Diablo Wiki - User contributions [en]

Talk:Monster modifier

2009-09-29T22:18:34Z

Bran Maniac:

==Traits/Prefixes==
Hopefully this helps. Not sure what to name the traits/ prefixes officially. Also, the formatting of the individual modifiers might need to be changed. --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 01:47, 26 September 2009 (CEST)

: Bloody awesome job there! Is that description you added the official one, or did you just explain with your own words? I am filling out the others with my own description, but if yours was official we might want to differentiate them somehow... --[[User:Leord|Leord]] 19:08, 29 September 2009 (CEST)

:: I just explained it in my own words. So feel free to change it- in fact, you probably should. Thanks for the praise! --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 00:18, 30 September 2009 (CEST)

Talk:Monster modifier

2009-09-29T22:18:11Z

Bran Maniac:

==Traits/Prefixes==
Hopefully this helps. Not sure what to name the traits/ prefixes officially. Also, the formatting of the individual modifiers might need to be changed. --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 01:47, 26 September 2009 (CEST)

: Bloody awesome job there! Is that description you added the official one, or did you just explain with your own words? I am filling out the others with my own description, but if yours was official we might want to differentiate them somehow... --[[User:Leord|Leord]] 19:08, 29 September 2009 (CEST)

: I just explained it in my own words. So feel free to change it- in fact, you probably should. Thanks for the praise! --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 00:18, 30 September 2009 (CEST)

Talk:Monster modifier

2009-09-25T23:47:42Z

Bran Maniac:

Hopefully this helps. Not sure what to name the traits/ prefixes officially. Also, the formatting of the individual modifiers might need to be changed. --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 01:47, 26 September 2009 (CEST)

Monster modifier

2009-09-25T23:46:02Z

Bran Maniac: Big overhaul

Monster modifiers are additional traits that monsters can have, usually making them more powerful. They come in two known varieties: some, usually called prefixes, appearing before a monsters name (like Champion) and some appearing below a monsters name, called titles, like Doppelganger. [[Unique]]s almost always have a modifier- in fact, it's so far been quite rare for a non-unique to have a modifier.

Most known information about Monster Modifiers comes from Zagreus's forum post, seen [http://forums.diii.net/showthread.php?t=739806&page=3 here]. An official post about Monster Modifers is supposedly coming in the next few days.

== Known Prefixes ==

'''Champion''':

'''Fanatic''':

'''Possessed''':

== Known Titles ==

'''Electrified''':

'''Plagued''':

'''Fast''':

'''Magical''':

'''Frozen''':

'''Stoneskin''':

'''Cold Aura''':

'''Doppelganger''': The Doppelganger title causes an enemy to create duplicates of itself, similar to the [[Wizard]]'s [[Mirror Image]] skill, that do damage, until the enemy is killed. The duplicates are assumed to not spawn duplicates as well.

'''Molten''':

'''Powerful''':

==[[Thousand Pounder]] 'Title'==
The title '[[Gluttony]] [[Incarnate]]' is a mystery. Comparing this big fella with the [[Siegebreaker Assault Beast]], he seems to have a 'title' that would work very much like Diablo 2 {{iw|Monster_Modifiers Monster Modifiers}}. Still, 'Gluttony Incarnate' could be his ''title'' just like the Siegebreaker's 'Living siege Engine of Hell' obviously must be. The [[Thousand Pounder]] could also very well be an equivalent of a Diablo II {{iw|Superunique Superunique}}, with a different name than other units that look the same (as the Thousand Pounder has been depicted to come in packs in concept art). Time (and BlizzCon) will hopefully tell.

==Further Reading==
You can follow these links for more information on the topic:
* [[Diablo 3 Basics]] - All known info in brief.
* [[Monsters]] - All known monsters.
* [[Media Coverage]] - List of all interviews, previews, images and videos presented by gaming media.

