Diablo 4’s new update buffs Season 3’s Seneschal even more and nerfs the most overpowered monster affixes

Diablo 4 update 1.3.1 is here, and the patch notes spell good news for those with a certain robot ally.

In what’s starting to seem like an intense and cyclical bout of déjà vu at this point, Diablo 4 season 3 launched last week to a lot of unhappy people; unhappy about “boring” traps, unhappy that the focus on itemization seemed like a “step back,” and unhappy that the new Seneschal companion character wasn’t as useful as they’d hoped.

Well, like clockwork, Blizzard has released a new update attempting to alleviate those concerns with various buffs, nerfs, bug fixes, and quality of life changes.

In the official patch notes for Diablo 4’s latest update, Blizzard lays out a laundry list of improvements to the Seneschal’s various abilities. Here those are straight from the ghost horse’s mouth:

Gyrate: Damage increased by 30%.Pummel: Damage increased by 30%.Bushwhack: Damage increased by 20%.Impale: Damage increased by 30%.Focus Fire: Damage increased by 20%.Lightning Bolt: Damage increased by 20%.Firefly: Damage increased by 10%.Tempest: Damage increased by 10%.Reconstruct: Healing increased from 22% to 32% of Maximum Life at level 1. At level 10, the healing is increased from 40% to 50% of Maximum Life.Frigid Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.Bleeding Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.Electrocution Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.Poison Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.Dusk Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.Burning Support: Damage increased from 50% to 60% of the Supported Skill’s Damage.

Update 1.3.1 also brings a welcome change to the dreaded Vampiric affix on monsters, reducing the amount of health stolen from monsters with that specific affix – something Diablo 4 players have requested for months. Here’s how the nerf breaks down per World Tier:

World Tier I: 10% → 5%World Tier II: 20% → 10%World Tier III: 35% → 15%World Tier IV: 50% → 25%

Blizzard says a future update will make projectile attacks from monsters, such as a Khazra’s thrown spear, appear with a visual effect indicating they’re imbued with the Vampiric affix. Ideally, that’ll make it easier to see which attacks are going to heal the monster.

And finally, another overpowered affix, the Suppressor, has been nerfed. Chiefly, its dang field that makes ranged attacks completely useless will now have a six-second duration instead of being always activated, and it can be canceled by stunning, freezing, knocking down, or dazing the monster. Again, this is another change players have been requesting for quite a while now, so it’s good to see Blizzard taking some action.

As it is wont to do, Blizzard is working to course-correct after the initial negative reaction to Season 3, and in doing so it’s greasing the wheels with two weeks of 50% bonus XP and 30% faster movement. At least until more meaningful changes are implemented, it’s a little like throwing candy at some kids who aren’t happy about having to go to school every day for 18 years, but hey, candy’s candy.

Feel like taking a trip down memory lane? The original Diablo and the first two Warcraft games are on Blizzard’s Battle.net store now.