I've written a few times about playing Diablo 4 as a single-player narrative game, and I know that's not the 'right' way to play it, but it’s the way that works for me. Some quests are repetitive, some dungeons don't make that much sense if you're not the right class, and it's odd that several Acts are happening all at once. But still, I like it. I was never planning on sticking around season after season, but there's enough content in just one playthrough to sustain me. However, recent changes to the game have only served to remind me that there is a right way to play, and a wrong way to play - and I'm playing the wrong way.
I chose Sorceress for my character, not because of any meta reasoning or ideal build, but because magic is cool. I don't often go for magic characters in action RPGs as I prefer the hacking 'n' slashing melee characters provide, but with Diablo's ARPG tendency to dominate the screen, the ability to summon a fire snake is a great way to control things. I don't need to worry about my teammates or PvP because I am ignoring all of the online and multiplayer portions as best I can. Unfortunately, the latest update makes this very difficult.
The Sorceress class is probably the weakest overall in terms of raw durability, and therefore relies heavily on defensive items: all of which have been nerfed in the latest update, leaving the Sorceress more exposed than ever. Devouring Blaze, one of the most crucial skills for a Sorceress, has also been nerfed. This skill upped your crit rate and did extra damage to immobilised enemies, the former of which has been reduced and the latter of which has been removed entirely.
As I've said many times, I know I'm not playing Diablo properly. For those who do, constant tweaks to each class are needed, and as players find new ways to play, the need for balance comes into it. If the devs just leave things alone, eventually players figure out which class is best and which ones can be easily countered, and soon everyone plays the same way. For variety as much as anything else, these long-running games need to be patched and balanced every now and then. Of course, fans aren't happy with what has happened to Sorceress either, but for entirely different reasons.
For me, I would have been very happy if it were just not touched. I like my Sorceress build, and I don't like the idea that midway through the story I suddenly get weaker not through any action of my own or because of a narrative plot point, but because the devs changed things up. For others, this update seems to unfairly target the Sorc class, stripping it of much viability. It will undoubtedly get a buff next time around to bring it back in line, but for consistent players these updates are a precise act of balance.
Even without my 'just leave it mate, it's not worth it' mentality, this seems like an extremely heavy-handed patch that takes aim at most of the classes (but especially Sorc). This may be what Blizzard always wanted, it may have looked at the way the game played at launch and decided this was never the intention and made steps to change it. However, given how well-received the game was, it feels foolish to then 'correct' so many things that players were enjoying. Balance and fairness is important, but the aim of this balance should be that everyone has a good time, and that doesn't seem to be the intent of this update.
Mostly, I just want to build my character and stick with them until the end of the game. I know I'm not playing Diablo 'right', but it's frustrating that things are changing so much and even the players who like these changes don't like them. Diablo, I just wanna Sorc goddammit.