{{Template:Monster navbox}}

[[Category:Monsters]]

Bows

2009-09-25T23:17:40Z

Bran Maniac:

=Introduction=
Bows have been confirmed to return in Diablo III. A Short Bow can be seen dropped in the [[WWI 2008]] gameplay video, and two archers accompanied the Barbarian during the Deckard Cain rescue sequence. It is unknown whether or not any of the 4 confirmed classes can use bows, though it is likely.
No bows dropped during the [[Blizzcon 2009]] demo, likely because they were disabled. This may be a small hint towards the fifth, unknown class using bows as a main source of damage.
{{stub}}
[[Category:Weapons]]

Skill Runes

2009-09-25T23:12:13Z

Bran Maniac:

'''Runes''' in [[Diablo 3]] are small items that are socketed into [[skill]]s, not [[item]]s. The runes grant special bonuses to the skill. There are many types of runes, all found in various quality levels, and they work across skills; each rune will (in theory) work in every skill, adding something similar to the skills.

==Runes==
[[Image:Rune-minor-hydra1.jpg|frame]]
The most recent look at a rune came in a screenshot released on March 30, 2009. This is a minor hydra rune, with "minor" being a modification of "[[Hydra Rune]]." All that's known about this one can be seen in the caption, that it "Increases skill quantity." It was previously revealed that the hydra rune was previously known as the "multistrike" rune, and the function appears to be the same, with a bit more evocative a name. Hydras, besides being a [[Sorceress]] skill in [[Diablo II]], are the multi-headed dragons of Greek mythology, creatures capable of regrowing two heads in the place of each head that was chopped off.

Hydra runes are known to add bounces to a [[Witch Doctor]]'s thrown [[Skull of Flame]] spell and to increase the Chain of the Wizard's [[Electrocute]] spell. Since each rune is (as best we know) going to work with every active [[skill]], the hydra rune would presumably add extra hits to all sorts of other skills.

==D3 Runes vs. D2 Runes==
Runes in [[Diablo III]] are nothing like the {{iw|Runes Runes}} found in [[Diablo II]]. In D2 there were 33 kinds of Runes, which were small items that had no use on their own, but that could be placed in item sockets to add various bonuses to the item. Certain combinations of runes could also be used to create {{iw|Runeword RuneWords}}, very powerful items with pre-set stats.

In Diablo III, Runes are still small objects that must be placed in sockets to take effect, but in D3 the sockets are in [[skills]], not items. (Items may also have sockets, but runes won't be used in them if they do.) Active skills have sockets in the skill tree interface, and when a valid rune is placed into the socket, the skill gains an appropriate bonus, depending on the type and quality of rune used. Bonuses vary greatly, depending on the skill and the type of rune used, and include such things as extra hits, extra damage, increased spell duration, and many more. In addition, Diablo III will have fewer runes, with a final number somewhere around 5 different kinds.

==Rune Function==
[[Image:New_Rune_Socket.png|thumb|Rune Socket]]Skill Runes in [[Diablo III]] improve a character's active [[skill]]s in various creative ways. Runes don't just add damage; they modify the skill in some way, making it more powerful and fun to use, as well as allowing for character customization. Runes can be used very strategically; different runes in the same spell will do things. For example: the [[Wizard]] skill [[Blizzard]] would gain different benefits from different runes. A few hypothetical Blizzard bonuses: more falling projectiles, longer duration, more damage per projectile, longer chill time, better to/hit, better chance of critical hit, and so forth. Also, each of those types of bonuses would be increased in power by the quality of the rune used, allowing for a huge variety of potential bonuses and play styles.

As of the [[BlizzCon 2008]] demo:
* Active Skills had sockets for runes
* None of the Passive skills had sockets.
* No skill had more than one socket.

It is not known if any of this will remain that way in the final game.

Runes can be removed from sockets at any time and without any penalty. Theoretically, players could juggle their runes around constantly, sticking in a multi-strike rune to deal with big mobs, changing to a power rune to up the single target damage before a boss battle, and so forth. It's likely that Blizzard will take steps to limit this "rune juggling", perhaps forcing players to return to town before they can change the rune socketed in a spell, putting a cool down time on resocketing the same skill, limiting the number of times a particular rune can be socketed, or even causing runes to lose quality when unsocketed.

