In preparation for Diablo IV’s global June 6 launch, Blizzard has dropped the first real update for the loot-grinding RPG that makes some pretty substantive changes to all five character classes. While most of them got nerfed, one class, the Necromancer, has been buffed to be even better than it was previously.
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Blizzard released the patch for all platforms on June 3, meaning folks with the Deluxe or Ultimate editions of the game have felt these tweaks, while everyone else jumping in on release day will experience the aftermath of the changes. As you’d expect with any update, there are fixes to address game crashes and stability problems. There are also some minor adjustments to mount names, button prompts, and stuttering occurrences, but all other changes centre on the five character classes: Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, and Sorcerer. Yeah, there are some disconcerting nerfs here that make the other classes kinda crummy, but hey, the already OP Dead Raiser is now even more OP.
Necromancer? More like NecSWOLEmancer, am I right?
The Necromancer has seen a number of its hot skills tweaked and passive abilities changed, most of which for the better. One of the class’ ultimate skills, Army of the Dead, is an ability that sends forth exploding skeletons over a seven-second period, but has now had its damage increased and cooldown reduced. Bloodwave, another ultimate skill that conjures a bloody tidal wave, has also had its damage increased. There’s a nerf or two here, like the maximum essence gained from the passive talent Grim Harvest being reduced, which sucks because you need this resource to perform many of the class’ skills. But overall, these are some mega-buffs for one of the game’s strangest classes.
Nowhere is this evidenced than in the class specialisation abilities. The Necromancer, adept at the powers of dark magic, can raise the dead to fight on their behalf. Well, Blizzard must’ve given these skeletal warriors some gym memberships and a lifetime supply of vitamin D because they are much stronger. Not only do they do 10 per cent more damage, but golems, hulking skeleton fighters you unlock at level 25, deal more damage and drain more life (if you go for the blood golem variant, which you get by reaching level 28).
In short, the Necromancer appears nigh unstoppable, especially with the buffs to its skellie gang. It’s bonkers. Anyway, here are the full Necromancer changes:
Necromancer Changes
Skill Changes
- Blood Lance
- Damage increased from 67.5% to 80%.
- Army of the Dead
- Damage increased from 30% to 45%. Cooldown reduced from 90 to 70 seconds.
- Blood Wave
- Damage increased from 90% to 120%.
Passive Changes
- Shadowblight
- Damage increased from 20% to 22%.
- Grim Harvest
- Essence gained reduced from 3/6/9 to 2/4/6.
- Serration
- Critical Strike Chance reduced from .5/1/1.5% to .3/.6/.9%.
- Death’s Defence
- Maximum Minion Life lost in a single damage instance reduced from 75/60/45% to 60/45/30%.
Class Specialisation
- Raise Skeleton
- Skeleton Warrior attack damage increased by 10%.
- Golem
- Golem attack damage increased by 10%.
- Blood Golem
- Blood Golem Life drain damage increased from 40% to 90%.Blood Golem Life drain healing from enemies hit increased from 4% to 5%.
- Iron Golem
- Iron Golem slam damage increased from 25% to 175%.Iron Golem shockwave damage increased from 30% to 40%.
Necromancer Paragon Board Changes
- Hulking Monstrosity
- Golem Life and damage bonus increased from 30% to 40% Life.
- Cult Leader
- Damage bonus increased from 10% to 15%.
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I’ve no doubt we’ll see more class changes as more people embark on their quest to close Hell’s gates. Blizzard said in March that not every character will start wrecking shit off the rip, but I certainly wasn’t expecting a Necromancer buff to come so soon. The class was somewhat nerfed in the open beta back in April, but these changes were reversed following player feedback during a May open beta. And now, the Necromancer has not only returned to its former glory, it’s stronger than ever. Maybe, in time, the other classes will get strong, too.
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