Diablo 4 is becoming pretty complex with its gearing and itemization. There are so many things to look out for, build specifics, Mythic Uniques, affix rolls, Greater Affixes, and so on. In all that noise it’s easy to miss some really simple things and methods, so we’re starting a new series of extremely obvious things you may have missed or just forget to regularly do!
Tempering, AKA Bricking
In this first edition we’re taking a look at one of the biggest material sinks (and also positivity/will to live sinks), tempering! If you think you’ve found the perfect item, think again! Tempering can very quickly brick your item, making it unusuable, or at the very least a lot less usable than you thought. Even with the new Scroll of Restoration which gives you another fresh tempering slate, bricking a few items is inevitable.
Temper First!
So, what’s the uber-secret tech, the magic method that will help you not brick your items? Well, there isn’t one. This is “extremely obvious tips”, remember? So the entire opus of this particular one is simply: temper first. Yep, that’s it. When you get a new good item, start with tempering and see how that goes before doing anything else with it. Sounds incredibly simple and obvious, but many players spent a LOT of resources on enchanting an item BEFORE tempering it. And then when you spent tens/hundreds of millions of gold and a lot of mats getting that perfect enchant roll – you brick your item. TWICE. This may or may not be from personal experience… multiple personal experiences, but we’re definitely not the only ones to forget this simple little detail. Cornmonger_ also pointed this out, and reminded us that it’s probably something that players should be reminded of.
So, if you already knew this and always implemented the practice, good for you! Those few of you that didn’t, you’re welcome and maybe go thank cornmonger_!