Difference between revisions of "Diablo 3 Basics"

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−	[[Image:Diablo III Logo.jpg|left|150px]]
−	This is the '''Diablo 3 Basics''' page, which is the main '''Fact Sheet''' of known '''Diablo III''' information. This much-anticipated sequel to Diablo and Diablo II was announced at [[Blizzard]]'s [[WWI 2008]] in Paris, during 27-28 June, 2008. Regardless if you just heard that Diablo III is announced, or if you have been following some of the {{wl|[http://diablo.incgamers.com Diablo 3 news]}}, this page will get you up to speed!
−	If you are looking for the '''Basics Section''' of the wiki, you can find that in the '''[[:Category:Basics|Basics Category]]'''.	+	This is the '''Diablo 3 Basics''' page, which is the main '''Fact Sheet''' of known '''Diablo III''' information.  Regardless if you just started playing diablo 3 or returned after a long vacation to other games, this page will get you up to speed!
		+
		+	[[Image:Diablo III Logo.jpg|right|150px]]If you are looking for the '''Basics Section''' of the wiki, you can find that in the '''[[:Category:Basics|Basics Category]]'''.
	==Introduction==		==Introduction==
−	Diablo III, while featured completely in '''3D''' with a 3D environment, will follow closely in Diablo II's track by using the classic isometric view, fast gameplay, and randomized content for high replayability. Some changes have been made in order to make the game faster and more flexible as well as make players choose and employ tactics rather than mindless mouseclicking. Besides taking well-learned lessons from WoW, the developers have been inspired by games such as ''Zelda'' and ''God of War''. Regardless, the game will be possible to play with a mouse alone, if a player so wishes (but you would be a lot less efficient).
−	Remember that if you're a newcomer to Diablo, you can find more related articles in the '''[[:Category:Basics|Basics Category]]'''	+	Diablo III, while featured completely in '''3D''' with a 3D environment, follows closely in Diablo II's track by using the classic isometric view, fast gameplay, and randomized content for high replayability. Some changes have been made in order to make the game more welcoming to new players, to ramp up the difficulty more smoothly, and to create a "deep and engaging" combat system. The Diablo III developers took inspiration from previous games in the series, as well as [[World of Warcraft]], and other different games such as ''Zelda'' and ''God of War''.
		+
		+	Remember that if you're a newcomer to Diablo, you can find more related articles in the '''[[:Category:Basics|Basics Category]]'''.
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	== Character Classes ==		== Character Classes ==
−		+	The Following classes are in diablo 3:
−	Blizzard has confirmed that the game will ship with five characters. These are the [[Barbarian]], [[Demon Hunter]], [[Monk]], [[Witch Doctor]], and [[Wizard]]. All five classes will be playable in male or female versions. The gender difference is purely cosmetic; male and female characters have identical stats and abilities. The classes are very distinct from one another, for all armor appears different depending on which character is using it, the characters have completely unique [[skills]], largely unique [[traits]], and each has their own [[resource]] type.
−
−	Though all five classes for Diablo III have been revealed, more are expected in the [[expansion]]s. See the [[Other classes]] article for Blizzard quotes on their additional character ideas.
	{|		{|
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	| [[File:Barbfemale.jpg|85px]]		| [[File:Barbfemale.jpg|85px]]
	| [[File:Barbmale.jpg|80px]]		| [[File:Barbmale.jpg|80px]]
−	| '''The [[Barbarian]]''' - The same character you played in [[Diablo II]], but with some [[Barbarian skills|new skills]], and backed with the power of the [[ancient]]s.	+	| '''The [[Barbarian]]''' - The one returning class is still a mighty brawler, but he's gained countless new tricks, with only a few skills returning, and all of them modified in various ways.
	* [[Barbarian Skills]]		* [[Barbarian Skills]]
−	* [[Barbarian Traits]]	+	* [[Barbarian passive skills]]
	* [[Resource]]: - [[Fury]]		* [[Resource]]: - [[Fury]]
	|-		|-
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	| [[File:Demon-hunter-art4.jpg|center|125px]]		| [[File:Demon-hunter-art4.jpg|center|125px]]
	| [[File:Demon-hunter-male.jpg|90px]]		| [[File:Demon-hunter-male.jpg|90px]]
−	| '''The [[Demon Hunter]]''' - The last class revealed is a ranged weapon specialist with a grudge against all demon kind, sexy style, deadly traps, and demonic gadgets to go with her glowing eyes.	+	| '''The [[Demon Hunter]]''' - The game's ranged weapon specialist, Demon Hunters are fast-moving archers with devastating offensive capabilities and a wide variety of tactical traps and demonic gadgets.
