The 2.3.0 PTR: What You Need to Know
On May 22nd during the Campfire Chat, Blizzard announced the 2.3 PTR and Season 9! Discover here everything you need to know about the 2.3 PTR! Season 8: Belial's Return and the patch 2.2 have been released only a few weeks ago but it is already time to set our eyes on next season!
2.3.0 PTR: What You Need to Know
The 2.3.0 Public Test Realm (PTR) for Diablo IV will be available from May 27—June 3, offering you the chance to test upcoming changes and features releasing with the next season for the base game, along with some Vessel of Hatred updates.
The purpose of the PTR is to test updates and features before the launch of the next season, Sins of the Horadrim, where we’ll be focusing on Dungeons and new Horadric Spellcraft. Delve into new Horadric Strongrooms, a new endgame activity called Escalating Nightmares, the return of Astaroth, and more. Then, using your feedback, we’ll make some adjustments before our next season goes live. The feedback we receive helps us to fine-tune balance changes, eliminate bugs, and create the best experience possible while testing new systems. Thank you for playing the PTR and providing feedback to the team.
Customize Powerful Horadric Spells
Season 9: Sins of the Horadrim introduces a new way to interact with your powers, granting access to powerful Spellcrafting abilities to create incredible new combinations. Through three key pillars, Horadric Spells provides novel ways to customize and build power at your fingertips.
Three different potent elements combine to create these intense spells: Catalysts, Infusions, and Arcana.
- Catalysts: base power of your spell
- Infusions: modifies the type of elemental damage your spell deals
- Arcana: modifies the baseline power of the spell
There are untold possibilities through all the different combinations of Catalysts, Infusions and Arcana. To build your Horadric Spell, you can equip a main Catalyst, an Infusion to support, and three Arcana to augment and build your spell. Each element contributes to your overall spell, allowing you to tinker and build incredible possibilities. This is your chance to really experiment and wield Horadric magic with untold potential.
Use the PTR Vendor Mrak to gain access to these elements of Horadric Spellcraft, which is the only way to access them before the Season starts. On Season launch the Wayfinder, Catalysts, and Infusions will be earned through the Seasonal Questline, while Arcana will be found through exploring Nightmare Dungeons.
Catalysts
The main source of power for your Horadric spell
- The foundation of your spell, providing it form and function.
- Catalysts have their own Cooldown, Lucky Hit, and Rank 10 Bonus.
- Catalysts will activate off a specific Action Bar Skill based on the interface slot they are placed into.
- Your Action Bar Skill will glow with purple magic while your Catalyst is available to activate.
- These can be customized further with Infusions and Arcana.
Celestial Surge
Astral Magic
- Awaken an Oracular Rune that Pulls In all surrounding enemies. A torrent of stars follow that randomly strike the area 20 times for damage each.
- Cooldown: 15 seconds (11.2 seconds at Rank 20)
- Lucky Hit Chance: 30%
- Rank 10: Stars periodically fall around you and are guaranteed to crash around a Nearby enemy for the same damage.
Disintegrate
Arcane Magic
- Form an Arcane Conductor that emits a persistent beam between itself and you, dealing a steady blitz of damage over 8 seconds.
- Cooldown: 10 seconds (5.3 at Rank 20)
- Lucky Hit Chance: 9%
- Rank 10: Enemies within the beam are Slowed by 50%.
Propulsion
Arcane Magic
- Generate a Mana Blast that delivers damage and Knocks Back all foes. Enemies that collide take another damage.
- Cooldown: 9 seconds (4.3 at Rank 20)
- Lucky Hit Chance: 15%
- Rank 10: The Knock Back is gargantuan and enemies slammed into terrain by it form a Lesser Mana Blast the first time it happens to them.
Cosmic Anomaly
Astral Magic
- Passive: Manifest up to 5 Anomalies that emit particles which deal damage over 4 seconds.
- Active: Command your Anomalies to converge and implode, dealing damage per detonation.
- Spawn Rate: Every 5 seconds
- Lucky Hit Chance: 20%
- Rank 10: While at 5 Anomalies, you are Unstoppable and the next implosion will deal double damage.
