rpg

Warlocks went from underpowered at launch to top-tier on Diablo 4 PTR

Warlocks launched with the Lord of Hatred expansion but arrived underpowered and hampered by several skills that forced the caster to stand still. Blizzard has implemented large buffs and fixes on the PTR for the next season, adding new ways to scale damage including a seasonal gem that increases power over time. On the PTR warlocks can clear the game's hardest dungeon tier with severely unoptimized gear, a result that previously required exploiting bugs in the live season.

• Warlocks debuted as a marquee feature of the Lord of Hatred expansion earlier this year but were notably weaker than other classes and had multiple skills that forced stationary casting.
• Blizzard has pushed major buffs and addressed the fussy stationary-cast mechanics on the PTR ahead of the next season.
• PTR warlocks can clear the highest dungeon tier using severely unoptimized gear; similar clear potential in the current live season was only achievable through bug exploits.
• A new seasonal gem that gradually increases strength, broader damage-scaling options, and large skill buffs power the PTR improvements; creator MacroBioBoi showcased a burning-skull minion build clearing high-level monsters.