Masterworking Explained in Diablo 4: How It Works & Unlocking Upgrades
Masterworking in Diablo 4 is an essential endgame system that allows players to enhance the power of their Legendary and Unique items. It works by improving every affix on an item through multiple upgrade tiers, increasing their effectiveness and overall value significantly. This system replaces the older crafting mechanic, introducing a deeper layer of customization for maximizing gear performance.
Players gain access to Masterworking after completing specific endgame content, enabling them to upgrade equipment via the Blacksmith using rare materials obtained from challenging activities. Each upgrade not only boosts affix values incrementally but also offers occasional larger enhancements to random affixes, adding an element of unpredictability and strategic planning to gear optimization.
Masterworking can be done repeatedly on any eligible item, with twelve possible tiers of upgrades. The process requires a combination of gold, common and legendary materials, and mastery over endgame content to fully utilize its potential, making it a key mechanic for those focused on optimizing their builds.
Key Takeways
- Masterworking significantly strengthens Legendary and Unique item affixes.
- Unlocking requires completing specific endgame activities and gathering rare materials.
- Items can be upgraded twelve times, with random affix boosts every few tiers.
The Masterworking System in Diablo 4
The Masterworking system in Diablo 4 is a key endgame feature that enhances Ancestral, Legendary, and Unique items by improving their base stats and affixes. This system increases the Quality rank of equipment, boosting damage, armor, and resistance while unlocking powerful bonuses to optimize character builds.
How Masterworking Works
Masterworking takes place at the Blacksmith in any major town. Players use materials like Obducite, obtained from Nightmare Dungeons, Infernal Hordes, and the Kurast Undercity, to upgrade gear. Each Masterworking attempt raises the Quality rank by up to 5 points, adding a slight randomness to progression speed.
The system focuses exclusively on items classified as Ancestral, Legendary, or Mythic Unique. Upgrading increases the overall effectiveness of all affixes, including base damage and armor. Players must invest gold and various crafting resources, with costs rising as they advance the Quality rank to higher levels.
Masterworking Ranks and Quality
Items start at Quality rank 0 and can be upgraded up to rank 25. Every Quality rank increases the item’s base stats and affix values by 1%, stacking linearly to a total of +25%. For example, an armor piece with 1500 defense at rank 0 would have 1875 defense at rank 25.
Upgrades are incremental and cumulative, with each attempt consuming more Obducite and other materials. The formula for Obducite cost is roughly:
| Quality Rank | Obducite Cost (floor(3.75×Quality + 10)) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 10 |
| 12 | 55 |
| 24 | 100 |
This linear increase encourages a steady investment in resources throughout the endgame progression.
Capstone Bonus and Greater Affix Upgrades
Upon reaching Quality rank 25, players unlock the Capstone Bonus, a powerful enhancement that adds a +50% increase to one random affix on the item. This bonus can target any affix, including Tempering affixes, and stacks with the existing +50% gained by Greater Affixes.
Players can reroll the Capstone Bonus if they want to change which affix it benefits. Each reroll requires a Neathiron material, gold, and a high amount of Obducite, allowing repeated attempts to perfect an item’s stats.
By combining Quality ranks and the Capstone Bonus, Masterworking significantly boosts the effectiveness of endgame equipment, making it essential for maximizing character power in Diablo 4.
Unlocking Masterworking and Required Materials
Masterworking requires unlocking access at the Blacksmith and gathering specific crafting materials. These materials come from various endgame activities and are essential for upgrading gear quality and applying the Capstone Bonus.
How to Unlock Masterworking
Masterworking unlocks after acquiring the base crafting material called Obducite. Players must complete endgame content like Nightmare Dungeons, Infernal Hordes, or Kurast Undercity to obtain this item. The Blacksmith will enable the Masterworking tab once Obducite is found.
This system is available starting from Season 11 and replaces the need for Tempering. The player does not need to upgrade gear through Tempering first to use Masterworking. Unlocking it early in endgame progression is crucial for maximizing gear potential.
Acquiring Masterworking Materials
Key materials for Masterworking include Obducite, Veiled Crystals, Forgotten Souls, Rawhide, Iron Chunk, Coiling Wards, Abstruse Sigils, and Baleful Fragments. These components appear primarily in Nightmare Dungeons, Infernal Hordes, and the Kurast Undercity.
Obducite is the main resource and scales in cost relative to the item’s current quality rank. Neathiron, crucial for rerolling the Capstone Bonus, drops from late-game bosses like Bartuc and Astaroth. Other materials are gathered by salvaging legendary gear or through loot from endgame events such as the Pit of the Artificer.
Blacksmith Interaction and Crafting Process
At the Blacksmith, players access the Masterworking tab by inserting the gear piece to upgrade. Each upgrade consumes gold, Obducite, and a selection of base materials depending on the item type (weapon, armor, or jewelry).
Upgrading increases gear Quality between 2 to 5 per attempt and provides bonuses to base stats and affixes. When Quality reaches 25, a Capstone Bonus can be applied, increasing a random affix by 50%. Rerolling this bonus costs substantial resources: 1000 Obducite, 1 Neathiron, and 1 million gold.
The crafting process guarantees success, with no risk of failure or loss of the item, allowing players to methodically improve gear suited for the toughest content.