	* [[Demon Hunter Skills]]		* [[Demon Hunter Skills]]
−	* [[Demon Hunter Traits]]	+	* [[Demon Hunter passive skills]]
	* [[Resource]]: - [[Hatred]] & [[Discipline]]		* [[Resource]]: - [[Hatred]] & [[Discipline]]
	|-		|-
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	| [[File:Monkfemale.jpg|85px]]		| [[File:Monkfemale.jpg|85px]]
	| [[File:Monkmale.jpg|85px]]		| [[File:Monkmale.jpg|85px]]
−	| '''The [[Monk]]''' - A new fellow from [[Ivgorod]]. Combining martial arts of our Eastern cultures with a holy strike from the Western disciplines, he takes names and kicks in faces.	+	| '''The [[Monk]]''' - The follower of a thousand Gods, Monks from [[Ivgorod]] are holy warriors. Combining fast-hitting, melee-ranged martial arts with holy magics, auras, and defensive tactics.
	* [[Monk Skills]]		* [[Monk Skills]]
−	* [[Monk Traits]]	+	* [[Monk passive skills]]
	* [[Resource]]: [[Spirit]]		* [[Resource]]: [[Spirit]]
	|-		|-
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	| [[File:Witchfemale.jpg|85px]]		| [[File:Witchfemale.jpg|85px]]
	| [[File:Witchmale.jpg|70px]]		| [[File:Witchmale.jpg|70px]]
−	| '''The [[Witch Doctor]]''' - A new class that comes from the jungle region of [[Teganze]], and uses [[Witch Doctor skills|voodoo magic]] to do his bidding. One of his highlights is the [[Wall of Zombies]] spell.	+	| '''The [[Witch Doctor]]''' - A mysterious class from the jungles of [[Teganze]], the Witch Doctor wields a huge array of magical attacks, as well as the ability to mind control enemies and summon up pets to fight alongside him.
	* [[Witch Doctor Skills]]		* [[Witch Doctor Skills]]
−	* [[Witch Doctor Traits]]	+	* [[Witch Doctor passive skills]]
	* [[Resource]]: [[Mana]]		* [[Resource]]: [[Mana]]
	|-		|-
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	| [[File:Wizardfemale.jpg|85px]]		| [[File:Wizardfemale.jpg|85px]]
	| [[File:Wizardmale.jpg|70px]]		| [[File:Wizardmale.jpg|70px]]
−	| '''The [[Wizard]]''' - A new class that is a pure spell caster harnessing arcane and elemental magic to do her bidding. Very similar to the [[Sorcerer]] and [[Sorceress]] of previous Diablo games. One of the highlights is the [[Wizard_skills#Slow_Time|Slow Time]] spell which warps space and time, slowing nearby monsters and projectiles.	+	| '''The [[Wizard]]''' - An evolutionary improvement from the Sorcerer and Sorceress seen in previous Diablo titles. Wizards boast an impressive array of offensive spells that are useful for every situation, as well as defensive spells and escape abilities that combine to create this murderous [[glass cannon]].
		+
	* [[Wizard Skills]]		* [[Wizard Skills]]
−	* [[Wizard Traits]]	+	* [[Wizard passive skills]]
	* [[Resource]]: [[Arcane Power]]		* [[Resource]]: [[Arcane Power]]
	|-		|-
	|}		|}
−
	=== Skills ===		=== Skills ===
−	The skills and their presentation evolved greatly during the game's development. See the [[skill tree]] article for a full pictorial history. As of Blizzcon 2010, skills are presented in a list and sorted into seven tiers that are unlocked at various [[character level]]s. All skills are [[active]], there are no prerequisites other than character level, and there are no synergies.	+	When just starting the game, you have a basic attack, which is a [[primary skill]]. The next level will unlock another skill, and so on. At level 6, you unlock [[skill runes]], which alter the way skills work. For example, a [[Wizard]]'s basic fire [[Hydra]] can use a skill rune turning it into a frost or lightning hydra. Each 10 levels up to level 30, you unlock a [[passive]] slot, which change the way your character functions. For example, there is a [[Barbarian]] passive that makes it so instead of losing fury over time, you regenerate it. All basic skills are unlocked by level 30, but it takes until level 60 for your character to reach full potential.
