Diablo 4 Season 7: All changes since the 2.1 PTR

Diablo 4 Season 7 will go live sometime on January 21, 2025. With a good number of sweeping changes that we expect from a seasonal patch, the upcoming season is another one that held a PTR (public test realm) branch from December 3 to December 10. For the enterprising min-maxers and build-crafting players who either joined in or followed the developments to get an advanced idea of what's good in the Season, here are the things that changed since the PTR.

In this article, we'll go over all the changes made from the Diablo 4 2.1 PTR branch (Season 7) to the live Season that will come online next week. Those who also read the PTR 2.1 patch notes can cross-reference it to get a good idea of all the balance changes since S6.

Everything in Diablo 4 Season 7 that's changed since PTR 2.1

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The following are all the changes to Spiritborn (Vessel of Hatred) since 2.1 PTR

The Seeker

Rank 5 Bonus: Scaling increased from 30% to 40%.

Harmonious Seeker

Previous — The Seeker's first hit Knocks enemies Down for 4 seconds, and the second hit is a guaranteed Critical Strike.
Now — The Seeker's first hit Knocks Down enemies for 4 seconds. Both its first and second hits are guaranteed to Critically Strike.

Diablo 4 S7: Changes to Base Game since 2.1 PTR

Balance Changes

Witch Powers

Firebat Servants

Damage increased from 15% to 20%.
Frequency increased from 3 to 2 seconds.

Abyssal Resonance

Damage increased from 300% to 400%.
Frequency is now limited to a maximum of every 2 seconds.

Hex of Flames

Damage increased from 10% to 40%.
Frequency per target is now limited to a maximum of 5 per second.

Aura of Lament

Resource gain increased from 2 to 3.

Poison Frog Servant

Attack Damage increased from 150% to 400%.

Hex of Whispers

Fortify gained reduced from 60% to 15% of the player's maximum Health.

Aura of Siphoning

Damage increased from 50% to 80%.

Doom Orb

Damage increased from 300% to 400%.

Vengeful Spirit Servant

Damage increased from 500% to 750%.

The Cycle

Frequency limit per target increased from 5 to 2 seconds.
Frequency is now limited to a maximum of 3 a second.

Occult Gems

Elder Sigil

Incarnate tag changed to Potency.

Phantom Sting

Overpower damage reduced from 40% to 15%.

Pointed Finger

Bonus reduced from 25% to 15%.

Toadling's Wish

Bonus increased from 25% to 35%.

Vulture Talon

DoT tick speed increased from 35% to 50%.

Dust Stone

Damage bonus reduced from 4% to 2.5%.

Moonlight Ward

Max resist reduced from 1% to 0.5%.

Witching Hour

Timer reduced from 5 to 1 second.

General

Aspect of Apogeic Furor

Ultimate Skill Damage bonus per stack reduced from 8-18% to 6-10%.
Maximum Ultimate Skill Damage bonus reduced from 80-180% to 60-100%.

Vehement Brawler’s Aspect

Ultimate Skill Ranks reduced from 4 to 2.
Ultimate Rank 5 Bonuses scaling two or more attributes have been adjusted due to scaling incorrectly and gaining too much value.

Barbarian

Skills

Hammer of the Ancients

Damage increased from 80% to 90%.

Furious Hammer of the Ancients

Critical Strike Chance and Damage per 10 Fury increased from 3% to 5%.

Whirlwind

Damage increased from 18% to 22%.

Iron Maelstrom

Rank 5 Bonus: Damage while Healthy/Injured scaling bonus reduced from 80 to 60%.

Prime Iron Maelstrom

Critical Strike Damage increased from 40% to 50%.

Supreme Iron Maelstrom

Previous — Dealing direct damage to an enemy after swapping weapons reduces Iron Maelstrom's Cooldown by 1 second.
Now — Swapping weapons reduces Iron Maelstrom's Cooldown by 1 second.