As of BlizzCast episode 8 (30th of March, 2009) [http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/blizzcast-8-live-with-diablo-iii-goodies/] Runes and Rune Sockets have become Horizontal Rectangles, as seen in the image on top and in the image to the right.

===Function Examples===
The [[D3 Team]] gave several examples of rune functions during a panel at [[BlizzCon 2008]] when Skill Runes were first revealed as a game feature. ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouYP1zGfd0s Watch the demonstration] on YouTube.)

====Wizard's Mirror Image====
* '''[[Mirror Image]] Skill:''' This skill, from the [[Conjuring Skill Tree]], creates a duplicate of the [[wizard]], which is capable of moving around and using spells to attack monsters. (It's not just a decoy or an illusion.)
** '''Hydra/Multistrike Rune: '''Socketing this rune would increase the number of duplicates. Higher quality levels of the hydra/multi-strike rune would presumably add more duplicates.
** '''Force/Power Rune: '''Socketing this rune would increase the hit points of each duplicate, and increase the spell's duration.

====Wizard's Teleport Skill====
* '''[[Teleport]] skill:''' This skill, from the [[Arcane Skill Tree]], teleports the Wizard to the targeted location. The spell isn't quite as quick as it was in Diablo or Diablo 2, since the Wizard leaps up into the air before vanishing, and appears in the air, then falls down to earth.

* With '''Striking Rune:''' Adds damage to targets near where the Wizard appears, functioning something like the Barbarian's Leap Attack skill.

[[Image:teleport_striking.jpg|center]]

* With '''Hydra/Multistrike Rune:''' Creates a temporary duplicate of the Wizard that will attract enemy fire and will fight and deal damage as well. (This seems to be basically a free way to cast Mirror Image when you Teleport.)

[[Image:teleport_multistrike.jpg|center]]

====Witch Doctor's Skull of Flame====
* '''[[Skull of Flame]] skill:''' The Witch Doctor lobs a flaming skull, grenade style, which explodes on impact, dealing substantial fire damage to nearby targets.

* With '''Hydra/Multistrike Rune:''' Socketing this rune causes the flaming skull to skip along the ground, like a stone over water, bounding and creating multiple explosions. Higher quality runes would allow additional bounces.

[[Image:skullofflame_multistrike.jpg|center]]

* With '''Force/Power Rune:''' Socketing this rune adds a firefield property to the Skull of Flame, creating a small patch of flame on the ground that persists after the skull's explosion and damages any monsters that cross over it.

[[Image:skullofflame_power.jpg|center]]

====Wizard's Electrocute====
* '''[[Electrocute]] skill:''' This skill, from the [[Storm Skill Tree]] creates a strand of lightning that locks onto an enemy like a beam weapon, dealing steady lightning damage. It will chain to a second enemy if one is in range, dealing damage to both.

* With '''Hydra/Multistrike Rune:''' Socketing this rune allows the lightning to chain to multiple targets.

[[Image:electrocute_multistrike.jpg|center]]

* With '''Viper/Lethality Rune:''' Socketing this rune causes some of the monsters killed by Electrocute to explode in a nova, dealing damage to other nearby enemies.

[[Image:electrocute_lethality.jpg|center]]

==Rune Types==
Skill Runes will be found in a variety of types. Known runes:

* [[Energy Rune]]
* [[Viper Rune]] (named Lethality before)
* [[Hydra Rune]] (named Multistrike before)
* [[Force Rune]] (named Power before)
* [[Striking Rune]]

(Players have spent a lot of time [http://forums.diii.net/showthread.php?p=6871952 thinking up other types of runes], and discussing their potential benefits.)

