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Diablo 4 Season 8 is just around the corner, and we recently had the Season 8 Developer Campfire chat along with the release of the official patch notes. After reviewing the campfire and breaking down the patch notes, my impressions are mixed. While the changes they are making generally seem to be moving in the right direction, there are still some areas of the game that remain untouched, which is somewhat disappointing.

The Good: Positive Changes and Updates

The changes shown so far are solid, and for players who enjoyed Season 7, Season 8 will serve as a continuation with improvements rather than a completely fresh experience. Blizzard is heavily focused on Expansion 2, which is likely coming in three to four seasons from now, meaning that drastic changes to the core game systems are unlikely in the meantime.

Here are some key highlights from the patch notes:

• New items and builds

• Reworks to key mechanics such as snapshotting runes

• Buffs and nerfs to several classes and builds

• Adjustments to boss fights and stagger mechanics

Major System Changes

Snapshotting Runes Nerfed

A significant change coming in Season 8 is the rework of snapshotting runes. The two biggest offenders, Quax and Khan, have been altered in a way that makes them much less effective for duration-based skills like Cataclysm Druid and Dance of Knives Rogue. While snapshotting is not completely removed from the game, these two runes were the primary enablers of excessive damage stacking, and their removal will shake up certain builds.

New Balancing for Runes:

• Quax and Khan no longer work effectively with duration skills

• Overpower mechanics remain unchanged, meaning overpower-heavy builds might still dominate the meta

• The Quax rune cost was reduced from 700 to 300, allowing more frequent activations for some builds

Class and Build Adjustments

Each class received a variety of buffs and nerfs, with some of the most notable changes listed below:

Barbarian

• Earthquake builds were slightly nerfed, though they are still expected to remain one of the top-tier choices

• Ja Rune Fix: Weapon swapping with Ja Rune no longer breaks teleport mechanics, making it more reliable

Rogue

• The Fist of Fate crowd control effect has been entirely removed, making it much harder for Rogues to stagger bosses

• Trick Attacks nerfed, reducing some of the burst damage potential

• Rogues may have the hardest time in Season 8 when it comes to boss fights due to significant reductions in their ability to apply crowd control

Sorcerer

• Some stagger-reliant builds may struggle in high-tier content

• Adjustments to certain runes and skills could change how Sorcerers approach endgame encounters

The Bad: What's Missing from Season 8?

Despite some solid changes, there are still major areas that remain untouched. Some of the biggest disappointments include:

Tempering and Masterworking Systems Remain Unchanged

Many players were hoping for updates to these crafting mechanics, especially since they play a crucial role in high-end gearing. Unfortunately, Blizzard has not addressed them in this patch.

No Significant Updates to The Pit or Kuras City

These endgame content zones are still largely the same, which is a missed opportunity for expanding late-game activities.

Boss Fight Adjustments Without Stagger Reworks

Blizzard has increased boss difficulty while also reducing access to powerful stagger mechanics. However, they have not provided any additional compensation for this change. For example, the removal of Fist of Fate's crowd control effect directly impacts Rogue and other classes that rely on staggered bosses for damage windows.

Endgame and Meta Shifts

Looking at the bigger picture, Season 8 will likely be defined by the following:

• Overpower-heavy builds will continue to thrive due to the unchanged overpower formula

• Boss fights will be more difficult due to the combination of stagger nerfs and buffed boss mechanics

• Rogues and Sorcerers may struggle the most in high-tier content, while Barbarians and Druids could have an easier time adapting to the changes

Final Thoughts: Is Season 8 Worth Playing?

For players who enjoyed Season 7, Season 8 will feel like a smoother and slightly more balanced version of that experience. However, those looking for massive changes or exciting new content may be left wanting more. The absence of adjustments to the tempering system, masterworking, and high-end content zones means that some of the biggest long-term complaints about Diablo 4 remain unaddressed.

With Expansion 2 on the horizon, it's clear that Blizzard is prioritizing future content over major seasonal shifts. If you're already invested in Diablo 4 and enjoy the current gameplay loop, Season 8 should offer enough tweaks and improvements to keep things interesting. But if you were hoping for a revolutionary experience, you may need to wait until later expansions or a more significant rework in future seasons.

What's Next?

As the PTR rolls out, we'll see more feedback from the community and potential last-minute changes before Season 8 officially launches. Be sure to check out further updates as players dive into the numbers and optimize new builds.