Diablo IV is gearing up for an exhilarating new chapter with the upcoming **Vessel of Hatred** expansion and Season 6, introducing a slew of significant gameplay changes based on player feedback from the **Public Test Realm (PTR)**.

Key Updates from the PTR

1. **Masterworking Adjustments**

- The gold cost for Masterworking Ranks 5-12 has been cut by about **33%**, allowing players to enhance their gear more affordably.

- Masterworking materials will now drop from a wider array of sources within **Nightmare Dungeons**. Look for them in: - Resplendent chests - Normal chests - Interactive objects (like ambient corpses) - Breakable objects - Monsters like The Butcher and Treasure Goblins.

2. **Expanded Pit Tiers**

- Players can now dive into **150 Tiers** of The Pit, up from 100.

- Bonus tiers for swift clearances have been upped from **3 to 5**, making efficiency even more rewarding!

3. **Loot Enhancements**

- Loot quality from lower-level monsters has seen improvements, with a new guarantee for running into legendary items, enhancing the thrill of the hunt.

- Notably, **The Butcher** will always drop at least one legendary item and guarantee the coveted Butcher's Cleaver Unique weapon.

- The odds of finding **Ancestral quality** items from bosses like **Duriel** and **Andariel** have also doubled!

4. **Runeword and Socket Improvements**

- Changes to Runewords provide additional utility-focused bonuses rather than sticking strictly to damage scaling.

- The Jeweler is accessible from Level 1, alongside reduced requirements for crafting sockets on Ancestral items.

5. **Experience Rewards Boost**

- Enhanced experience rewards from both **Whisper Caches** and **Helltide chests** scale with difficulty, ensuring that players receive a fittingly rewarding experience.

- Adjustments were made to Strongholds to prevent easy farming of experience points, placing a premium on balanced gameplay.

6. **Class-specific Tweaks**

- Significant adjustments across all classes—including Barbarians, Druids, Necromancers, Rogues, and Sorcerers—improve skill effectiveness and balance.

- For instance, Barbarian players can look forward to revamped skills that enhance both utility and combat potency.

- Similarly, Rogues and Sorcerers received notable tweaks to enhance their gameplay dynamics, making them feel more engaging than ever.

7. **Quality of Life Changes**

- A new **Hybrid Targeting** feature has been added to assist players with selecting interactables while minimizing mouse movement.

- Quality of life improvements also include enhanced item drop mechanics, adjustments to difficulty scaling, and improvements in vendor item offerings.

Upcoming Features and What to Expect