Blizzard's Season 9 PTR for Diablo 4 is shaking up the endgame meta with sweeping changes to scaling mechanics, Overpower effectiveness, and a fresh batch of unique gear and Diablo 4 gold that enhance specific playstyles. The result? Some classes rise to new heights while others are forced to rebuild from the ground up.

Let's break down the state of each class, highlight which builds are still viable, and identify the biggest winners and losers of the upcoming season.

1. Druid- Mixed Fortunes Across the Board

Druid builds have seen a significant shakeup in Season 9, particularly due to the widespread nerf to Overpower scaling- a stat that fueled several previously top-tier builds.

Losers:

Shred Druid: Struggles to maintain high burst potential post-Overpower nerf. Once a top-tier melee powerhouse, it now lacks reliable single-target pressure.

Cataclysm Druid: Still functional but falls behind in burst performance, making it harder to compete in high-tier content.

Neutral:

Companion Druid: Took a hit to its single-target capabilities but still performs adequately in most encounters. It's no longer dominant but can succeed with proper gear and setup.

2. Necromancer- Reworked and Revived

Necromancers saw heavy nerfs to Overpower scaling and Soul Rift, one of their most powerful skills. However, the class can buy Diablo 4 Items that open up creative opportunities for minion builds.

Major Nerfs:

Soul Rift: Damage reduced dramatically (75%-15 %). Multiple passives and gear mechanics now include strict damage caps, lowering their scaling ceiling.

Blood Spear: Still reliable for general gameplay, but can't carry high-tier content solo anymore.

Blood Surge: Good for mob-clearing in mid-level tiers, but underwhelming in elite content.

New Highlight:

Summon Mage Necromancer (The Hand of Naz Variant): Leverages newly introduced unique gloves that scale Skeletal Mages significantly. When paired with Mendel's Ring, this build enables viable ranged minion strategies with strong utility and consistent output.

3. Rogue- Season 9's Big Loser

Once a top-tier class in Season 8, Rogue is now sitting at the bottom of the PTR meta. Broad nerfs across core abilities, passives, and healing mechanics have severely weakened its endgame performance.

Key Issues:

Many passives are now capped or have reduced scaling.

Death Trap deals less consistent burst, especially without specific cooldown setups.

Flurry no longer heals instantly and now costs life instead of energy, making it harder to sustain and use effectively.

Recommended (But Weakened) Builds:

Flurry Rogue (Deathmask Variant): Still viable with the right gear, but very dependent on mitigation tools and defensive stats.

Rain of Arrows Rogue: Still offers solid utility, but its damage ceiling is noticeably lower.

Death Trap Rogue (Shadow Variant): A functional pick with control and cooldown reduction focus, though burst potential is muted.

Overall Season 9 Meta Takeaways

Season 9 appears to be Blizzard's most deliberate attempt to flatten runaway scaling and open up more viable pathways for creative builds. While some archetypes- particularly those dependent on Overpower- have taken a backseat, others are surging forward due to exciting new uniques and adjusted base skill performance.

Big Winners:

Sorcerer and Spiritborn (not detailed here, but mentioned as top-tier in the PTR data)

Summon Mage Necromancer

Any build that benefits from new item-based scaling rather than legacy passives

Meta Fall-Offs:

Rogue: Too many nerfs and very few impactful compensations.

Shred and Cataclysm Druid: Still playable, but no longer carries the same weight at high levels.

Diablo 4 Season 9 is poised to deliver a more balanced, build-exploration-friendly meta that rewards creativity and efficient play rather than pure scaling abuse. While veteran players may need to retire a few comfort builds, the meta shakeup offers new ground for experimentation, especially for Necromancer summoners and Sorcerer mains.