Diablo 3: Patch 2.6.1 brings significant item changes – patch notes are huge

The Diablo 3 Patch 2.6.1 will be released soon and will significantly change the gameplay. This is due to numerous changes to skills and items.

A new patch for Diablo 3 is on the way to you. In version 2.6.1, there will be major changes to the usual gameplay of the game. The developers have focused on enhancing some sets, items, and skills. This is intended to provide much more variety in the leaderboards.

Changes to Sets and Skills

The new Diablo 3 update is all about balance. The performance of the various classes has been compared in Greater Nephalem Rifts, and many changes have been made. The goal is to bring as many playstyles to the same level as possible. This has resulted in previously weak builds being buffed significantly.

For some sets like “Raekor’s Legacy” or “Uliana’s Guile”, only the numbers were changed. Other sets received improvements in their functionality, which are now intended to lead to significant differences. As an example, Blizzard mentions the Wrath of the Waste: “In addition to the damage increase, the damage reduction from the 4-piece set bonus now lasts an additional 3 seconds. That’s enough to apply Rend without making yourself too vulnerable.”

Changes to the Necromancer: Do you enjoy playing your Necromancer with the Trag’Oul set? Good news! The double life costs of the 6-piece bonus have been removed.

Skills Changed

While most of the changes in Patch 2.6.1 relate to items, some skills also had to be adjusted. Crusaders, who like to throw numerous hammers, should take note of the change to the rune for Blessed Hammer (Endless).

“The additional projectiles caused performance drops in high enemy density, which we have compensated for by increasing the base damage of the rune as well as its area of effect,” Blizzard explains.

There were also changes to the Arcane Orb (Frost Orb) of the Wizards. Due to its range, it did not benefit from “Power Hungry” or “Audacity”. Therefore, the range of the skill has now been increased to 40 meters. This is intended to strengthen synergies.

Revised Items

Many items in Diablo 3 have received changes. For some items, the changes only relate to their numerical values. Others have, however, received more comprehensive updates. In the following gallery, we show you some of the new items. We explain the changes below the images:

• The Band of Might now grants a bonus of 60%-80% damage reduction – previously 50%-60%.
• The Blade of Prophecy no longer grants additional damage on Judgment as a fixed affix.
  • Two enemies affected by Judgment now also trigger an explosion, and the damage of Judgment is increased by 350%-400% 600%-800%.
• The Wraps of Clarity: Your resource-generating skills reduce your damage taken for 5 seconds by 30%-35% 40%-50%.
• The Incense Torch of the Grand Temple no longer increases the damage of Wave of Light as a fixed affix. However, it can still roll 10%-15% as a random affix.
  • Reduces the Spirit cost of Wave of Light by 40%-50% and increases its damage by 450%-500%.
• Dayntee’s Binding: When an enemy is afflicted by ‘Altern’ one of your curses, you receive an additional 40%-50% damage reduction.
• The Short Man’s Finger: ‘Colossus’ now summons three smaller Colossi, that are all stronger than the previous one whose damage has increased by 500%-650%.
• The Grand Vizier no longer has the fixed affix for extra Meteor damage.
  • Reduces the Arcane power cost of Meteor by 50% and increases its damage by 300%-400%

Patch 2.6.1 PTR Patch Notes

In the above seven examples, you could already see part of the item changes. However, this patch includes many more changes.

On the official Diablo 3 website, you can read the PTR patch notes for Patch 2.6.1 in full. Here are the PTR patch notes on us.battle.net

With the new changes, there is again more variety in the leaderboard. This fits with the 12th Diablo 3 season, which starts in November.