Diablo 4 Season 9 Sorcerer Damage Bug Explained - What Happened

Jul-11-2025

 

Season 9 of Diablo 4—Sins of the Horadrim—has introduced some of the most exciting mechanics the game has seen. But in the midst of all the new features, one bug stood above the rest: the Sorcerer infinite damage exploit, a glitch that briefly turned the fragile spellcaster into a god-slaying powerhouse capable of clearing Pit Tier 150 in seconds.

 

If you missed it—or are wondering why the community was so shaken—here's a detailed breakdown of what happened, how it worked, and why it got patched so quickly.

 

 

What Was the Sorcerer Infinite Damage Bug?

At its core, this bug stemmed from a bizarre but powerful interaction between two mechanics:

 

1. Enlightenment (Key Passive)

This passive rewards Sorcerers for casting different elemental skills (Fire, Lightning, Cold). Upon reaching 100 stacks, the Sorcerer becomes Enlightened, granting:

 

+25%[x] Damage

+45%[+] Mana Regeneration

+20%[+] Attack Speed

And most importantly: a combined elemental damage bonus.

 

2. Smoldering Embers (Infusion Jewel)

This Season 9 Infusion replaces its normal fire bonus with your highest elemental damage bonus, scaling accordingly.

 

The Bug Itself

When players entered a portal while Enlightenment was active, the Smoldering Embers' bonus would stack repeatedly and persist. Each portal entry essentially refreshed and stacked the damage buff, creating limitless scaling.

 

Players quickly discovered that this allowed them to:

Deal billions of % bonus Lightning, Fire, or Cold damage

One-shot bosses in the Pit's deepest tiers

Maintain massive buffs by jumping between dungeon levels

 

Community Reactions

The player base responded with a mix of amusement and frustration:

"Season 9 – Season of Bugs" became a common joke on Reddit

Others defended the bug as "fun" and wished Blizzard would let it stay

Competitive players worried about leaderboard integrity

 

For a moment, it felt like the Sorcerer—long considered one of Diablo 4's more fragile or underpowered classes—had finally gotten its day in the sun, albeit through unintended means.

 

 

Blizzard's Response

Blizzard acted swiftly and decisively. On July 9, a Hotfix (Patch 3) was deployed to:

 

Correct the infinite stacking interaction between Enlightenment and Smoldering Embers

Restore intended scaling behavior and damage limits

 

This fix effectively removed the bug from the game, ending what many called "the most fun Sorcerer has ever been."

 

 

My Thoughts on the Bug

The Good

It gave Sorcerers a rare moment to shine, especially for players tired of always being the "glass cannon with no cannon."

It was exhilarating—ripping through high-end content with unstoppable magic felt like a true fantasy power trip.

 

The Bad

It broke progression balance. When players can trivialize endgame content with a single interaction, it devalues the time and effort others spend playing legitimately.

It skewed leaderboards, hurt fair competition, and demotivated players chasing real build depth.

 

The Takeaway

This bug was never meant to exist, and while it led to some wild videos and heated forum chatter, it doesn't represent the true potential of the Sorcerer class.

 

Final Words for Players

If you experienced the bug firsthand, you likely had a blast. But for those who didn't—don't worry. Sorcerer builds in Season 9 remain strong even without it, especially with new uniques like the Ophidian Iris and powerful elemental combinations.

 

The real test of a Diablo build is how it performs under the game's intended rules. And while bugs like these are fun while they last, they ultimately detract from the satisfaction of overcoming challenges fairly.

 

Keep experimenting, keep casting, and keep pushing deeper into the Pit—no exploits required.