Diablo 4 Season 8: All changes since the 2.2 PTR

As the Diablo 4 Season 8 release date (April 29, 2025) draws near, Blizzard has introduced some new changes for the updated 2.2 patch notes. Earlier, the developers cracked down on the boss powers added in Season 8, which were powerful enough to completely overshadow buildcrafting. However, they recently announced more changes, specifically to the new Uniques, other than some class balance changes.

In this article, we will list all the changes made from the 2.2 PTR to Diablo 4 Season 8, going live next week. Those already familiar with the 2.2 PTR patch notes can just look at these changes to get a gist of what's new in the live Season.

Every change in Diablo 4 S8 compared to PTR for 2.2.0

Andariel's Flaming Skull

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 1800% to 450%.
Modifier
Damage over time bonus decreased from 21%-40% to 10.5-20%.
Damage over time no longer requires enemies to be burning.
Removed additional burn damage when triggering Primary Power.

Belial's Eye Beams

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 1750% to 438%.
Damage Reduction decreased from 75% to 50%.
Reduced amount of eye beams from 6 to 5.
Slightly sped up the eye's orbiting rotation.
Eye's durations reduced from 3.5 to 2 seconds, damage over time duration is unaffected.

Harbinger of Hatred's Volley

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 400% to 250%.
Modifier
Fixed Vulnerable bonus to be multiplicative.
Added a 1 second cooldown to activating this modifier.

Urivar

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 800% to 400%.
Added a 1 second cooldown to this ability.
Removed 5 second ultimate cooldown reduction.
Gain 15% Cooldown Reduction.

Duriel's Burrow

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 200% to 100%.
Modifier
Increased Dodge duration from 2 to 5 seconds.

Sinerat

Primary Power
Damage decreased from 200% to 50%.

Avarice

Modifier
Damage bonus per resource point decreased from 1.5%-3.4% to 0.01%-0.20%.

Lilith

Primary Power
Damage increased from 250% to 400%.
Modifier
Only 1 Blisters can exist per Elite, and 2 per Boss.
Blisters can no longer become executed from abilities that cannot execute bosses.
Blister Elite damage reduced from 5.25%-10% to 2.1%-4%.

Wandering Death's Chest Beam

Primary Power
Adjusted the beam to start closer to your character.
Modifier
Execute threshold 15%-34% to 15.5%-25%.

Blackmailer's Sabotage

Modifier
Barrier amount reduced from 20%-58% to 11%-30%.

Allek's Talons

Primary Power
Channeled Basic abilities can now proc this ability while channeling.

Hatred's Embrace's Hate

Modifier
Maximum Critical Chance bonus decreased from 22.5%-70% to 12%-50%.

Flesh Reaper's Disruption

Modifier
Increased Vulnerable Damage from Crowd Control bonus from 0.25%[x] to 0.5%[x].

Grigoire's Lightning Square

Primary Power
Damage Decreased from 300% to 250%.

Lord Zir's Blood Pool

Modifier
Increased Heal amount from 5.5%-15% to 17%-36%.

Skerg's Toxins

Primary Power
Changed to whenever you take direct damage.
Damage decreased from 1000% to 600%.

Varshan's Life Steal

Primary Power
Leeching beam now always works on a surrounding enemy.
Damage is over 1 second instead of 3.
Increased damage to 700%.

Beastmaster's Training

Primary Power
Summons now stuns for 2-4 seconds instead of taunts.

Barbarian

Skills

Whirlwind

Damage increased from 32% to 52%.

Furious Whirlwind

Bleed damage increased from 40% of Whirlwind's Base Damage over 5 seconds to 120% [weapon damage] over 5 seconds.

Developer’s Note: We recognized that none of the options were previously attractive for a pure whirlwind build so we've greatly adjusted the bleed option to compensate as a powerful second choice.

Double Swing

Fury cost reduced from 25 to 20.
Damage increased from 60% to 66%.

Hammer of the Ancients

Fury cost reduced from 35 to 30.
Damage increased from 90% to 98%.

Upheaval

Fury cost reduced from 40 to 35.
Damage increased from 120% to 132%.

Rend

Fury cost reduced from 35 to 30.

Warrior's Mighty Throw

Damage bonus reduced from 200%[x] to 50%[x].

Developer’s Note: The value was adjusted to a reasonable level to compensate for the bug fix made to Warrior’s Mighty Throw, but it will ultimately result in heftier BONKS.

