Diablo 4’s Necromancer Class Set to Receive Game-Changing Buffs in Mid-Season Patch
Diablo 4 players have long been disappointed with the rather lackluster performance of the necromancer class. While the idea of commanding a deadly army of skeletons is intriguing, the minions in Diablo 4 have proven to be weaker than the free spider pet that everyone receives as part of the season 3 package. It’s disheartening to find that you can actually deal more damage in the game by not even summoning these underwhelming minions.
However, the tides are about to turn as Diablo 4’s upcoming mid-season patch, scheduled to be released next Tuesday, introduces some much-needed upgrades to the necromancer class. In particular, the damage and health of necromancer skeletons are getting a significant boost. Additionally, complementary skills like Corpse Explosion are receiving buffs as well. According to Blizzard, these changes are just the first step toward even greater reworks to the minions, which are expected to arrive in season 4.
Addressing the Key Issues
Season 3 in Diablo 4 unearthed the glaring problems with necromancers in comparison to the other four classes. Apart from their lack of powerful minions, necromancers also suffer from a complete absence of ways to enhance their movement speed, an aspect that has become indispensable for efficiently clearing dungeons. However, next week’s patch will significantly alleviate this issue with the boosting of their passive skill, Death’s Approach (formerly Death’s Reach). This enhancement will grant necromancers up to 12% additional movement speed even before accounting for any gear-based improvements.
Exciting Buffs and Enhanced Skills
Excited players will have the task of uncovering the multitude of buffs included in the forthcoming patch notes, which promise to make necromancers shine. Here are some key takeaways:
- Minions will finally possess more damage-dealing capability and increased survivability
- Corpse Explosion’s improved damage output will make it more versatile and adaptable to various builds
- Spiked Armor’s new armor bonus will allow necromancers to equip more offensive gear
- Enhanced survivability passives will reduce the reliance on defensive abilities
- The buffs applied to Blight and Sever will help to break the domination of Bone Spear in potent mid- to long-range builds
While we haven’t done the math, it’s highly probable, given the boost in skills and damage output, that necromancer builds will become more potent and offer smoother rotations. Despite the continued reign of barbarians and rogues in terms of game speed, necromancers won’t be left too far behind.
The Gauntlet: A True Test of Power
Providing a true challenge to the endgame players, the highly anticipated Gauntlet will debut on the same day as the patch. It features a fixed weekly dungeon with a sophisticated scoring system and leaderboards. While it may be wishful thinking to assume that necromancers will dominate the leaderboards, the playing field may be more leveled than anticipated with the assistance of this patch. Blizzard has designed the Gauntlet to cater to more casual players as well, ensuring that regardless of ranking, players will earn Legendary item caches for meeting the set time requirements every week.