More runes will almost certainly be added during development as the team thinks of useful types to include in the game. The team won't be adding a lot of odd types of runes, though; D3 Lead Designer [[Jay Wilson]] has stressed that runes must add a useful function to multiple types of skills. The [[D3 Team]] wants all the runes to be useful to all [[class]]es, so they won't add runes that just boost one type of skill, or one character's skills. They have to think up rune bonus properties that work across the board, so there are probably not going to be 50 types of runes. (Utility doesn't equal equality, since not every skill can receive exactly the same level of improvement from every rune.)

==Rune Quality Levels==
It's been stated that runes will have various levels of quality, in a fashion somewhat akin to the different quality levels of {{iw|Gem gems}} in Diablo II. At [[BlizzCon 2008]], [[Jay Wilson]] said there were 5 or 6 quality levels of runes (Minor being the lowest quality), but that the number could go up or down during development. Higher qualities of runes will (of course) be dropped by higher level monsters, and the higher qualities will be much rarer. The function of each type of rune will not change at higher quality; instead the bonuses will be increased.

The D3 team hasn't yet revealed much information about how item [[crafting]] will work in D3, other than to say that they won't have any {{iw|Horadric_Cube Horadric Cube-style}} converting items. We therefore know nothing about the potential for runes to be upgraded by type, though it's certainly possible that something along those lines could be implemented.

==BlizzCon 2009==
[[Image:Rune Explanation.png|thumb|250px|If any of the first six steps are changed, (and they will be) then the outcome will be fully scrapped.]]
During the BlizzCon 2009 Diablo 3 panel on August 21st, Jay Wilson "The Mad Overseer" talked about skills runes, why aren't they in the GamesCom demo or in the demo at BlizzCon?, where are they now? and the process of creating a rune.

They stated that while runes are a very important system to them and that they are a key element in their customizing goals, they have disabled them from demo builds because not all skills can be customized with skill runes, causing confusion to the players. They want players to experience the rune customizing system "in its entirety".

Then they explained the creation process of making a rune, and how making any changes at all to the first steps will scrap the end results entirely, as can be seen in the image on the right.

==Rune Storage==
At the [[BlizzCon 2008]] demo, runes were stored in an [[inventory]] grid on the skill tree menu; not in the normal inventory. There were 10 rune slots below the skill trees. It's not known if they will still be stored there in the final game, if there will be ways to increase the number of slots, or if they can be stored in the inventory instead.

==Further Reading==
You can find out more of the essential information about Diablo I and Diablo II runes in the {{iw|Main_Page Diablo 2 Wiki}}.

=== Diablo II Runes ===
* {{iw|Rune Runes}} - The main page for D2 runes.
* {{iw|Rune_FAQ Rune FAQ}} - All your questions about runes are answered here.
* {{iw|Rune_List Rune list}} - All the runes in Diablo II, and how you can create a {{iw|Zod Zod}} rune from a fourteen trillion {{iw|El Els}}.
* {{iw|Runewords Runewords}} - See how runewords work.
* {{iw|Sockets Sockets}} - Get to know more about the socket mechanic.

=== Diablo I Runes ===
[[Diablo I: Hellfire]] had runes, and you can read more about that on the {{iw|D1_Hellfire_Runes Diablo I Runes}} article.

==Trivia (Rune History)==
What do you really know about runes? The ones from our world come from the ancient Vikings, and their "futhark" (equivalence of our 'Alpha Bet(a)'). They allegedly hold magic powers, and the magicks of the 'runa' are still practised today. These practices, called "Seden", are of course done mostly as a pastime, but some forms of the old runes were used in proper form as late as early 20th century in the 'Dalarna' area of Sweden...

[[Image:Runes.jpg|center]]

In [[Sanctuary]], however, runes are magically inscribed symbols. Though their use has changed slightly in the last 20 years, they used to grant (sufficiently prepared) [[items]] magical properties. For sages of these runes, magical {{iw|Runeword RuneWords}} would be created to remake a mundane item into a Runic Item, with powers competing with magical artifacts.

