In a livestream, Blizzard explained that they do not plan to nerf the Spiritborn in the upcoming Midseason update for Diablo 4. However, the situation looks different in Season 7, and the developers advise you to enjoy what you currently have.
The Spiritborn is the new class in Diablo 4 that was introduced with the first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. At the release, the Spiritborn almost immediately secured the top spots on the tier list of the best endgame builds in Season 6 of Diablo 4.
Since the release, the community has been debating whether the strong class needs a nerf. Some players believe that other classes should simply be buffed to match the Spiritborn. Blizzard has listened to the feedback and is planning changes – but these will not come during the ongoing season, instead, they will arrive in Season 7.
What is Blizzard planning? Lead Class Designer Adam Jackson explains in the “Campfire Chat” livestream on YouTube on November 12, 2024, that the question of a nerf for the Spiritborn is likely on everyone’s mind. The team has decided not to nerf the class in the Midseason.
However, adjustments are planned in Season 7, Jackson explains:
In Season 7 […] we will fix all unintended interactions we’ve discovered with the Spiritborn and make balance adjustments to bring the class in line with the others. So you can expect a lot of changes, but until then: Enjoy what you currently have.
Blizzard aims for two goals when it comes to game balance:
- Players should feel strong and powerful and should be able to push the game with crazy builds.
- Class balance – there should be no situation where only one class is played because it is so much stronger.
However, the two points somewhat contradict each other. Therefore, the developers want to ensure that players can play for a season without having to fear major changes. If you can “break” the game with OP builds, that is allowed – at least until the next season.
Exceptions would be bugs, like the one that led to the strong evade build of the Spiritborn, which caused many performance issues. Jackson emphasizes: “In that sense, we do not plan to nerf the Spiritborn class in the Midseason patch.”
Crazy Builds vs. Class Balance
This is the current status: In the livestream, Blizzard reported on the state of the Spiritborn in Season 6 of Diablo 4. Class balance is also a significant issue in the community.
The current season has shown the developers that the Spiritborn is very popular among players: 62% of all players have chosen this class. In comparison: In Season 5, the Sorceress was the most popular class, with 32%.
Regarding the Spiritborn, Lead Class Designer Adam Jackson explains:
The Spiritborn class performs significantly better than other classes […]. A large part of this strength comes from unintended interactions with the scaling and other mechanics. Another aspect is that some balancing issues lie within the class itself. […] We believe it’s a mix of both, with the unintended interactions likely making up the majority.
Lead Live Game Designer Colin Finer notes that the “unintended interactions” are not just about selecting a legendary Paragon node making a build overpowered, but about the “exploitation of certain mechanics.”
As an example, Finer mentions the Paragon node “Resilient Shield,” which benefits from maximum health points. Players then invest a lot of time to perfect their maximum life. Blizzard does not want to simply nullify this investment, but they want to “fix” unintended interactions.
What’s next: Furthermore, the developers note that this is just a small insight into the Midseason update. The patch notes, which will follow at the end of the week, will provide a detailed listing of the adjustments. The update itself will take place next week.
Additionally, Blizzard is planning another stream next week, in which they want to report more about Season 7. A PTR will also be available again.
In the livestream, Blizzard wanted to give players a preview of what to expect for each class and what they can look forward to. The Midseason update will bring buffs for all classes in Diablo 4 – and the Spiritborn will not be left out either. You can read more about it here: Diablo 4 changes all classes in the Midseason patch, bringing buffs for all
