Diablo II: Resurrected Patch 2.6 PTR Releases January 24

Diablo II Posted 2023/01/23 at 12:14 PM by Tharid

blog postUPDATE

Just for added transparency -- To get the PTR up quickly and in-time, we focused on the RWs for this one so we can get feedback and possibly make additional changes post PTR before 2.6 hits.

This required us to strip out things like some of the bug fixes or some features coming in the final 2.6 items that people will see with final patch notes. We do address TZ items, 2.4 Runewords hitting non-ladder, etc.

Our first testing period of 2023, PTR 2.6, will go live on January 24 at 10:00 a.m. PST and concludes on January 31 at 10:00 a.m. PST. Pour yourself a comforting elixir to enjoy as we delve straight into the focus of our test—eight new Rune Words.

Quest Log

Eight New Rune Words

PTR Focus and Details

How to Participate

Eight New Rune Words

Individually they are meek, but when uttered in unison, a greater force is awoken—this is the mystique of Rune Words. Call upon these archaic forces to transform your ordinary items into a wieldable force of destruction capable of smiting demonic hordes.

We are introducing eight new Rune Words for Ladder and Offline Single-Player play. Our intent with introducing these additional Rune Words to Diablo II: Resurrected is to sprinkle variety into the competitive meta, creating an opportunity for players to forge new strategies as they race to Level 99. The bulk of these Rune Words focus on bolstering resistance bonuses, while the other Rune Words are centered on movement speed, and Assassin and Druid builds.

New Rune Word	Rune Order	Allowed Items	Character Level Required	Final Stats
Bulwark	Shael + lo + Sol	Helm	35	+20% Faster Hit Recovery +4-6% Life stolen per hit +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Replenish Life +30 Damage Reduced by 7 Physical Damage Received Reduced by 10-15%
Cure	Shael + lo + Tal	Helm	35	+20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Poison Resist +40-60% Poison Length Reduced by 75%
Ground	Shael + lo + Ort	Helm	35	+20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Lightning Resist +40-60% Lightning Absorb +10-15%
Hearth	Shael + lo + Thul	Helm	35	+20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Cold Resist +40-60% Cold Absorb +10-15%
Temper	Shael + lo + Ral	Helm	35	+20% Faster Hit Recovery +75-100% Enhanced Defense +10 to Vitality Increase Maximum Life 5% Fire Resist +40-60% Fire Absorb +10-15%
Hustle	Shael + Ko + Eld	Any Weapon or Armor item	39	Armor: +50% Faster Run/Walk +20% Increased Attack Speed +20% Faster Hit Recovery +10 to Dexterity 50% Slower Stamina Drain Weapon: 5% Chance to cast level nine Burst of Speed on striking +30% Increased Attack Speed +130-150% Enhanced Damage +75% Damage to Undead +50 to Attack Rating against Undead +10 to Dexterity
Mosaic	Mal + Gul + Thul	Claw	53	+25% chance for finishing moves to not consume charges +2 to Martial Arts (Assassin only) +20% Increased Attack Speed +200-250% Enhanced Damage +20% Bonus to Attack Rating Adds 3-14 Cold Damage Prevent Monster Heal
Metamorphosis	lo + Cham + Fal	Helm	67	Werewolf strikes grant Mark for 180 seconds Mark of the Wolf: +20% Bonus to Attack Rating Increase Maximum Life 40% Werebear strikes grant Mark for 180 seconds Mark of the Bear: +25% Attack Speed +25% Chance of Crushing Blow Physical Damage Received Reduced by 20% +5 to Shape Shifting Skills (Druid only) +50-80% Enhanced Defense +10 to Strength +10 to Vitality All Resistances +10 Cannot be Frozen

Developer's Note: he Bulwark, Cure, Ground, Hearth, and Temper Rune Words are being added to equip players with additional tools to boost specific resistance types as desired following the release of Sundering Charms.
The Hustle Rune Word is being added as an early mobility option, providing increased Movement Speed without the teleport aspect of the Enigma Rune Word.
For the Metamorphosis Rune Word, we wanted to add another viable option for an end-game shapeshifter Druid that could compete with items such as Jalal’s Mane. Metamorphosis grants a bonus for successful attacks in both Werewolf and Werebear forms, with each form providing different stacking bonuses.
The Mosaic Rune Word is designed to buff Martial Arts Assassin builds. It grants a brand-new effect that allows for a chance to not consume the charge when using a finisher move. Note that the effect still occurs but the charge is not removed.

PTR Focus and Details

As the PTR progresses, please be aware there may be periodic maintenance, outages, or updates based on player feedback. Any changes implemented during this PTR period to the new Rune Words are not set in stone and we may make additional changes to how these Rune Word function post-PTR.

We are testing eight new Rune Words with the desire of spicing up the Ladder meta and giving players additional tools to bring new builds to life. The new Rune Words are only a portion of the content arriving with Patch 2.6, stay tuned for what else is to come when the Patch officially releases.

To ensure these new Rune Words provide an experience that best serves our players, we will need your assistance and urge you to provide any feedback you may have. You can leave your feedback in the PTR Feedback forum. If you discover any bugs, please report them in the PTR Bug Report forum.