Passives

Belligerence

Damage bonus after damaging with a Basic Skill increased from 3% to 4%.

Tempered Fury

Maximum Fury increased from 3 to 5.

Walking Arsenal

Previous – Dealing direct damage with Two-Handed Bludgeoning, Two-Handed Slashing, or Dual Wielded weapons grants 15% increased damage for 10 seconds. While all three bonuses are active, you gain 20% Crowd Control Duration and Attack Speed.
Now – Casting a Skill with a Two-Handed Bludgeoning, Two-Handed Slashing, or Dual Wielded weapon grants 15% increased damage for 10 seconds. While all three bonuses are active, you gain 25% Crowd Control Duration and Attack Speed.

Gushing Wounds

Bleed explosion damage increased from 120% over 5 seconds to 150%.

Legendary Aspects

Aspect Of Incendiary Fissures

Earthquake damage bonus increased from 35-55% to 40-60%.

Executioner's

Earthquake scaling reduced from 25% for every 100 Strength to 15%.

Of Earthquakes

Earthquake damage bonus increased from 10-30% to 20-60%.

Bul-Kathos

Earthquake damage bonus increased from 10-30% to 20-60%.

Unique Items

Mantle of Mountain's Fury

Hammer of the Ancients damage bonus after an Earthquake explodes increased from 50% to 100%.

Fields of Crimson

Blood pool damage bonus increased from 50% to 70%.

Paragon

Force of Nature

Damage vs Close scaling amount increased from 30% to 40%.
Maximum bonus increased from 150% to 200%.

Druid

Skills

Lacerate

Rank 5 Bonus: Critical Strike Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.
Can now be cancelled when using the skill again.

Raging Shred

Poisoning damage increased from 30[x] to 150%[x].

Passives

Toxic Claws

No longer requires critical strikes, now triggers off any damage from Lacerate or Shred.
Bonus damage per rank increased from 16% to 24%.

Bad Omen

Lightning Bolt damage increased from 55% to 70%.

Legendary Aspects

Runeworker's Conduit

Lightning Bolt damage scaling reduced from 25% for every 100 Willpower to 15%.

Aspect of the Blurred Beast

Previous — Shred deals 55-70% more damage, and Shred's first dash lands up to 4 additional strikes based on distance travelled.
Now — Shred deals 55-70% more damage, and Shred has a 33% chance to land an additional strike, up to 4 times.

Unique Items

Dolmen Stone

Number of active Boulders now displays on the skill bar.
Can now move while casting Boulder.

Malefic Crescent

Lupine Ferocity Critical Strike Damage bonus increased from 100-150% to 150-200%.

Necromancer

Skills

Enhanced Bone Spear

Previous — Bone Spear breaks into 3 bone shards when it is destroyed, dealing 25% damage each.
Now — Bone Spear makes the first enemy hit Vulnerable for 3 seconds and breaks into 3 bone shards when destroyed, dealing 25% damage each.

Supernatural Bone Spear

Previous — Bone Spear makes the first enemy hit Vulnerable for 3 seconds and deals 30% increased Overpower damage.
Now — Bone Spear deals 40% more Overpower damage and restores 5% Maximum Life after Overpowering.

Army of the Dead

Skeleton Mage and Golem Damage scaling bonus reduced from 80 to 40%.

Blood Wave

Rank 5 Bonus: Damage scaling reduced from 60% to 30%.

Bone Storm

Rank 5 Bonus: Critical Strike Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.

Supreme Bone Storm

Previous — Your Critical Strike Chance is increased by 20% while Bone Storm is active.
Now — Your Critical Strike Chance and Attack Speed are increased by 20% while Bone Storm is active.

Legendary Aspects

Bone Duster's Aspect

Previous — Bone Spear is guaranteed to Critically Strike enemies within Bone Prison and deals 20-40% increased damage to them.
Now — Bone Spear is guaranteed to Overpower enemies within Bone Prison and deals 30-50% increased damage to them.

