Diablo 4 Reveals December 5 Update Patch Notes

Highlights

• Patch 1.2.3 for Diablo 4 introduces the Abattoir of Zir, a new endgame dungeon, and brings changes to glyphs and Treasure Goblins.
• The update aims to address player feedback and improve the overall gameplay experience, including faster leveling of glyphs and the removal of Treasure Goblins upon mounting.
• Diablo 4 is in a better state than its initial launch, with improved build diversity and a wider range of viable playstyles for classes like the Sorcerer.

Diablo 4 is preparing to launch Patch 1.2.3 across all platforms, which will bring a plethora of welcome changes as it sets the stage for the Abattoir of Zir. Despite its initial success, the latest Blizzard title had its fair share of controversies, as the initial direction of Diablo 4 was poorly received by players merely weeks after launch, with the frustration arguably reaching its peak during the debut of Diablo 4‘s Season of the Malignant. By contrast, Diablo 4‘s Season of Blood has been near-universally liked by its target audience, and Patch 1.2.3 is meant to be the next step in this journey of course correction.

While Diablo 4‘s itemization is slated for a revamp in Season 4, the game has seen the addition of new endgame bosses in Season 2 – and as a direct result, the extremely desirable Uber Uniques in Diablo 4 can once again be reliably farmed. Though Nightmare Dungeons still comprise the majority of Diablo 4‘s endgame, Greater Rifts are making their debut through the Abattoir of Zir activity in Patch 1.2.3, which unlocks on December 5.

Diablo 4 Patch 1.2.3 Features Abattoir of Zir and Easier Glyph Leveling

Blizzard revealed the patch notes for the upcoming update on the company’s official website, and while it’s not a full season in its own right, the addition of the Abattoir of Zir is slated to be the perfect capstone to a well-received season. However, there are also two major changes that Diablo 4 players are excited about: Treasure Goblins no longer disappear upon mounting, and glyphs from Nightmare Dungeons now level up faster by a significant margin. The latter change specifically ties into the new design philosophy of “respecting the player’s time,” as many Diablo fans experienced burnout during the initial launch and the subsequent Season of the Malignant.

Though the game still has issues, and the recent survey leak about the Diablo 4 expansion pack has most players worried, the community feels that it’s in a noticeably better place than it was on release. Build diversity in Diablo 4 is wider than ever before, and classes like the Sorcerer are no longer pressured to specialize in Cold Skills to tackle its endgame.

Ultimately, the live service format could end up saving Diablo 4 in the long run, as its continued support has given developers enough leniency to tackle the game’s major problems. Of course, this support comes at the cost of an aggressive monetization model, as Diablo 4‘s microtransactions have gotten plenty of criticism from the gaming community as a whole. Patch 1.2.3 will let players test out their might in the Abattoir of Zir until January 23, the end date for Diablo 4‘s Season of Blood.

Diablo 4 Patch Notes 1.2.3 Build, December 5, 2023

GAMEPLAY UPDATES

• Starting on December 5, battle legions of Zir’s minions and race against time in a new endgame pinnacle dungeon, Abattoir of Zir. For more information, visit this article.
• A full list of possible affixes can now be previewed in the Enchantment menu using the new View Possible Affixes button.
• Earned Glyph experience from most Nightmare Tiers was increased.
  • Tiers 1-17: No Change.
  • By Tiers 30: From 66 to 79.
  • By Tier 50: From 106 to 139.
  • By Tier 75: From 156 to 239.
  • By Tier 100: From 206 to 339.

Developer’s Note: After reviewing gameplay data and player feedback, we recognized that completing higher Nightmare Tiers was not as rewarding as we initially hoped for, with many players stopping their journey after reaching Tier 50. The experience increase to Glyphs at higher Tiers was made with the intent of incentivizing players to push their builds, making their arrival at Tier 100 feel that much more fulfilling. We will monitor how this change in experience pans out for players and encourage you to provide us with any feedback you have around this system.

