Diablo 4 Season 9 PTR Leak Reveals Major Class Changes and Skill Buffs

Blizzard is preparing to launch the Diablo 4 Season 9 Public Test Realm (PTR) starting May 27 through June 3, 2025, exclusively on PC. This PTR, identified as patch 2.3.0, will preview the upcoming "Sins of the Horadrim" season, scheduled to run from July to September 2025. Thanks to dataminers, a comprehensive list of class changes has been leaked ahead of the PTR release, revealing significant balancing tweaks across all Diablo 4 classes.

The Sorcerer class leads the charge with 14 skill adjustments, including a notable buff to Spark, which now deals 25% damage per bolt, up from 12%. Arc Lash’s damage nearly doubles from 42% to 80%, while Fire Bolt and Firewall see substantial damage-over-time increases to 90% and 300%, respectively. These changes aim to enhance the Sorcerer’s elemental prowess and overall combat effectiveness.

Meanwhile, the Barbarian class receives six key skill buffs. Bash and Lunging Strike damage are dramatically increased from 33% to 90%, and Flay’s bleeding damage more than doubles from 48% to 115%. Frenzy-induced hits now inflict 70% damage, up from 30%, and Hammer of the Ancients receives a modest boost from 98% to 110%. Leap skill changes are particularly interesting, replacing knockback with a slowing effect that reduces enemy movement speed by 70% for five seconds, while increasing damage from 55% to 77%.

Season 9 will also introduce new aspects, such as the Necromancer’s Blighted Aspect, which now grants a 15–25% damage increase per consecutive hit with the Shadowblight Key Passive, resetting after six seconds. This replaces the previous mechanic that required ten hits for a larger damage boost.

For players looking to maximize their gameplay experience in Season 9, acquiring Diablo 4 gold will be crucial to upgrading gear and experimenting with new builds. Efficient gold farming methods, such as completing world events and farming dungeons, will help players stay competitive as the meta evolves with these class changes.

In summary, Season 9’s PTR promises exciting class rebalancing that will reshape combat strategies. Whether you favor the Sorcerer’s elemental mastery or the Barbarian’s brute force, these buffs will refresh the gameplay and offer new opportunities to optimize your character.