Diablo 4's new Masterwork system will take your gear to the next level

Diablo 4's new Masterwork system will take your gear to the next level
Images via Blizzard

Written by 

Dave McAdam

Published 

1st May 2024 15:25

Highlights:

  • Masterworks let you upgrade your weapon's affixes
  • Weapons can be upgraded twelve times using end-game materials
  • If the results aren't what you want, you can reset the weapon and start over

Diablo 4's new Masterwork system is a key part of the game's new approach to itemization, an overhaul of how players gather items and build their characters. Diablo 4 has needed an update to items and builds for a while, and these new steps seem to be in the right direction.

Masterworks allow you to take your existing weapons and dramatically increase the potency of their affixes. Here is everything you need to know.

How does the Masterwork system work?

Masterworks allow you to use rare materials to upgrade a weapon, improving all of the stat buffs given by the weapon's affixes. You can upgrade a weapon through masterwork twelve times, and every fourth upgrade gives a massive boost to just one of the affixes. Which affix gets the extra boost is random, but thankfully the new itemization system will mean fewer and more powerful affixes.

Masterworking a weapon at the Blacksmith in Diablo 4
Click to enlarge

We don't know too much yet about the materials used for Masterworks, only that they are the 'rarest materials found in the deepest mines and caverns', and can be acquired through a new dungeon-style activity called the Pit of Artificers.

This new mode has players entering a dungeon and clearing out enemies within a time limit. Kill enough regular enemies, and you'll take on a boss. Defeat the boss, and you move on to the next level and repeat. This mode has 200 levels to conquer, provided you are strong and fast enough.

The outcome of any Masterwork upgrade is random; you don't get to choose which affixes get the extra buffs, but you can try again. If you fully Masterwork an item to the twelfth level and it isn't exactly what you were hoping for, you can reset it and try again. This will be costly, but it gives you another chance to craft the perfect weapon for your build.

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That is everything we know about the Masterwork system so far. For more, head to our Diablo 4 homepage where we have guides on finding Helltide Commanders, unlocking all mounts, the Harlequin chest, Living Steel, and if the Battle Pass is worth your money.

Dave McAdam
About the author
Dave McAdam
Dave is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon, after several years of freelancing across the industry. He covers a wide range of games, with particular focus on shooters like Destiny 2, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.
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