Some Changes in Diablo IV 2.0 Version PTR

Overview of the PTR

This article discusses the changes in the Diablo IV 2.0 Version PTR. In this PTR, Blizzard's main testing goal is the DLC version, "Eternal Drive," which brings numerous adjustments. Looking back at previous titles in the Diablo series, they have always amazed players during DLC releases, prompting questions like, "Is this still a game?" This PTR is no exception, with extensive changes. Here, we'll briefly cover the modifications regarding level adjustments, difficulty changes, Paragon updates, and sigil modifications.

The PTR opens from September 4 to September 11, and as before, only those with a Battle.net account on PC can participate. Therefore, players on Steam will still be unable to join this PTR. However, you can opt to purchase an XGP account to try it out.

Level and Difficulty Adjustments

In this PTR, Blizzard has significantly altered the leveling mechanism, notably decoupling Paragon levels from character levels. In the PTR, the character level cap is 60, with all 60 levels granting skill points, resulting in an additional ten skill points. After reaching level 60, defeating monsters will grant Paragon experience to enhance our Paragon levels, which can now max out at 300. Each Paragon level provides one Paragon point to strengthen our Paragon board. Unlike character levels, Paragon levels are now shared across the entire account. If you reach Paragon level 300, all characters in your account, even newly created ones at level one, will have at least 300 Paragon points to allocate.

During the PTR, existing characters will be soft-reset to level 50, while their Paragon points will depend on the points already earned. If your old character has reached level 100 in the current version, you will receive a level 50 character with 200 Paragon points in both the PTR and the subsequent official version. With some practice, you can quickly max out both levels and Paragon. Importantly, any additional skills and Paragon points obtained through map collection in the current version will still be effective in the new version. Thus, in the PTR, your character can ultimately receive 68 skill points and 325 Paragon points for allocation.

Paragon System and Sigil Enhancements

Next, let's discuss updates to the Paragon system, including changes to the Paragon board and sigil enhancements. Blizzard has introduced a new Paragon panel for all classes in 2.0, with adjustments to existing Paragon panels. The Paragon level cap has increased to 325 points, but now players can only maintain a maximum of five Paragon boards. This means, aside from the initial board, players can only choose four additional Paragon boards to strengthen themselves, unlike before, where players could connect seven or eight boards to maximize their enhancements.

This change is likely related to the enhancement of sigils. In 2.0, Blizzard has transformed the Paragon sigil system to resemble the legendary gem system in Diablo III. Sigils can now reach a maximum level of 100, and their upgrade method has shifted from gaining experience through Nightmare Dungeons to leveling directly after completing the Pit. Thus, the sigil system is now decoupled from Nightmare Dungeons, and you only need to complete the Pit to level up your sigils.

The new upgrade mechanism closely mirrors that of Diablo III; after clearing the Pit, players can earn three opportunities to upgrade their sigils. If you haven't died during this process, you’ll receive an additional chance, and each chance can be used to enhance the sigil's level, with the Pit's depth affecting the success rate. For example, in Blizzard's demonstration, attempting to upgrade a level 46 sigil at depth 45 would yield only a 55% success rate. If the Pit level is more than ten levels higher than the sigil level, the upgrade will succeed; if it's more than 20 levels higher, you'll gain an additional level during the upgrade.

Overall, the higher the character's strength, the faster the sigil upgrade speed. If you can efficiently clear level 101 as in this version, reaching level 100 for a sigil might only take one to two hours, without enduring the pain of Nightmare Dungeons. Leveling up not only enhances base stats but also provides additional range benefits. Additionally, at level 45, the sigil will further increase in range and gain an extra legendary attribute. Such powerful sigil data likely contributed to Blizzard's decision to limit the Paragon boards to five.