Diablo 4 Season 6: What Adjustments Will Game Make to Spiritborn in the Mid-Term Patch?
Since the introduction of Spiritborn in Diablo 4’s recent DLC, the new class has quickly become a dominant force in Season 6. Its popularity has skyrocketed, with almost 60% of players opting for this class due to its impressive combat prowess, speed, and overall fun factor. Spiritborn’s extraordinary strength has led to calls for balance adjustments, as it has overshadowed other classes and created an imbalance in the game. In response, the Diablo IV Items developers have provided insights into how they plan to handle Spiritborn’s power, particularly in the upcoming mid-term patch and the changes expected in the future.

The Spiritborn Phenomenon
Spiritborn’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of remarkable. Upon its introduction, players were immediately drawn to the class’s ability to deal massive amounts of damage, clear mobs quickly, and provide an engaging playstyle that felt both unique and powerful. It quickly became the go-to choice for many players in Season 6, surpassing other classes in terms of popularity. However, this shift in preference has sparked concerns among players who main other classes, as Spiritborn has led to a significant drop in the usage and viability of the remaining five classes.

The rapid rise of Spiritborn hasn’t gone unnoticed by the developers, and it has become clear that Spiritborn's power was not entirely intentional. There were certain synergies within the class’s abilities that were more potent than anticipated, giving Spiritborn an advantage over the other classes. Some of these synergies, such as the ability to unleash charged feathers continuously, caused performance issues for other players by reducing frame rates, leading to an optimization fix to prevent such disruptions.

The Mid-Term Patch: Spiritborn’s Fate
During the Campfire Chat live broadcast on November 12, Diablo 4’s developers revealed important details about the mid-term patch that will impact Spiritborn. There had been widespread speculation about whether Spiritborn would receive a nerf due to its overwhelming strength, but the developers confirmed that Spiritborn would not be nerfed in the short term. Instead, the focus of the mid-term patch will be on buffing other classes, raising their damage output to create a more competitive and balanced environment across all characters.

The developers explained that the adjustments made in the patch would not directly target Spiritborn’s strength but rather level the playing field for other classes. For Spiritborn, the patch will bring small buffs to skills that are rarely used, opening up new build possibilities and making it a more versatile class without overpowering others. The goal is to make sure that all classes remain viable while also ensuring that Spiritborn doesn’t overshadow the others entirely.

Though Spiritborn’s power will remain high for the time being, the mid-term patch serves as a stepping stone towards future balance changes that will be introduced in Season 7.

The Spiritborn in Season 7
Season 7 of Diablo 4 is shaping up to be a critical one for Spiritborn. According to Adam Jackson, Diablo 4’s class designer, Season 7 will see more significant changes to Spiritborn’s balance. In particular, the unexpected interactions between Spiritborn’s skills will be addressed. While the developers are not yet revealing the specifics of what these changes will look like, they are clear that the goal is to make Spiritborn more balanced without stripping away the class’s fun factor.

The adjustments are expected to focus on fixing synergy issues that allow Spiritborn to deal more damage than intended. For example, some skill combinations were unintentionally overpowered, allowing players to clear content at an exceptional rate. While Spiritborn’s strength will not be dramatically reduced, some adjustments are likely to make the class more in line with the power level of other classes.

While we don’t know the exact extent of Spiritborn’s nerf in Season 7, the Public Test Realm (PTR) that will be launched after Thanksgiving will give players a chance to experience the changes firsthand. This PTR will allow the community to test the upcoming nerfs, providing feedback to the developers before the changes are officially implemented. The exact timing for Season 7’s release is expected to be around mid-January 2024, and more details about the changes will likely be revealed during another live broadcast.

What Does This Mean for Players?
For players who have embraced Spiritborn and enjoyed the class’s immense power, the upcoming adjustments may feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, players who love the class can continue enjoying its current strength during the remainder of Season 6, but the thought of potential nerfs in Season 7 may cause concern. However, players should take comfort in the fact that the goal of these adjustments is not to diminish the class’s fun or viability; rather, it’s to ensure that Spiritborn is not an overwhelming force compared to the other classes.

Players who enjoy other classes might find the upcoming mid-term patch more encouraging. With the developers focusing on buffing the damage output of other classes, the competition between different builds will feel more fair. While Spiritborn’s damage output may remain slightly above that of other classes for the time being, this overall increase in class power will make other options more appealing, giving players more flexibility in their class choices.

Additionally, the buffs to Spiritborn’s lesser-used skills will open up new avenues for building the class, creating more build variety and allowing players to experiment with different playstyles. This will help keep the class engaging even as other adjustments are made.

The Impact of the Mid-Term Patch on Diablo 4’s Meta
The mid-term patch is a crucial step in shaping the future of Diablo 4’s meta. By buffing all classes, the developers aim to ensure that no one class is too dominant, and players can enjoy a more varied and competitive experience. Spiritborn, in particular, will see buffs to skills that are often overlooked, which will open up new build possibilities.

While Spiritborn will remain a popular and powerful choice for many players, the overall increase in the damage output of other classes will make the competitive landscape much more dynamic. This is a necessary adjustment to prevent the game from becoming stale or unbalanced.

As Diablo 4 continues to evolve, future balance changes will likely address the issues that have surfaced during Season 6. While Spiritborn’s strength is unlikely to be drastically nerfed, the developers will continue to fine-tune its abilities and interactions to maintain fairness in the game’s overall design.

Preparing for Season 7: What Players Can Expect
As players look ahead to Season 7, it’s important to consider how the adjustments to Spiritborn might affect your gameplay. If you’ve been enjoying Spiritborn’s power, there is still time to savor its current strength before the potential nerfs arrive. During the PTR, players will have the chance to test out the upcoming changes, and your feedback will play a key role in shaping the final adjustments that are made.

For those who feel that Spiritborn is too powerful, the mid-term patch and future changes to the class will offer a more balanced experience. Diablo 4 is designed to provide a variety of playstyles, and ensuring that each class remains competitive is essential for maintaining player engagement.

Conclusion
Diablo 4’s mid-term patch and the adjustments to Spiritborn are an important step in the ongoing effort to balance the game. While Spiritborn’s strength will not be dramatically nerfed in the immediate future, the focus will be on buffing other classes to bring them up to speed. In Season 7, more significant changes will be made to Spiritborn, particularly in addressing unexpected interactions between its skills.

Players who enjoy Spiritborn can look forward to more build variety and continued dominance, though with potential tweaks to ensure the class remains balanced within the broader context of Diablo 4. With the upcoming PTR and the promise of more detailed information, players can prepare for the changes ahead while continuing to enjoy the cheap Diablo 4 Items powerful class that Spiritborn currently is