Introduction
Since its launch, Diablo 4 has been undergoing transformations while new patches are released to cater to the players, address their concerns, and remove bugs that were present in the game. Patch 2.0.4 is not an exception as it also caters to the players’ needs. It includes a variety of changes including increasing the toughness of Mounts and boosting Realmwalker alongside several gameplay fixes and new add ons. Nevertheless, while some players are supporting the changes, others are having problems such as higher crashes on PC while playing the game.
In this guide however, we will look at everything Diablo 4 patch 2.0.4 has to offer especially the latest updates, improvements, the problems they had, and the players’ response. Additionally, we will look at the new expansion Vessel of Hatred and how it has changed the game.
Diablo 4 Patch 2.0.4: Overview
For quite some time now, Blizzard Diablo 4 wasn’t receiving as much attention as it was supposed to, but with Patch 2.0.4 we can say that is about to change. This patch supports the players as Blizzard made adjustments to various gameplays and included QoL settings for both PvE and PvP while also addressing bugs that have existed for a long time. This section summarizes the key alterations.
The update significantly changes mounts so that they become more effective in coping with mob encounters, which is a long-awaited QoL improvement for many players. The health of the Realmwalker unit has also been increased x2, which has brought about some level of excitement and also anxiety among players【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Major Changes and Improvements
Mount Changes
What’s more, one of the most important aspects of patch 2.0.4 is the change and improvement of the mounts. It has been noticed that some players are bitter with the fact that many Noblesse Mounts suffocate during high mob density areas during exploration or even combat. The new patch decreased the amount of damage required to dismount a player making use of their mount much safer【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
This change was well received by the players especially those who depend on the wide area for much quicker zone crossing. Mounts are vital in making players more mobile hence this tweak changes the traveling experience at endgame content a lot.
Realmwalker Buffs
Also, the patch made buffs to one of the greatest features of this game, the Realmwalker. His health was doubled which increased the level of difficulty of the spawns and the Realmwalker’s dissapears because of this. This change, however, has had mixed reception among players. Some players enjoy the increased challenge, while others feel that the boost was unnecessary, especially considering that the Spiritborn class continues to outshine others in damage dealing capabilities【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
The Spiritborn class has been at the center of many debates of players where some are saying it’s too overpowered compared to other classes. Blizzard has aimed to get the community’s thoughts, but no immediate nerfs seem to be on the horizon as it appears the majority of players want to keep the class ratio as is【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Bug Fixes and Quality of Life Improvements
Bug fixes are usually a part of the package with a new patch. Patch 2.0.4 is indeed different as it compiled many including some that have been there since I release. Some notable fixes include: further complaints about the current crafting system.
Inventory improvements such as greater cap increase on gem shards.
Other issues causing the progression of the quests to be corrected such as barriers being put up in out of reach areas and item rewards with wrong and or lacking innate affixes【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
According to the reports VRR functionality is now available on the PlayStation 5. This allows for an improved gaming experience in games that support it such as in this case, Diablo 4【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】. Adding to this further, the VRR capability is compatible with the hardware of many televisions as well.
Replacing the Evolution patch was the Patch 2.0.4, the evolution was the previous expansion that was released and patch 2.0.4 includes the Vessel of Hatred which is a newly released expansion that adds onto the diablo 4 game world. This subsection will go through key points this expansion brings to the game.
This category features a new class called the Spiritborn Class whose advisor describes it as disturbing in nature and possessing the innate ability to control the four spirit guardians of the jungle adding onto their strength. As such the Spiritborn graphic animation devices visualizing the character use glaives and polearms adding onto their strength and agility【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
The Spiritborn is said to focus more on mobility and this has brought attention to this class as players who like fighting from an off angle other than the front find it more useful and this combined with the mobility focus and the graphics has made this class appealing to a wide variety of players.
