Notes from Developer Interview


General Information
  • Seems like community likes the 4 month duration, which was announced previously.
  • This upcoming Ladder Season will have exclusive Runewords
  • When the Season ends, characters will be moved to standard. Items will be in withdraw-only stash tabs.
  • Future Ladder Seasons will likely have some exclusive Runewords.
  • Looking at class changes, Blizzard wants to focus on maintaining class fantasy.
  • Blizzard is looking at many animation times and casting delays, per ability.
  • A Public Test Realm will become available before Patch 2.4's PTR, to test server stability.
  • Class changes are not finalized, will be tested on Patch 2.4 PTR.
  • Blizzard looking at redesigning the Diablo Clone, to make it more accessible to a larger audience.
  • Players will not receive more character slots or stash tabs.
  • Under utilized Unique items will not receive buffs.
  • Loot filters are not on the table as of right now.

Amazon Class Changes
  • Impale will always apply a slow effect, and doesn't need Attack Rating.
  • Fend will have a faster cast animation.
  • Early level skills that taper off in viability by end game will get more attention.
  • Some abilities will have mana costs reevaluated.

Assassin Class Changes
  • Buffing Martial Arts abilities, specifically how finishing moves takes charges. Instead, finishing moves will consume only 1 charge per use.
  • Charge-Up Skills will be receiving some damage scaling.
  • Fire damage traps will receive new synergies and get damage scaling.
  • Blade Sentinel will receive new synergies.

Barbarian Class Changes
  • Leap skill will get buffed, increasing the animation speed and flight time.
  • Throwing skills will receive damage scaling buffs. Throw skills will receive Pierce.
  • Frenzy gaining new synergies.
  • Grim Ward will be buffed for early game.
  • Whirlwind will not be receiving changes as of right now.

Druid Class Changes
  • Druid will receive the most class changes.
  • Fire skills will get buffed the most. Fire Claws will gain physical damage and new synergies.
  • Arctic Blast will gain new synergies.
  • Druids will be able to cast buff abilities while shapeshifted, such as Cyclone Armor.
  • Werewolf and Werebear receiving attack rating bonus.
  • Summons will no longer have random health values.
  • Ravens will receive damage scaling bonus and synergies.
  • Wolves will receive changes to feel like they have more identity.
  • Creepers will be reworked.

Necromancer Class Changes
  • Skeletal Mages getting elemental damage scaling.
  • Bone Skill synergies tuned.
  • Bone Armor will receive damage absorb scaling buffs.
  • The skill Weaken will be receiving a buff.
  • There will not be a way for Necromancer's to summon Corpses (such as the Desecrate skill from Path of Exile), but Blizzard wants to take Diablo II: Resurrected changes in stages, and it could happen in the future.

Paladin Class Changes
  • Paladins in a good place, don't need as many class balance changes.
  • Looking at buffing Offensive Auras
  • Casting delay changes for Holy Bolt and Fist of the Heavens. Both gaining chance to Pierce.
  • Holy Fire receiving a damage bonus.

Sorceress Class Changes
  • Sorceress is in a good place, don't need as many class balance changes.
  • Lightning and Fire skills receiving buffs, for lesser used skills.
  • Blaze improved movement speed and scaling.
  • Inferno will have free-form casting.
  • Hydras will be buffed, lowering casting delay and increasing the number that can be active.
  • New Nova and Thunderstorm synergy. Possibly more changes to Thunderstorm.

Mercenaries Changes
  • Act II Mercenaries are fine, looking at buffing other Mercenaries.
  • For Act II Mercs, you will be able to hire all six variations on Nightmare and Hell difficulty.
  • Thorns will likely be tuned across the board, possibly changing to a flat value instead of percentage based.
  • Act III and Act V Mercenaries will receive stat boosts and new abilities.
  • Act V Mercenaries will gain the ability Battle Cry.

Runeword Changes
  • Buffing under utilized Runewords.
  • "Plague" and "Pattern" Runewords will be available in the new Ladder season, among others.
  • The new Plague and Pattern Runewords will be entirely new (not the old Runewords in the game files from Diablo II.
  • When creating new Runewords, Blizzard wants to use under utilized Runes.

Set Item Changes
  • Sets will receive some buffs, not as drastic as Diablo III's "Increase damage by 6000%"
  • Naj's Ancient Vestige and Bul-Kathos' Children are two example of sets receiving buffs.

Zone Changes
  • Zones will receive changes, increasing the level of enemies to make them viable farming locations.
  • As an example, Ruined Temple and Arachnid Lair enemies will be increased to level 85.
  • In Act III, players will have to collect everything to destroy the Compelling Orb and gain access the Durance of Hate.
https://www.wowhead.com/news/diablo-...-season-325361