Going into Season 11, Diablo 4 had a lot of expectations to meet after the fantastic Season 10. Like many fans, I was wary of whether the proposed changes would be enough to elevate Diablo 4 Season 11 to the status necessary to feel impactful, and I was particularly worried about how the overhauled Tempering and Masterworking system and new Sanctification mechanic would fare as replacements for Chaos Armor. Although the season was aided by the surprise release of the Paladin class at the start of Season 11, the rest of the changes have made the Season of Divine Intervention one of the best so far, with one exception holding it back.
Part of what I love about diving into a new Diablo 4 season is experimenting with the new mechanics as I create my build. Trying out new builds is my favorite part of this game, so any new features that enhance this process are going to stand out to me. While creating a powerful build has never felt better in Season 11, thanks to the streamlined gear upgrading system and bonuses granted by Divine Gifts, the reworked Potion system has been hit or miss for me, and I wish there was something I could do to improve it.
Season 11’s Changes to Diablo 4 Are Almost Perfect, But the New Potion Mechanic is Frustrating
Aside from the overhaul to Tempering and Masterworking, one of the marquee features of Diablo 4 Season 11 is the increased combat difficulty. I appreciate the effort to improve enemy behavior and add more threatening affixes to certain enemy types, especially because Diablo 4 has always felt relatively easy compared to other ARPGs like Path of Exile 2. In an effort to further add to the difficulty of combat encounters, Diablo 4 Season 11 has changed how Potions function, but this change is essentially my only sore spot with this season.
How Diablo 4’s Potions Have Changed in Season 11
- Limited to 4 Potions
- Potions heal 35% of Life instantly
- No Potion Upgrades at the Alchemist
- Potions recharge 1 every 30 seconds
Before Season 11, players could increase their Potion capacity up to 9 by upgrading their Potions slot at Diablo 4‘s Alchemist after reaching a specific level or by improving their Renown. These Potions also healed over time rather than instantly, and didn’t recharge over time. While some of these changes are helpful in the long run, they are also forcing me to rethink my combat strategy, which often results in a poorly timed death.
There is a +Potion Capacity affix that can be found on Pants in Diablo 4, so it is possible to get 1 or 2 more charges from that.
Diablo 4 Season 11’s New Potion System Can Make or Break Tough Encounters
I understand the reduced Potion charges are supposed to make battle more strategic in Diablo 4 Season 11 by removing the ability for players to simply chug Potions constantly to keep themselves alive. While for the most part, I haven’t had problems with losing too much Life, since my Paladin build for Diablo 4 Season 11 is very tanky and has its own built-in healing abilities, there are cases where I panic and go to drink a Potion only to find I am out of charges. The flaws of this system become apparent when Potion drops are limited, and some enemy affixes cause damage to stack quicker than I can heal.
There are benefits to this new Potion system as well, and I think the ability to recharge 1 Potion every 30 seconds is a nice consolation prize for removing the ability to upgrade them. Restoring Life instantly rather than over time can also come in clutch in tight combat situations. However, out of all the changes in Diablo 4 Season 11, this one still feels like it doesn’t quite hit the mark like the others, and I hope to see it tweaked more in the future.
- Released
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June 5, 2023
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
