Season 8 & PTR 2.2.0: What You Need to Know!

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17/03/2025

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Before his return, Belial’s putrid deception flows freely through Sanctuary, corrupting the minds and bodies of the concerned populace. As Belial blurs the lines between reality and fiction, his influence grows. Will it satiate the seemingly insatiable hunger for power of the Lord of Lies to deceive all of Sanctuary?

The Public Test Realm (PTR) 2.2.0 for Diablo IV will be available from March 11 to March 18, giving you the chance to try out upcoming changes and features for the base game of the next season, as well as some updates for the Vessel of Hatred expansion.

The purpose of the PTR is to test updates and features with you before the next season, “Belial’s Return,” is released, where we will focus on bosses. Afterward, we will make adjustments based on your feedback before the next season goes live. With your feedback, we can make balance changes, fix bugs, and provide the best possible gameplay experience as we test new systems. Thank you for playing on the PTR.

Here’s what the PTR 2.2.0 previews before the next season:

Codex

Wield vengeance with Boss Powers
Deadly apparitions in a new event
Lair Boss overhaul
New legendary aspects and unique items
Features available for testing
How to provide feedback
How to install the PTR
PTR 2.2.0 patch notes

Wield Vengeance with Boss Powers
With illusory magic, you can now harness the very power that enemies once used to manipulate you, sending your wanderers to the dreaded “You Died” screen. Boss Powers are a new way to further deepen your builds by using abilities taken from the corpses of defeated World, Event, and Lair Bosses (formerly endgame bosses). Across Sanctuary, there are 24 bosses from whom you can obtain Boss Powers. Each Boss Power has 2 effects—a primary power and a modifier—that can be activated depending on the power slot in which they are equipped. Up to 1 primary power and 3 modifiers can be active at the same time.

The primary Boss Power you equip will be the star of the show, the skill that is most felt in your build. The Boss Power modifiers, on the other hand, should enhance the primary Boss Power you’ve chosen and take it to new heights. Experiment with different combinations of primary powers and modifiers to find the mix that best supports the identity of your build.

You will obtain Boss Powers by defeating specific bosses in Sanctuary for the first time this season. Various World Bosses, new Apparition Invasion Event Bosses (more on that later in the article), and even Lilith herself are among the diabolical titans offering Boss Powers.

Here is a complete list of all 24 Boss Powers, along with the effects of their primary powers and modifiers:

Can be obtained on any difficulty level

Chest Beam of the Walking Death (obtained after defeating the World Boss Walking Death)
- Primary Power: While channeling a skill, you summon a beam that deals 300% Frostburn damage per second. You deal 50%[x] increased damage to hit enemies for 1 second.
- Modifier: Your primary Boss Power instantly executes non-boss enemies with less than 15% health. When you execute enemies, you gain 25 Primary Resource.
Ashava’s Poison Breath (obtained after defeating the World Boss Ashava)
- Primary Power: When you hit an enemy affected by damage-over-time effects, you summon an acid wave that deals 400% Poison damage over 4 seconds. For every 1% of the enemy’s current health affected by damage over time, this effect deals 10% more Poison damage.
- Modifier: Once per cast, damage from your primary Boss Power also deals 45% Poison damage over 3 seconds.
Knorzer’s Explosive Ore (obtained after defeating the World Boss Knorzer the Gold-Damned)
- Primary Power: When you gain excess Primary Resource, you summon a piece of ore. After 2.5 seconds, this piece of ore explodes, dealing 700% Fire damage. You can summon up to 3 pieces of ore at once.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, all of your Primary Resource is consumed to increase the damage by 1.5%[x] per resource point spent.
Alleks’ Claws (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you use a Basic Skill, you deal 200% Lightning damage over 4 seconds to enemies hit by it.
- Modifier: Gain 5% movement speed, increased by 0.5% for every 1% Cooldown Reduction you have, up to a maximum of 11%.
Lesson of the Beastmaster (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: Each time you cast a Summoning Skill or call a Mercenary for reinforcement, one of your Mercenaries or Summons taunts your enemies, gaining 40% damage reduction.
- Modifier: Your Summons deal 5%[x] increased damage, increased by 0.25%[x] for every 1% Critical Strike Damage bonus you have from items and the Paragon system, up to a maximum of 17%[x].
Sabotage of the Extortionist (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you use a Core Skill while you have a Barrier, nearby enemies are knocked down for 1.1 seconds. This cannot occur more than once every 5 seconds for the same enemy.
- Modifier: Each time you gain Fortify, you also gain 20% of that amount as a Barrier.
Disruption of the Fleshcarver (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you deal damage to a Vulnerable enemy, their Vulnerability is removed, and they and nearby enemies are stunned for 0.5 seconds. This stun causes bosses to stagger 100% more.
- Modifier: Gain 5%[x] increased damage to Vulnerable targets, increased by 0.25%[x] for every 1% Crowd Control Duration bonus you have, up to a maximum of 10.5%[x].
Haste of the Embrace of Hatred (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you use a Shadow or Fire Skill, you gain 1.1% increased movement speed for 3 seconds, up to 11%.
- Modifier: You gain 5%[+] Critical Strike Chance, increased by 0.5%[+] for every 1% Shadow Resistance, up to a maximum of 22.5%[+].
Kirma’s Sparks (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you Evade, you deal 200% Lightning damage over 4 seconds to nearby enemies.
- Modifier: Your Evade Cooldown is reduced by 5%. This value is increased by 0.2% for every 1% Lightning Resistance you gain from bonuses, up to a maximum of 11%.
Eye of the Outlaw Sharpshooter (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you deal direct damage to a distant enemy, they and nearby enemies are slowed by 40% for 5 seconds.
- Modifier: You deal increased damage to enemies the further they are from you, up to 10.5%[x].
Sinerat’s Flames (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: Using a Mobility Skill burns nearby enemies for 200% Burning damage over 4 seconds.
- Modifier: Gain 5%[x] increased damage to all elements. You gain 0.2%[x] increased damage for each element for every 1% Resistance to that element from bonuses, up to a maximum of 15.5%[x].
Skerg’s Toxins (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you suffer damage-over-time effects from an enemy, you deal 1,000% Poison damage to them over 4 seconds.
- Modifier: When you suffer damage from damage-over-time effects, you have a 5% chance to be healed instead. This chance is increased by 50% of your Poison Resistance from bonuses, up to a maximum of 12%.
Torusk’s Wrath (obtained after defeating this apparition in the Apparition Invasion Event)
- Primary Power: When you deal damage to an enemy under Crowd Control, they and nearby enemies become Unstoppable, but you gain 10.5%[x] increased damage, Attack Speed, and Movement Speed for 3 seconds.
- Modifier: Gain 5%[+] Attack Speed, increased by 0.25%[+] for every 1% damage you deal to Crowd Controlled enemies, up to a maximum of 10.5%[+].

