New Diablo 3 Patch Adds Higher Difficulty, New Zone, and a Diablo 2-Style Item

Ahead of its launch on the Public Test Realm, Blizzard has detailed Diablo III's patch 2.3.0, and it looks to be a major update.

Perhaps the most significant component of 2.3.0 is a new zone, Ruins of Sescheron, that you'll be able to visit. Blizzard says this area houses "mysteries from the lore of the mighty Barbarians" and the chance to obtain Kanai's Cube.

This new item is something of a callback to the Horadric Cube, an item that players set out to obtain in Diablo II. It served as both part of the story and as an item that allowed you to craft certain things. Kanai's Cube is said to be what the Horadric Cube originated from, and it thusly has more extensive powers. With one in hand, you'll be able to break down Legendary items and then equip special effects from them as passive skills. You'll also be able to convert crafting materials into different types, among other things.

Crafting in general is being overhauled to make it "easier and more fluid than ever." This is being done in part by making it so that the results of your crafting scale dynamically to your level, allowing for there to be fewer crafting recipes overall.

Other changes in 2.3.0 include the addition of four new Torment difficulty levels (making Torment X the new top difficulty) and new legendary and set items. Adventure mode is also being tweaked, as the Realm of Trials has been removed, act-specific crafting materials have been added to the rewards in Horadric Caches, and additional Caches will be granted by completing bonus acts.

2.3.0 will soon be available on Public Test Realms, where you're able to try out new content ahead of its official release. There's no word on when the patch will debut in the game proper, but Blizzard warns that some aspects of it could change between now and then.