package
What does it cost? Based on the probabilities that Diablo Immortal shows for legendary gems, we try to estimate the costs for a fully awakened item:
- Find and upgrade legendary
- No costs: €0
- Buy Awakening Echo
- Real money shop: about €15
- ?/5 gem found (4.5%)
- Around 20 legendary emblems: about €20
- 20 ?/5 gems for upgrading
- Around 400 legendary emblems: about €500
- 12 ?/5 gems for gem resonance
- Requires specific gems: estimated €500
If your luck roughly matches the given probabilities, you still need about €1000 to bring a ?/5-star to rank 10 and reach maximum resonance.
For the weaker 1-star and 2-star gems, the process is significantly cheaper. But for the ?/5-star gems, one can spend an incredible amount of money before reaching the maximum bonuses.
If you want to go after the big fish and fully commit to a 5/5-star gem, it becomes really expensive. The streamer Quin69 spent €15,000 on the game before he received the 5/5-star gem he was searching for. After that, the Twitch streamer deleted his character.
Diablo Immortal offers a lot for Free2Play players. If you just want to play a bit of Diablo and slay demons on the go, then the action RPG provides many hours of entertainment.
However, the mobile hit also has plenty of ways to increase your power with real money. For players with high standards, the only option left is to reach for the wallet to secure those big numbers and bonuses.
Further estimates on the Pay2Win system in Diablo Immortal can be found here: Players compare how strong they become in Diablo Immortal for €0 – And how strong for €33,000
