With Diablo IV Patch 2.5.2 rolling out on January 12, 2026, Blizzard delivered a wave of updates focused on The Tower beta, leaderboards, general fixes, and class improvements across Sanctuary. While most attention has gone to endgame systems, Paladin players are especially interested in what this patch did (or didn’t do) to their class.
In this article, we break down all Paladin-specific fixes from 2.5.2, explain how they affect your gameplay and builds, and provide practical takeaways on what matters most going forward.
Were There Any Paladin Buffs or Nerfs in Patch 2.5.2?
The short answer: No traditional balance nerfs or buffs hit Paladin in Patch 2.5.2. Instead, the update focused on bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements that restore intended functionality and improve reliability — not changing overall power levels or core mechanics.
This is great news for players who feared stealth nerfs or balance swings — instead, Blizzard prioritized fixing gameplay issues and polishing key class systems ahead of competitive content like The Tower.
Full List of Paladin Changes in Patch 2.5.2
Here’s every Paladin-related fix from the official patch notes and how it affects players:
๐น Gear & Affix Fixes
Paladins had issues where Flails could not properly roll or be enchanted with important damage and resource affixes. Patch 2.5.2 fixes this, enabling these weapons to drop and roll with affixes such as:
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Critical Strike Damage
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Damage to Vulnerable enemies
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Lucky Hit to Gain Resource
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Bonus Damage over Time
This fix restores proper gear progression and ensures Paladin flail builds can fully benefit from loot diversity.
๐น Skill & Interaction Fixes
Several Paladin abilities were behaving incorrectly — and 2.5.2 corrected them:
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Shield Charge now properly hits nearby enemies instead of occasionally missing targets.
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Using Advance + March of the Stalwart no longer traps players in place.
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Holy Light’s Rite of Mercy upgrade no longer causes unintended untargetable states in PvP.
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Falling Star (Freefall) and Rally (Words of Sacrifice) now generate resolve correctly when Aspect of Valiance is equipped.
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Aspect of Valiance can now imprint on the correct slots as intended.
These fixes improve consistency, responsiveness, and the reliability of Paladin skills in both PvE and PvP contexts.
๐น Paragon Board & UI Fixes
Patch 2.5.2 also resolves issues with the Paladin’s Castle Paragon Board, correcting a Strength node’s rarity classification — ensuring paragon progression works as expected. The Renewal passive was fixed to grant Fortify instead of healing, further aligning it with its design goals.
Other quality-of-life fixes include screen reader support for Paladin unique item icons, helping accessibility.
๐น Movement & Stuck Bug Fixes
Several movement-related bugs were addressed:
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Paladins no longer get stuck while climbing.
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Casting Falling Star toward fog walls no longer causes players to leave the play area.
These improvements reduce frustration and ensure smoother navigation in tight combat and dungeon scenarios.
How Patch 2.5.2 Affects Popular Paladin Builds
๐น Judgement Builds
Judgement-focused builds benefit from the resolution of related skill bugs, especially after the 2.5.1 hotfix that restored Judgement interactions for multiple skills. This synergy fix improves damage consistency and reliable effect application across Judgement builds.
๐น Mobility & Shield Charge Builds
With targeting issues fixed for Shield Charge, Paladins gain more consistent performance when rushing mobs or navigating dense enemy clusters. Fixed movement bugs also ensure abilities like Advance function smoothly, which is vital for speed clears and Tower runs.
๐น Defensive / Fortify Builds
Correcting the Renewal passive ensures that builds relying on Fortify actually receive the buff rather than unintended healing — improving defensive sustain and synergy with damage mitigation paragon nodes.
Paladin in The Tower & Leaderboards After 2.5.2
Though The Tower and leaderboards steal much of the spotlight in Patch 2.5.2, Paladin performance here is indirectly impacted by stability and fix improvements rather than explicit meta changes. Players running competitive Tower content can expect more consistent ability behavior, predictable damage rolls, and reliable movement interactions — all critical in timed score runs.
Common Questions from Paladin Players
Q: Was Paladin nerfed in Patch 2.5.2?
A: No — there were no balance nerfs to Paladin damage or defensive power in this update.
Q: Did Patch 2.5.2 fix Judgement builds?
A: Yes — the earlier 2.5.1 hotfix addressed key Judgement application bugs affecting Paladin skills.
Q: Should I change my build after 2.5.2?
A: You don’t need to overhaul builds — the fixes make builds functionally reliable, but core talent and damage tuning remain unaffected.
Community Reaction & Hot Topics
Players have been actively discussing the Judgement bug and recent fixes on the official Blizzard forums, indicating high community interest in Paladin reliability. These discussions often revolve around how fixes change build behavior without formal balance swings.
Final Verdict: What Patch 2.5.2 Means for Paladin Players
Diablo IV Patch 2.5.2 doesn’t change Paladin power ceilings — it refines them. Blizzard focused on fixing long-standing bugs related to gear drops, ability responsiveness, skill synergies, and movement — all of which make playing Paladin feel better, more predictable, and more competitive in endgame systems like The Tower.
If you’re a Paladin main, this patch prioritizes polish and playability over raw balance swings — a huge quality-of-life improvement heading into the competitive season.
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