Hail, Nephalem!
We welcome you to the Diablo III Patch 2.7.7 PTR. From December 5–12, we’ll need your help in testing balance changes for all Classes and 2 returning Season themes that are being permanently added to the game for Seasonal mode—Rites of Sanctuary and Visions of Enmity.
Seasonal Journey
New Permanent Features: Rites of Sanctuary and Visions of Enmity
Please note that this is a preview for PTR content, which is subject to change. As this is a test server, please anticipate uneven game performance, and note that restarts and downtime may occur without warning. Thank you, and we look forward to your feedback!
PTR Focus and Details
The Patch 2.7.7 PTR will soon be under way. During this time, there may be periodic maintenances, outages, hotfixes, or minor patches. We urge you to focus your playthrough on the following:
- Rites of Sanctuary and Visions of Enmity: Based on positive community feedback, we saw these Season themes were such a hit that we’ve decided to make them permanent. Players can harness the might from the Altar of Rites and Diabolical Fissures to dream up unique Class builds and achieve new levels of power.
- Class Balance: To ensure that the most significant class changes receive an ample amount of attention, we'd love for you to focus testing and providing feedback on the balance changes for all Classes.
- PTR-unique buffs will be active to help you on your journey: increased experience gains, and double Blood Shard drops. You can also buy new gear for testing from the special PTR vendor, Djank Mi'em, who will exchange Blood Shards for class-specific bags full of Legendary Items that we'd love for you to test!
So that we can efficiently review your posts, please provide feedback in the PTR Feedback forum and bug reports in the PTR Bug Report forum.
PTR Testing Tips
As with our previous PTRs, this testing period is short, so it's best to hit the ground running. Whether you’re a PTR veteran or newcomer, we thought we’d pass along a few tips to get you started.
- Because of the limited duration of this PTR, we ask that participants pick a particular portion of this update to focus on testing.
- For example, if you’re primarily a Witch Doctor player, consider what changes impact the Witch Doctor specifically. What you like best, what you think may still need adjustment, and what you’d want to see in the future (even if that may be beyond the scope of this patch) are all good questions to ask yourself before submitting feedback.
- Try to break things! Just tell us when you do so we can make sure that the patch’s launch is as smooth as possible.
- When providing feedback, focus less on a solution and more on your experience. How did the changes make you feel? Did something seem incorrect or insufficient? Suggestions are always welcome but identifying the issues themselves is most important.
New Permanent Features: Rites of Sanctuary and Visions of Enmity
Back by popular demand, the Rites of Sanctuary and Visions of Enmity Season themes have become a permanent fixture of Diablo III. While we are extremely excited to make these features always available, to ensure your time slaying demons remains balanced, we had to make some adjustments to the bonuses provided by the Altar of Rites. When existent alongside Visions of Enmity, continual Season themes, and adjustments to Class balance, we felt the game’s balance would benefit from adjustments to Rites of Sanctuary. Here’s what has changed:
- Force
- Decreased damage to +100 from +200.
- Shadow
- Decreased Missile Damage Reduction to 5% from 25%.
- Exodus
- Decreased Movement Speed (Uncapped) to +10% from +25%.
- Command
- Increased damage against Elites reduced to 5% from 15%.
- Tenacity
- Increased damage reduced to 5% from 20%.
- Reverence
- Reduces damage taken from Elites by 5%, previously 25%.
- Numb
- 25% Decreased Melee Damage Reduction to 5% from 25%.
- Nature
- Highest elemental skill damage bonus increased by 5%, previously 10%.
- Prowess
- Increased damage against Elites reduced to 5% from 20%.
- Roar
- Damage done to Bosses increased to 5% from 50%.
- Elegance
- Chance to Dodge increased by 5%, previously 15%.
- Malice
- Decreased to +5% Damage from +30% Damage.
- Father
- Power pylon has been removed from random Shrine effect.
- Mother
- Triune of Love Circle now increases damage by 50%, previously 100%.
Developer's Note: In addition to the desire for all of Diablo III’s systems to feel both fun and challenging, the Altar of Rites adjustments were made to maintain a sense of progression throughout playing while not coming into conflict with other features.