Astral Pillar
Astral Magic
- Shape an Ethereal Column that Taunts for 3.0 seconds. Piercing waves flow from it and deal damage, until you create another one or move too far away.
- Cooldown: 7 seconds
- Lucky Hit Chance: 12%
- Rank 10: The Taunted enemies become Vulnerable and move faster.
Infusions
These incantations imbue your Catalyst with power and magic.
- Modifies the type of damage or damage-over-time that your Catalyst deals.
- After levelling to Rank 5, each Infusion gains its own bonus that allows your Catalyst to deactivate specific monster affixes.
Smoldering Ember
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Fire and or Burning damage.
- Bonus: It destroys enemy structures and has a 10% chance to ignite the ground beneath enemies, dealing 150% Burning damage over 5 seconds. While equipped, your Fire Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Chilling Winds effects for 5 seconds.
Nebulous Extract
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Shadow and or Corrupting damage.
- Bonus: Enemies hit by it deal 5-10% reduced damage for 7 seconds. While equipped, your Shadow Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Summoner effects for 5 seconds.
Glacial Nimbus
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Cold and or Frostbiting damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it are Chilled for 15-25%. This effect happens once per enemy every 1 second. While equipped, your Cold Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Explosive effects for 5 seconds.
Corrosive Vapor
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Poison and or Poisoning damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it take 150% Poisoning damage over 4 seconds. This effect can only happen on each enemy every 3 seconds. While equipped, your Poison Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Vampiric effects for 5 seconds.
Thunderous Particle
Your Spell Catalyst now deals Lightning and or Sparking damage.
- Bonus: Enemies damaged by it arc 150% Lightning damage to a surrounding enemy. This effect can only happen on each enemy every 3 seconds. While equipped, your Lightning Damage Bonus is equal to that of your highest Damage Type Bonus.
- Rank 5: Deactivates monster Suppressor effects for 5 seconds.
Arcana
Equip up to three different Arcana to modify your Catalyst in many ways.
- There are 3 tiers of Rarity for Arcana: Magic, Rare, and Legendary.
- Legendary Arcana adjust their effects based on the Catalyst they are bound to. Discover the depth and complexity as you delve through the possibilities.
- Contain Specific spell tags that can be relied on to further modify your spell. Many powerful Horadric Jewels relate to these tags, incredible combinations await.
Magic
Tendrilous Bundle
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has up to a 35% chance to Immobilize for 5 seconds (+5% each rank).
Tranquil Stone
- Invoking your Catalyst grants Unstoppable for 3 seconds whenever it activates (+0.4 each rank).
Shifting Powder
- Your Catalyst increases your Movement Speed by 30% during its effect and for 5 more seconds after it ends (+8% each rank).
Luminous Gem
- Your Catalyst will Daze enemies it damages for 2 seconds (+1 each rank).
Murky Essence
- Invoking your Catalyst grants Stealth for 2 seconds whenever it activates (+0.4 each rank).
Invigorating Helix
- Once per enemy every 5 seconds, damage from your Catalyst will Fortify and Heal you for 5% of your Maximum Life (+1% each rank).
Bottled Wind
- Invoking your Catalyst grants a Barrier equal to 30% of your Maximum Life for 4 seconds. After it dissipates, its essence is bottled back up (+4% each rank).
Jagged Bramble
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has up to a 50% chance to deal 130% of your Thorns damage (+20% each rank).
Reactive Ooze
- After your Catalyst activates, you gain 5% Maximum Resource Generation per second for the next 10 seconds (+3% each rank).
Volatile Crystal
- After your Catalyst activates, it grants 10% Resistance and Maximum Resistance to the Element of your Infusion for 10 seconds (+2% each rank).
Rare
Gleaming Conduit
- The effect size of your Catalyst is increased by 10% (+8% each rank).
Fractured Core
- Your Catalyst deactivates monster Damage Resistance Aura effects for 2.5 seconds, but you take 10% more stacking damage for the same time (+0.5 each rank).
