Diablo 4 Hotfix 4 Fixes Warlock Damage and Farming Issues

Diablo 4 Hotfix 4 is now live for Season 15 with a series of bug fixes covering combat interactions, farming exploits, seasonal progression, and other gameplay issues.

The September 22 hotfix does not introduce a broad class balance update. Instead, it removes several unintended mechanics that could affect damage, experience, loot, and character progression. The biggest changes involve Fiend of Abbadon, Old Mountain Talisman, Prime Evil Council, and The Butcher.

Fiend of Abbadon Warlock Damage Has Been Fixed

Blizzard has fixed an issue with the Fiend of Abbadon’s Lesser Demon Bonus upgrade that allowed Warlocks to deal unintended damage.

The important part for Warlock players is that the upgrade has been re-enabled after the underlying issue was fixed. Players can therefore continue using the Lesser Demon Bonus without relying on the previous unintended damage interaction.

This is a targeted bug fix rather than a general Warlock balance change. If a Warlock build was built around the affected interaction, its damage should be tested again after the hotfix.

Old Mountain Talisman and Grief Interaction Is Fixed

Hotfix 4 also addresses a separate damage issue involving the Old Mountain Talisman 5-set bonus and Grief.

The combination could produce unintended damage, and Blizzard has now fixed the interaction.

Because this is a separate mechanic from the Fiend of Abbadon issue, players using either item interaction should treat the post-hotfix damage results as the new baseline.

Prime Evil Council Farming Has Been Adjusted

The Prime Evil Council could previously be used to obtain excessive amounts of experience and loot.

Hotfix 4 fixes that issue by increasing the cooldown for the Prime Evil Council to grant loot. The encounter itself remains in the game, but repeatedly farming it for unusually high rewards is no longer possible in the same way.

For Season 15 players, this means the Council should no longer be treated as an unlimited high-efficiency source of XP and loot based on the previous bug.

Infinite Butcher Spawning Has Been Removed

Another farming-related issue involved The Butcher.

Under the previous bug, The Butcher could be spawned infinitely, creating an unintended way to repeatedly access the encounter and its rewards. Blizzard has fixed the issue in Hotfix 4.

The change does not remove The Butcher from Diablo 4. It simply prevents the encounter from being generated infinitely through the bug.

Wirt's Lucky Coin Portal Bug Is Fixed

Hotfix 4 also fixes a problem with Wirt's Lucky Coins.

Previously, the Tristram fountain could consume the coins without successfully opening the portal. The hotfix prevents the fountain from consuming the coins while failing to provide the intended portal.

This is particularly relevant for players using the associated Tristram activity, since the issue could consume the required item without producing the expected result.

Kurast Undercity and Seasonal Rewards Now Work Correctly

Two additional reward-related issues have been addressed.

First, Horadric Cube Crafting Materials were not always being awarded correctly from their associated Kurast Undercity Tributes. Hotfix 4 fixes that reward problem.

Second, the Resplendent Cache from Seasonal Reputation could fail to grant a Resplendent Spark. That issue has also been fixed, so the cache should now provide its intended reward.

These changes are less dramatic than the farming fixes, but they are important for players progressing through Season 15 because they remove cases where completing an activity did not provide the expected reward.

Class Quests and Switch 2 Issues Are Also Fixed

The hotfix includes two additional groups of fixes.

Blizzard has resolved various issues that could prevent Class Quests from being completed, removing progression blockers for affected characters.

Players on Nintendo Switch 2 can also now use the variant skills added with the Lord of Hatred expansion. The previous issue prevented those skills from being used correctly.

What Hotfix 4 Means for Season 15 Players

Most players do not need to completely change their builds because of Hotfix 4. The update is primarily focused on removing unintended interactions and fixing progression problems rather than making broad balance changes.

Warlock players affected by the Fiend of Abbadon interaction should retest their damage, while players who were using the Prime Evil Council or infinite Butcher behavior for farming should stop relying on those methods.

For everyone else, the main benefit is more consistent progression and rewards across several Season 15 activities. Hotfix 4 closes several unintended shortcuts while fixing bugs that could prevent players from receiving the rewards or progression they were supposed to get.