Unique Items

Deathless Visage

Critical Strike Damage increased from 30-50% to 40-60%.
Echo damage scaling increased from 20% of Critical Strike Damage bonus to 25%.

Lidless Wall

Additional Bone Storms now spawn closer together.
Critical Strike Damage per active Bone Storm increased from 10% to 20%.

Rogue

Skills

Disciplined Dance of Knives

Pierce chance increased from 20% to 35%.

Supreme Death Trap

Damage to enemies who resist its Pull In increased from 120% to 180% of its damage.

Shadow Step

Cleave area increased when using Shadow Step Cleaves Tempering affix.
Radius increased by 15%.
Angle increased by 33%.

Rain of Arrows

Rank 5 Bonus: Damage to Distant Enemies scaling bonus reduced from 100 to 80%.

Passives

Exposure

Active Cooldown reduction for Trap Skills increased from 20% to 30%.

Legendary Aspects

Aspect of Star Shards

Damage increased from 100-120% to 100-200%.

Aspect of Bitter Infection

Periodic damage increased from 30-50% to 30-70% of Shadow Imbuement's damage.
Shadow Imbuement bonus damage increased from 30-50%[x] to 30-70%[x].

Slice and Dice Aspect

Twisting Blades' cleave area increased.
Radius increased by 15%.
Angle increased by 33%.

Unique Items

Assassin's Stride

Ranks of Mobility Skills affix increased from 1-2 to 2-3 ranks.
Ranks of Shadow Imbuement affix increased from 2-3 to 3-4 ranks.

Sorcerer

Skills

Ice Shards

Damage to Frozen enemies increased from 25% to 50%.

Mystical Frost Nova

Previous — Frost Nova makes enemies Vulnerable for 4 seconds, increased to 6 seconds against Bosses.
Now — Frost Nova makes enemies Vulnerable and increases the damage they take from you by 15%[x] for 4 seconds, increased to 8 seconds against Bosses.

Shimmering Frost Nova

Previous — Frost Nova grants 3%[+] Dodge Chance per enemy hit for 8 seconds, up to 15[+]. Dodging while this effect is active restores 20 Mana. Hitting a Boss with Frost Nova grants the maximum Dodge Chance Bonus.
Now — Casting Frost Nova grants 15%[+] Dodge Chance for 8 seconds and restores 10% of your Missing Mana for every enemy hit. Hitting a Boss with Frost Nova restores 100% of your Mana.

Invoked Ice Blades

Previous — Your Ice Blades gain 10% Attack Speed per active Ice Blade.
Now — You and your Ice Blades gain 10% Attack Speed per active Ice Blade.

Deep Freeze

Previous — Encase yourself in ice, becoming Immune for 4 seconds, continually dealing damage, and Chilling enemies for 14%. When Deep Freeze expires, it deals an additional 183% damage.
Now — Encase yourself in ice and become Immune for 4 seconds, Chilling surrounding enemies for 14% and continuously dealing damage to them. When Deep Freeze ends, you explode for 183% more damage.
Additionally, the final explosion will now happen no matter how Deep Freeze ends.
Rank 5 Bonus: Vulnerable Damage scaling bonus reduced from 40 to 30%.

Supreme Deep Freeze

Previous — When Deep Freeze ends, surrounding enemies are made Vulnerable for 5 seconds and your Non-Ultimate Cooldowns are instantly reset.
Now — Deep Freeze's initial hit makes surrounding enemies Vulnerable for 5 seconds. After it ends, your Non-Ultimate Cooldowns are instantly reset and your Frost Skills deal 25% increased damage for 5 seconds.

Inferno

Rank 5 Bonus
Previous – Enemies within Inferno are Vulnerable.
Now — Enemies within Inferno are continually made Vulnerable for 5 seconds.