• Introduced further support for NVIDIA Reflex technology. Visit the in-game settings to enable this feature.

BUG FIXES

Accessibility

• Fixed an issue where the Screen Reader didn’t announce the required pacts for Vampiric Powers.
• Fixed an issue that made the Screen Reader malfunction on the Steam Deck.

Dungeons

• Fixed an issue where the Mechanical Box wouldn’t respawn if the player was killed by the boss in the Bastion of Faith.
• Fixed an issue in the Fallen Temple dungeon where the objective to destroy the Idol of the Fallen Temple could not be completed properly if the Idol was destroyed instantly.
• Fixed an issue where the debuff effects in the Fallen Temple could be avoided when leaving and re-entering the Dungeon.
• Fixed an issue where enemies from the Sole Survivor event could spawn behind locked doors in the Hallowed Ossuary, blocking event mastery completion.
• Fixed an issue where Nightmare Dungeons wouldn’t properly reset after all revives were exhausted when playing local co-op.
• Fixed an issue where enemies spawned by Animus-carrying monsters with the Summoner affix unexpectedly carried Animus.
• Fixed an issue where bonus Elemental Damage affixes of Nightmare Dungeons scaled their damage too low or too high for their respective Tier.

Gameplay

• Fixed an issue where some attacks made by Echo of Lilith would not properly trigger if the player in the Party that started the encounter died.
• Fixed an issue where the first Death from Above cast by Echo of Lilith had irregular timing and didn’t display an incoming projectile indicator.
• Fixed an issue where Frostburn and Mother’s Embrace could drop as Sacred and not Ancestral from Tormented Echo of Varshan in World Tier IV.
• Fixed an issue where Gems could still drop from some sources, such as Avarice’s chest or Whisper Caches, instead of Gem Fragments.
• Fixed an issue where Rabies cast by Werewolf companions from the Of the Alpha legendary aspect could miss.
• Fixed an issue where Druids could continuously run into a wall if Trample was used to move towards a nearby wall.
• Fixed an issue where Treasure Goblins would sometimes become invincible and run away if the player mounted or unmounted near them. (Treasure Goblins have had enough of your bullying, wanderer.)

Season of Blood

• Fixed an issue where Blood Harvesters could quickly disappear after spawning.
• Fixed an issue where the Norvaic enemy could spawn repeatedly in certain co-op situations.
• Fixed an issue where Seeds of Hatred extracted by being Hatred’s Chosen did not count towards a Season Journey objective’s progress.
• Fixed an issue which made Potent Blood dropped from a Blood Well inaccessible.

Developer’s Note: A previous Hotfix allowed players to walk through Blood Wells to access Potent Blood. This change reverts the ability to walk through Blood Wells, but in exchange, Potent Blood will no longer spawn in the middle of Blood Wells so it can be easily picked up.

• Fixed an issue where Duriel wouldn’t spawn when the player re-entered the boss arena after respawning.

User Interface and User Experience

• Fixed an issue where map overlays for Helltide and Blood Harvest wouldn’t display properly when entering a region covered by fog of war.
• Fixed an issue where the tooltip displayed while hovering over certain items could blink periodically.
• Fixed an issue where the text describing how to unlock Mounts was inaccurate for players who skipped the Campaign.

Developer’s Note: If they choose to play through the Campaign, players that haven’t yet unlocked Mounts must complete the Donan’s Favor quest to unlock them. If the campaign is skipped, you must reach Level 25 before unlocking Mounts. The tooltip previously mentioned Quest completion only, which is irrelevant when skipping the Campaign.

• Fixed an issue where navigating to the Season Journey from a Seasonal Aspect wouldn’t open the correct chapter.
• Navigating the Seasonal Stash with a controller will now be more consistent.

Miscellaneous

• Fixed an issue where visual effects on armor would remain fully visible while using Concealment. (Lilith sees all, foolish wanderer.)
• Various visual, performance, and stability improvements.