The gear durability feature returns to Diablo 4 as a core gameplay mechanic, something that players have mixed feelings about. Some find it tedious, while others love it due to the added complexity.
Regardless of where you stand in this debate, you must fully understand how durability works in Diablo 4 to make your build progress smoother.
How durability works in Diablo 4
Except for rings and amulets, every piece of equipment you find in Diablo 4 will have a durability stat.
You can confirm the current durability stat of an item by going into your equipment menu. It is located just below the “sell value” at the bottom of the item window as shown in the image below.
Your item durability points are going to range between 0 and 100 where 100 is the maximum durability you can achieve on an item.
Take note that you lose 10 points of durability on all items you had equipped upon dying. When an item’s durability reaches 0 in Diablo 4, that item will break.
A broken item will lose all its bonus states and passive buffs effectively making it useless. These items can only get back their former bonuses after a repair. If your equipment is close to breaking, the game will prompt you to visit a blacksmith.
Ring and Amulets that provide passive buffs do not have a durability stat. Hence, they are immune to breaking. They will provide the same buffs, even after dying multiple times.
How to repair items in Diablo 4
To repair items, you need to visit a blacksmith. They are marked by an anvil symbol on the map. Blacksmiths can be found at many points of interest in the maps like major towns, small settlements, and strongholds that had been cleared. To make your life convenient, try unlocking as many waypoints as possible for fast travel.
Repairing an item costs gold. The amount of gold required to completely repair an item depends on its rarity. Items with higher rarity tend to cost more gold to repair. If you no longer want a broken item as you have found its replacement, you can salvage said item for crafting materials.
Unlock your first blacksmith
To repair damaged items, you must first unlock the Blacksmith. It is a straightforward process. Visit Fractured Peaks after you reach level 10 to start a main quest.
In this quest, you need to talk to Zivek who can be found in the Kyovashad area. He will tell you to upgrade one of the items you own. After completing this task, you will unlock the Blacksmith NPCs along with some XP.
Along with repairing items, Blacksmiths can also be used to upgrade them. Upgrading an item improves its state by an adequate increment. We recommend not upgrading common items, rather try finding rarer items and focus your resources on upgrading them.
