Diablo 4 Season 11 makes 1 feature a double edged sword and it's the only change I have issues with

Entering Season 11, Diablo 4 After a fantastic 10th season, I had a lot of expectations to live up to. Like many fans, I was worried whether the proposed changes would be enough to Diablo 4 Turn 11 to the state necessary to feel impressive, and I was particularly worried about how the revamped Tempering and Masterworking system and the new Sanctification mechanic would hold up as a replacement for Chaos Armor. Although the season was helped by the surprise release of the Paladin class at the beginning of Season 11, the rest of the changes made Divine Intervention one of the best seasons yet, with one exception holding it back.

Part of what I love about diving into the new Diablo 4 season experimenting with new mechanics as I create my build. Trying out new builds is my favorite part of this game, so any new features that improve that process will keep me interested. While crafting a powerful build has never felt better in Season 11, with the efficient gear upgrade system and bonuses granted by Divine Gifts, the revamped potion system has been hit or miss for me and I wish there was something I could do to improve it.

Season 11's changes from Diablo 4 are almost perfect, but the new Potion Mechanic is frustrating

In addition to overhauling Tempering and Masterworking, one of the marquee features Diablo 4 Season 11 is increased combat difficulty. I appreciate the effort to improve enemy behavior and add more menacing affixes to certain enemy types, especially because of this Diablo 4 has always felt relatively easy compared to other ARPGs like Path of Exile 2. In an effort to further increase the difficulty of combat encounters, Diablo 4 Season 11 changed how potions work, but that change is pretty much my only sore spot this season.

How Diablo 4 Potions Changed in Season 11

Limited to 4 potions
Potions instantly heal 35% health
No potion upgrades in Alchemist
Potions recharge 1 every 30 seconds

Prior to Season 11, players could increase their potion capacity up to 9 by upgrading the potion slot to Diablo 4's Alchemist after reaching a certain level or by improving their renown. These potions also healed over time rather than instantly and did not recharge over time. While some of these changes are useful in the long run, they also force me to rethink my combat strategy, often leading to ill-timed deaths.

There is a +Potion Capacity suffix on Pants in Diablo 4so it's possible to get 1 or 2 more charges out of it.

Diablo 4 Season 11's new potion system can make or break tough encounters

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I understand that the reduced potion charges are meant to make the battle more strategic Diablo 4 Season 11 by taking away the ability for players to simply constantly yank potions to stay alive. Although for the most part I haven't had issues with losing too much life since I built the Paladin Diablo 4 Season 11 is very challenging and has it's own healing powers, there are times I panic and go drink a potion only to find I'm out of charge. The flaws of this system become apparent when potion drops are limited and some enemy affixes deal damage faster than I can heal.

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There are also benefits to this new potion system, and I think being able to recharge 1 potion every 30 seconds is a nice consolation prize for removing the ability to upgrade them. In tense combat situations, life regeneration can also come instantly rather than over time. However, of all the changes in Diablo 4 Season 11, this one still feels like it didn't quite pan out like the others and I hope to see it fleshed out some more in the future.