Diablo 4 Season 11 makes 1 have a double-edged sword, and that's the only change I have a problem with

Going into season 11, Diablo 4 had a lot of expectations to meet after the amazing season 10. Like many fans, I was wary of whether the proposed changes would be enough to raise Diablo 4 Season 11 to the status it takes to feel impactful, and I was particularly worried about how the overworked Tempering and Masterworking system and the new Sanctification mechanic would fare as replacements for Chaos Armor. While the season was helped by the surprise release of the Paladin class at the start of Season 11, the rest of the changes have made Season of Divine Intervention one of the best yet, with one exception holding it back.

Part of what I love about diving into a new one Diablo 4 season experimenting with the new mechanics as I create my build. Testing new builds is my favorite part of this game, so any new features that improve this process will stand out to me. While creating a powerful build has never felt better in Season 11, thanks to the streamlined gear upgrade system and bonuses granted by Divine Gifts, the reworked Potion system has been wrong for me, and I wish there was something I could do to improve it.

Season 11's changes to Diablo 4 are almost perfect, but the new potion mechanic is frustrating

Apart from the revision to Tempering and Masterworking, one of the marquee's functions Diablo 4 Season 11 is the increased battle difficulty. I appreciate the effort to improve enemy behavior and add more menacing affixes to certain enemy types, especially since Diablo 4 has always felt relatively easy compared to other ARPGs like Path of Exile 2. In an effort to further increase the difficulty of combat encounters, Diablo 4 Season 11 has changed the way Potions work, but this change is basically my only sore spot with this season.

How Diablo 4's potions have changed in Season 11

Limited to 4 drinks
Potions heal 35% of health instantly
No potion upgrades at Alchemist
Potions recharge 1 every 30 seconds

Prior to Season 11, players could increase their Potion capacity up to 9 by upgrading their Potions slot on Diablo 4's Alchemist after reaching a specific level or by improving his reputation. These potions also healed over time rather than instantly, and did not recharge over time. While some of these changes are useful in the long run, they also force me to rethink my combat strategy, often resulting in a poorly timed death.

There is a +Potion Capacity add-on that can be found at Pants in Diablo 4so it is possible to get 1 or 2 more charges from it.

Diablo 4 Season 11's new potion system can make or break tough encounters

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I understand that the reduced Potion Charges are meant to make combat more strategic Diablo 4 Season 11 by removing the ability for players to simply push Potions all the time to stay alive. Although for the most part I haven't had a problem losing too much life since my Paladin was built for Diablo 4 Season 11 is very tanky and has its own built in healing abilities, there are instances where I panic and go to drink a Potion only to find I'm out. The flaws in this system become apparent when Potion drops are limited, and certain enemy overlays deal damage that stacks faster than I can heal.

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There are benefits to this new Potion system as well, and I think the ability to charge 1 Potion every 30 seconds is a nice consolation prize for removing the ability to upgrade them. Regenerating life immediately rather than over time can also come in handy in tight combat situations. But of all the changes in Diablo 4 Season 11, this one still feels like it doesn't quite hit the mark like the others, and I hope it gets tweaked more in the future.