buy diablo 4 items’s loot system has been a consistent point of contention since launch — with players asking for better itemization, more meaningful loot drops, and less reliance on RNG to complete endgame builds. In his April 2025 interview with Rhykker, Game Director Brent Gibson unveiled a significant overhaul to how gear will work going forward, starting with Season 9.
The Problem: Loot Fatigue and “Garbage Rain”
Rhykker bluntly asked what many in the community have felt: “Why does so much loot drop, but so little of it matters?” Gibson agreed. He referred to the current loot economy as “overly generous in quantity, but starved of quality and clarity.” This led to a renewed focus on what he called the three pillars of meaningful loot: Clarity, Customization, and Excitement.
The Loot Overhaul: What’s Changing?
Gibson outlined a multi-phase loot system revamp designed to launch in parts across 2025, starting with Season 9 ("Ashes of Andariel").
1. Loot Filtering and Smart Rolls
Diablo IV will introduce an in-game loot filter, with presets and custom rules. Players can flag gear they want to auto-hide or auto-highlight — a huge quality-of-life upgrade that eliminates the need for third-party tools or frantic inventory management.
Additionally, “Smart Rolls” are being introduced. These are affixes on gear that prioritize synergy with your current build. For example, if your Sorcerer is focused on Frozen Orb, drops will more frequently include Cold Damage, Mana Regen, or Vulnerable status enhancements.
2. Runeshards and Target Crafting
In a major twist, players will now be able to disassemble Legendary and Unique items into “Runeshards.” These shards can be used to reforge similar items or target specific affix types. Rhykker emphasized how this moves away from random gambling systems, giving players partial agency over their upgrades.
Crafting vendors will also be updated with “Rune Melding,” allowing you to fuse three sub-optimal items into one potentially better roll. This echoes the Horadric Cube mechanic from Diablo II, something longtime fans will recognize as a welcome return.
3. New Item Tier – Mythics
Rhykker was given exclusive early details about Mythic Items — ultra-rare drops with a single, locked-in, game-changing affix. Unlike Uniques, which affect a few builds, Mythics are designed to completely alter core mechanics.
An example? A Mythic Barbarian axe that turns every shout into a permanent passive — at the cost of a 50% cooldown increase. These items are not just powerful but introduce difficult trade-offs, aligning with Gibson’s goal of “build-shaping over build-breaking.”
Affix Simplification and Power Budget
A major part of the overhaul is removing redundant or confusing affixes. Things like “Chance to Slow on Hit” or “+Armor vs Dazed Enemies” are being consolidated or removed entirely to make affix choices cleaner and more impactful. The development team is also rebalancing the power budget — reducing the number of high-rolls needed to make an item feel “build-ready.”
Endgame Integration – Loot with Purpose
Gibson also teased that the new item system will tie more closely into endgame content. For instance:
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Nightmare Dungeons will drop class-themed loot.
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PvP zones will yield high-risk, high-reward crafting materials.
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World Bosses will drop unique affix-based reagents used in Mythic forging.
In Rhykker’s words, “This feels less like random spam and more like earning the final piece of a plan I built myself.”
A Dynamic Economy
Another intriguing feature: Item aging. Mythics and Uniques will degrade with each death in Hardcore or PvP, increasing risk and strategic decision-making around when to use your best gear. This change is designed to keep the economy dynamic and encourage strategic gearing, not just hoarding.
Community Reception
The reveal has generated buzz across Reddit, YouTube, and Twitch. Many players compare the overhaul to Path of Exile’s crafting depth combined with Diablo II’s elegance. It's clear the dev team is pushing toward build diversity and long-term engagement rather than short-term dopamine hits.
Final Thoughts
Gibson and Rhykker’s interview made one D4 Materials for Sale thing clear: Diablo IV’s loot future is not about more — it’s about better. With smart drops, crafting flexibility, and Mythic gear on the horizon, players may finally get the depth and reward loop they’ve been craving.