Besides the fact that these supposedly ancient runes hold great and mystic powers, we know little about them. Who created them or how they are created is unknown. They seem to attract [[demon]]s of different kinds, as they are often found on their corpses. If the runes are of demonic origin is not known either. They could have been the simple writing language of the first inhabitants of Sanctuary, who themselves were more powerful than Demons or [[Angel]]s. Whatever the origin, they are of great use to heroes wishing to dethrone [[Diablo]] or [[Baal]].

==References==
* [http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/blizzcast-8-live-with-diablo-iii-goodies/ BlizzCast #8]
* [[BlizzCon 2008]]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQBtkJ97Fbo&feature=related The Diablo 3 panel which deals with Fury issues]

[[Category:Runes]]
[[Category:Items]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:Lore]]

User talk:Bran Maniac

2009-09-25T23:07:14Z

Bran Maniac:

==Welcome==
I just now saw your [[Signature skill]]s edit, and the [[Main Page]] comment. Thanks :) You seemed to understand how talk pages works etc, so I take it this is not your first ever edit in a wiki? --[[User:Leord|Leord]] 14:26, 25 September 2009 (CEST)
: Actually, it pretty much is. I think I made a small joke edit to a Wikipedia page like 2 years ago. I just analyzed other pages looking for what to do. But nonetheless, I hope to help this wiki out some more. It's an awesome fansite and wiki you guys have put together here, so I definitely don't want it just to be a select few people doing all the work. --[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 01:07, 26 September 2009 (CEST)

Signature skill

2009-09-11T21:03:47Z

Bran Maniac:

'''Signature Skills''' is a term used by the [[D3 Team]] to refer to the most important, visual, significant skills possessed by each of the playable classes in [[Diablo III]].

==Overview==
The team describes signature skills as the skills that really define the characters, and it's through developing these skills that the design team comes to understand just how that character is to be played and what sort of space they will occupy in the game world.

For instance, the design goal of the [[Barbarian|Diablo III Barbarian]] is to make a huge, powerful, thundering brute of a [[melee]] fighter. So his signature skills are things that crush hordes of enemies in front of him, shake the entire screen, rip holes in the earth, etc.

[[Passive skill]]s are never "signature skills." Even though passive skills can be essential and powerful, they're not visually impressive enough to be named a "signature skill."

==Signature Skills Debut==

The first reference to signature skills came at the WWI 2008, during [[WWI_2008:_Denizens_of_Diablo_Panel#Signature_Skills|the Denizens of Diablo Panel]]. In that discussion, [[Jay Wilson]] detailed the concept of signature skills and showed off a couple of examples.

::'''Jay Wilson''': These are where we bring the design and art together. We focus on a small set of skills, and pick ones that are very cool to work on. By this we focus on defining a character's essential nature. When we start to work on a character, we can sit in a room and come up with 100 skills. Ideas for them isn't hard. We don't make them all though. We figure which are really cool and defining of that character, and those are the ones we pursue. We have a saying, "don't balance too soon". The goal here isn't to crate a skill that's fair and balanced gameplay. The point is to make a skill that people will think awesome. And that can be edited by worrying about balancing it too soon.

::I'm not trying to trivialize balance. It's important; but not too soon. Don't balance at the beginning. At the beginning you're trying to make the heroes as awesome as possible. One cool thing that happens is that we have an arms race between the characters as we design them. The first one is awesome, and then we make the next one a little bit more awesome. So we have to go back to the first one and up their awesomeness, and back and forth. It makes them better and better over time.

::[[Barbarian]]: [[Seismic Slam]]

::This is a skill where barb raises weapon over head. Slams it down. Anything in front of him gets rocked and destroyed. This skill was first skill we made for Barb, and one of the first we did in the game. Getting it right took longer than it did with most skills. We did many iterations. Animation especially. Had to make barb feel physically powerful. Traditionally we associate big bold movements with power. But if you want a game that feels fast and responsive, you want the movements to be really fast. Getting balance of fast movements and powerful feel. It's a big challenge in many ways to get that animation right.

