Diablo 4's new enemy rework is what will win me back, not Blizzard's latest loot overhaul

Blizzard has just lifted the lid on Diablo 4 Season 11, or at least Diablo 4 patch 2.5.0 heading to the PTR, that will let us test the fundamental changes coming in its next big update. The major talking point is the latest itemization overhaul, one significant enough that fans have already dubbed it 'Loot 3.0.' But should it be? Rather than incremental fixes for tempering and masterworking, it's the promise of "evolved" monster combat that is more likely to solidify its reputation as one of the best RPGs on PC and draw me away from rivals like Path of Exile 2 and Last Epoch. I just hope Blizzard's behemoth is able to actually lift itself out of its seasonal cycle of torment.

The latest Diablo 4 update was unveiled through a livestream hosted by YouTuber CJ 'Rhykker' Miozzi, where lead encounter designer Owen Leach, game designer Aislyn Hall, and lead systems designer Art Peshkov sat down to discuss what promises to be a dramatic revamp across the board. Competition is stiff these days; our list of the best games like Diablo ranges from heavy hitters like Path of Exile 2 to more genre-adjacent entries such as Borderlands 4, giving you many ways to get your loot fix.

On the itemization side, Season 11 is full of good news. Non-uniques will have been upped to four base affixes so they're actually viable, tempering is no longer random, masterworking adopts a PoE-style quality system along with a re-rollable greater affix upgrade. Once you've perfected an item as much as possible, you'll then be able to 'sanctify' it, with the chance to snag dramatic power boosts. However, this will lock it from being modified further. Path of Exile players will recognize this as D4's take on the Vaal Orb, rather than D3's stat-buffing incarnation.

That's all excellent, and should raise our best Diablo 4 builds to all-new heights. But ultimately, it only matters if you've got a reason to keep playing. Season 11 scatters the Lesser Evils across Sanctuary: Duriel replaces the Helltide's Blood Maiden fight, Andariel will show up in Kurast Undercity, and Belial in the Pit. Azmodan even makes his Diablo 4 debut as the first new world boss to be introduced since the game launched (we could have a whole separate discussion about the side activities that have been left in the dust).

Blizzard's also taking another swing at replicating the success of Diablo 3's Greater Rifts with the Tower, a "multi-stage timed dungeon that is meant to only be bested by the most elite of wanderers." As far as I can tell, the main difference from this and the Pit is that you're going up rather than down, although there is some good news for committed blasters with the long-awaited return of leaderboards to compete for clear times.

I haven't stuck with Diablo 4's recent seasons, however, and eventually I realized that it's not about new content or meaningful itemization - the game simply feels too one-note in its endgame. Regardless of which of the Diablo 4 classes I pick, I end up just dashing from pack to pack and blowing them up as quickly as possible. When a tougher foe arrives, I adopt a hit-and-run strategy to poke it down until I'm able to surpass it. Enter what I'm hoping is Blizzard's trump card: the promise of "combat evolved" in Season 11.

According to the developer, "all monsters across Sanctuary" have been given a dramatic overhaul. Expect each enemy type to have a "clear role and identity when fighting," with more dynamic behavior that responds to what you're doing. "Their ability to hit you is a lot more reliable," Leach explains. "They turn to face you more, it's harder to dodge, you can't just run through mobs and survive. Getting surrounded has meaning."

Encounters with elite packs will be less frequent but "considerably" more difficult, he teases. Each elite now spawns with a group of minions that inherit some of its affixes, and there are more than 20 new modifiers in the pool, including Diablo 3 favorites such as 'fire chains' and 'orbiter' alongside some all-new ones. Blizzard even promises "reduced overlap in their designs," so hopefully that doesn't just mean a variety of differently colored floor effects that blow you up after the monster dies.

Creatures are also less inclined to group up across the board, and in certain cases will spread out or try to flank you, meaning you'll need to work harder to blow up entire packs with a single skill or combo. At Torment 1, you'll be facing elites with four affixes, but this will ramp up as you push into higher difficulties. Champion foes come in packs of three to five, with some distinct affixes of their own, and will act as a more even spread of similar-strength mobs compared to the singular 'leader' of an elite group.

Defense is also being dramatically reworked to "properly test you defensively as you climb through difficulty tiers, putting more emphasis on gearing your builds towards survivability." Having to actually think about staying alive makes buildcrafting a lot more interesting, and you'll now be able to better judge your success with a new stat display called 'toughness' that summarizes your ability to survive against each specific damage type, as well as overall.

Armor and damage reduction has been overhauled, too; Peshkov explains that the removal of the old caps will give players "a lot more control in how you scale your defenses," and adds, "the math behind this system is a lot more sound and more scalable for the future." Explicit 'damage reduction' will be much less common, and has broadly been replaced with multiplicative bonuses to armor and elemental resistances.

If Blizzard's big monster rework actually hits, and that's a big 'if,' I might actually stick around for the long haul this time. There have been flashes of brilliance; I still recall the excitement of very early story battles such as Vhenard, or the first time I challenged uber Andariel, for their more dynamic, tactical demands. After experiencing what encounters in PoE 2, Last Epoch, and Titan Quest 2 are bringing to the table, I want Blizzard to find that magic again. I just hope it can.

The Diablo 4 patch 2.5.0 PTR will be available from Tuesday October 21 at 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET / 6:30pm BST / 7:30pm CEST until Tuesday October 28 at 11am PT / 2pm ET / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET. See what you can expect in detail here.

We've got the latest details on Diablo 4 Season 10 and when it comes to an end, along with the best co-op games if you're after something to tide you over until the next update.

What do you think of Blizzard's latest rework? Is it enough to bring you back? Join the PCGamesN Discord and let me know whether you're planning to give the PTR a try.