Blizzard has dropped patch 1.0.4 for Diablo 4 for all platforms, and it comes with one key gameplay change that may incentivize players to stick around long after the ending.
If you may remember, Blizzard started talking about Helltide events earlier this year, as some of the endgame content that they hope would get players to stick with Diablo 4 for months or even years.
We have since made a few guides for Diablo 4 that covers these events and what you need to know about them. You can learn about Helltide events here, here, and here.
But one thing you couldn’t get from Helltide events before was Unique items from chests after beating them. It turns out, that was news to Blizzard developers too. And so, they have been added in starting with this patch.
As reported by GamesRadar, associate game director Joseph Piepiora had this to say about the change:
“We want to make sure that, when players are trying to target farm certain kinds of Uniques for their builds that they need to grab in order to bring things online, those Torture Gifts that you get from Helltide are a really good opportunity to try and go for those.”
Diablo franchise general manager Rod Fergusson called for the fans to be patient when it came to Blizzard implementing their feedback:
“Please don’t take the lack of instantaneous response as ‘we don’t hear you.’ We hear you. We hear you about how ‘I wanna lock my inventory.’
We hear you about all the different types of things you’re giving us feedback on, and we appreciate that feedback, and we’re doing our best to address it as quickly and as safely as possible.
Please allow us some time to catch up and work through our backlog to get to those items that you care about.”
As we did know from even before the game launched, this is Blizzard’s experiment on whether the Diablo franchise will be better off as a live service game, and the promise of constant iteration and feedback is part of that angle.
It’s too early to tell if this will prove to be worthwhile in the long run, but it’s changes like these that Blizzard hopes will win over fans.
You can read full patch notes for 1.0.4 below, as per the official blog:
Bug Fixes
Gameplay
- Fixed an issue where the damage multiplier for Enhanced Frozen Orb wasn’t applying correctly.
- Fixed an issue where enemies with the Vortex affix would deal damage through Immunity.
- Fixed an issue where the Elixir of Expertise was reducing resource cost by 10% instead of the displayed 20% value.
- Fixed an issue where the damage bonus from the Paragon Subdue Glyph would be applied to any target instead of only Vulnerable targets.
- Fixed an issue where the Barbarian’s Whirlwind ability would briefly stop channeling when a Cooldown skill was cast while using it.
- Fixed an issue where the guaranteed Overpower buff from the Barbarian’s Earthstriker’s Aspect would be consumed upon gaining any other buff.
- Fixed an issue where the player character would freeze when using the Rogue’s Shadow Step skill if used outside the range of your intended target.
- Fixed an issue where the player could not rotate when casting a Channeled Skill if using a one-hand weapon with no off-hand item equipped.
- Fixed an issue where the Cursed Scrolls in Fields of Hatred had a lower cooldown than the displayed 5-minute cooldown.
- Fixed an issue where Aspects that deal flat damage imprinted through the Codex of Power scaled with player level instead of item power.
- Fixed an issue where the Necromancer’s Shadow Mages weren’t applying extra shadow damage through the Shadowblight Key Passive.
- Fixed an issue where Cheat Death effects would not trigger if you died while mounted.
Quests and Dungeons
- Fixed an issue where a traversal wouldn’t appear during the The Blind Eye quest, blocking progression.
- Fixed an issue where the Mother’s Judgement enemy would spawn before the player entered the encounter during the Whispers from the Past quest.
- Fixed multiple issues where Quest progress would be blocked if the player used a Town Portal during specific sequences.
- Fixed various other issues that prevented progression for multiple Quests.
- Fixed an issue where the Forgotten Depths dungeon had one fewer prisoner to release than intended.
- Fixed an issue where teleporting to Wejinhani during the Witch of the Wastes quest would force the player to drop the Vial of Quicksilver, despite the town being an allowed area for the quest.
- Fixed an issue where the Cultist’s Refuge, Howling Warren and Luban’s Rest dungeons couldn’t be completed if the Butcher appeared and was not killed.
- Fixed an issue where Treasure Goblins slain in a Nightmare Dungeon with the Death Pulse Affix would deal significantly more damage than intended with its post-death explosion.
- Fixed an issue where the Mirage quest couldn’t properly be completed.
UI
- Fixed an issue where the QR code used for account linking on console was improperly sized, which made scanning it difficult.
- Fixed an issue where the Imprint cost for Legendary Aspects would be inaccurately displayed.
- Fixed an issue where players on Console would be unable to navigate the Shop after using the Buy More Platinum button.
- Fixed an issue where the Upgrade Glyph tab wouldn’t close after moving away from the Awakened Glyphstone.
- Fixed an issue where a Skill unlocked by item contribution did not have an Assign Skill button in its tooltip.
- Fixed an issue where trading a partial stack while playing with a controller would display a full stack in the tooltip.
- Fixed an issue where the Weekly Reward Cache for defeating a World Boss would display as available if there was an active Whisper for defeating the boss, even when the Cache had already been claimed previously.
Miscellaneous
- Fixed an issue where the NPC Arlo couldn’t be interacted with.
- Fixed an issue where the Fields of Hatred Killer Cosmetic Set was missing helmets for Druid, Necromancer, and Rogue.
- Fixed an issue where the cost of the Sturdy Saddle Cosmetic from the Stable Vendor would scale with the player character’s Level.
- Fixed an issue where players could lure the Seething Abomination boss in the Alzuuda Fields of Hatred zone to a location where they could damage it, but it couldn’t damage them.
- Fixed an issue where Mount Cosmetics would not properly display if applied while actively mounted.
- Fixed an issue where the camera would pan from the point of death back to the respawn point instead of instantly moving for players in Local Co-Op.
- Fixed an issue where the player and NPC would disappear during a dialogue sequence if the player was actively under the effect of a Conduit shrine. (Demonic trickery strikes again!)
- Various Localization fixes.
- Various other interface and accessibility Improvements.
- Further stability, performance, and visual improvements across all platforms.
- Fixed an issue where transmogs on off-hand Items for Sorcerers would reset upon performing any Inventory action.
Gameplay Adjustments
- Helltide chests can now drop Unique items.
- The bosses Vhenard, Brol, and Cyhrach have had their health pools and damage output reduced.
- The cap for crafting materials has been increased from 9999 to 99999.
