To learn more about the recent patch changes, I would recommended heading over to this Diablo 3 guide for more in-depth information.

This post will generally be going through the patch notes one-by-one and every topic briefly. Basically an in-depth look into all the patch notes.

But without further ado, let’s go ahead and get things started. Again, we’ll be just taking a look at the patch notes and talking about each point briefly. First and foremost, I do want to mention that the Cauldron of Jordan is no longer in the beta. It has not been removed from the game itself, but will be rewarded after we defeat the skeleton king. So, although in beta prior to patch number five, you did receive the Cauldron of Jordan before killing off the Skeleton king, once the game goes live you’ll be getting it after. So, as such, it is no longer currently available. You will meet him right at the end of the first Diablo 3 beta footage.

As with most major patches there has been a full character wipe for this data. Any of the characters that were around prior to this data they’re no longer around. In addition to that there’s been a major change in terms of skill swapping. Now, in order to swap skills, you actually require use of the Nephalem Alter. Now the Nephalem Alter is going to be located in Nutritium, as well as various hot spots or key locations throughout the game and essentially, what will happen is you’ll have to run up to and click on the alter and that will open up the skill you want. Allowing you to switch out your active and passive skills. Now it is important to note that it is not just in towns that the Nephalem Alter will be, but the Nephalem alter is also found at the beginning of cathedral level 1. So you are no longer allowed to swap skills on the fly, and you require a Nephalem Alter in order to do so.

There have been some tweaks to quests. A gold reward from quests has been significantly reduced. In addition to that experience rewarded for a quest after level four is now based on the level of mobs you’d have to kill to earn the same amount of experience, rather than being a just strict percentage of a level. So in the past it used to be the quest that quest rewards experience-wise were giving you a percentage of your level. Instead of that percentage it’s going to be say, 30 or 40 monsters killed, I’m just making up a number there, and then whatever level you are. That number, that’s the experience that you would get relative to how much you would get killing monsters at that level. So, again it’s a change from set percentage to scaling with your level depending on the experience you gain from monsters killed. Again, whatever set number they end up choosing for that.

Next changes made about were skill changes. There have been new passive skills added for all classes. That’s something we’ll be mentioning briefly later all. Also, there’s been a significant reduction in effectiveness of area of effect abilities. Area of effect skills no longer do as much damage across the board. There was a damage reduction on that. But on the flip side of that, all single target skills for all classes have had their damage increased. While the area of effect is less effective now, the single target is more effective. All skills are now based off of weapon damage so this going to really alter how the casters play out, as opposed to the way it was prior, and again that is something I’ll be mentioning momentarily and in the future as well.

Now, just talking briefly on the area of effect versus single target change. My assumption is this, if we look at late game Diablo, area of effect is basically all everyone used. You would just spam AOE and it’s the quickest way to clear rooms essentially. So, by cutting back preemptively on the how effective the area of effect damage is, I think what Blizzard is doing her is their making it so that, it’ll take longer to reach that point. Because ideally, is most likely at all Diablo 3 classes, when we were talking about PVE well be going with some sort of area of affectability. Because it doesn’t make a lot of sense, in the game like Diablo to be single targeting everything. Area of effect is just a lot more efficient. Until we get to that point where it’s going to be really efficient, it’s just going to take a little bit longer. They want us to, kind of use both single target and AOE. But again, ideally at the end game we’ll probably just be spamming AOE because it’s just the easiest and quickest way to kill things.

The user interface did receive a intro overhaul as well. General art and usability. There have been improvements to that as well. Even just, the login screen and everything. It’s just looking phenomenal. Really polished now, artistically games looking a lot better. In addition to that I do want to mention, that I didn’t see it in the past notes, but anti aliasing was added. And the game is looking much, much, more crisp and clean right now. Because of that, so anti-aliasing was added to the graphic selection and that’s really awesome as well. Again it’s just looking a lot nicer.

New Diablo 3 Log-in Sreenshot