On May 22nd, Blizzard shared exciting news in their campfire chat regarding the launch of the 2.3 PTR and the upcoming Season 9!

The Maxroll team has gathered to express their initial impressions on the 2.3 PTR notes.

Even though Season 8, featuring Belial's return, and patch 2.2 were rolled out just a few weeks prior, anticipation is already building for the next season!

As anticipated, earthquake builds are still dominating in season 8, despite undergoing significant nerfs not once, but twice. With the impending season 9 PTR, the only specific nerf targeting this build is the force of nature paragon node. This adjustment appears insufficient to displace the current leading builds. The main rival, mighty throw, has also suffered greatly due to various bug fixes and reductions in overpower damage. Consequently, many underperforming skills such as hammer of the ancients, upheaval, and double swing are left in a precarious position, particularly since there are no promising buffs on the horizon.

On another note, we are likely to witness a surge in the use of basic skills. Bash has already carved out a niche within this category, but it may face an identity shift with the introduction of hooves of the mountain god, a new item that allows frenzy and lunging strike to cleave. Although these builds share similarities, it remains to be seen which will emerge as the strongest. Flay, while being a unique option, shows potential with the new tyrant bane addition. While it’s unlikely any of these skills will claim the title of "best," they do provide valuable variety to the barbarian's toolkit.

— snail

Cataclysm is still hanging in there, despite a barrage of nerfs that have reduced its effectiveness to less than 5% of its season 8 value. However, it’s expected to remain a key player for druids. The era of easily integrating mjölnic ryng and cataclysm into any build for significant multipliers is over. Instead, builds will likely focus on grizzly rage, which has regained its permanent unstoppable status and now boasts a robust array of supportive aspects, or petrify if cooldown recovery is strong.

The adjustments to toxic claws and rabid bear, coupled with the new noxious spine-breaker, are enticing prospects for poison-based werebear builds. Historically, druids have struggled with damage over time scaling, and additional support from tyrant bane and seasonal effects will be essential for these builds to thrive. While there are some basic skill buffs, they may not significantly alter the status of basic skill builds, which have been lagging behind.

— boiler

The forthcoming patch introduces notable nerfs to combustion and enlightenment key passives, impacting all sorcerer builds. Depending on the specific build, these nerfs could result in damage reductions ranging from x4 to x50, equating to roughly 6 to 16 pit tiers. Additionally, lightning spear has not escaped unscathed, receiving a splintering energy nerf and a bug fix on sidhe bindings, causing another substantial drop in damage output. The silver lining is that lightning spear was previously overperforming, so it should remain viable, particularly for speedfarming non-pit content with optimized setups. Another positive aspect of these changes is the potential shift away from reliance on enlightenment, which could refresh gameplay dynamics.

Excitingly, the new hydra build is generating buzz, with expectations that it may emerge as one of the strongest sorcerer options.

— northwar

A significant shift in the necromancer meta is on the horizon, driven by the nerf to soulrift. The elimination of barrier generation and a drastic cut in damage multipliers makes the choice of a supporting ultimate skill more intriguing. We may witness a resurgence of bone storm and the shielding storm aspect to bolster survivability in endgame scenarios.

Blood builds are eyeing indira's memory and blood wave for damage and survivability enhancements. Meanwhile, minion builds might embrace a more glass cannon approach, possibly incorporating army of the dead, while darkness builds will depend on essence generation from soulrift and seek alternative barriers.

The introduction of new unique minion gloves promises to be transformative for the class, adding an element of intrigue to the PTR as we explore the evolving meta.

— macrobioboi

Basic attack enthusiasts have reason to celebrate! With the recent changes to adaptability and base damage boosts, our invigorating strike and heartseeker builds are set to outperform their season 8 iterations. We plan to delve into experimenting with other basic attacks during the PTR, so keep an eye out for updates.

Despite the nerf to death trap regarding overpower and eyes in the dark, it remains one of our strongest builds, as it is not reliant on the might of key passives. Conversely, builds like rain of arrows and twisting blades have felt the impact of these changes, leading to power losses compared to season 8. Builds leveraging momentum and exposure remain unaffected, meaning poison trap and shadow step are still robust options, especially with the addition of horadric powers.

The new flurry helmet has piqued the interest of our guide writers, but the PTR will reveal its true strength. We have a host of subtle adjustments planned for our existing guides, so be sure to check the updates as we approach the season 9 launch.

— avarilyn

Spiritborn may be on the brink of a good season. Unlike many other classes, they have experienced minimal nerfs, which bodes well for stronger builds like quill volley potentially ranking among the best in the game. While setups based on rod of kepeleke will feel the impact of the universal overpower nerfs, others will see limited effects from the change to the noxious resonance key passive. Overall, there seems to be a range of solid options for season 9, including the classic evade spiritborn, which remains unaffected by nerfs.

The new balazan's maxtlatl unique looks promising, offering the potential for a dedicated thorns/poison proc build or integration into existing thorns setups like rock splitter. Depending on its mechanics, this could emerge as a top-tier option. However, the "buff" to razor wings appears underwhelming, as this build is likely to stay among the weakest we currently cover across all classes. The "nerf" to hunter cooldown resets is expected to have minimal impact on endgame builds.

— wudijo

We invite you to enjoy the season of Belial's return, aided by our season 8 updates. Our focus for the remainder of the season is to ensure our build guides are up-to-date with the latest item changes, new features, and mechanic adjustments. We are also working on additional updates for d4planner!

Join our discord to stay informed about our content development and enhance your experience in season 8! Don't forget to visit our YouTube channel!

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