New Diablo 4 PTR patch notes unlock impossible builds, as Paladin rumors fly

The Diablo 4 PTR patch notes are here for Season 10's public test build, and Blizzard is looking to flip your builds upside down in the ARPG's new update. The new season will see us face off against Bartuc, Warlord of Blood, and claim 'chaos armor' that transforms some of the best uniques into items for other inventory slots, opening the door to previously impossible loadouts. Also included are a fresh set of 'chaos perks' to further expand your options, and a rework to the roguelike-adjacent Infernal Hordes mode.

Before we get into the new Diablo 4 patch notes for the Season 10 PTR, Spanish site Diablo Next has reported a particularly intriguing find. The site claims to have found a new build of the RPG on Blizzard's internal servers with '2.5.Xpaladin.67961' as its version name. With several YouTubers and Twitch streamers in the process of visiting the developer's studios to test upcoming features, perhaps one of the most-requested Diablo 4 classes might actually be on the cards for the next expansion. It's all rumor and speculation for now, but given the constant fervor from Paladin lovers, it would make a lot of sense.

While this reported leak is certain to have players salivating, there's actual, official news to talk about right now as we dig into the Season 10 PTR patch notes. To start with, we have the overhaul to the Infernal Hordes mode, which has been refined and rebalanced to make it more intense. You'll encounter powerful new chaos monsters that provide a shrine-style buff when killed, and the Fell Council at the end of your run will now designate one member as the Council Speaker, enhancing their abilities.

On top of this, sometimes at the end of a round you'll now be offered the ability to start a 'chaos wave' that offers significantly more difficulty but with greater rewards. These won't just ramp up the creature count, either; you might have to dodge constant projectiles, handle a rampaging Hellwyrm, or quickly track down Aether Goblins.

If you're feeling confident about your Infernal Hordes run, you can opt out of the standard Fell Council battle at the end in favor of gambling your Aether to face Vizjerei Bartuc, formerly known in Diablo lore as the Warlord of Blood. You'll have to pay the toll up front, and deal with the numerous chaos portals he summons through the fight, but can of course expect a generous payout if you emerge victorious.

For me, the most exciting news here is the chaos armor. These aren't entirely new items, but rather more powerful incarnations of existing uniques that take a different form. The Banished Lord's Talisman amulet, for example, becomes a pair of chaos gloves, granting you its unique ability in a new slot on your character. This has been done for, at my count, 83 different uniques, including some of the most build-defining options in Diablo 4 such as the Rod of Kepleke and Gohr's Devastating Grips.

While it might not initially sound too exciting to get the same uniques elsewhere, the potential consequences for the best Diablo 4 builds are tremendous. Remember when you really wanted to use the Crown of Lucion's damage-stacking effect, but couldn't turn down the sheer power of the Harlequin Crest ancestral unique? Now you'll have the option to equip them both simultaneously. I'm already eager to see what new, busted creations players create.

Also introduced with Season 10 are 'chaos perks,' which resemble the various power mechanics we've seen across many recent seasons. These range across the same four rarities as the base game, and you can equip one unique perk and three non-unique options at a time, with a mixture of cross-class and class-specific abilities on the table. Some of these already sound rather potent, such as causing certain attacks to trigger twice, or activate a second skill for free when cast.

Alongside this comes a handful of other new uniques for each class. I'm particularly intrigued by Rogue's Orphan Maker, a two-handed crossbow that turns all your basic and core skills into 'reload' variants that deal much more damage but have a slight delay between casts. You can ramp up the reload rate by boosting your overall attack speed, and it could prove a real winner in the right hands.

The Diablo 4 Season 10 PTR is live from Tuesday August 19 until Tuesday August 26. You'll need the game via the Battlenet app to join, although players with PC Game Pass can also take part. You can read through the full patch notes now, courtesy of Blizzard. There will also be the usual 'PTR boost' feature if you want to jump to the endgame or instantly grab specific items and powers to test.

There's still a little while until the full Diablo 4 Season 10 release date, so this is your one chance this month to try out what's ahead. If you're looking for something to keep you busy in the meantime, we've picked out the best games like Diablo in 2025.

Are you excited for Season 10, or holding off until the next DLC? Do you think that the Paladin is actually our new class, or is Blizzard playing a clever trick to mask the truth? Head over to our community Discord server to discuss the update with fellow readers.