Sapping Crux
- Your Catalyst applies Vulnerable for 3 seconds (+1 each rank).
Potent Alloy
- Your Catalyst destroys enemy Barriers and Knocks them Down for 1.0 seconds after the removal (+0.8 each rank).
Siphoning Gizmo
- Lucky Hit: Damage from your Catalyst has up to a 40% chance to consume damage-over-time effects and deal 100% of their damage instantly (+8% each rank).
Legendary
Floaty Bobble
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized blink effect that grants Unhindered for 2.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank).
- Floaty Bobble creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: Blinks you to the center of its Oracular Rune when it forms and grants Unhindered.
- Disintegrate: Blinks you to your target but leaves its Arcane Conductor behind. You are Unhindered while the beam is active and for 2.0 seconds afterwards.
- Propulsion: Blinks you to the center of the blast and makes you Unhindered for 2.0 seconds. The melee variant blinks you to the Knocked Back enemies.
- Astral Pillar: Blinks you to your focused destination and grants Unhindered for 2.0 seconds while dropping the flare at your previous spot for ranged variants.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Blinks you to its implosion, grants Unhindered, and cleanses all your negative effects.
Nightmare Orb
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Fear effect that lasts 4.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank).
- Nightmare Orb creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: Stars Fear unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. After the Fear ends, there is a 25% chance for another star to fall.
- Disintegrate: Fears unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. Killing affected enemies restores 5% Maximum Life and Primary Resource.
- Propulsion: Removes enemy Vulnerable effects to Fear unaffected enemies for 4.0 seconds. After the Fear ends, a Lesser Mana Blast is formed.
- Astral Pillar: Every 9th wave Fears for 4.0 seconds. Solar Flare automatically Taunts and lures enemies that are Feared.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Anomalies Fear and apply an 80% Slow to unaffected enemies they come into contact with.
Frigid Heart
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Freeze effect that lasts 3.0 seconds. (+0.4 each rank).
- Frigid Heart creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The Oracular Rune from Celestial Surge explodes and Freezes enemies. A second one forms after the star strikes end.
- Disintegrate: Your Disintegrate beams Freeze all affected enemies for 3.0 seconds after you Evade and also grant 15% Dodge Chance for double that duration.
- Propulsion: Enemies that collide twice are Frozen for 3.0 seconds.
- Astral Pillar: The flare Freezes surrounding enemies for 3.0 seconds when removed. Each Freeze increases your Lucky Hit Chance by 10% for 5 seconds, up to 25%.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Anomalies have a 20% chance to preserve themselves instead of imploding and Freeze surrounding enemies.
Pressurized Steam
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Stun effect that lasts 1.0 seconds (+0.4 each rank).
- Pressurized Steam creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The stars have a 25% chance to Stun and are guaranteed to Critically Strike Stunned enemies.
- Disintegrate: After being invoked, Disintegrate Stuns each enemy it damages one time. This Stun applies 100% more Stagger to Bosses.
- Propulsion: Enemies slammed into terrain by Propulsion are Stunned and have a chance to miss their next 2 attacks.
- Astral Pillar: Waves have a 30% chance to Stun for 1.0 seconds and are guaranteed to Overpower Stunned enemies.
- Cosmic Anomaly: The particles from your Anomalies deal their damage instantly and have a 25% chance to Stun.
Bloody Charm
- Your Catalyst gains a specialized Execute effect for non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life. (+2% each rank).
- Bloody Charm creates the following effects for each Catalyst:
- Celestial Surge: The moon's impact Executes non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life. Successful Executions reduce your Cooldowns by 2 seconds.
- Disintegrate: Non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life are immediately Executed. This threshold is doubled for non-Elite enemies.
- Propulsion: The Mana Blast from Propulsion will Execute non-Boss enemies with 10% or less Life. Successful Executions reset it.
- Astral Pillar: Will launch additional waves towards Executable non-Boss enemies to Execute them.
- Cosmic Anomaly: Executes non-Boss enemies with its implosion. Successful Executions increase your Attack Speed by 20% for 8 seconds.
