In the dark and perilous world of Diablo 4, upgrading your gear is a crucial aspect of character progression. Among the various methods to enhance your equipment, Tempering stands out as a vital process for improving non-unique gear. This guide delves into the intricacies of Tempering, explaining its mechanics, how to unlock it, acquire necessary diablo 4 materials, and maximize its benefits for your character’s build.

What is Tempering?

Tempering is a crafting process that allows players to add affixes to their non-unique gear, significantly enhancing their combat effectiveness. This is achieved through the use of Temper Manuals, which provide a list of potential affixes that can be applied. Once a Temper Manual is utilized, it registers as a recipe in the Codex of Power, enabling players to temper gear at the Blacksmith.

Focus on Legendary Items

When it comes to Tempering, priority should be given to Legendary items. Rare items, although upgradable, do not justify the resources spent due to their lower inherent power. Legendary items come with three base affixes and can have up to two additional affixes through Tempering. Selecting affixes that complement your build is essential, making Tempering an important aspect not just in the endgame but also during the leveling process.

Unlocking Tempering

Tempering becomes available once you unlock the Blacksmith and obtain one or more Temper Manuals. These manuals, when used, register recipes in the Codex of Power, allowing you to start Tempering items.

Acquiring Temper Manuals

Temper Manuals can be found through various in-game activities across Sanctuary, such as:

    The Pit

    Helltide Chests

    Whisper Caches

    Nightmare Dungeons

    World Bosses: Avarice, Ashava, Wandering Death

    Boss Ladder Bosses: Andariel, The Beast in the Ice, Duriel, Grigoire, Lord Zir, Varshan

Temper Manuals drop in three rarities: Magic (World Tier 1 and 2), Rare (World Tier 3), and Legendary (World Tier 4). The rarity affects the values of the affixes, with Legendary manuals offering the best enhancements. Once a higher rarity manual is acquired, it updates and overwrites lesser values previously registered in your Codex of Power.

How to Temper Gear

Tempering gear involves several steps:

    Obtain a Temper Manual: Ensure you have the manual in your inventory.

    Register the Recipe: Use the manual to add its recipe to your Codex of Power.

    Select and Apply Affixes: You can add up to two affixes to an item, but each must be from a different recipe category. This involves selecting one recipe, applying it, and then repeating the process for the second affix if desired.

Materials and Costs

Tempering requires various materials such as Iron Chunks, Veiled Crystals, Baleful Fragments, or Abstruse Sigils. The amounts depend on the item’s rarity and the type of tempering recipe used. Sacred items can have one tempered affix, while Ancestral items can have up to two.

Rerolling Tempered Gear

You can reroll a tempered item up to five times. Each reroll affects both affixes on Ancestral Legendary items, meaning you cannot keep one affix while changing the other. Once five rerolls are used, the item locks with the last affixes applied, preventing further modifications or additions.

Greater Affixes in World Tier 4

In World Tier 4, players can find items with Greater Affixes, which are significantly more powerful (1.5x) than normal affixes. These affixes can drop randomly or be obtained through gambling at the Purveyor of Curiosities. Items with Greater Affixes provide a distinct sound and icon upon dropping, making them easily identifiable.

Tempering Recipes

There are 262 Temper Manuals, categorized as follows:

    Weapons: Weapon damage and attack speed.

    Offensive: Stats like critical hit chance and damage.

    Defensive: Armor and elemental resistances.

    Utility: Cooldown reduction and resource cost reduction.

    Mobility: Movement speed and dodge chance.

    Resource: Resource generation and reduced resource costs.

Example Affixes

    Weapons: Lucky Hit: Up to a x% chance to deal additional physical damage.

    Offensive: +60% Damage to Close Enemies.

    Defensive: +38% Lightning Resistance.

    Utility: 20% Increased Cooldown Reduction to specific skills.

    Mobility: +12% Movement Speed for 4 Seconds After Killing an Elite.

    Resource: +10% Resource Generation.

Conclusion

Tempering is a powerful tool in Diablo 4, allowing players to customize their gear to better suit their builds. By understanding and utilizing Tempering effectively, players can enhance their combat prowess, making their journey through Sanctuary more efficient and rewarding. Once you’ve mastered Tempering, consider advancing to Masterworking for even greater enhancements to your Diablo IV gear. In addition, extra equipment you can sell or trade to get more Diablo 4 gold.