::Once we got through all that, we didn't still didn't really like the skill. We got programming done and wasn't that great. Got effects done, and still not that great. Somehow didn't quite sing to us. Wasn't until we got sound that it was really awesome. Really fun. Key to that was faith to get through process. Once you do get through it, all the skills that come after that come much quicker. What's the Barbarian about? Look at Seismic Slam. With that he rocks the world with power. Next few skills we did almost required no communication between art and programming, since art knew what the barb was about. Knew what we were designing for, since we had a great example.

::[[Witch Doctor]]: [[Firebomb]]

::Interesting evolution of this skill. It was one of our first skills for him. Originally it was a sort of fireball spell; when cast it travelled in a direct line from the WD to the target and would hit anything in the path. It exploded nicely. Explosions are cool. Everyone likes them.

::Problem was, not really problem, but we've all seen that kind of Fireball spell before. The artists came back said we didn't imagine him that way. We saw Firebomb as more of a physical magic. Like concocting some alchemical recipe in a skull and hurling that, and it explodes.

::Once it was a physical projectile designers liked. It became a physical thing to throw, could go over walls. Become different tactics and use. Great example of how art and design can work together to iterate to make cool skill.

::Last thing artists wanted to do was put the image of the witch doctor into the fire effect. When fire goes off it's big form of his hands and face in the flame. We thought that idea was so cool that we put that into the graphics of his other skills. [[Horrify]], [[Mass Confuse]]. Just shows how one skill can inform whole class.

::This is how we develop skills. Rinse and repeat this idea. First few are hard and time consuming, but the rest come easier and makes for a really cool character.

[[Image:Skill_witchdoctor_firebomb.jpg|frame|center|Sequence of Witch Doctor casting Skull of Flame, which was formerly called "Firebomb."]]

==Signature Skills Listing==

There's no full official listing of signature skills, since it's just a descriptive term the team uses to refer to some of the skills possessed by each character. Any impressive, active skill that seems uniquely tied to the character who possesses it is a good candidate for this expression.

The [[Exploding Palm]] skill was referenced as being one of the Monk's signature skills.

'''Mentioned as signature skills by Blizzard:'''
* [[Monk skill]]s
** [[Exploding Palm]]
* [[Barbarian skill]]s
** [[Seismic Slam]]

'''Skills that are generally regarded as unofficial signature skills:'''
* [[Barbarian skill]]
** [[Whirlwind]]
* [[Witch Doctor skill]]
** [[Wall of Zombies]]
* [[Wizard skill]]
** [[Slow Time]]
** [[Blizzard]]
** [[Disintegrate]]

[[category:skills]]
[[category:reference]]

Talk:Main Page

2009-09-11T21:02:28Z

Bran Maniac: WD links need updating.

Cant edit this page. Just wanted to say, that the Wizard should be added to the main page with the other 2 classes.

== Typos, etc... ==

"Key Pages for Diablo ''II'' Info" might be misleading... =]
--[[User:Azymn|Azymn]] 08:47, 28 October 2008 (CET)

Can we fix the Diablo 1 link on the main page pointing directly to http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Diablo_I instead of http://diablowiki.net/Diablo_I ?
--[[User:Diak|Diak]] 21:50, 18 April 2009 (CEST)

The Witch Doctor's "Plague" Skill Tree should be changed to "Zombie", and all the links under the WD should be changed to "--- skills" instead of "--- skill tree", to mesh with the rest of the page.
--[[User:Bran Maniac|Bran Maniac]] 23:02, 11 September 2009 (CEST)

Signature skill

2009-08-29T18:26:08Z

Bran Maniac: /* Signature Skills Listing */

"Signature Skills" is a term used by the [[D3 Team]] to refer to the most important, visual, significant skills possessed by each of the playable characters in Diablo III. As the team describes it, these skills really define the characters, and it's through developing these skills that the design team comes to understand just how that character is to be played and what sort of space they will occupy in the game world.

For instance, the design goal of the Diablo III Barbarian is to make a huge, powerful, thundering brute of a melee fighter. So his signature skills are things that crush hordes of enemies in front of him, shake the entire screen, rip holes in the earth, etc.

