With the release of Diablo 4 PTR 2.5.0, players can experience some new content in the game from October 21st to 28th.
This update not only optimizes Tempering and Masterworking mechanics, but also adds Sanctification mechanic.
In patch 2.5.0's item crafting system, Sanctification, Tempering, and Masterworking correspond to different stages.
These three mechanics have distinct core objectives, randomness, and adjustability, and together they form the complete process of progressing from basic item creation to ultimate item mastery.
However, based on current performance, while officials aim to address existing issues with Tempering and Masterworking, the addition of Sanctification may introduce new challenges.
While the positive reviews of Diablo 4 Season 10 have players excited for Season 11, the current changes may still not address the issues facing the current item upgrade system. If you're also interested in item upgrades, this article may provide some new insights.
Tempering
Prior to Diablo 4, Tempering's randomness in gear upgrades was a source of frustration for players.
When you used Temper Manual to add affixes to items in Tempering, the results weren't always what you expected. Item affixes were completely determined by RNG, and there was a limit on how many times you could add affixes to an item.
But with PTR 2.5.0, this completely random and frustrating situation has been significantly changed.
To address these issues in Tempering, PTR 2.5.0 has made three adjustments:
- You can now choose the affixes you want to add, regardless of RNG.
- You can only add one Tempering affix per item to prevent affix stacking imbalances.
- Tempering Charges can be infinitely restored, eliminating the need to use a Scroll of Restoration to reset undesirable tempering effects.
The removal of RNG in Tempering is the biggest highlight of this update. Players can now choose their own affixes, making later gear crafting much easier. Having only one Tempering affix on gear might be disappointing, but it's more practical than having an affix that doesn't meet expectations.
Masterworking
Masterworking suffers from the same randomness issues as Tempering. During Masterworking, a random affix is chosen for upgrading, and you must buy enough Diablo 4 Gold and Obducite to complete the upgrade.
In PTR 2.5.0, Masterworking system undergoes a more radical overhaul:
- Masterworking no longer increases an item's affix, but focuses on improving the item's quality to gain additional stat bonuses.
- When an item is Masterworked, it randomly increases its quality by 2-5 levels, up to a maximum of 20.
- At level 20, players can roll a final dice roll to receive a Capstone bonus.
Notably, Capstone bonus upgrades a non-Greater Affix on an item to a Greater Affix. If you're not satisfied, you can reroll with Obducite and Neathiron.
While the capstone bonus still uses random affix selection, Obducite and Neathiron significantly reduce the pressure on players.
However, this method requires a certain amount of resources. You can buy Diablo 4 Obducite to reach your goal faster.
Sanctification
As a new mechanic introduced in Diablo 4 PTR 2.5.0, Sanctification hasn't proven to be universally popular. It serves as the final step in item upgrades, but its design has been met with mixed reviews and affects the player experience.
At its core, Sanctification's purpose is to impart a more profound effect on items, granting them power beyond their normal capabilities.
It can have a variety of effects, including the following:
- Adds additional Legendary power.
- Upgrades an affix to a Greater Affix.
- Adds a random affix from the special Sanctification affixes.
- Replaces an item's existing affixes with a random Sanctification affix.
- Preventing item from losing durability.
Each of these effects significantly boosts item power, especially for Diablo 4 players striving for the perfect affix. Sanctification should be the final step in crafting a perfect item.
However, Sanctification makes item upgrades like the old Tempering version: which effects trigger and which affixes are obtained are completely random. You can't choose the affixes you want.
Because of its unique nature, modified items can't change their affixes.
Even if a weak effect is triggered, such as replacing an item's original core affix, players can't undo or reset it, leaving the item useless in Diablo 4.
This design has a direct impact on players. For players who have painstakingly farmed Mythic items and then spent resources and Diablo 4 gold to complete Tempering upgrades and Masterworking Capstone bonuses, Sanctification becomes an enormous gamble.
Win the gamble and you'll have a perfectly tailored item. Lose the gamble, and all the effort, Diablo 4 gold and resources invested in obtaining the desired item may be wasted.
In contrast, Masterworking Capstone bonus, which also involves randomness, allows players to manage risk because it can be regenerated with Obducite and Neathiron.
The immutable nature of Sanctification exacerbates players' anxiety about random outcomes and may even deter some players from using it for fear of wasting resources.
Although this patch improves two major mechanics by allowing players to choose their own Tempering affixes and improving Masterworking quality and allowing affixes to be regenerated, Sanctification may become a new source of frustration for Diablo 4 players when crafting equipment.