Class Balance Changes
Striking a middle ground between fun and balanced is our top priority when it comes to Classes. As we mentioned in our Season 29 article, going forward, a series of iconic themes from Seasons past will be reintroduced roughly every 3 months. The below Class balances changes were made to ensure each Class remains both fun and balanced as powerful Season themes return to Diablo III.
Developer's Note: Over time, we have seen some builds gain a massive amount of power, leaving other builds behind and in need of updates. The Wizard's Meteor has dominated the battlegrounds of Sanctuary for far too long, as well as some other Sets. We believe to have found a good avenue for each build to perform in and have improved Sets across each class to work towards this goal. Given the number of changes we have made for this PTR, receiving feedback from the community is crucial in ensuring we hit the mark.
Barbarian
- Might of the Earth
- Increased the damage of Earthquake, Avalanche, Leap, Ground Stomp, Ancient Spear and Seismic Slam to 37,500% from 20,000%.
- The Legacy of Raekor
- Hitting enemies with Furious Charge or Weapon Throw increases the damage of your next Ancient Spear by 2,500% from 5,500% and causes it to release multiple spears from its target. This effect stacks and each spear throw consumes a maximum of 5 stacks.
Crusader
- Roland's Legacy
- Increased the damage of Shield Bash and Sweep Attack to 40,000% from 17,500%.
- Aegis of Valor
- Increased the damage of Fist of the Heavens and Heaven's Fury to 15,000% from 20,000%.
- Akkhan's Manacles
- Blessed Shield damage is increased by 400-500% for the first enemy it hits. Additionally, this bonus continues and is reduced by 50% for each subsequent non Shattering Throw target.
- Blade of Prophecy
- Condemned enemies also trigger Condemn's explosion and the damage of Condemn is increased by 600-800%.
- Faithful Memory
- Each enemy hit by Falling Sword increases the damage of Blessed Hammer by 60-80% for 10 seconds. Max 10 stacks. Each stack of this buff can now stack between uses instead of resetting.
Demon Hunter
- The Shadow's Mantle
- Impale’s additional damage increased to 120,000% weapon damage from 75,000% to the first enemy hit, and to 40,000% from 25,000% to subsequent enemies.
- Embodiment of the Marauder
- Your primary skills, Elemental Arrow, Chakram, Impale, Multishot, Cluster Arrow, Companions, Vengeance, and Sentries now deal 6,500% increased damage, previously 12,000%, for every active Sentry.
Monk
- Raiment of a Thousand Storms
- Your Spirit Generators increase the weapon damage of Dashing Strike to 60,000% for 6 seconds and Dashing Strike increases the damage of your Spirit Generators by 14,000%, instead of 6,000%, for 6 seconds.
- Uliana's Stratagem
- Increased the damage of your Exploding Palm from 9,000% to 12,500% and your Seven-Sided Strike detonates your Exploding Palm.
- Kyoshiro's Blade
- When the initial impact of your Wave of Light hits 5 or fewer enemies, previously 3, the damage is increased by 200-250%.
Necromancer
- Pestilence
- Each corpse you consume grants you an Empowered Bone Spear charge that increases the damage of your next Bone Spear by 6,000% from 3,300%. In addition, Corpse Lance and Corpse Explosion damage is increased by 6,000% from 3,300%.
- Inarius
- Bone Armor also activates a swirling tornado of bone, damaging nearby enemies for 1000% weapon damage and increasing the damage they take from the Necromancer to 19,000% from 10,000%.
- Trag'Oul's Avatar
- Your Life-spending abilities deal 6,250% increased damage, previously 10,000%, and your healing from skills is increased by 100%.
- Masquerade of the Burning Carnival
- Bone Spear cast by you and your Simulacrums deals 5,500% increased damage, previously 9,000%. Simulacrums gain triple this bonus.
- Bloodtide Blade
- Death Nova deals 300-400% increased damage for every enemy within 25 yards, up to 10 enemies, previously 25 enemies.
- Grasps of Essence
- When an exploded corpse damages at least one enemy, your Corpse Explosion deals 150-200% increased damage for 6 seconds, stacking up to 4 times, previously 5 stacks.