How To Participate

To participate in the public test, you must have a Diablo II: Resurrected game license attached to a Battle.net account in good standing (Ex: one that hasn't been suspended or banned). In addition, you will also need to download and install the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app if you have not already done so.

Step 1: Restart the Battle.net desktop app.
Step 2: Navigate to the Diablo II: Resurrected tab on the left-hand menu.
Step 3: On the Diablo II: Resurrected screen, there is a drop-down menu right above the "Play" button (note that this may say "Install" if you do not have Diablo II: Resurrected currently installed). Select "PTR: Diablo II: Resurrected" from this drop-down menu before proceeding.
Step 4: Click Install to begin the installation process.

Your PTR account will be created automatically if you do not already have one. The PTR is available in all supported languages, and accounts from all regions are eligible to participate. For additional assistance with installing and launching the PTR, click here.

Thank You for Playing

As we embark on a 2023 full of demons to slay, loot to acquire, and memories to make playing Diablo II: Resurrected—we want to thank you for your continued support. Your time spent testing the new features we cook up, as always, is heavily appreciated.

Comment by SchattensangHm. Trying to get us into the PTR with just announcing 8 new runes words, 6 of which are mostly mid-game and the other two only for two certain specs. It's also pretty hard to determine how good those rune words will feel in actual play when using them in a PTR environment.

Honestly I don't really feel it so far.Comment by toljarNo matter what runes they put in, the chase always ends at Enigma. Teleport is just too strong, plus some of these are pretty expensive rune words already. The low level ones are fine, but those but Mal, Cham and even Gul have better rune words on the board already. Not sure they would be worth spending here? I could be wrong.Comment by Devil64And no the teleport isn't actually that strong since if you cant aim, you don't actually use it.
I've gotten people to telestomp me or in my screen area as melee and charged them down because there aim was too far back or off due to the projectile being so slow/slower than my run/walk speed or because i can circle around them and they couldn't even hit me.

Hustle is gonna be a nice counter to Enigma i think. Combine that with Vigor Bow (Harmony*) and you got a nice weapon swap combo for PvP too.

As for Pve yea you may still want a teleport for walls. So for that on the feedback i would definitely put some buffs to Hustle for defenses otherwise Rare Teleport charges Neck/Circlet.

The Shapeshifting Runeword is on a level to be worth that HR. No freeze? 20 Damage Reduction? 10 All res? 5 skills (not including a +3 skill pelt base!)?
Sign me up for that runeword lol

The Sin Claws could be better but for mid game they are good if you can get the 3 skill base you want and RNG the charges. +5 skill to the build you want
and it has Prevent monster heal so you can run Uber D/D Clone with it. (Uber probably with the Phoenix build using the Sunder charm

The other 5 are just good protection runewords for mercs or yourself to whatever res your low on if you need it for a sunder charm probably i say lol.
Bulwark is prob a good merc one baseline in the beginning.

Thats my take on itComment by Whatdoyouwanti don't think any of this runewords will be viable except Bulwark, bulwark is very good for budget ladder starter merc.
Hustle will never be counter for enigma, cuz they are on a different league.
For what purpose will you make assa claws? You'll never play as assa on mid game, cuz assa needs only end game builds now, no point to play it until you are very rich.
If we won't see any changes blizzard sorc with sunder charm will completly dominant ladder start, as it was. You can probably make druid build for fun with a new words and again it would be only end game and it would be only for fun.
We need pve changes with the runewords, not runewords for pvp/mid season pvp it doesn't make any sense.Comment by EthernitiUhhh, so this is it for new season?Comment by Devil64Yea kinda true. I always look at thing through PvP perspective first. PvE wise Enigma is still king until it gets countered with Hustle allowing you to move through enemies, auto open doors, and break obstacles.
That would be good i sayComment by WhatdoyouwantOK, so let me get this straight:
They should pay Senpai and release PD2 with some features as a new expension. Everyone will buy it, it would be a POE killer, and we rly won't need D4. But it's just a dream.Comment by SemsesemThis in all honesty, is straight up disappointing..
It seems that for the past 4 months, they have literally done nothing.

And somewhere around a week ago, they asked a random intern, definitely not from the Diablo team, to come up with 8 random runewords..
And out of these 8 rw's theres really only 1 that has some potential, and thats Metamorphosis.

Where is:

All the balance changes to classes for this season

The new spells

The new currency tab in stash, where runes and gems etc. stack

Our charm inventory

Increased character slots per account and more shared stash tabs

The new balance changes to items - just find 10 underused uniques and buff them, like - Tyrael's Might, Templar's Might, Spirit Ward, Steel Shade, Soul Drainer, Doombringer, Viperfork, Mang Song's Lesson, Gloom's Trap and Cloudcrack - took me 3 min to pick out 10 underused uniques

Some use for Standard of Heroes pleease

Maybe some cube recipe or have it be a key to unlock some other end content boss, like a super cracked up version of Griswold or just think of something fun really.. give us something more.

official challenge run

Here's a couple of examples you could slap on a challenge run like that
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yHMB1GGcoF242am3ARjoEjk4hwbUNSNBDMTYL4xgZIw/edit?usp=sharing