Diablo 4 Season 7: Complete Guide to All Class Changes

Diablo 4 has officially launched its Season of Witchcraft as of January 21, introducing notable modifications across its robust class system. The base game features five core classes: Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, and Sorcerer, while the recent DLC expansion, Vessel of Hatred, introduced the formidable Spiritborn class. Initially, this new class dominated the battlefield, boasting unparalleled damage output. However, the commencement of Season 7 marks the first round of adjustments to the Spiritborn, prompting intrigue among players.

The class modifications during this season encompass enhancements, reductions, and bug resolutions, all aimed at refining game balance. Players experienced significant boosts with certain classes, but others remain underwhelming in terms of performance. Those who reveled in the Spiritborn’s overwhelming firepower from the previous season may find the changes somewhat disheartening, as the class has undergone substantial revisions. As players reset their levels, understanding which classes will facilitate the ascent back to level 60 is crucial, alongside exploring new class dynamics this season.

Overview of Class Changes in Diablo 4’s Season 7

Patch Notes Outline Class Updates

Diablo 4 Season Of Witchcraft Season 7 key artwork — Diablo 4 Season Of Witchcraft

Coinciding with the start of Season 7, Blizzard released comprehensive patch notes that elucidate class-specific alterations. Some adjustments occurred pre-feedback from the Public Test Realm (PTR), while others were implemented post-feedback. For a detailed breakdown of all changes by character class, refer to the complete patch notes.

Barbarian Updates

Skill	Changes
Hammer of the Ancients	Damage increased from 70% to 90%. Now strikes ground areas without enemies, approaching selected targets for attacks.
Furious Hammer of the Ancients	Now gains 5% Critical Strike Damage and Chance per 10 Fury when cast, with Critical Strikes applying a Knockdown effect for 2 seconds.
Mighty Throw	Impact damage increased from 80% to 105%. Pulse damage improved from 35% to 50%.
Kick	Skill Ranks now increase Kick’s damage.
Mighty Kick	Knockdown duration extended from 2 to 4 seconds.
Wrath of the Berserker	Rank 5 sees Wrath of the Berserker pull in enemies instead of knocking them back, dealing 200% damage instead.
Call of the Ancients	Now classified under the Summoning tag. New Rank 5 Bonus: Adds 50% Movement Speed and 20% Damage Reduction while active.
Prime Call of the Ancients	Damage bonus increased from 25% to 30%.
Iron Maelstrom	Damage from Two-Hand Bludgeoning Slam increased from 60% to 75%. Duel Wield Swing damage improved from 33% to 43%. New Rank 5 Bonus: Iron Maelstrom damage is augmented by 60% from your Damage to Injured and Healthy bonuses.

The following Skill Tree upgrades now scale damage based on increased Skill Ranks:

Enhanced Charge
Mighty Kick
Power Kick
Battle Lunging Strike
Enhanced Rupture

Druid Updates

Skill	Changes
Hurricane	Can now be cast while moving.
Raging Shred	Third combo attack enlarged, applying an additional 143% Poisoning damage over 5 seconds, causing enemies to sustain an increased Poisoning damage effect for 5 seconds.
Innate Blood Howl	Now generates 20 Spirit and grants a 25% damage increase until shapeshifting out of Werewolf form.
Grizzly Rage	Damage bonus enhanced from 50% to 60%. Rank 5: Knocks down nearby enemies for 5 seconds while dealing 200% damage.
Lacerate	Damage increased from 560% to 600%. Rank 5: Lacerate damage augmented by 30% of your Critical Strike Damage bonus.
Cataclysm	Rank 5: Slows nearby enemies by 70% for 8 seconds upon casting.
Petrify	Rank 5: Resets all non-Ultimate Skill Cooldowns on casting.