Steel Grasp

Base damage increased from 35% to 80%.

Fighter's Steel Grasp

Damage bonus reduced from 400%[x] to 200%[x].

Warrior's Steel Grasp

Number of charges gained increased from 1 to 2.

Developer’s Note: We’ve moved some of the damage bonus for Steel Grasp baseline to make gaining additional charges a more attractive option. This is an increase in damage for both options.

Legendary Aspects and Unique Items

Executioner's Aspect

Damage per 100 Strength reduced from 15% to 5%.
The damage bonus now caps at 200%.

Developer’s Note: Earthquakes maintained a clear advantage over other builds in the PTR, even after updates meant to bring them in line with other builds. These changes aim to return them to the levels we want and make room for more Barbarian builds to enter the spotlight.

Twin Strikes

Critical Strike chance affix replaced with Chance for Double Swing to deal Double Damage.

Druid

Skills

Storm Strike

Chain acquisition radius increased by 50%.

Cyclone Armor

Non-physical damage resist increased from 15% to 20%.

Ravens

Passive Damage increased from 31% to 90%.

Poison Creeper

Passive damage over 2 seconds increased from 47% to 65%.
Active damage over 2 seconds increased from 126% to 180%.

Passives

Abundance

Basic Skill Spirit generation increased from 6/12/18% to 10/20/30%.

Earthen Might

While the guaranteed Critical Strike buff is active, it now also gains 50%[x] increased Critical Strike damage.
Earthen Might can now be procced again while the buff is active after a very short delay.

Nature's Fury

Channeled skills now periodically activate Nature's Fury.
Stone Bursts triggered by Nature's Fury now channel to maximum size before exploding.

Spirit Boons

Gift of the Stag

Maximum Spirit reduced from 40 to 30.
Spirit generation increased from 5 to 10.

Legendary Aspects and Unique Items

Aspect Of Impending Deluge

Previous: Storm Strike's damage is increased by 50%[x] and increases the damage the target takes from other skills by 20-40%[x] for 6 seconds.
Now: Storm Strike chains to twice as many targets and increases the damage the targets take from other skills by 30-50%[x] for 6 seconds.

Wildheart Hunger

Decay rate reduced from 2% per second to 0.5% per second.

Gathlen's Birthright

Anima of the Forest duration increased from 10 to 15 seconds.
Critically Hitting a boss grants 5 stacks.

Developer’s Note: The break between the benefits of Anima of the Forest allows for much larger bonuses to be granted on this effect, but after feedback and testing, we've decided to increase the uptime on this effect by 50%. Giving it much greater boss fighting effectiveness in order to help the moment of power feel more consistent.

Necromancer

Skills

Blood Lance

Now always spreads the Lanced effect to another enemy, even when hitting a non-Lanced enemy.

Blood Wave

Damage increased from 450% to 500%.

Bone Storm

Damage increased from 300% to 350%.

Passives and Effects

Terror

Previous: You deal 3/6/9%[x] increased Shadow damage to enemies who are Slowed or Chilled, and 3/6/9%[x] increased Shadow damage to enemies who are Stunned, Immobilized, or Frozen. These bonuses stack and apply to Shadow damage done by you and your Minions.
Now: You deal 3/6/9%[x] increased Shadow damage to Crowd Controlled enemies, and 3/6/9%[x] increased Shadow damage to Elites and Bosses. These bonuses stack.

Developer’s Note: This bonus still applies to Shadow damage from your Minions. Your Minions benefit from all of your damage bonuses, so it was redundant to include that specification here.

Vampiric Curse

Now considered a Curse Skill for various Necromancer effects, specifically Affliction, Amplify Damage, Frailty, Aspect of the Damned, Amplify Glyph, and Damage to Cursed Enemies.
Damage from the unleashed Souls is now considered a Summoning Skill.

Paragon

Flesh-eater Legendary Node

Corpses consumed during the bonus's duration will now count towards refreshing the bonus.

Scent of Death Legendary Node

Previous: With at least 2 Corpses nearby, you gain 15% Damage Reduction. With no Corpses Nearby, you deal 15%[x] increased Damage.
Now: You gain 15% Damage Reduction and deal 30%[x] increased Critical Strike Damage.

