Blizzard rolled out a new hotfix for Diablo 4 Season 8 on May 27, targeting one of the endgame's most contentious systems- Masterworking. While the patch does introduce a much-needed nerf to some of the crafting costs associated with gear upgrades, it falls short of addressing the core frustrations players have voiced since the system's introduction.

Let's break down what the hotfix changed, what it didn't, and why many players still feel let down despite the cost reductions.

What Is Masterworking in Diablo 4?

Masterworking is a late-game gear enhancement system that allows players to further boost the stats on Ancestral gear. Using specific crafting D4 materials, players can upgrade gear through 12 Masterworking ranks at the Blacksmith, with each rank increasing the strength of affixes or stats.

While the system provides powerful bonuses, it's also extremely resource-intensive, especially if you make a mistake and need to reset a piece of gear.

What Changed in the May 27 Hotfix?

The May 27 hotfix in Season 8 made the following changes:

1. Reduced Resource Costs for Ranks 1- 4

The early tiers of Masterworking now require fewer materials- a welcome adjustment for players looking to begin the system on multiple Diablo 4 Items.

Here are the post-nerf Masterworking costs for Ranks 1- 4 of a Unique item:

Rank 1:

·Obducite x10

·Iron Chunks x10

·Veiled Crystals x10

·Baleful Fragment x1

·64,000 Gold

Rank 2:

·Obducite x20

·Iron Chunks x15

·Veiled Crystals x10

·Baleful Fragment x1

·86,000 Gold

Rank 3:

·Obducite x30

·Iron Chunks x20

·Veiled Crystals x15

·Baleful Fragments x2

·110,000 Gold

Rank 4:

·Obducite x40

·Iron Chunks x30

·Veiled Crystals x20

·Baleful Fragments x3

·150,000 Gold

Reduced Reset Costs

Resetting a Masterworked item is now significantly cheaper:

Reset Costs:

·Iron Chunks x10

·Veiled Crystals x5

·Baleful Fragment x1

·5 million Gold

Previously, the reset cost was prohibitively expensive, discouraging experimentation. This update helps, but still requires a deep currency stash.

What Didn't Change?

The two resources that weren't nerfed are:

·Obducite

·Gold

These remain significant bottlenecks, especially Obducite, which is far rarer than other crafting materials. While Gold is more plentiful, the cumulative cost of mastering multiple pieces to Rank 12 can easily reach into the tens of millions- a daunting requirement even for active players.

Why the Update Falls Short

The community appreciates the partial nerf, but many feel the hotfix missed the mark. Here's why:

1. Obducite Remains a Major Bottleneck

Despite having stockpiles of Iron Chunks, Veiled Crystals, and Baleful Fragments, many players are stuck with only a few hundred Obducite. Since this is a required material for every Masterworking tier, the lack of supply severely limits progression.

2. High Gold Sink

Masterworking remains one of the biggest gold sinks in Diablo 4. While Gold is farmable, burning through 5M or more per reset, combined with high upgrade costs,

It can feel punishing, especially when trying out multiple gear setups or builds.

Will This Change in Season 9?

While Blizzard has shown they're willing to make incremental improvements, many players are hoping for more substantial changes in Season 9. These may include:

·Improved Obducite drop rates or alternative sources

·Cost scaling rebalancing beyond Rank 4

·More accessible resets or item previewing to avoid mistakes

Final Thoughts

The May 27 hotfix for Diablo 4 Season 8 is a step in the right direction, offering relief for early-tier Masterworking. But it's clear the system still needs tuning, especially regarding Obducite scarcity and gold requirements.

Until Blizzard reworks the system more comprehensively, players will need to farm carefully, plan their upgrades meticulously, and save those precious Obducite drops for only the best gear.