- Corpsewhisper Pauldrons
- Corpse Lance damage is increased to 50-75% from 20-30% for 3 seconds when you consume a corpse. Max 20 stacks.
Witch Doctor
- Raiment of the Jade Harvester
- Soul Harvest reduces damage taken by 50% for 12 seconds and consumes your damage over time effects on enemies, instantly dealing 26,000 seconds worth of remaining damage, previously 10,000.
- Helltooth Harness
- After casting Wall of Death, gain 37,500% increased damage, previously 17,500%, for 15 seconds to your primary skills, Acid Cloud, Firebats, Zombie Charger, Zombie Dogs, Gargantuan, Grasp of the Dead, Piranhas, and Wall of Death.
- Mundunugu's Regalia
- Spirit Barrage deals 15,000% increased damage, previously 20,000% plus an additional % equal to 5 times your Mana Regeneration/Second.
- Spirit of Arachyr
- The damage of your creature skills is increased by 11,500%, previously 25,000%. Creature skills are Corpse Spiders, Plague of Toads, Firebats, Locust Swarm, Hex, and Piranhas.
- Zunimassa's Haunt
- Enemies hit by your Mana spenders take 13,000% increased damage, previously 15,000%, from your pets for 8 seconds.
Wizard
- Delsere's Magnum Opus
- Enemies affected by your Slow Time and for 5 seconds after exiting take 20,000% increased damage, previously 12,500%, from your Arcane Orb, Energy Twister, Magic Missile, Shock Pulse, Spectral Blade, Electrocute, and Arcane Torrent abilities.
- Tal Rasha's Elements
- Attacks increase your damage by 1,000%, previously 2,000%, for 8 seconds. Arcane, Cold, Fire, and Lightning attacks each add one stack. At 4 stacks, each different elemental attack extends the duration by 2 seconds, up to a maximum of 8 seconds.
- The Smoldering Core
- Lesser enemies are now lured to your Meteor impact areas. Meteors deal 40-50% increased damage on consecutive hits to the same target. This stacks up to 3 times, previously 10.
- The Twisted Sword
- Energy Twister damage is increased by 125-150% for each Energy Twister you have out up to a maximum of 3, previously 5. The Raging Storm rune is automatically applied to Energy Twister and allows the tornado to merge with 3 additional Energy Twisters.
How to Participate in the PTR
To participate in the public test, you must have a Diablo III game license attached to a Battle.net account in good standing (i.e. one that hasn't been suspended or banned). In addition, you will also need to download and install the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app if you have not already done so.
Step 1: Restart the Battle.net desktop app.
Step 2: Navigate to the Diablo III tab on the left-hand menu.
Step 3: On the Diablo III screen, there is a drop-down menu right above the "Play" button (note that this may say "Install" if you do not have Diablo III currently installed). Select "PTR: Diablo III" from this drop-down menu before proceeding.
Step 4: Click Install to begin the installation process.
Your PTR account will be created automatically if you do not already have one. The PTR is available in all supported languages, and accounts from all regions are eligible to participate. For additional assistance with installing and launching the PTR, click here.
PTR Character Copy
The option to copy your existing Diablo III characters from your live account to the PTR will be available and can be done directly through the PTR client. However, only one region per account can be copied at a time. So, if you choose to copy characters from your account in a different region, any previously copied PTR characters will be lost.
Step 1: Log into the live game and then log out.
Step 2: Log into PTR client and create a level 1 character. After you're done, return to the main character screen.
Step 3: Click on the "PTR Copy" button located in the upper right-hand corner. (The PTR Copy button will not appear in-game until you have created a new level 1 character.)
Step 4: Select your region.
Step 5: Click "Copy." This will copy all characters on your account from the selected region.
Step 6: You will be disconnected from the PTR client.
Step 7: Log back in. Your copied characters will be available for play.
Please note that you can only copy characters from one gameplay region at a time. If you choose to copy characters from a different region, any previously copied PTR characters will be lost. In addition, you can only copy characters over to your PTR account once every 24 hours. Attempting to copy characters before this cooldown is up will result in an error.
We hope you enjoy the PTR!
-The Diablo III Development Team