Blizzard has announced Patch 2.6.8 PTR will go live for Public Testing this Thursday bringing a number of changes, tweaks and bug fixes. Players have two weeks to try to new modifications. The biggest change the new patch is bringing is a three-class set adding Barbarians, Witch Doctors, and Wizards Coming in Diablo 3. These new classes will equip new special too set leaving a lot of room for exploration and experimentation.
The patch also adds two active buffs rewarding players with higher Legendary drop and double Blood Shard drops. You can purchase customized gears also which are sold by special PTR Vendor D’jank Miem in exchange for Blood Shards.
To test the new Diablo 3 PTR Update from Battle.net app choose Diablo 3 from the left menu. On the game, screen click on the drop-down menu above the Play button. Select PTR Diablo 3, it will be installed first and then you can test out all new changes and updates by Patch 2.6.8.
Players can share their views on the updates in the PTR Feedback forums & details on bugs and issues will be reported in the PTR Bug Report forum.
Diablo 3 Patch 2.6.8 Logs:
General
- Infernal Machines and Organs are now subject to vacuum pick-up
- Crafting plans from Bounty Caches are now guaranteed to drop unless all plans have been learned
Seasons
A new Season Theme has been added for Season 20, the Season of the Forbidden Archives:
- For the duration of Season 20, all slots in Kanai’s Cube will be able to select Legendary powers from Weapon, Armor, or Jewelry.
- This means you could select three Armor powers, three Weapon powers, three Jewelry powers, or any other combination thereof across all categories
- Items are not self-additive or multiplicative (meaning, you cannot stack multiples of the same item’s power).
- Once the Season has ended and characters roll over to Non-Season, players will have all currently active powers in their Kanai’s Cube reset
- Developer’s Note: As we outlined in our Developer Insight blog, we want to continue to get creative (and maybe a little crazy) with the Season Themes and powers we add to the game. We heard from some players that they preferred themes that made your character directly feel more powerful rather than needing to focus on the environment around you. If that describes you, then the Season of Forbidden Archives should be right up your alley, and we’re really interested to see how this changes the game for Season 20.
- Two new Seasonal rewards are available for players who fully complete the Season 20 Journey, including a new portrait frame and pet
Classes
- This means you could select three Armor powers, three Weapon powers, three Jewelry powers, or any other combination thereof across all categories
- Items are not self-additive or multiplicative (meaning, you cannot stack multiples of the same item’s power).
- Once the Season has ended and characters roll over to Non-Season, players will have all currently active powers in their Kanai’s Cube reset
- Developer’s Note: As we outlined in our Developer Insight blog, we want to continue to get creative (and maybe a little crazy) with the Season Themes and powers we add to the game. We heard from some players that they preferred themes that made your character directly feel more powerful rather than needing to focus on the environment around you. If that describes you, then the Season of Forbidden Archives should be right up your alley, and we’re really interested to see how this changes the game for Season 20.
Crusader
- Heaven’s Fury – The animation for the Fires of Heaven rune can no longer be canceled early.
Items
- Developer’s Note: With Patch 2.6.8, we’re adding three(!) new class sets with similar goals to those we included in the previous patch. Each set was designed primarily with boosting long-requested skills and play styles we lifted directly from community feedback. Frenzy, Spirit Barrage, and Hydra were requests that offered a lot of opportunity for gameplay exploration, and we’re looking forward to seeing what players do with these new tools at their disposal. Additional changes to associated supplemental Legendaries have been included to round out these builds. It is critical when providing feedback on these sets to include whether or not you were using the Season 20 buff during your testing; while feedback of any kind is welcome, we’re especially interested in Non-Seasonal testing as that will better reflect the long-term performance of these sets.
- Mantle of Channeling
- The bonus granted by this item now occurs 1 second after channeling has begun
- Barbarian
- New Class Set: Horde of the Ninety Savages
- 2-Piece Bonus: Double the effectiveness of all Shouts. Feared Enemies take double damage.
- 4-Piece Bonus: Each stack of Frenzy reduces damage taken by 5%.
- 6-Piece Bonus: Frenzy deals 1000% increased damage per stack.
- Undisputed Champion
- Frenzy gains the effect of every rune and deals 300-400% increased damage.
- Bastion’s Revered
- Frenzy now stacks up to 10 times and hits an additional time per stack. Each additional hit will chain to any enemies within 15 yards and the damage is split between all affected enemies.
- Witch Doctor
- New Class Set: Mundunugu’s Regalia
- 2-Piece Bonus: Big Bad Voodoo now follows you and lasts twice as long.
- 4-Piece Bonus: Gain 50% damage reduction for 30 seconds when you enter the Spirit Realm.
- 6-Piece Bonus: Spirit Barrage deals increased damage equal to 50 times your Mana Regeneration per Second.
- The Barber
- Instead of dealing direct damage, your Spirit Barrage now accumulates on the target. When you stop casting, it explodes dealing 400-500% of the accumulated damage to all enemies within 15 yards.
- Gazing Demise
- Spirit Barrage gains the Phantasm rune. Each active Phantasm lasts twice as long, increases the damage of Spirit Barrage by 100-150%, and also increases the attack rate from Manitou spectres.
- Now always rolls with Critical Hit Chance instead of Life Per Second.
