Patch 2.6.8 for Diablo 3 is coming to the PTR. It brings new sets for Barbarian, Witch Doctor, and Wizard. Does the Witch Doctor have a chance again in Season 20?
What’s new? Blizzard has released the patch notes for Patch 2.6.8 of Diablo 3. These contents are now being tested on the PTR server before they go live for Season 20.
Highlights of the update include the new seasonal theme for S20 and three new sets. Especially fans of Witch Doctors should pay attention here, as the new “Mundunugu’s Regalia” set could become interesting in the coming weeks.
Blizzard has already given a preview of how balance patches will work in the future in Diablo 3.
New Sets for Barbarian, Witch Doctor, and Wizard in Season 20
Here we present the three new sets that will be activated with the new Patch 2.6.8 in Diablo 3 and will be playable in Season 20.
Witch Doctor – Mundunugu’s Regalia
The new set for the Witch Doctor is called “Mundunugu’s Regalia” and revolves around the ability Spirit Barrage.
- Set bonus 2 pieces: The Great Bad Voodoo now follows you and lasts twice as long.
- Set bonus 4 pieces: When you enter the Spirit Realm, your damage taken is reduced by 50% for 30 seconds.
- Set bonus 6 pieces: Spirit Barrage deals increased damage equal to your fifty times mana regeneration per second.
Additional buffs: Blizzard is also adjusting two additional items that are related to the new set.
- The Barber is getting a damage buff: When the target explodes, it deals 400% to 500% of collected damage to enemies within 15 meters. Previously, it was 225% to 250%.
- Gazing Demise is also receiving a buff: Spirit Barrage gains the effect of the Phantasm rune. Each active Phantasm lasts twice as long, increases the damage of Spirit Barrage by 100-150%, and additionally increases the attack speed of the Phantoms from Spirit. Previously, it was an increase of 40% to 50% damage. Also, this Mojo now always rolls with critical hit chance instead of life per second.
In Season 19, Diablo 3 already released two new sets. These are for Monks and Crusaders.
Conclusion – More power for Witch Doctors? The new set has some exciting changes. The mechanical change to Great Bad Voodoo practically allows you to use the spell with less concern – previously, the buff area stood still in one place, now you can move with it. A welcome change.
The four-piece bonus can likely be kept active at 100% due to the short cooldown of the Spirit Realm. This brings toughness to the set.
Due to the six-piece bonus, mana regeneration per second is now important. A stat that was previously rather secondary for Witch Doctors.
Witch Doctors are already looking forward to trying out the build on the test servers. On paper, it already looks good. Now it remains to be seen whether the Witch Doctor can climb back up the leaderboard with the Mundunugu set and be good again in Season 20. At the last leaderboard intermediate report, things didn’t look so good for the Witch Doctor.
Players have long wished for some changes for this class. The selection of its builds in the Tier List of Season 19 in Diablo 3 was very limited.
Barbarian – Horde of the Ninety Savages
The new set is called “Horde of the Ninety Savages” and brings a big change to the ability “Berserk.”
- Set bonus 2 pieces: Doubles the effectiveness of all shouts. Frightened enemies take double damage.
- Set bonus 4 pieces: Each stack of Berserk reduces your damage taken by 5%.
- Set bonus 6 pieces: Berserk deals 1,000% increased damage per stack.
Additional buffs: To harmonize with the new set, there are additional adjustments.
- The Undisputed Champion (Belt) – Berserk gains the effect of each rune AND deals 300% – 400% increased damage.
- The Bastion (Two-Handed Weapon) – Berserk is stackable up to 10 times AND hits once more per successful attack. Each additional hit jumps to all enemies within 15 meters, and the damage is split between all affected enemies.
Wizard – The Typhon’s Veil
The new set for the Wizard is called “The Typhon’s Veil” and revolves around the Hydras that many players like to use while leveling.
- Set bonus 2 pieces: Doubles the duration of Hydras and increases the number of heads of multi-headed Hydras by 2.
- Set bonus 4 pieces: Damage taken is reduced by 8% for each living Hydra head, as long as one is available. Each time you take damage, one Hydra head dies.
- Set bonus 6 pieces: Hydras deal 1,000% increased damage per living Hydra head.
Additional buffs and changes: Blizzard is also adjusting some items for the Wizard that relate to the new items. Additionally, the mechanics of two items are being changed.
- Serpent’s Sparker now additionally increases the damage of Hydras by 450% to 600%.
- The Magistrate ensures that now ALL Hydras cast Frost Novas at regular intervals and deal 450% to 600% more damage.
- The bonus of Etched Sigil and Deathwish is now applied 1 second after starting to channel.
More Changes in Patch 2.6.8
In addition to the new sets, Blizzard is bringing a few changes to the game that will make your life easier.
- Infernal Machines and organs are now automatically picked up.
This saves you the annoying task of picking up items that you would take anyway.
- As long as not all crafting recipes have been learned, Horadrim Cubes now guarantee recipes.
In Season 19 there is hot discussion about some crafting plans dropping significantly less and it taking hours longer to find them. Whether that was a bug is unclear. With the new change, you should receive the plans for the artisan much faster.
The seasonal theme of Season 20: The new season runs under the motto “The Season of the Forbidden Archives.” The joke is that all slots in Kanai’s Cube can contain properties of weapons, armor, or jewelry.
This means you can activate three weapon, armor, or jewelry properties at the same time or any combination.
However, it does not work to activate the same property multiple times.
Want to get back in? We show you who still finds Diablo 3 worthwhile in 2020.
