Masterworking isn’t a new mechanic to Diablo 4, but as of Season 4 Loot Reborn, the system has been slightly altered. In the past, Masterworking would be present in all stages of the game. It was a surefire way to upgrade, say, a weapon to keep it relevant for a little longer until you at least found a replacement. During the endgame, you’d Masterwork your gear to eke out more performance. You’ll engage with Masterworking in a similar manner, but it’s strictly an endgame mechanic now, tied with Tempering.
Diablo 4: How to Masterwork Your Gear (& What it Does)
What is Masterworking?
Originally, any blacksmith you visit in Diablo 4 could Masterwork your gear a handful of times, and each time, the stats would increase by 5%. This was across the board and was pretty nice, especially when you could do it as many as four or five times. The stat increase to an item’s affix is unchanged—5% each time you Masterwork your gear.
However, in Loot Reborn, you can now Masterwork an item as many as 12 times, which is the maximum. Furthermore, every 4th Masterwork, only one of the affixes will be chosen at random and boosted by 25% as opposed to 5% for every stat. The interesting part is that an affix can receive the same boost several times, if you’re lucky.
Of course, the chances of that happening are slim, but unlike Tempering, you can wipe the slate clean and try again. For example, if you were hoping to get a 25% increase to minion damage, but didn’t, you can reset it. You’ll have to farm the materials again, but at least your item won’t be bricked.
How to Masterwork Gear in Diablo 4
Sounds exciting, right? Well, to start Masterworking your gear in Diablo 4, you’ll need to start with Tempering. To be specific, you have to Temper an Ancestral Legendary or Uber Unique to the maximum. Only then will an item be ready for Masterworking.
The next step is to unlock World Tier 4 (Torment) and start participating in The Pit of Artificers. It’s a timed dungeon that has you slaying monsters to fill a meter, and when it’s full, you’ll face off against a boss. If you’re a Diablo 3 veteran, it’s essentially Nephalem Rifts.
Should you defeat said boss, they’ll drop Masterworking crafting materials, such as:
- Obducite: Required for Masterwork ranks 1 through 4.
- Ingolith: Required for Masterwork ranks 5 through 8.
- Neathiron: Required for Masterwork ranks 9 through 12.
In addition to the various ores, you’ll also need standard crafting materials you get from breaking down gear, like Coiling Wards, Forgotten Souls, Abstruse Sigils, and Baleful Fragments. Afterwards, a blacksmith will gladly Masterwork your gear in Diablo 4.
