For some reason, Blizzard has changed up Plague's stats. Plague's order has changed to Cham + Shael and D2R Items Um, which is with a substantial cost but also an innovative use of the unexplored Cham rune. The new version of Plague is a strange new build with its own specific uses. Everyone's trying to figure out why you should pick Plague over something similar to Hoto, or even as a potent melee weapon like Grief or Breath of the Dying.
The most significant change is that Plague uses socketed 3 swords instead of the general weapons. Another change is the -1 bonus in All Skills, and the removal of +strength since Fal will no longer be in use. The damage is now enhanced and is a significant bonus for raw damage. The other stats are basically the same.
Plague was not so obvious at the beginning, but it did have its applications, perhaps for casters. YouTuber Drunski125 suggests that Plague's restriction to swords alone is a mistake.
"If you could use it in scepters, think of it would be a 3-point Fist of Heaven scepter you roll Plague in, it gives you cleansing aura as well as additional skill point; again incentive to use something other than Hoto. If, for instance, you can get a +3 light sentry or +3 death sentry claw, you could roll Plague, get +4 to buy D2R ladder items trapsand cleansing aura, which is another reason to try something other than Hoto. "Blizzard isn't ready to announce the date Diablo 2 Resurrect's v2.4 is coming out.