Legendary Aspects and Unique Items

Aspect of the Unholy Tether

Now grants Unstoppable, rather than Unhindered.
Duration Reduced from 6 to 5 seconds.

Aspect of Service and Sacrifice

Damage from the Skeleton Warrior's explosion is now considered Summoning Skill damage.
Damage increased from 100-200% to 200-300% Weapon Damage.

Sanguivor, Blade of Zir

Inherent Affix changed from Mage and Golem Damage to Summoning Damage.
Damage bonus per soul increased from 5-10% to 15-25%.
Value of the Intelligence affix increased to match other Two Handed Weapons.
Previous: 160-188 Intelligence.
Now: 214-242 Intelligence.
Vampiric Curse souls can now be unleashed only with Army of the Dead, rather than Defensive, Macabre, or Agility Skills, while using this weapon.

Rogue

Skills

Shadow Clone

Now always a Cutthroat Skill, rather than only with its Rank 5 Bonus.

Death Trap

Base cooldown increased from 50 seconds to 60 seconds.
Cooldown reduction from kill or Overpower reduced from 10 seconds to 5 seconds.

Prime Death Trap

Bonus Trap damage reduced from 50%[x] to 20%[x].

Items and Tempering

Trap Expertise tempering recipe moved from the Offensive to the Utility category.

Scoundrel's Leathers

Inherent Affix no longer applies the Core Skill tag to Grenade Skills.
Unique Power
Previous: Your Trap Skills can be thrown and will spawn a Death Trap every 10 seconds when Cast. You step through the shadows to your Death Trap when Cast, gaining 10-30%[x] increased damage for 5 seconds.
Now: Your Trap Skills can be thrown and will spawn a Death Trap every 10 seconds when Cast, granting you 10-30% increased damage for 5 seconds.

Sorcerer

Skills

Ice Shards

Shard projectiles now spawn slightly further behind the player to consistently hit close enemies.

Familiar

The casting of Familiar has been refined, resulting in snappier gameplay.

Passives

Avalanche

Previous: Lucky Hit: Your Frost Skills have up to a 30% chance to make your next cast of Ice Shards, Frozen Orb, or Blizzard consume no Mana and deal 60%[x] increased damage. Damage is increased by an additional 25%[x] against Vulnerable enemies.
Now: Your Frost Skills cost 30% less Mana and deal 60%[x] increased damage. Damage is increased by an additional 25%[x] against Vulnerable enemies.

Legendary Aspects and Unique Items

Shivering Aspect

Damage increased from 20%-40% to 35%-55%.

Aspect of the Frozen Tundra

Ice Spikes spawned from this aspect now scale with ranks of Deep Freeze.

Glacial Aspect

Ice Spikes spawned from this aspect now scale with ranks of Blizzard.

Aspect of the Frozen Wake

Ice Spikes spawned from this aspect now scale with ranks of Ice Armor.

Aspect of Frozen Memories

Previous: The Avalanche Key Passive now applies to 2 additional casts and its damage to Vulnerable enemies is increased to 50-75%[x].
Now: The Avalanche Key Passive now reduces the cost of Frost Skills by an additional 30% and its damage to Vulnerable enemies is increased to 50-75%[x].

Developer’s Note: Frost Skill cost reduction is additive with the Key Passive.

Hail of Verglas

Max Life Affix has been changed to Cooldown Reduction.
The spread of Ice Shards has been decreased.

Paragon

Enchantment Master Legendary Node

Previous: Your Enchantments are 30% stronger, and each equipped Enchantment grants 30%[x] increased damage with their main element.
Now: Your enchantments are 30%[x] stronger, and each equipped Enhancement grants 40%[x] increased damage with their main element, and 20%[x] increased damage for the second Enchantment if it is the same element.

Tempering

The Elemental Control Recipe has had levels of Convulsion replaced by levels of Static Discharge.

New Tempering Recipes

New All-Class Offensive Tempering Recipes

Elemental Finesse: Day
Fire Damage
Physical Damage
Lightning Damage
Elemental Finesse: Night
Cold Damage
Poison Damage
Shadow Damage

Belial, Lord of Lies

After PTR feedback, the final form of Belial, Lord of Lies was made meaner and more challenging.

He had his health and damage increased.
He also gained some new tricks to cause hell with, such as a second slam attack during the first phase of the encounter.