−	[[Traits]] were added during development in 2010, when all [[passive]] skills were removed from the skill trees. Traits are passives or masteries and boost general character traits, or specific skills. While many traits are shared between the classes, granting bonuses to [[attributes]] or other common properties such as [[Lucky]] (increased gold drops), or [[Pound of Flesh (trait)|Pound of Flesh]] (increased [[health orb]] benefit), about half of the traits are unique to each class, providing specific bonuses just for that class.	+	Skills can be changed at your convenience. At level 60, changing skills makes you loose [[Nephalem Valor]]. When changed in town, there are no cooldowns.
−		+	Unlike diablo 2, many skills have cooldowns ranging from 5 seconds to a whooping 2 minutes. Skills with cooldowns tend to be more powerful than normal skills and are worth the wait.
−	==== Skill Tree Respecs/Resets ====
−	In Diablo II prior to v1.13, a character was unable to change their skills and stats once they were allocated. If you made any mistake, the only solution was to [[reroll]]. This is changed in Diablo III, and it will be fairly easy for characters to "[[respec]]," to remove and reassign points from [[skills]] and [[traits]].
−
−	The exact methods have not yet been revealed, but the developers have said it will be fairly easy to do, though not entirely free or instant, to prevent exploitation.
−
−
−	====Stats/Attributes====
−	One major change announced early in Diablo III's development was the elimination of player-assigned stat points. In Diablo III, each class gains various [[attribute]] points in [[Attack_(Attribute)|attack]], [[Precision_(Attribute)|precision]], [[vitality]], [[defense]], and [[willpower]] when they level up, and these are automatically assigned. The Diablo III developers felt the stat allocation in Diablo II was a poor way to provide character customization since players almost always followed an established [[build]], which was always the best choice for a character. This removed any variety or individuality.
−
−	Stats can be modified in Diablo III in various ways: by [[traits]], via [[charms]] in the [[talisman]], and with equipment bonuses, including socketing [[gems]].
−
−	==== Skill Runes ====
−	[[File:Runes-hydra-all.jpg|thumb|350px|Hydra runestone effects.]]
−	While gems return for item [[sockets]], [[runes]] in Diablo III are not used in items. There are five types of runes, [[crimson]], [[alabaster]], [[indigo]], [[golden]], and [[obsidian]], which are socketed into active skills, where they modify the skill in various beneficial ways.
−
−	[[Runestones]] are a huge aspect of the game, always improving skills to the point that virtually any socketed runestone, even of the lowest level, will make an immediate and obvious difference in a skill's efficacy.  Only a few skill rune functions are known at this point, and all are subject to change as development continues.
−
−	The first known complete skill permutation was the [[Wizard]]'s [[Hydra]] skill. The basic skill is much as it was in Diablo II, a three-headed flame dragon that pokes out of a manhole in the ground, spitting firebolts at enemies. Each rune changes this effect quite noticeably. The effects revealed for Hydra changed considerably even between August and October 2010, when the slide to the right was presented at Blizzcon 2010:
−
−	* Crimson rune: Turns the dragons blue, and they attack with a chilling/slowing breath.
−	* Alabaster rune: Turns the dragons purple, and they attack with Arcane damage bolts.
−	* Golden rune: The dragons remain red, but spit out firewalls, which deal higher damage and leave an [[AoE]] wall of flame on the ground.
−	* Indigo rune: The dragons turn blue and spit clusters of lightning.
−	* Obsidian rune: The dragons turn green and spit out poison-damaging acid balls.
	==Monsters==		==Monsters==
−	[[Image:Goatmen surround a Siegebreaker.jpg|thumb|right|150px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Goatmen]] & [[Siegebreaker]].</span>]]
−	Diablo III will have a great array of '''[[monster]]s''', and they will employ more intelligent behaviour and effects as well. There will be more 'mini-boss' encounters that make for more epic gameplay; an example is the [[Thousand Pounder]], who isn't really a [[boss]], but a unit type. Other 'effects' include skeletons with large shields that can block and protect archers, [[ghoul]]s that climb up sheer walls to attack you, or [[Grotesque]]s that explode into a hundred [[Lamprey]] monsters. We can expect many unique attack patterns and behaviours from the Diablo III monsters.
