Diablo 4 Anniversary Event and Patch Update: The Good, The Bad, and The Buggy
New Patch Notes and Updates
Blizzard has just released a new set of patch notes that address several issues and bring some exciting changes:
1. Increased Drop Rates:
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1. Grandfather Weapon: The drop rate has been adjusted to increase the likelihood of desirable stats. Now, there's a one-in-three chance to get the desired stats, such as life. This change aims to make the weapon more viable and rewarding.
2. Stigan Stones: The drop rate for these stones has been increased significantly. Previously, players struggled with near-zero drop rates, but now, in Pit Tier 200 (though rarely reached), the rate is increased by 30%. For Pit Tier 18, it's a smaller boost of 18%.
3. Boss Fight Adjustments:
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1. Damage and affix frequency for bosses have been adjusted to match the dungeon's difficulty leading up to the fight.
2. Specific changes include reducing the wind vortex effect duration and ensuring bosses like the Blood Bishop and Tomb start spawning appropriately.
4. Quality of Life Improvements:
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1. The game now defaults to the last completed Pit, rather than the highest available, making it easier to resume where you left off.
2. Barbarian-specific fixes include allowing the crafting of hats and resolving issues where the "Grandfather" weapon could become bricked due to hidden affixes.
6. Bug Fixes:
7. Numerous bugs have been squashed, such as issues with item durability and targeted unique drops from specific bosses, making the gameplay experience smoother.
Current Event Issues and Delays
While the new patch brings positive changes, the current anniversary event has not been without its problems:
1. Single Goblin Spawns:
2. Contrary to the event's promotional materials, which suggested packs of goblins, players are encountering only single goblins in various areas, such as the open world, nightmare dungeons, and Hell Tide. This has led to a less exciting and rewarding experience.
3. Treasure Rewards:
4. Many players, including myself, have found that the treasure bags dropped by goblins contain low-power items (around 855 item power). This is a significant letdown compared to the expected high-quality loot, making the event feel less rewarding.
5. Mother's Blessing Event Delay:
6. The much-anticipated Mother's Blessing event, which promised gold and XP buffs, has been delayed. We don't have a new date yet, but Blizzard has announced that more information will be released next week.
Positive Notes and Free Gifts
Despite the issues, there are some bright spots:
1. Free Anniversary Gifts:
2. Players can claim daily gifts from the in-game shop, such as the new horse transmog available today. Make sure to restart the game if the gift doesn't show up immediately. More gifts will be available each day until June 20th.
3. Community Engagement:
4. Blizzard is actively monitoring and addressing issues reported by players. This shows a commitment to improving the game experience based on community feedback.
Conclusion
While the current state of the Anniversary event has its fair share of disappointments and bugs, the new patch brings some much-needed fixes and improvements. Increased key item drop rates and tweaks to boss fights are welcome changes, while quality of life improvements make the experience smoother.
I hope Blizzard can resolve ongoing issues with goblin spawns and treasure rewards soon, and set a firm date for the Mother's Blessing event. Of course, players can also purchase Diablo 4 materials and cheap Diablo 4 Gold from MMOexp to provide better weapon options. For now, continue to enjoy the base game and take advantage of the daily Anniversary gifts.