Miscellaneous

The experience reward reduction between Levels 1 and 25 has been lessened to create a smaller difference between this season and last season.
Magic Seasonal Powers now cost 40% less Spectral Ash, and Rare Seasonal Powers now cost 20% less Spectral Ash to rank up.
We've adjusted the odds at which you can upgrade Paragon Glyphs when your Pit Tier is lower than your Glyph level.
The odds at which you can upgrade Paragon Glyphs when your Pit Tier is lower than your Glyph level have been adjusted.
Previously: You have a 0% chance to level a Glyph if you're not within 10 Pit Tiers.
Now: You have a 1% chance to level a Glyph if you're within 50 Pit Tiers, doubling every 10 Pit Tiers.
The Monster Health increase per Pit Tier has been lessened to create a smaller difference between this season and the last season.

Bug Fixes

Belial’s Return

Fixed an issue where defeating a Lair Boss could reward Reputation.
Fixed an issue where Wandering Death's Chest Beam could continue to deal damage after the player stopped channeling.
Fixed an issue where the Apparition Incursion Whisper could not be completed in the Field of Giants.

Barbarian

Fixed an issue where Bane of Ahjad-Den would pause its timer when swapping weapons.
Fixed an issue where Whirlwind's tooltip was adjusting based on weapon speed.
Fixed an issue where Warrior's Mighty Throw was granting an additive damage bonus rather than multiplicative.

Druid

Fixed an issue where Damage While Human would not show up in the Character Stats panel when gaining multiplicative damage bonuses.
Fixed an issue where Stone Burst was overpowering with Aspect of Anticline Burst on the second level of explosion in some cases.
Fixed an issue where Anima of the Forest would not refresh the Earthen Might key passive if the Anima buff was gained again very quickly.
Fixed an issue where the Critical Strike bonus from Earthen Might was not removed when the Key Passive was lost.

Necromancer

Fixed an issue where Bone Storms that were generated from Lidless Wall would not benefit from Chance for Bone Storm to Deal Double Damage affixes.

Rogue

Fixed an issue where Death Trap's Cooldown would sometimes fail to be reduced by Preparation or from Overpowers, and sometimes fail to Overpower with Banished Lord's Talisman and Scoundrel's Leather.
Fixed an issue where Poison Trap when copied by Shadow Clone would not properly scale with the correct Skill Tags, like Damage with Ultimate Skills.
Fixed an issue where the Aftermath Passive was granting extra resource when triggering an additional Death Trap via Scoundrel's Leathers.

Sorcerer

Fixed an issue where the Aspect of Frosty Strides didn't activate properly when using the Teleport Enchantment evade.

General

Fixed an issue when the chance to upgrade a Paragon Glyph 6-7 levels below the completed Pit Tier had slightly lower odds than expected.
Fixed an issue where certain projectile attacks from Drowned enemies didn't damage the player.
Fixed an issue where the player could not teleport to Infernal Hordes from inside a dungeon.
Fixed an issue where the Blood Maiden didn't drop as much Exquisite Blood as expected in certain scenarios.

Miscellaneous

Fixed an issue where Artificer's Stones listed that they could be acquired in Infernal Hordes.
Various visual, UI, stability, and performance improvements.

Vessel of Hatred changes in Diablo 4 S8 compared to 2.2 PTR

As for the Vessel of Hatred DLC, the following two Rune Words have been changed, other than some Spiritborn balance tweaks.

Xan

Duration Increased from 0.25 to 0.35 seconds.
Overflow Effect
Previous: Increase damage.
Now: Increase duration.

Tec

Damage reduced from 1000% to 700%.

Spiritborn

Aspect of Apprehension moved from Utility to Offensive Category.
Rushing Claw
Damage increased from 60% to 80%.
Sepazontec
Damage increased from 50-100% to 80-130%.
Sunbird's Gorget
Damage increased from 150-300% to 200-400%.
Additional functionality: Now also makes your Storm Feathers also a Jaguar Skill.

Check out our other guides on Diablo 4 Season 8:

About the author

Sambit Pal is an esports Journalist on Gaming and MMO at Sportskeeda. He has Master's degree in English Literature. In his spare time, he is an amateur sleuth trying to trace the Riven Mafia in Warframe, and a recovering Bethesda modding addict. He also secretly enjoys action Roguelites, a severe lack of gitting gud notwithstanding.

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Edited by Sambit Pal