Diablo 4's Aberrant Cinder Drop Rate: Players are Unhappy

Blizzard’s Senior Vice President, Rod Fergusson, has responded to a Diablo 4 player’s concerns about the unusually low drop rates for Aberrant Cinders, confirming that this was not an intentional change.

The Arrival of Season 1

Diablo 4’s Season 1 kicked off on July 20, introducing a new quest line centered around a novel mechanic of Malignant Hearts. These act like gems, which players can insert into their three-slot armor or weapons to gain bonuses akin to those offered by Legendary-type gear.

The Impact of the Update

In anticipation of the new season, Blizzard rolled out a comprehensive update for Diablo 4, affecting nearly every facet of the game. From core gameplay adjustments and class balancing to tweaks to boss characters like the formidable Butcher, the update was extensive.

However, it seems that the update also inadvertently affected valuable resources like Aberrant Cinders.

The Issue with Aberrant Cinders

Following the release of Diablo 4’s 1.1.0 update, players noticed that Aberrant Cinders, which are typically obtained during end-game Helltide events, had become even more elusive. These events pit players against formidable enemies for a limited time, with a chance to earn cinders that can be used to purchase Tortured Gift chests.

However, after the recent patch, players reported an extremely low drop rate for these cinders. Responding to these complaints on Twitter, Rod Fergusson confirmed that this was a bug and would be rectified in the first hotfix of Season 1.

If you plan to keep the abysmal Cinder drop rate, AND you're raising the price of the Mystery Chests (why both??), please at least guarantee a legendary from the other chests.

It's genuinely disheartening to slog for cinders with the new rates and get absolutely nothing.
— Dubious Space Hamster (@dubious_space) July 18, 2023

The Community’s Response

While this confirmation should assuage fans’ concerns, the issue with the drop rates became more prominent when the recent Diablo 4 patch notes revealed an increase in the price of the Tortured Gift of Mysteries chest from 175 to 250. Given the already slow drop rate for Aberrant Cinders, fans felt this price increase was unjustified. However, with the upcoming hotfix, fans are hopeful that the grind for cinders will become more manageable.

Despite these assurances, the patch has drawn criticism from players who noticed a nerf in their gear stats, diminishing the effectiveness of their builds. In response to these complaints, Blizzard has announced a forthcoming Fireside Chat to address the patch and respond to player feedback.

If you want to take a closer look, here’s the full coverage of Diablo 4’s Season 1 patch notes.