Explore Horadric Strongrooms
Descend into micro-dungeons that hold powerful rewards and potent enemies, delve into these Horadric tombs and fight your way out.
Use your Wayfinder to search for these rare repositories of Horadric knowledge, then fight your way through the bloodthirsty demons within. Once the Strongroom is unsealed, there will only be a limited amount of time to complete the Strongroom before the valuables are sealed away forever. Slay demons and satiate Horadric Pillars within to bolster your ability to earn Horadric Attunement, which can be used to grant illustrious rewards.
There’s a few ways to improve your chances of finding a Horadric Strongroom within Nightmare Dungeons:
- Increase your difficulty level or Torment Tier.
- Upgrade your Wayfinder using Horadric Phials—the seasonal currency—to increase its ability to locate a Strongroom.
- Find and use a Nightmare Dungeon Sigil with an affix that guarantees a Horadric Strongroom will appear.
How to enter a Horadric Strongroom:
- As you navigate Nightmare Dungeons, look for the distinct flash and sound of a Horadric Gateway.
- Once you locate and activate the Horadric Gateway, monsters will ambush your location. Defeat them, and a Horadric Portal will appear to teleport you into the safeguarded Strongroom.
Once in the Strongroom, you’ll have a few decisions to make:
- Initiate the Horadric Artifact Pillar and slay the enemies to complete the initial ritual.
- You’ll be presented with Horadric Pillars that can augment the Strongroom by mutating the rituals necessary to satiate Horadric Pillars within. Some Pillars have held the bonds of their original intent, while others have been corrupted by Astaroth’s Influence and pose significant danger with vastly increased rewards.
- You will need to select Pillars to influence your Strongroom, choose wisely. The amount of Pillars you need to select, and the amount available to choose from will increase as you increase your difficulty level.
Within the Strongroom, you’ll have a limited-time to earn as much Horadric Attunement as possible.
- Slay monsters in the manner requested by the Horadric Pillars to satiate their need for demonic carnage. Upon completing each Pillar Ritual, all monster kills will grant +2 increased Horadric Attunement for 10 seconds.
- Locate Shrines within the Strongroom to aid your fight, all within are Sacrifice Shrines which spawn an ambush on your location. Rely on these blessings to enhance your demon slaying.
- Upon completion, you’ll need to fight the boss that spawns to leave the Strongroom.
On leaving the Strongroom, you’ll have the option to select a Horadric cache which scales its rewards based off the amount of Horadric Attunement earned within the Strongroom.
Survive the Escalating Nightmares
Nightmares have a way of seeping into the marrow of your mind, sinking you deeper into the gaping despair of their hold. In Sins of the Horadrim, a new endgame challenge beckons you to descend further into the depths of agony for the ultimate test.
Escalation Nightmares are a new endgame activity that throws you into a chain of three Nightmare dungeons. The nightmares escalate as you go through each Dungeon, as each Nightmare Dungeons affixes stacks onto the next Dungeons as you continue through. As the difficulty increases, so do the rewards. Manage to fight your way through all three, and waiting for you at the end is a date with the Exalted version of Astaroth himself.
To start an Escalating Nightmare, you’ll first need an Escalation Sigil which can be obtained as a reward from Horadric caches granted from Strongrooms starting in Torment I. Activating this dungeon sigil grants you access to the first Nightmare Dungeon in the chain.
On completion of the first Nightmare Dungeon in the Escalation, a Horadric Portal will spawn which displays the affix information for the next dungeon. On completion of the third sequential Nightmare Dungeon, you’ll finally be transported to Astaroth’s Lair.
Run it Back with Astaroth
A familiar face and one hellishly good boy await you at the end of your Nightmare Escalation.
Face Astaroth and the monstrous Amalgam with a new, challenging twist. As the battle unfolds, Astaroth will shed his mount, splitting into two terrifying bosses. Maneuver and learn their new deadly combos to defeat Astaroth.
If you slay the Amalgam before Astaroth, the hound of Hell goes into a resurrection state but the Amalgam can’t be slayed will his Master still lives. After a brief time, the Amalgam will recover and rise to rejoin the fight. Slaying these two be a test of your mettle on the battlefield, fear this acolyte of Mephisto and the destructive power he wields.