Passives

Permafrost

Previous — Frost skills deal 5% increased damage to Elites.
Now — You deal 6% increased damage while a Frost skill is on your Action Bar.
Known issue: The tooltip for this incorrectly states that this bonus is only for frost skills, but it's for all skills.

Elemental Synergies

The bonus is now doubled if all of your Skills are the same element.

Inner Flames

Damage increased from 4/8/12% to 6/12/18%.

Esu's Ferocity

Critical Damage above 50% life increased from 25% to 50%.

Enlightenment

Charges gained per cast reduced from 15 to 8.

Enchantments

Fire Bolt Enchantment

Previous - Dealing damage has a 10% chance to heal you for 4% of your Maximum Life.
Now - Dealing Burning damage has a 10% chance to heal you for 4% of your Maximum Life and unleash a Fire Bolt at a nearby enemy.

Spark Enchantment

Chance to form Crackling Energy increased from 14% to 20%.

Legendary Aspects

Aspect of Splintering Energy

The damage from Critical Strike Damage bonus now scales from 60-100%.

Aspect of Frozen Memories

Previous - The Avalanche Key Passive now applies to 2 additional casts.
Now - The Avalanche Key Passive now applies to 2 additional casts and its damage to Vulnerable enemies is increased to 50-75%.

Aspect of Engulfing Flames

Damage increased for each second burning from 6% (30% max) to 9% (45% max).

Encased Aspect

Life and Mana gained per second increased from 15-35% to 25-45%.

Unique Items

Strike of Stormhorn

Bonus damage from Super Ball Lightnings increased from 100% to 125%.

Paragon

Tactician Glyph

Damage increased from 10% to 15%.

Adept Glyph

Mastery skill area increased from 20 to 30%.
Damage increased from 2%[+] to 3%[+].
Scaling increased to match similar glyph's that start at 3%.

Electrocute Glyph

Critical hit chance increased from 5% to 15%.

Static Surge

Damage increased from 40% to 50%.

Fundamental Release

Maximum Damage enemies take from you increased from 30% to 50%.

Enchantment Master

Bonus increased from 20% to 30%.

Searing Heat

Previous — Pyromancy Skills have a 12% increased Critical Strike chance and deal increased Direct damage equal to 10% of your Critical Strike Damage Bonus, up to 60%. Current Direct Damage Bonus: X%
Now — Pyromancy Skills have a 12% increased Critical Strike chance and all of your Skills deal increased Direct damage equal to 10% of your Critical Strike Damage Bonus, up to 60%. Current Direct Damage Bonus: X%

Icefall

Previous — Your Frost Skills deal 25% increased damage to Vulnerable enemies. This bonus is doubled if the enemy is also Frozen.
Now — Your Frost Skills deal 25% increased damage. This bonus is doubled and applied to all of your damage against Frozen enemies and bosses.

Miscellaneous

Tooltips on various items have been updated for clarity.

New Bug Fixes since PTR 2.1 in Diablo 4 Season 7

Vessel of Hatred

Fixed an issue where the Nagu rune would gain offering with a mercenary equipped.
Fixed an issue where Aspect of Pestilence was increasing Pestilent Swarm's duration by longer than expected.
Fixed an issue where the Protector Rank 5 bonus to Thorns did not persist through the extended duration given by the Exalted Protector bonus.

Season of Witchcraft

Fixed an issue where Hex of Whispers was not displaying the correct Fortify value.
Fixed an issue where certain Headless monsters still had heads (Guess they missed the memo).
Fixed an issue where the Doom Orb damage did not properly increase as the ability was upgraded.
Fixed an issue where Headrotten Monsters could spawn while there was no active Headhunt.
Fixed multiple instances where Whispers in Headhunts did not properly progress.
Fixed an issue where Exposed Roots in Rootholds could be interacted with multiple times and spawn multiple boss monsters.
Fixed an issue where the Roothold Ritual of Shackles did not increase the cooldown of Evade.
Fixed an issue where Forgotten Altars spawned in Nightmare Dungeons with a lower than intended frequency.