−	The scale of monsters is greatly increased in Diablo III; demons like the Siegebreaker are not uncommon, and appear in sizes unimagined in previous games in the series. And Siegebreaker isn't even an especially big boss or Act boss.	+	In [[Sanctuary]], you face many [[monsters]], [[demons]], [[beasts]], [[undead]], etc. They range from small, such as the [[imp]] found in crypts, or large, like the mighty [[Siegebreaker]]s that are employed by lords of hell. It will be necessary to know the strengths and weaknesses of these monsters. You can begin learning about them here: http://www.diablowiki.net/Category:Monsters.
−	* '''The [[Monster|Monsters Article]]''' has much more information on the dozens of known monsters.	+	==Death==
−	* Monster [[bosses]] are much improved and varied in Diablo III.
−	** [[Boss modifiers]] are new and improved as well, and there are many new and dangerous properties.
		+	In [[softcore]], death is very mild, punished only by 10% durability loss and a need to run back to where you came from. The task is made much easier by [[checkpoints]], which help with this, and [[waypoints]], which make going places a very simple task.
−	==Death==	+	One planned feature that didn't make it into the game were specially gruesome player fatalities, which some bosses were to have the ability to inflict when they killed players.
−	Death is less of an obstacle to success in Diablo III than in previous games in the series. Dead players in Diablo III do not lose equipment or gold. They must wait a mere few seconds before waiting to be resurrected by another player in their party or restarting at the last [[checkpoint]] (not [[waypoint]]) they passed over.
−	[[Hardcore]] mode is an option in the game, and as in Diablo II, dead HC characters stay dead forever.
−	Death will even look better. There are many more monster death animations, [[critical hit]] deaths come with bonus gore, and even players get to enjoy the death variety, since some of the special monsters have special fatality animations they'll use if they kill a player during a battle.	+	==Difficulty Levels==
		+	There are four [[difficulty]] levels in Diablo III, [[Normal difficulty]], [[Nightmare difficulty]], [[Hell difficulty]], and [[Inferno difficulty]]. Each difficulty level repeats the same game content, but with monsters, items, and everything else increased in level to keep scaling up the challenge. Normal is designed to be fairly easy, especially early on, to usher new players into the game and teach them the ropes without too much challenge. Difficulty starts to increase in Nightmare and Hell, and characters should max out at level 60 around the end of Hell. In addition, there are 10 [[monster power]] options that increase loot drops, experience gain, and the life and damage of your foes.
−	==Difficulty Levels==	+	==Gold==
−	There are going to be three [[difficulty]] levels in Diablo III, as in other games in the series. The normal difficulty level will not be very difficult, and characters are expected to rise to about Clvl 30 working their way through it, then 50 after Nightmare, and 60 (max level) after Hell. There will not be grinding required to reach the max level in Diablo III; as in World of Warcraft, it will be achieved simply by working through the normal content.	+	[[Gold]] is the main trading resource in diablo, and is common to find. It is used for repairs, buying potions and other services from vendors, trading, and the [[Auction House]].
−	The difficulty will increase substantially on Nightmare, and the developers have talked about Hell as a much greater challenge, though they are committed to allowing solo players to defeat everything in the game. Nothing will be so hard that a group is required to pass it, and there are no plans to include [[raid]]-style content.	+	==The Auction House==
		+	The [[Auction House]] is a huge trading base, where you can buy and sell nearly every item in the game, excluding account bound items. It is being removed in March 2014.
−	==End Game==	+	==Items==
−	The focus of the [[end game]] will be much-changed in Diablo III. The developers have not revealed many details, but they say it will be much more compelling than simply running the same bosses over and over again. That characters will be at or nearly to the max level by the time they finish Hell difficulty (barring rushing or other activities to take a character well outside the normal level progression) makes a big difference, since gaining experience will not be part of the end game.	+	[[Image:Barbarian swing.jpg|thumb|right|[[Barbarian]] swinging two magical axes.]]
		+	Armor and weapons function much as they did in previous games in the series. Players find low level gear early on, and one of the major goals/enjoyments of playing is to find better quality gear and thus improve your character's performance. One big change to the appearance of armor is the elimination of exception and elite versions of gear. Unlike in Diablo II, Diablo III characters will not find the exact same looking armor repeated on each difficulty level. Instead there are 18 "tiers" of armor, organized into something the developers call [[gear sets]].