Dungeon Content for all Realms
The dungeons of Sanctuary often sit idle, allowing the monstrous forces within to slowly mutate, changing slowly and providing new horrors to slay through. In Sins of the Horadrim, we are shaking up Dungeons in several ways that affect Sanctuary far beyond the Season.
First off, you can now activate Nightmare Sigils from within Nightmare Dungeons once the dungeon is complete. You no longer need to exit the dungeon to enter a new Nightmare Dungeon.
New Nightmare Dungeon Affixes
In addition to Strongrooms and Escalating Nightmares, a new set of Affixes have been added to Nightmare Dungeons to make them more rewarding. Each basic Nightmare Sigil will now include a positive affix from this refreshed and expanded pool of positive affixes.
Horadric Reserves
- Spawns in loot chests with specialized rewards.
- Rewards Gem Fragments, Gold, Obols, Seasonal Currency, Resources.
Equipment Delve
- Spawns in collectible items which upgrade a cache of equipment when found.
- Rewards Weapons, Jewelry, Armor.
Power Shrines
- Spawns in additional shrines of the specified type.
- Spawns the following Shrines: Artillery, Blast Wave, Channeling, Lethal, Protection.
Miscellaneous
- Forgotten Wisdom: Experience will have a chance to spawn on kill, and an experience well will spawn somewhere in the dungeon.
- Increase Experience motes on Kill.
- Treasure Breach: A number of gilded gremlins will invade the dungeon.
Horadric Jewels
Known for their incredible ability as Mages, the Horadrim possess the ability to refine stone into powerful artifacts to aid them in their quest.
Upon reaching Torment I, Horadric Tomes can appear as rewards from completed Strongrooms. Horadric Tomes are consumable items that give you the ability to craft socketable Horadric Jewels at Wayfinders. These powerful gems grant a variety of alluring powers and effects, from empowering your Horadric Spell, making enemies explode with elemental damage, and more.
Horadric Jewels can be crafted using Horadric Phials and Gem Fragments, and can be socketed in Amulets and both Ring slots.
Seal of Control
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Control equipped, gain 45%[+] Control Duration and 30%[+] Lucky Hit Chance.
Seal of Power
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Power equipped, gain 25%[+] Movement Speed and 15%[+] Critical Strike Chance.
Seal of Denial
While you have two or more Arcana from the School of Denial equipped, gain 30%[x] more Barrier, Fortify and Thorns.
Horadric Crest
For each Arcana from a unique School you have equipped, gain 5%[+] Damage Reduction and 1%[+] Maximum Resistance to All Elements.
Reverie Horn
After you injure or kill an enemy, your Summons are empowered, growing larger and dealing 30%[x] more damage for 4 seconds.
Scornful Light
You deal 20%[x] and take 10%[x] more Elemental damage.
Tyrant Bane
After you deal damage over time to an enemy, they take 0.33%[x] more damage over time from you forever.
Liminal Echo
If you would take fatal damage, instead prevent that damage, invoke Propulsion, and become Invulnerable for 3 seconds. This can only occur once every 75 seconds.
Idol From Below
You gain 6%[x] primary stat, 8%[x] maximum life and you are always Unhindered. However, you will be hunted in Sanctuary's darkest places by Jewel Guardians who were entombed to protect this relic.
Myriad Stone
After you cast your Catalytic Skill, if it is an Ultimate, gain 30%[+] Attack Speed for 10 seconds.
Spark of Creation
After you cast your Catalytic Skill, gain 10 Primary Resource.
Luminate Eye
Your Catalytic Skill gains 25%[+] Cooldown Reduction.
Brilliant Sigil
Your Infusions are 150%[x] more potent.
Elemental Brand
Your Catalytic Skill deals 33% damage of your Infusion's element over 3 seconds. Lucky Hit: Dealing damage of your Infusion's element has up to a 33% chance to trigger its secondary effect.