A notable adjustment for Spirit Boons includes a reduction in Spirit Offering unlocks from 100 to 60 per Spirit Animal. Furthermore, several Skills Tree upgrades now scale their damage correlating with increased Skill Ranks:

Fierce Claw
Innate Earthen Bulwark
Raging Shred

Necromancer Updates

Skill	Changes
Blight	Essence cost reduced from 25 to 20.
Enhanced Blight	Radius increased by 15%, double damage when hitting an Elite directly.
Paranormal Blight	25% chance to instantly Freeze enemies and Chills them in the defiled area.
Bone Spear	Damage increased from 85% to 100%.
Supernatural Bone Spear	40% more Overpower damage and 5% Maximum Life restoration after Overpowering.
Enhanced Sever	Deals 85% damage along its path and slows enemies by 40% for 3 seconds.
Paranormal Sever	Every 3rd cast Fears enemies and renders them Vulnerable for 3 seconds.
Supernatural Sever	Damage increases by 2% for each Minion present while casting.

Additional Skill Tree upgrades now benefit from increased damage scaling:

Blighted Corpse Explosion
Enhanced Decompose

Rogue Updates

Skill	Changes
Twisting Blades	Bonus damage duration increased to 3 seconds, now stacking.
Enhanced Penetrating Shot	Chance to shoot an additional arrow when hitting an Elite or Boss increased from 25% to 40%.
Enhanced Shadow Imbuement	Critical Strike Chance increases by 15% against Shadow Imbuement-infected enemies.
Caltrops	Can now be cast at a target location, maintaining the same casting animation. No longer has the Mobility Skill Tag.
Death Trap	Enemies are pulled into the trap upon activation and damage increased from 250% to 300%.
Shadow Clone	Now classified as a Summoning Skill and benefits from the Rogue’s damage bonuses.
Rain of Arrows	Instantaneous damage over a broad area with improved damage from 220% to 450%. Delay before arrows hit reduced from 1 second to 0.25 seconds.

Class upgrades that scale damage through increased Skill Ranks include:

Methodical Dance of Knives
Subverting Smoke Grenade

Sorcerer Updates

Skill	Changes
Conjurations	Tooltip now displays the maximum limit for all conjurations.
Enhanced Ball Lightning	Attack speed increased by 5% for up to 20% after casting.
Deep Freeze	Final explosion damage boosted from 100% to 125%.
Inferno	Rank 5: Enemies within the area become Vulnerable for 5 seconds.
Unstable Currents	Rank 5: Stuns surrounding enemies for 3 seconds upon casting.

Spiritborn Updates

Skill	Changes
Enhanced Thunderspike	Vigor generation increased from 5 to 7.
Stinger	Damage boosted from 70% to 77%.
Endurance	Vigor generation improved from 5/10/15 to 10/20/30.

This season introduces exciting buffs for the Barbarian, making it an appealing option, especially with enhancements to Hammer of the Ancients, which fits seamlessly into new build strategies. The Spiritborn, on the other hand, although it seems minimally adjusted, saw many bugs corrected that affected its damage scaling more than the class’s inherent capabilities. As a result, the Spiritborn will now be more in line with the power levels of the other classes.

Differences in Classes Compared to Previous Seasons

Key Upgrades for Barbarians, Rogues, and Necromancers

A Barbarian with a great axe and horned helmet in Diablo 4

While the Barbarian may not top the power charts, it stands out this season thanks to favorable updates. The combination of the new Mantle of the Mountain item and the modifications to Hammer of the Ancients enhances endgame viability significantly. Furthermore, the Whirlwind build for Barbarians also has received adjustments, enriching the class’s diversity and effectiveness.

The Rogue’s Shadow Clone upgrade has transformed it into a significant ally in battle, now functioning closely in tandem with the player, benefiting from class-specific modifiers which enhance its effectiveness. Likewise, the Necromancer’s summons have received scalability updates, ensuring that minions perform consistently across all levels of play for players who enjoy this archetype.

Identifying the Best Class for Season 7

Necromancers and Rogues Shine in Season 7

Determining the definitive best class within Diablo 4 Season 7 comes down to player preference and play style. Some classes are inherently faster in leveling, while others allow for smoother scaling into the late-game content. Nonetheless, a few classes definitely stand out this season.

The enhanced abilities of the Rogue and Necromancer are prominent factors in their appeal this season, providing considerable boosts through their Shadow Clones and minions, which deliver significant damage. Their efficiencies in both leveling and late-game environments make them two of the most desirable options.

Barbarians, retaining their classic charm, yet now with improved builds, represent another class worth considering this season. While they may not be the fastest to level, those who favor this timeless class will find Season 7 to be a prosperous period.

Source: Blizzard

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