Must be obtained on Torment I or higher

Belial’s Crystal Lure (obtained after defeating Belial in a Lair Boss Ambush)
- Primary Power: When you use a Mobility, Defensive, or Macabre Skill, you summon a crystal that taunts enemies and explodes after 3 seconds, dealing 600% Shadow damage.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, you fill nearby enemies with Fear for 0.75 seconds and deal 50% Shadow damage to them.
Lilith’s Wind of Hatred (obtained after defeating Lilith)
- Primary Power: Attack enemies with a wave of spikes that lasts for 2 seconds and deals 250% Physical damage when you cast a spell. Enemies take 60%[x] increased damage from Wind of Hatred each time they are hit by it, up to 300%[x].
- Modifier: When you hit an Elite enemy with a primary Boss Power, an inactive Bubble Clone with 10% of your enemy’s maximum health is created for 15 seconds. If you kill this bubble, the Elite enemy loses 5.25% of its health. Except for World Bosses, Elite enemies can have up to 3 active bubbles at the same time.
Duriel’s Burrow (obtained after defeating the Greater Lair Boss Duriel)
- Primary Power: When you Evade, you now burrow underground, immobilizing enemies for 5 seconds upon entering and exiting, and dealing 200% damage to them. You deal 200% damage every 0.25 seconds while burrowed. The Evade Cooldown is increased by 4 seconds, and Evade Cooldown Reduction has 50% effectiveness.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, you gain 21%[+] increased Dodge Chance for 2 seconds. Each time you Dodge an attack, you immobilize nearby enemies for 3 seconds.
Belial’s Eye Beams (obtained after defeating the Exalted Lair Boss Belial, Lord of Lies)
- Primary Power: After drinking a Healing Potion, you gain 75% damage reduction for 2 seconds and summon eye beams that corrupt enemies for 1,750% damage over 3.5 seconds. Afterward, your Healing Potion is disabled for 5 seconds. You can drink your Healing Potion at full health.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, you gain Stealth for 2 seconds that cannot be interrupted. You deal 11%[x] increased Overpower damage while in Stealth.
Andariel’s Flame Skull (obtained after defeating the Greater Lair Boss Andariel)
- Primary Power: After standing still for 1 second, you summon a skull that orbits you for 4 seconds, spewing fire that deals 1,200% Burning damage to enemies over 3 seconds.
- Modifier: Burning enemies take 21% increased damage from your damage-over-time effects. After activating your primary Boss Power, you deal 1,800% Burning damage over 3 seconds with all your other attacks for 5 seconds.
Graupel of the Beast in Ice (obtained after defeating the Aspirant Lair Boss Beast in Ice)
- Primary Power: After using 3 skills that cause Crowd Control or Stagger effects, you fire Graupel spikes that deal 800% Cold damage and Freeze enemies for 2 seconds.
- Modifier: Your primary Boss Power now Chills enemies it damages for 2.5%[x].
Grigoire’s Lightning Grid (obtained after defeating the Aspirant Lair Boss Grigoire)
- Primary Power: After using a Core Skill, lightning tiles radiate from you for 1.2 seconds, dealing 300% Lightning damage per hit.
- Modifier: Once per activation, enemies hit by your primary Boss Power are stunned for 0.25 seconds when you deal damage to them.
Prince Zir’s Blood Pool (obtained after defeating the Aspirant Lair Boss Prince Zir)
- Primary Power: After dealing damage to an enemy, you summon a blood pool that deals 400% Bleeding damage over 4 seconds. You can have up to 3 active pools.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, you heal for 5.5% of your maximum health over 3 seconds.
Varshan’s Life Steal (obtained after defeating the Aspirant Lair Boss Varshan)
- Primary Power: Each time you lose 25% of your maximum health, you attach a life-stealing beam to your attacker, restoring 10% of your maximum health and dealing 1,200% Corruption damage to the attacker over 3 seconds.
- Modifier: When you activate your primary Boss Power, you deal 200% Corruption damage to nearby enemies over 2 seconds.
Urivar’s Throw Bombs (obtained after defeating the Aspirant Lair Boss Urivar. Requires the Vessel of Hatred expansion.)
- Primary Power: After using an Ultimate Skill, you throw 4 bombs that deal 800% Fire damage and reduce the cooldown of your Ultimate Skill by 5 seconds.
- Modifier: When you kill an enemy with your primary Boss Power, the cooldown of your Ultimate Skill is reduced by 0.2 seconds.
Salvo of the Herald of Hatred (obtained after defeating the Greater Lair Boss Herald of Hatred. Requires the Vessel of Hatred expansion.)
- Primary Power: After dealing damage to a Vulnerable enemy, you fire piercing projectiles that last for 1.3 seconds, deal 400% Fire damage, and make enemies Vulnerable. You deal 40%[x] increased damage to Vulnerable enemies.
- Modifier: When you use a Basic Skill while at max Resource, it is fully consumed to make all nearby enemies Vulnerable. When you activate your primary Boss Power, you gain 11%[x] increased damage to Vulnerable targets for 5 seconds.

