diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Editing/LegacyEditorBeatmapPatcherTest.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Editing/LegacyEditorBeatmapPatcherTest.cs
index b491157627..afaaafdd26 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Editing/LegacyEditorBeatmapPatcherTest.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Editing/LegacyEditorBeatmapPatcherTest.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
             {
                 HitObjects =
                 {
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 }
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true }
                 }
             };
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3000 },
             });
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3000 },
             });
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3000 },
             });
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
             {
                 HitObjects =
                 {
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500 },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, NewCombo = true },
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[1],
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[2],
                 }
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3000 },
             });
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new OsuHitObject[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new Slider
                 {
                     StartTime = 2000,
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3000 },
             });
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
             {
                 HitObjects =
                 {
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500 },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, NewCombo = true },
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[0],
                     new HitCircle { StartTime = 1500 },
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[1],
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1500 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
@@ -226,6 +226,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 3500 },
             });
 
+            var patchedFirst = (HitCircle)current.HitObjects[1];
+            patchedFirst.NewCombo = true;
+
             var patch = new OsuBeatmap
             {
                 HitObjects =
@@ -244,7 +247,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1500 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
@@ -277,7 +280,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500 },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, NewCombo = true },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1000 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 1500 },
                 new HitCircle { StartTime = 2000 },
@@ -291,7 +294,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
             {
                 HitObjects =
                 {
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 750 },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 750, NewCombo = true },
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[1],
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[4],
                     (OsuHitObject)current.HitObjects[5],
@@ -309,20 +312,20 @@ namespace osu.Game.Tests.Editing
         {
             current.AddRange(new[]
             {
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(50) },
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(100) },
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(150) },
-                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(200) },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(50), NewCombo = true },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(100), NewCombo = true },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(150), NewCombo = true },
+                new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(200), NewCombo = true },
             });
 
             var patch = new OsuBeatmap
             {
                 HitObjects =
                 {
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(150) },
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(100) },
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(50) },
-                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(200) },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(150), NewCombo = true },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(100), NewCombo = true },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(50), NewCombo = true },
+                    new HitCircle { StartTime = 500, Position = new Vector2(200), NewCombo = true },
                 }
             };
 
diff --git a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/BeatmapProcessor.cs b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/BeatmapProcessor.cs
index 250cc49ad4..b7b5adc52e 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/BeatmapProcessor.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/BeatmapProcessor.cs
@@ -22,8 +22,18 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps
         {
             IHasComboInformation lastObj = null;
 
+            bool isFirst = true;
+
             foreach (var obj in Beatmap.HitObjects.OfType<IHasComboInformation>())
             {
+                if (isFirst)
+                {
+                    obj.NewCombo = true;
+
+                    // first hitobject should always be marked as a new combo for sanity.
+                    isFirst = false;
+                }
+
                 if (obj.NewCombo)
                 {
                     obj.IndexInCurrentCombo = 0;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorBeatmap.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorBeatmap.cs
index be032d3104..fb75d91d16 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorBeatmap.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/EditorBeatmap.cs
@@ -315,5 +315,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit
         public double GetBeatLengthAtTime(double referenceTime) => ControlPointInfo.TimingPointAt(referenceTime).BeatLength / BeatDivisor;
 
         public int BeatDivisor => beatDivisor?.Value ?? 1;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Update all hit objects with potentially changed difficulty or control point data.
+        /// </summary>
+        public void UpdateBeatmap()
+        {
+            foreach (var h in HitObjects)
+                pendingUpdates.Add(h);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/DifficultySection.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/DifficultySection.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d8031c3c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/DifficultySection.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
+// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
+
+using System.Linq;
+using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Bindables;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics;
+using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
+using osu.Game.Graphics.Sprites;
+using osu.Game.Graphics.UserInterfaceV2;
+
+namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit.Setup
+{
+    internal class DifficultySection : SetupSection
+    {
+        [Resolved]
+        private EditorBeatmap editorBeatmap { get; set; }
+
+        private LabelledSliderBar<float> circleSizeSlider;
+        private LabelledSliderBar<float> healthDrainSlider;
+        private LabelledSliderBar<float> approachRateSlider;
+        private LabelledSliderBar<float> overallDifficultySlider;
+
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
+        private void load()
+        {
+            Children = new Drawable[]
+            {
+                new OsuSpriteText
+                {
+                    Text = "Difficulty settings"
+                },
+                circleSizeSlider = new LabelledSliderBar<float>
+                {
+                    Label = "Object Size",
+                    Description = "The size of all hit objects",
+                    Current = new BindableFloat(Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.CircleSize)
+                    {
+                        Default = BeatmapDifficulty.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY,
+                        MinValue = 2,
+                        MaxValue = 7,
+                        Precision = 0.1f,
+                    }
+                },
+                healthDrainSlider = new LabelledSliderBar<float>
+                {
+                    Label = "Health Drain",
+                    Description = "The rate of passive health drain throughout playable time",
+                    Current = new BindableFloat(Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.DrainRate)
+                    {
+                        Default = BeatmapDifficulty.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY,
+                        MinValue = 0,
+                        MaxValue = 10,
+                        Precision = 0.1f,
+                    }
+                },
+                approachRateSlider = new LabelledSliderBar<float>
+                {
+                    Label = "Approach Rate",
+                    Description = "The speed at which objects are presented to the player",
+                    Current = new BindableFloat(Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.ApproachRate)
+                    {
+                        Default = BeatmapDifficulty.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY,
+                        MinValue = 0,
+                        MaxValue = 10,
+                        Precision = 0.1f,
+                    }
+                },
+                overallDifficultySlider = new LabelledSliderBar<float>
+                {
+                    Label = "Overall Difficulty",
+                    Description = "The harshness of hit windows and difficulty of special objects (ie. spinners)",
+                    Current = new BindableFloat(Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.OverallDifficulty)
+                    {
+                        Default = BeatmapDifficulty.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY,
+                        MinValue = 0,
+                        MaxValue = 10,
+                        Precision = 0.1f,
+                    }
+                },
+            };
+
+            foreach (var item in Children.OfType<LabelledSliderBar<float>>())
+                item.Current.ValueChanged += onValueChanged;
+        }
+
+        private void onValueChanged(ValueChangedEvent<float> args)
+        {
+            // for now, update these on commit rather than making BeatmapMetadata bindables.
+            // after switching database engines we can reconsider if switching to bindables is a good direction.
+            Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.CircleSize = circleSizeSlider.Current.Value;
+            Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.DrainRate = healthDrainSlider.Current.Value;
+            Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.ApproachRate = approachRateSlider.Current.Value;
+            Beatmap.Value.BeatmapInfo.BaseDifficulty.OverallDifficulty = overallDifficultySlider.Current.Value;
+
+            editorBeatmap.UpdateBeatmap();
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/SetupScreen.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/SetupScreen.cs
index cd4f6733c0..1c3cbb7206 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/SetupScreen.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Edit/Setup/SetupScreen.cs
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Edit.Setup
                             {
                                 new ResourcesSection(),
                                 new MetadataSection(),
+                                new DifficultySection(),
                             }
                         },
                     }