Accessibility

Fixed an issue where the screen reader did not read out Loadout names in the Armory.

Gameplay

General

Fixed an issue where the Class Mechanic (i.e. Enchantments) would reset when loading an Armory loadout after logging back into the game.
Fixed an issue where some Tempering Recipes would have a lower minimum value at Legendary rarity than they did at Rare rarity.

Druid

Fixed an issue where Druid's Wolves active would not interact with Lupine Ferocity nor Lust for Carnage when using Aspect of the Alpha.
Fixed an issue where Poison Creeper's Passive effect could trigger the Clarity passive and the Untamed Legendary Paragon Node.
Fixed an issue where Aspect of the Virulent was not marked as an Offensive Aspect.
Fixed an issue where the amount of offerings required for the Snake Spirit was displayed as 100 when the actual value was 60.
Fixed an issue where the Affixes for Bonus ranks to Feral Aptitude and Werewolf Movement speed on the Malefic Crescent did not increase with Masterworking.
Fixed an issue where Malefic Crescent would overwrite the Ferocity Bonus from Mad Wolf's Glee.
Fixed an issue where the Survival Instincts Legendary Paragon Node would scale damage higher than intended, which occasionally resulted in negative damage numbers.

Necromancer

Fixed an issue where the Aspect of Elemental Constellation appeared in the Codex of Power for Necromancers.
Fixed an issue where Summoning Damage Affixes always displayed 0%.
Fixed an issue where the tooltip for the buffs granted by the Cadaverous Aspect referenced core skills instead of one referencing ultimate skills.
Fixed an issue where Soulrift would generate more Barrier than intended when combined with another source of Barrier.

Rogue

Fixed an issue where Disciplined Shadow Step would not provide cooldown reduction if the target died before the Shadow Step dealt damage.
Fixed an issue where Aspect of Imitated Imbuements was not functioning properly.
Fixed an issue where Blended Cold Imbuement could cause the enemy to be instantly Frozen.
Fixed an issue where Clandestine Aspect was not properly increasing its value with legendary ranks.
Fixed an issue where Scoundrel's Leathers did not properly treat all Trap and Grenade Skills as Core skills.
Fixed an issue where Scoundrel's Leathers did not properly grant bonus core skill damage.

Sorcerer

Fixed an issue where Splintering Energy was not properly scaling with both Additive and Multiplicative Critical Damage sources.
Fixed an issue where Flame Shield Enchantment was not properly resetting damage taken.
Fixed an issue where Flame Shield Enchantment was activating too late.
Fixed an issue where the Flame Shield and Fire Blot Enchantments were receiving lower bonuses than intended from Enchantment Master.
Fixed an issue where Firebolt Enchantment was not overhealing.
Fixed an issue with Okun's Catalyst that would cause it to not increase attack speed when casting a defensive skill.
Fixed an issue causing the damage from Okun's Catalyst to deal half of its intended damage.
Fixed an issue where aspect of Mind's Awakening was giving lower barrier than intended on its first hit.
Fixed an issue where Inferno was not gaining its chance to deal double damage effect.
Fixed an issue where the tooltip for the Combustion Key Passive stated it increased Damage to Burning instead of Damage with Burning.
Fixed an issue where Avalanche's bonus damage to Vulnerable targets would only work on the initial target.
Fixed an issue where Enlightenment was not granting the proper additive and multiplicative damage bonuses.
Fixed an issue with Strike of Stormhorn where it wasn't applying its bonuses at max range.
Fixed an issue with Strike of Stormhorn where it was dealing 50% less damage than intended.

As a repeat reminder, Diablo 4's upcoming Season starts January 21. If you want to learn what the most OP spec of Season 7 will be, here's our estimation. Stay tuned for more Season 7 news and guides on Sportskeeda:

Edited by Ripunjay Gaba