The Starflux
Your Catalysts deal 100%[x] more damage. However, you lose control over Horadric Spellcraft, causing your Catalysts to inherit Infusions randomly.
New Unique Items
New powerful Unique Items enter the fray to amplify your ability to dispatch demons at fabled speed.
Barbarian
Hooves of the Mountain God (Unique Boots):
Affixes:
- Inherent - Attacks Reduce Evades Cooldown by 2.5 Seconds
- +17.5-23% Movement Speed
- +16-25% Basic Attack Speed
- +7-10 Fury Per Seconds
- +2-3 Ranks to Belligerence
Unique Power
- When reaching Maximum Fury, your Fury will rapidly drain until you run out and all your Basic skills now cleave and deal 70-100%[x] increased damage.
Druid
Noxious Spine-Breaker (Unique Two-Handed Weapon):
Affixes:
- Inherent: 110% Damage to Poisoned enemies
- 14-18% Willpower
- 114-150% Poison Damage
- 26-35% Chance for Pulverize to Hit Twice
- 26-35% Resource Cost Reduction
Unique Power
- Every 10 seconds, Pulverize forms a puddle that deals 200-400% of its damage as Poisoning damage over 6 seconds. Pulverizing the puddle splashes an additional 20-40% of the puddle's total damage within the area and around it.
Necromancer
The Hand of Naz (Unique Gloves):
Affixes:
- 77.5-100% Skeletal Mage Damage
- 10.5-15% Attack Speed
- +424-457 Maximum Life
- +2-4 Skeletal Mage Mastery
Unique Power
- Sacrificing both Skeletal Warriors and Golems grants an additional Skeletal Mage for each Minion sacrificed.
- When a Skeletal Mage attacks enemies 25 times without dying it upgrades to a Skeletal Arch-Mage.
- Skeletal Arch-Mages teleport to safety when attacked and their attacks occasionally shatter on impact dealing 50-100% increased damage to the target and up to 3 additional targets.
Rogue
Deathmask of Nirmitruq (Unique Helm):
Affixes:
- +424-457 Maximum Life
- +2-3 Skillranks to Flurry
- +16-25 Movement Speed
- +224-296 Armor
Unique Power
- You can now overexert yourself while Casting Flurry, spending 10% life when you don't have enough Energy. Spending life to Cast Flurry increases its damage by 30-50% and your Attack Speed by 50% for 5 seconds.
- Developer's Note: Flurry will fail to cast when the player has neither enough energy or health available.
Sorcerer
Ophidian Iris (Unique Amulet):
Affixes:
- Inherent: +30% Resistance to all Elements
- Inherent: Casted Hydras Have +2 Heads
- +11.5-15.7% Intelligence
- +5.2-6.0 Critical Strike Chance
- +77.5-100% Pyromancy Damage
- +1-2 to Devouring Blaze
Unique Power
- Hydra is now a Core Skill and always Summons a 3-headed Hydra whose attacks explode on impact.
- For each head above 3 that it would have had, the Hydra instead grows larger and deals 50-100%[x] increased damage.
Spiritborn
Balazan's Maxtlatl (Unique Pants):
Affixes:
- +107-121 Dexterity
- +424-457 Maximum Life
- +268-373 Thorns
- +2-3 Ranks to Bastion
Unique Power
- Each attack damages Close enemies for 200-300% of your Thorns and also deals 100% of this damage as Poisoning over 3 seconds.
- Each time you've retaliated with Thorns, for 5 seconds the Poisoning damage is increased by 100%, up to 300%.
2.3.0 Patch Notes
For the complete 2.3.0 PTR Patch Notes, take a look at the end of the Blizzard Blog Post here!
What's Up Recently?
What's Next?
We hope you enjoy the Season of Belial's Return with the aid of our Season 8 updates. Our focus for the rest of Season 8 is to make sure our Build Guides are solid with all the new Item updates, new features and mechanic changes. We're continuing to work on more updates for D4Planner!
With that said, head over to our Discord to stay up to date with our content development and to make the most of your Season 8 experience! Also don't forget to check out our Youtube channel!
Written by: Maxroll Team