[[Passive skill]]s are never "signature skills." Even though passive skills can be essential and powerful, they're not visually impressive enough to be named a "signature skill."

==Signature Skills Debut==

The first reference to signature skills came at the WWI 2008, during [[WWI_2008:_Denizens_of_Diablo_Panel#Signature_Skills|the Denizens of Diablo Panel]]. In that discussion, [[Jay Wilson]] detailed the concept of signature skills and showed off a couple of examples.

::'''Jay Wilson''': These are where we bring the design and art together. We focus on a small set of skills, and poick ones that are very cool to work on. By this we focus on defining a character's essential nature. When we star to work on a character, we can sit in a room and come up with 100 skills. Ideas for them isn't hard. We don't make them all though. We figure which are really cool and defining of that character, and those are the ones we pursue. We have a saying, "don't balance too soon" The goal here isn't to crate a skill that's fair and balanced gameplay. The point is to make a skill that people will think awesome. And that can be edited by worrying about balancing it too soon.

::I'm not trying to trivialize balance. It's important; but not too soon. Don't balance at the beginning. At the beginning you're trying to make the heroes as awesome as possible. One cool thing that happens is that we have an arms race between the characters as we design them. The first one is awesome, and then we make the next one a little bit more awesome. So we have to go back to the first one and up their awesomeness, and back and forth. It makes them better and better over time.

::Barbarian: Seismic Slam

::This is a skill where barb raises weapon over head. Slams it down. Anything in front of him gets rocked and destroyed. This skill was first skill we made for Barb, and one of the first we did in the game. Getting it right took longer than it did with most skills. We did many iterations. Animation especially. Had to make barb feel physically powerful. Traditionally we associate big bold movements with power. But if you want a game that feels fast and responsive, you want the movements to be really fast. Getting balance of fast movements and powerful feel. It's a big challenge in many ways to get that animation right.

::Once we got through all that, we didn't still didn't really like the skill. We got programming done and wasn't that great. Got effects done, and still not that great. Somehow didn't quite sing to us. Wasn't until we got sound that it was really awesome. Really fun. Key to that was faith to get through process. Once you do get through it, all the skills that come after that come much quicker. What's the Barbarian about? Look at Seismic Slam. With that he rocks the world with power. Next few skills we did almost required no communication between art and programming, since art knew what the barb was about. Knew what we were designing for, since we had a great example.

::Witch Doctor: Firebomb

::Interesting evolution of this skill. It was one of our first skills for him. Originally it was a sort of fireball spell; when cast it traveled in a direct line from the WD to the target and would hit anything in the path. It exploded nicely. Explosions are cool. Everyone likes them.

::Problem was, not really problem, but we've all seen that kind of Fireball spell before. The artists came back said we didn't imagine him that way. We saw Firebomb as more of a physical magic. Like concocting some alchemical recipe in a skull and hurling that, and it explodes.

::Once it was a physical projectile designers liked. It became a physical thing to throw, could go over walls. Become different tactics and use. Great example of how art and design can work together to iterate to make cool skill.

::Last thing artists wanted to do was put the image of the witch doctor into the fire effect. When fire goes off it's big form of his hands and face in the flame. We thought that idea was so cool that we put that into the graphics of his other skills. Horrify, Mass Confuse. Just shows how one skill can inform whole class.

::This is how we develop skills. Rinse and repeat this idea. First few are hard and time consuming, but the rest come easier and makes for a really cool character.

[[Image:Skill_witchdoctor_firebomb.jpg|frame|center|Sequence of Witch Doctor casting Skull of Flame, which was formerly called "Firebomb."]]

==Signature Skills Listing==

There's no full listing of signature skills, since it's just a descriptive term the team uses to refer to some of the skills possessed by each character. Any impressive, active skill that seems uniquely tied to the character who possesses it is a good candidate for this expression.

The [[exploding palm]] skill was referenced as being one of the Monk's signature skills.

[[category:skills]]
[[category:reference]]