It’s been a while since the last big Diablo 4 patch. Since the Vessel of Hatred expansion and the start of the Season of Hatred Rising, Blizzard has been mostly just pushing out hotfixes to address issues from the initial launch.
While those hotfixes have sometimes included gameplay changes, they’ve been mostly small. But that’s about to change with Patch 2.0.4 later today.
Patch 2.0.4 dropped on October 29, on all platforms and is mostly bug fixes like the recent patches. But Blizzard has also added some gameplay changes and tuning.
The Realmwalker events have been a fan favorite since the season started because of the faction rep and the seasonal cycle. Realmwalkers are also a great source of gear and the new Seething Opal Elixirs. They were pretty easy with 2+ players, but Blizzard decided they were too easy.
The patch doubles the health of the Realmwalker so it’s harder to kill and get to the Seething Portal. There’s also a chance for an extra wave of Bloodbound Guardians to spawn. Other Seething changes include a rewording of the Opals’ description to specify that the bonus loot chance also applies to the Pit and Kurast Undercity.
As an aside, Radian Chests at the end of Legion events now give bonus loot and Zakarum Remnants rep to players with an active Seething Opal as long as it’s active when you open the chest.
Patch 2.0.4 also has some quality of life changes. Players in Diablo 4’s endgame or anyone who frequents Nahantu are probably familiar with the problem of dense mob populations. It’s been annoying to have your mount spooked and forced to dismount and have to get back on. Blizzard is trying to fix that by increasing the damage threshold before you get dismounted.
Gem Fragment capacity has been increased again and you can now access the Party Finder quick list when viewing the Infernal Hordes on the map. PS5 users also get VRR support. This is only available when Enhanced Visuals is turned off so you can exceed 60fps within your monitor/TV’s VRR range.
For the full patch notes, check the Blizzard blog.
Hatred Expansion Game Changes
The latest patch for Diablo 4 has some big game changes that should improve your overall play experience. One of the biggest is the increase to the Gem Fragment cap so you can collect and use more gems in game. This should give you more flexibility and options when customizing your character.
Also the damage to dismount has been increased. So you’ll experience fewer forced dismounts in the endgame and be able to navigate Nahantu and other dense areas more easily. These changes along with the deal double damage fixed for skills like Bone Storm, Sever, Incinerate, and Teleport are to improve the balance and strategy of the game and make it more fun for everyone.
Bug Fixes
Blizzard has been busy squashing bugs to make the game smoother and more fun for everyone. One of the big fixes in Patch 2.0.4 is the “Deal Double Damage” affix which was not applying correctly to some skills so damage was inconsistent. This fix means you can now rely on this affix to get the double damage.
Also multiple missing or incorrect tooltips and icons have been fixed in the Hatred Expansion and Kurast Undercity areas. So you’ll have accurate info at your fingertips to plan and play.
Seething Opal active effect now correctly gives bonus loot and Zakarum Remnants rep so you get the rewards you’re supposed to when you participate in events. Gold Cursed’s Treasure Chest now also drops magic and rare items so you get more loot when you open it.
Also the Inherent Evade Modifier affix was not applying to some boots. Now you can get the full evade bonus from your gear.
Quality of Life Changes
Patch 2.0.4 has some quality of life changes to make your Sanctuary adventures smoother and more fun. One of them is the Party Finder quick list for Infernal Hordes in the Map so you can find and join groups more easily.
Tending Nature quest has been fixed so Poachers will now spawn as intended so you can complete the quest without the frustration. Living Memory quest has been fixed so you won’t respawn in an area you can’t escape and can progress more smoothly.
Burning Crusade quest has been fixed so Neyrelle won’t get stuck and block your progress. Also the Champion quest objective now progresses correctly after you kill all the bosses so you can complete the quest more smoothly.
And finally the Collect Akarat’s Power objective has been fixed so it will progress even if you skip it. So you can complete this objective without any issues and overall questing.
Seasonal Content and Bonus Loot
Season of Hatred Rising has brought new challenges and rewards to Diablo 4. One of the coolest new features is the Realmwalker events where you can fight giant creatures from Hell. Defeating these big bads gives you loot and opens a portal to the Seething Realm where you can get more bonus loot and Zakarum Remnants rep.
Besides the Realmwalker events the Season of Hatred Rising has new loading screens and Undercity of Kurast Tributes have new descriptions. You also get Nahantu themed loading screens so it’s a new visual experience. So the season is more fun and rewarding for everyone.
Rune and Skill Icons Game Content
Patch also has some new and improved content in Diablo 4. Vessel of Hatred expansion still has new challenges and rewards, Varyana has less health during her acquisition quest. So the quest is more doable but still challenging.
Also Dark Citadel has been fixed for missing or incorrect tooltips and icons. Gloves of the Khazra Cosmetic item is also fixed so you can enjoy your hard earned rewards without visual glitches. Kurast Undercity has been improved too, Longtooth is no longer temporary invisible and Primary Resource bargain is adjusted.
And party finder is fixed, activity listings, party tiers editing and persistent messages after de-listing a party. All these and the many bug fixes make the game more polished and fun so you can fully be in Diablo 4.
Mercenaries and Party Finder
Blizzard has improved the Party Finder and Mercenaries in Patch 2.0.4 so it’s easier to find groups and progress in the game. One of the fixes is for the Party Finder not showing available groups for certain activities like Helltide and Infernal Hordes. So you can now find groups for those events quickly.
Mercenaries system is also improved by fixing the issue where the same mercenary is displayed as hired and enlisted at the same time. So now you have a clear and accurate view of your mercenaries and can manage your team better.
Also Party Finder has a quick list for Helltide and Infernal Hordes so it’s easier to find and join groups. Another fix is to filter out groups that are already full so you can’t join groups that are unavailable.
And Mercenaries system is improved by fixing the issue where progression is blocked during Varyana’s acquisition quest after talking to Zulmog. So you can now continue your quest without any delay.
So these Party Finder and Mercenaries changes are to make group play more fun and accessible so you can focus on the battle and your fellow adventurers.
Conclusion and Bug Fixes
In summary, Patch 2.0.4 has many changes and improvements to the game. From the Gem Fragment cap increase to Realmwalker events, this will affect the balance and strategy of the game. Also many bug fixes and content improvements, Vessel of Hatred expansion and Dark Citadel.
So Patch 2.0.4 is good for Diablo 4, enjoy your Season of Hatred Rising and Dark Citadel.