Deadly Apparitions in a New Event
Belial is attempting to conquer Sanctuary for the first time since Lilith met her tragic end. His apparition monsters—illusory foot soldiers carrying out his lies—have been sighted throughout Sanctuary.

You must drive them out of your home by participating in the new Apparition Invasion Event. Any character, regardless of difficulty level, can participate in this event. The event occurs every few minutes in a different location in the wilderness of Sanctuary, so keep an eye on the map to find the current location.

Once you arrive, it’s time to send the deceivers back to their master’s imagination. Apparition monsters can be identified by Belial’s Mark, a horrifying green eye on their bodies. When you significantly thin the ranks of these monsters, 1 of 10 Apparition Bosses will attempt to take you down. If you defeat them, you will obtain their unique Boss Power. You will go through this skill test a second time before Belial, in a more comprehensible form, attempts to destroy you.

Completing the Apparition Invasion Event is a great way to unlock new Boss Powers during your leveling journey.

Lair Boss Overhaul
Bosses formerly known as endgame or leaderboard bosses have been divided into 3 tiers: Aspirant, Greater, and Exalted Lair Bosses, to better reflect their varying difficulty levels and rewards.

Aspirant Lair Bosses: Beast in Ice, Grigoire, Prince Zir, Varshan, and Urivar (only available to owners of Vessel of Hatred).
Greater Lair Bosses: Andariel, Duriel, and Herald of Hatred (only available to owners of Vessel of Hatred).
Exalted Lair Bosses: Belial, Lord of Lies.

You must be on Torment I or higher to fight a Lair Boss.

Lair Boss Loot
Lair Bosses no longer require boss materials to summon and provide a significantly reduced reward upon death. Instead, when a Lair Boss dies, a chest called a “Hoard” appears, containing its loot. Each player must spend their own boss materials to open their Hoard.

The first unique item dropped by a Lair Boss comes from its own unique pool. Additional unique items have a 50% chance to come from the general unique item pool.

When playing in a group, Lair Bosses have a 33% chance per additional group member to drop an additional unique item from their unique pool.

Lair Bosses now drop 5 instead of 6 unique items in Torment IV.

Lair Boss Keys
A Lair Boss Key is required to open each boss’s Hoard. These are specific items for each boss, such as: