Diablo 3: Start of Season 21 known – What’s in the Update 2.6.9

The start of Season 21 in Diablo 3 is in July. Blizzard has now announced all the info about Patch 2.6.9, with which the season will run. This includes the season theme, rewards, Haedrig’s Gift, and patch notes.

When does Season 21 start? In Diablo 3, Season 21, Trials of Tempests, begins on July 3, 2020. That is, as usual, a Friday.

We suspected this date a few weeks ago here on MeinMMO as the start date. With the new season, Diablo 3 seems to consciously stay away from the competition.

The new patch with version number 2.6.9 will go live before the start of the season and will be available for download for you.

The season theme of S21

What can it do? The buff for Season 21 occurs every 90 seconds and helps you on the battlefield.

• Your character will occasionally (every 90 seconds) channel an elemental power that is unleashed upon your surroundings for a limited time:
• You can rain meteors down around you.
• You can spit lightning.
• You can create a wall of flames that devours everything.
• You can unleash whirlwinds of pure energy.
• You can crush your enemies with snowballs.

During testing on the PTR servers, this theme was extensively scrutinized. However, it became apparent during the tests that the buff was too boring for group players and too strong for solo players. Players explain: Season 21 should “not” go live like this.

Blizzard has now made some changes to the season buff, as seen in the patch notes.

• The seasonal effects no longer deal area damage.
• The season buffs reset when a player leaves and re-enters a rift.
• The season theme should no longer function in set dungeons.
• The damage of the season theme is now dependent on how many kills the character made [This was a change requested by the community, so that support builds do not dominate Season 21 – as was the case on the PTR]

The rewards from Season 21

New content: Those who put in the effort in the Season Journey of Season 21 in Diablo 3 can earn two new cosmetic rewards. One is a companion that walks on glass legs. And in addition, a green portrait frame.

Old content: Since Season 17, Diablo 3 has been bringing back old cosmetic rewards from past seasons into the game. This way, people who did not play in the old season can still unlock the items.

In Season 21, these include the Conqueror set, Pandemonium portraits, and a rocky companion.

Haedrig’s Gift in Season 21

What is that? If you complete Chapters 2, 3, and 4 in the Season Journey of S21, you will receive Haedrig’s Gifts. Depending on which class you open the gifts with, different sets are included.

The contents change in each season. In S21, Haedrig’s Gift looks like this:

• Barbarian – Might of the Earth
• Crusader – Thorns of the Invoker
• Demon Hunter – The Shadow’s Mantle
• Monk – Monkey King’s Garb
• Witch Doctor – Garb of the Jade Harvester
• Wizard – Firebird’s Finery
• Necromancer – Grace of Inarius

What else changes in Patch 2.6.9?

These new sets are coming: For the Necromancer and Demon Hunter, Diablo 3 is bringing a new set that you can use.

Demon Hunter – Gears of Terror

• 2-piece bonus: Grants one stack of Momentum when you attack with a primary skill. Each stack of Momentum lasts for 4 seconds, up to a maximum of 20 seconds. Your primary skills deal 10% more damage for every second of Momentum.
• 4-piece bonus: When using Vault against enemies, your last-cast primary skill is automatically fired. Additionally, you receive a 60% damage reduction during and for 5 seconds after Vault. While Vault is active, your movement speed is increased by 8% for each stack of Momentum.
• 6-piece bonus: Your primary skills deal 10,000% more damage.

Further adjustments: To ensure that this set and the Demon Hunter generally harmonize and function better with Season 21, the Blizzard team has made additional changes to items.

• Leonine Bow of Hashir: Bolas now have a 30% 100% chance to pull in all enemies within 24 meters upon their explosion and deal 100–150% increased damage.
• Emimei’s Deep Pouch: Bolas now explode without delay and deal 150–175% increased damage.
• Ninth Quiver of Cirri: Hungry Arrow has a 20–25% guaranteed penetration chance and deals 450–600% increased damage.
• End of Odyssey: Enemies hit and slowed by the Strangle Shot take 20–25% 100–150% more damage from all sources.
• Hunter’s Wrath: Increases the attack speed of your primary skills by 30% and their damage by 45–60% 150–200%.
• Blessed Arrowheads: Impale throws 2 additional knives and deals 75–100% increased damage.

Necromancer – Masquerade of the Burning Carnival

• 2-piece bonus: Your Simulacrums take no damage, gain all runes, and their cooldown is completed upon your death.
• 4-piece bonus: While you have a Simulacrum, you take 50% reduced damage. Damage taken is additionally shared between you and your Simulacrums.
• 6-piece bonus: Bone Spear deals 10,000% increased damage. Simulacrums receive triple the bonus.

Further adjustments: Just like the Demon Hunter, the Necromancer also receives further adjustments to his items and even to other set pieces.

• Grasps of Essence: If an exploding corpse deals damage to at least one enemy, the damage of your corpse explosion is increased by 6 seconds by 75–100% 150–200%. Stacks up to 5 times.
• Haunted Visions: Simulacrum now drains 5% 1% of your maximum life every second and lasts twice as long remains permanently active. Simulacrums can now duplicate Death Digger instead of Skeleton Mages.
• Razeth’s Willpower: Skeleton Mages receive the effects of the runes Gift of Death and Singularity. You gain 35–60% damage reduction when your essence supply is not completely filled.
• Jesseth’s Weapons: Set bonus (2 pieces): As long as your skeletons are commanded to attack a target, your damage is increased by 400%.
• Grace of Inarius: Set bonus (4 pieces): Bone Armor grants damage reduction of 2% 3% for each enemy hit.
• Garb of the Pestilence: Set bonus (6 pieces): For each corpse you consume, you gain a charge of Powerful Bone Spear, which increases the damage of further Bone Spear attacks by 3,300%. Additionally, the damage of Cadaver Lance and Corpse Explosion is increased by 1,650% 3,300%.

Recently Diablo 3 banned a bunch of cheaters just when it hurt them the most.