How elemental resistance works in Diablo 4

Elemental resistance received a major overhaul with Diablo 4 season 2. Rather than a standard stat, it’s become a dizzying equation of complex math (and, of course, loot drops). Don’t think of it as a nerf, per se. It’s just... different. Here’s how elemental resistance works starting in Diablo 4 season 2, and how to increase your elemental resistance for all elements.

How elemental resistance works in Diablo 4

Image: Blizzard/Activision

In Diablo 4 season 1, elemental resistance was multiplicative — meaning it’d increase by a percentage of what your total resistance was based on what percent your base resistance was. Additionally, there was no cap on how high you could boost your elemental resistance, making you almost impervious to just about anything, so long as you obtained the right items and got the right percentages on gear. Starting in season 2, Blizzard overhauled how the system works in Diablo 4.

There are currently five types of elemental damage in Diablo 4:

• Fire
• Lightning
• Cold
• Poison
• Shadow

Elemental resistances now have a base cap of 70%, with a hard cap of 85%. In other words, you won’t be able to boost your elemental resistance in a way where you’ll be completely impervious to certain types of elemental damage. Instead, you will want to factor in items that grant the elemental resistance you’re looking for, and work that into your use of Elixirs, Gems, and any slots you’ve filled in your Paragon Board. Surviving in Diablo 4 season 2 is a calculated effort, and I mean that quite literally.

Also, playing on any World Tier above World Tier 2 will knock your elemental resistance down by 25 % on World Tier 3 and 50% on World Tier 4. Boosting that resistance is so important, since it will be integral to taking on the toughest fights in the game.

You’ll want to boost your elemental resistance as high as possible. Additionally, items such as rings and amulets will always have an inherent resistance to a random elemental resistance and all elements. So you will more than likely need to grind out gear to hit that elemental resistance hard cap since the percentage you get will be entirely random.

How to increase elemental resistance in Diablo 4

Image: Blizzard/Activision

There are several ways you can work elemental resistance into your builds in Diablo 4 season 2, primarily through through the use of Gems, Elixirs, Incense (which will appear in Season 2), armor, accessories, skills, and Paragon Points. Basically, anything you get your hands on can increase your elemental resistance and get you toward that 70% soft cap. Since stat boost percentages are random across your gear, you’ll want to find specific items that increase elemental resistance by a flat percentage: Gems.

Each Gem is affiliated with an elemental resistance. And the higher the quality of the Gem, the higher its resistance will be. For example, a Flawless Gem will have a higher resistance percentage attached to it over a Chipped Gem.

Below, you can see which Gems provide which Resistances, and the percentage boosts associated with each quality level:

Ruby (Fire Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Standard: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Sapphire (Cold Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Base: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Topaz (Lightning Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Standard: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Amethyst (Shadow Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Standard: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Emerald (Poison Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Standard: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Diamond (All Elemental Resistance)

• Crude: 8%
• Chipped: 13%
• Standard: 18%
• Flawless: 24%
• Royal: 30%

Keep in mind that in Diablo 4, your armor stat only negates physical damage, and not elemental damage. That said, Gems will be an even bigger part of your endgame builds going forward, especially since they generally dictate how builds will play out in tandem with your seasonal Uniques. Make sure to craft those high quality Gems and slot them into your gear.