Diablo 4's New Pet Feature is Breaking Builds

Blizzard Entertainment has introduced pets into Diablo 4, providing players with companions that enhance the gaming experience by assisting in resource collection throughout the treacherous land of Sanctuary. This new feature was highly anticipated, as many players missed the presence of pets from previous installments in the series.

However, the addition of pets has brought unforeseen challenges, particularly for Necromancer players who favor non-minion builds. The pets are being categorized as minions, which interferes with certain gameplay mechanics and builds. This classification issue is leading to reduced effectiveness of specific skills and traits, causing a significant impact on gameplay strategies for some Necromancer players. Blizzard is currently working on a fix, but in the meantime, players may need to explore other builds or classes to avoid these issues.

How the Pet Bug is a Problem for Diablo 4 Necromancers

The recent bug in Diablo 4 has presented significant issues for players using Necromancer builds that focus on non-minions. These players typically operate by sacrificing the use of minions to gain an enhanced power boost. Unfortunately, the bug causes pets to be classified as minions, thereby interfering with the effectiveness of non-minion builds. Specifically, key skills and glyphs such as Sacrificial and Stand Alone suffer reduced effectiveness when pets are involved, diminishing the potential damage output and passive gains that these builds rely on.

Minion-focused Necromancer builds, in contrast, benefit from these interactions. For example, players equipped with the Deathspeaker's Pendant receive an additional Blood Surge explosion, which can significantly enhance their combat prowess. This discrepancy creates an uneven playing field, making non-minion builds less attractive to players until a proper fix is implemented.

Blizzard has acknowledged the issue, with community manager Adam Fletcher confirming via Twitter that a fix is in development. Although no specific release date for the update has been provided, the communication assures players that the current interactions were not intended. In the meantime, players who favor non-minion Necromancer builds might consider experimenting with other classes or builds to avoid the negative impact of this bug on their performance.

Given that Diablo 4 is an action RPG designed to offer a balanced and engaging experience across its five classes, issues like these can significantly affect gameplay enjoyment. Players navigating the open world of Sanctuary to confront Lilith and complete various quests deserve reliable mechanics to fully explore their chosen playstyles. As Blizzard works towards resolving this bug, the community looks forward to a more balanced and equitable gaming experience.