New Areas and Questing
One of the new areas which can be conquered, along with the new character Nahantu, is the vessel of hatred. This area is not only massive in size but comes with resources and new challenges as well. Players can explore new time-space’s in the primary quest of finding neyrell, who made some evil decisions herself, viz. conquering the prime evil, Mephisto 【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
The dungeons, bosses and loot tables are expanded as well with the new zone. Multiple swift expansions such as the dark citadel can now be played by players. The feeling of exploration and discovery in diablo four has been well restored with the emphasis placed on the expansion of the world in the game.
Mercenaries and the Dark Citadel
Golden age features a new character called mercenaries, adding a level of cooperation in diablo 4. The dark citadel forms a base for new challenges in which players would have to gear up with these new allies to finish some of the games hardest bosses 【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Player Reactions and Community Feedback Changes in the patches – patch 2.0.4 and patch 2.0.5 player feedback tends to vary by regions with North America players feedback not being as optimistic as that from the European Players for example in the forums where players were quite disappointed with the changes done in the patches. Among the other complaints That Players had were frequent crashes with some going up to the point of arguing that the patch was game breaking.
Blizzard Has admitted that they have heard the outcry of the players and are coffee.pumping out Patch after Patch working on the issue. Players on forums like Reddit have been vocal, sharing their frustrations and some workarounds, such as disabling NVIDIA’s DLSS to prevent crashes【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Some players understand that there were significant drawbacks for which they would try to improve later, like the Realmwalker health buff, others have a different stance and are upset with the spiritborn class’s dominance, claiming that it disrupts the balance of the game.
Surveys after community updates suggest that Blizzard is taking concerns and suggestions actively and addressing them to understand the players in a better way. This is crucial as the concerns have to be understood and addressed in the upcoming season which is expected in the mid of the season to address these concerns【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Exploring the New Features: Pros and Cons
Pros
Mount Improvements: Mounts can be bored quickly and do have a feeling that a player has diminished control, but the good thing is with more control, players will suffer lesser damage.
Spiritborn Class: Adding a new class structure always feels interesting and in this case the Spiritborn’s skill set and a playstyle revolving around mobility has been effective.
New Content: The Vessel of Hatred expansion has increased the area, introduced various new bosses, and gave more places of loot to be found. This is good for both new comers to the game and seasoned players as well.
Cons
PC Crashes: The drawback, however, has been the high number of crashes after the update. Quite a few of them are not able to enjoy the game when the stability of the application is an issue more often than not【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Balancing Issues: However, welcoming the Realmwalker buffs has at least led some to raising questions on the efficacy of the Spiritborn following it. One of the persistent nagging problems Blizzard has is how to make game play sufficiently challenging while at the same time fair【Gamepressure.com , Dexerto , MP1st , Blizzard News , Diablo IV】.
Conclusion: The Way Forward in Diablo 4
According to some people, building on the power potentially provided by the improvements to the mounts, patch 2.0.4 of Diablo 4 has had several changes made to many aspects of the game, including buffs to the Realmwalker and several other bug fixes. However, new challenges have emerged alongside the update, such as app crashes and the balancing issues. Still, Blizzard has made strides and has made good on some of the promises made, as most players still seem to be on the wait for changes in the game. For many players, the prospects looking forward seem exciting.
The additions made by the new Vessel of Hatred expansion was always made with the intention of expanding the horizon of the game and with the cooperative features available there, the emphasis is on playing the entire content with friends, and the class in there is almost a guaranteed fresh content for players. So to wrap up, we would surely recommend you trying out the additions made in patch 2.0.4, as they surely will make your experience much smoother regardless if you are a new player or someone who has already played the game in the past.
It goes without saying that the support for Diablo 4 from Blizzard will only keep on increasing moving forward, with there being new and exciting updates still pending to be released. The possibilities look endless for Diablo 4 as new updates are always looked out for due to players waiting for the new balance patch, which further adds to the already exciting action RPG experience that is Diablo 4.
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