- Wizard
- New Class Set: The Typhon’s Veil
- 2-Piece Bonus: Double the duration of Hydras and increase the number of heads on multi-headed Hydras by two.
- 4-Piece Bonus: Damage taken is reduced by 8% for each Hydra head alive as long as there is one available. Each time you take damage, a Hydra heads dies.
- 6-Piece Bonus: Hydras deal 1000% increased damage for each Hydra head alive.
- Serpent’s Sparker
- You may have one extra Hydra active at a time and they deal 450-600% increased damage.
- The Magistrate
- Frost Hydra Your Hydras now periodically casts Frost Nova and deal 450-600% increased damage.
- Etched Sigil
- The bonus granted by this item now occurs 1 second after channeling has begun.
- Deathwish
- The bonus granted by this item now occurs 1 second after channeling has begun.
Bugs
The bonus granted by this item now occurs 1 second after channeling has begun
New Class Set: Horde of the Ninety Savages
2-Piece Bonus: Double the effectiveness of all Shouts. Feared Enemies take double damage.
4-Piece Bonus: Each stack of Frenzy reduces damage taken by 5%.
6-Piece Bonus: Frenzy deals 1000% increased damage per stack.
Undisputed Champion
Frenzy gains the effect of every rune and deals 300-400% increased damage.
Bastion’s Revered
Frenzy now stacks up to 10 times and hits an additional time per stack. Each additional hit will chain to any enemies within 15 yards and the damage is split between all affected enemies.
2-Piece Bonus: Double the effectiveness of all Shouts. Feared Enemies take double damage.
4-Piece Bonus: Each stack of Frenzy reduces damage taken by 5%.
6-Piece Bonus: Frenzy deals 1000% increased damage per stack.
Frenzy gains the effect of every rune and deals 300-400% increased damage.
Frenzy now stacks up to 10 times and hits an additional time per stack. Each additional hit will chain to any enemies within 15 yards and the damage is split between all affected enemies.
New Class Set: Mundunugu’s Regalia
2-Piece Bonus: Big Bad Voodoo now follows you and lasts twice as long.
4-Piece Bonus: Gain 50% damage reduction for 30 seconds when you enter the Spirit Realm.
6-Piece Bonus: Spirit Barrage deals increased damage equal to 50 times your Mana Regeneration per Second.
The Barber
Instead of dealing direct damage, your Spirit Barrage now accumulates on the target. When you stop casting, it explodes dealing 400-500% of the accumulated damage to all enemies within 15 yards.
Gazing Demise
Spirit Barrage gains the Phantasm rune. Each active Phantasm lasts twice as long, increases the damage of Spirit Barrage by 100-150%, and also increases the attack rate from Manitou spectres.
Now always rolls with Critical Hit Chance instead of Life Per Second.
2-Piece Bonus: Big Bad Voodoo now follows you and lasts twice as long.
4-Piece Bonus: Gain 50% damage reduction for 30 seconds when you enter the Spirit Realm.
6-Piece Bonus: Spirit Barrage deals increased damage equal to 50 times your Mana Regeneration per Second.
Instead of dealing direct damage, your Spirit Barrage now accumulates on the target. When you stop casting, it explodes dealing 400-500% of the accumulated damage to all enemies within 15 yards.
Spirit Barrage gains the Phantasm rune. Each active Phantasm lasts twice as long, increases the damage of Spirit Barrage by 100-150%, and also increases the attack rate from Manitou spectres.
Now always rolls with Critical Hit Chance instead of Life Per Second.
New Class Set: The Typhon’s Veil
2-Piece Bonus: Double the duration of Hydras and increase the number of heads on multi-headed Hydras by two.
4-Piece Bonus: Damage taken is reduced by 8% for each Hydra head alive as long as there is one available. Each time you take damage, a Hydra heads dies.
6-Piece Bonus: Hydras deal 1000% increased damage for each Hydra head alive.
2-Piece Bonus: Double the duration of Hydras and increase the number of heads on multi-headed Hydras by two.
4-Piece Bonus: Damage taken is reduced by 8% for each Hydra head alive as long as there is one available. Each time you take damage, a Hydra heads dies.
6-Piece Bonus: Hydras deal 1000% increased damage for each Hydra head alive.
You may have one extra Hydra active at a time and they deal 450-600% increased damage.
Frost Hydra Your Hydras now periodically casts Frost Nova and deal 450-600% increased damage.
The bonus granted by this item now occurs 1 second after channeling has begun.
Several issues with adding/removing players to group and starting new games as a group have been resolved
Captain Crimson’s Trimmings
Fixed an issue where the set bonus did not increase damage reduction when using Devour – Voracious
Crusader
Corrected the spelling of “Imperius” on the flavor text for several pieces of the Aegis of Valor set
Fixed an issue where the bolts cast by Fist of the Heavens – Divine Well failed to zap enemies
Source: Diablo PTR 2.6.8 Patch Logs
Fixed an issue where the set bonus did not increase damage reduction when using Devour – Voracious
Corrected the spelling of “Imperius” on the flavor text for several pieces of the Aegis of Valor set
Fixed an issue where the bolts cast by Fist of the Heavens – Divine Well failed to zap enemies
