Hello everyone, this is Librarian Husky with the second installment in our series on insights from the recent Diablo 4 Public Test Realm. This article will explore the newly implemented upgrade systems for armor, weapons, and jewelry, focusing on the innovative Codex of Power. We’ll begin by examining the loot changes. Notably, there are now fewer affixes available: three on legendary items and two on rare ones. Moreover, World Tier 3 now exclusively drops sacred items, while World Tier 4 offers only Ancestral Items.

Legendary Item Dynamics

In the new system, any legendary item obtained from enemies level 95 or higher will consistently offer an item power of 925. This is certainly encouraging. Additionally, unique items have become more accessible, beginning to drop in World Tiers 1 and 2, with all uniques available by World Tier 3. Particularly noteworthy are the Uber uniques, starting to appear from Monster Level 55, also at a 925 item level. It’s crucial to watch for small shiny stars next to your affixes; each star represents a greater affix, enhancing the affix’s maximum effect by 1.5 times. These enhanced affixes are

Greater Axes and Their Availability

Greater affixes on items have a specific chance to appear in World Tiers 3 and 4. It’s important to note that these cannot be crafted or enchanted but must be found organically within the game. My experiences yielded several items with a single greater affix, a few with two, and one exceptional item with three. Finding the exact greater affixes I desired proved challenging, as they were infrequently aligned with my needs.

New Features in the Codex of Power

Let’s delve into the enhancements made to the Codex of Power. The Codex now sports a refreshed interface. At the top, you will find two distinct tabs: one for your aspects and another for tempering recipes. Although the aspect tab is my favored update in season 4, I will cover that in more depth in a subsequent article. For now, our focus will shift to the intricacies of the tempering recipes.

Introduction to Tempering Recipes

As you procure loot from various in-game activities, you might stumble upon an item known as a temper manual. This new addition to your inventory will be instantly noticeable. When you hover over the manual, it will display a selection of new affixes at your disposal. To incorporate these affixes into your gameplay, simply right-click on the manual, and these will be integrated into your Codex of Power under the section labeled ‘tempering recipes.

Applying Tempering Recipes

The newly introduced tempering recipes allow for custom affixes to be added to your items. To apply these, make your way to the blacksmith where you will find a newly added tab titled ‘tempering.’ Within this tab lies a panel where you can place your item for tempering. This process will add one affix to rare and legendary items, excluding ancestral ones, which can receive up to two additional affixes. This modification is the reason why current loot drops with one fewer affix than in previous seasons. The tempering panel offers a choice among six categories: weapons, offensive, defensive, utility, mobility, and resource. My focus here is on an ancestral item, which allows for selection from up to two of these categories. Presently, I have accessed recipes in only two categories: weapons and offensive, with further exploration pending in my offensive selection.

Tempering Process in Diablo 4 PTR

Within the realm of Diablo 4‘s Public Test Realm, I have discovered manuals for Natural Finesse, Shock Finesse, and Frost Finesse. For my current build, I opt for Frost Finesse. Among the effects it offers—cold damage, vulnerable damage, and damage to frozen—all prove beneficial. Activating Frost Finesse on an item marks it as one of the selectable options for enhancement. This tempering will require 10 iron chunks, 20 veiled crystals, and two baleful fragments, highlighting the importance of salvaging rare materials. Initiating the temper action triggers an animation, which you can bypass. Following this process, one of the five effects will randomly enhance the item to varying extents.

Result of Tempering and Further Choices

Fortuitously, my item receives an 85% increase in damage to frozen enemies. Upon examination, I notice the new affix marked by an anvil symbol, indicating it has achieved the maximum potential enhancement. Although my preference might have leaned towards cold damage or vulnerable damage, I accept this result and prepare to enhance a second affix. The interface reveals that my item currently possesses an offensive affix. Should I choose another offensive affix, it would overwrite the existing one, thus forfeiting my newly acquired damage boost to frozen foes. Consequently, I decide to explore another category—weapons.

Selection of Weapon Effects

In the weapon enhancement category, my interest is piqued by Frost Augments. Of the available options, only one aligns with my strategy: doubling the casting probability of Frozen Orb projectiles. Selecting Frost Augments integrates it into my tempering console. The first attempt results in a Blizzard Size enhancement, which does not meet my needs. Therefore, I resolve to initiate another tempering attempt to better align with my desired build configuration.

Tempering Mechanics and Challenges

Upon selecting Frost Augments once more, a notification catches my eye at the bottom of the panel: “existing effects will be replaced, temper rolls five.” This indicates that post-initial tempering—where two effects are permissible for Ancestral Items and one for all others—only five additional attempts are granted to achieve the desired result. This restriction has sparked considerable debate within the community, as the upcoming season promises fewer but more potent item drops.

Frustration with Limited Rerolls

The frustration becomes palpable when a hard-earned, seemingly perfect item risks becoming obsolete if the necessary modifications aren’t achieved within the limited five attempts. This lack of control over the outcome is disheartening. My subsequent attempt yields a Frost Bolt effect, which proves unhelpful. With four attempts remaining, I persist, only to encounter Blizzard Size repeatedly—none of these outcomes are beneficial to my build.

Struggle for the Desired Effect

Down to my final two attempts, the pressure mounts. The next roll gives me Ice Shards, still far from ideal. In my last permitted modification, fortune smiles upon me as I secure Frozen Orb with an almost maximum roll of 16.5%. The completion of this process causes my focus to be removed from the panel due to the exhaustion of available tempering opportunities. This scenario illustrates the intense challenges posed by the current system in the PTR, highlighting the significant frustration associated with trying to perfect an item under stringent constraints.

Strategic Enchanting Post-Tempering

After successfully tempering your item, you can head over to the Occultist to enchant if you need to upgrade one of your original axes. I’m recommending to enchant after tempering only because if your item turns into a brick, you won’t be wasting additional mats and gold on your enchant. The gold cost for rerolling has been capped when enchanting. Well, that was a lot of information I felt it necessary.

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