−	There are talks about [[Achievements]] being incorporated, or special online-only challenges. The team regards the item-hunting game as the ultimate goal of a character in Diablo III.	+	Each gear set has a distinctive, organized look, and thus a character wearing all (or most) of say, gear set 14, would have a cohesive, coherent appearance as the items would match each other. The developers have released numerous screenshots of the classes in complete gear sets, and they are stylish indeed. It's less clear, in advance of playing the higher levels, just how often (if ever) a character will have most or all of the same gear set on, or if characters will always be clad in a mixture of different level equipment.
−	Another end-game activity is PvP play in the [[Arena]], as characters could respec and switch around their equipment to build a character entirely focused on PvP play.	+	Item quality is similar to that of Diablo II, with item scarcity progressing [[normal]] > [[magical]] > [[rare]] > [[set]] > [[legendary]] (unique items). There should be more mixing and matching at the highest levels, with rare, set, and legendary items of approximately-equivalent quality, depending on the random mods they spawn with.
		+	Item and weapon types can be seen below.
−	==Items==	+	===Item Crafting===
−	[[Image:Barbarian swing.jpg|thumb|right|[[Barbarian]] swinging two magical axes.]]
−	Armor is arranged in [[gear sets]] in Diablo III. There are 18 of them, increasing in quality/appearance from simple cloth to ornate plate mail. The items do not repeat with different names/stats; there are no exceptional/elite versions of items in Diablo III. This means there is a wider variety of total item types, and that players will see a steady progression throughout the game of increasingly dramatic-looking armor.
−	Weapons are the same, and will increase from plain to fancy, with stats to match.	+	[[Crafting]] returns in Diablo III, in a major game system that combines elements of the item crafting and item gambling systems from Diablo II. Players use the [[Blacksmith]] NPC [[Artisan]] to create semi-random weapons and armor, including (eventually) set items and legendary items. Each crafted item requires [[gold]] and [[materials]], and crafted items all have some pre-set and some random mods, making the item creation a gamble that player may wish to repeat many times, in hopes of spawning an item with better [[modifier]]s.
−	Most items are rare or magical, as before. Sockets are not a special feature of white items; sockets may occur on any type of item, and there will not be plain socketed items, nor would you want one since there are no [[Runewords]] to put into them. [[Uniques]] return, though they are apparently going to be called "[[Legendary]]" in Diablo III. [[Item sets]] are also likely returning, though they may differ in function somewhat, to make them more useful and/or easier to assemble.	+	The Blacksmith must first know the [[recipe]] to create the item, and these are taught to the Artisans by [[training]] them to higher levels, as well as by finding crafting [[plans]], including rare ones, as drops from monsters and chests.
−	A very popular type of item will be [[crafted]] items, magical or rare items made by the NPC [[Artisans]] from various [[recipes]].	+	The [[Jeweler]] works very similar to the blacksmith, however he specializes in gems and some account bound rings + amulets, rather than gear.
	===Armor and Weapon Types===		===Armor and Weapon Types===
−	*[[Armor]]: [[helms]], [[shields]], [[body armor]], [[gloves]], [[boots]], [[rings]], [[amulets]], and [[belts]] return. Belts are now just another piece of armor; they do not have any special potion-holding function.	+	*[[Armor]]: [[helms]], [[shields]], [[Chest Armor|chest armor]], [[Hands|gloves]], [[Feet|boots]], [[rings]], [[amulets]], and [[belts]] return. Belts are now just another piece of armor; they do not have any special potion-holding function.
−	** New armor types: [[Shoulders]], [[bracers]], and [[pants]].	+	** New armor types compared to Diablo 2: [[pauldrons (item type)|Shoulders]], [[Wrists|bracers]], and [[pants]].
		+	** New class-specific armor types compared to Diablo 2: [[Mighty Belts]] for the Barbarian; [[Cloaks]] for the Demon Hunter; [[Spirit Stones]] (helms) for the Monk; [[Voodoo Masks]] for the Witch Doctor, and [[Wizard Hats]] for the Wizard.
−	* [[Weapons]]: [[Axes]], [[Spears]], [[Polearms]], [[Swords]], [[Clubs]], [[Bows]], [[Crossbows]], [[Wands]], [[shields]],	+	* [[Weapons]]: [[Axes]], [[Spears]], [[Polearms]], [[Swords]], [[Maces]], [[Bows]], [[Crossbows]], [[Wands]], [[Shields]]. (There are no throwing weapons in D3v, and many of these weapon types have class limitations -- Monks can not use bows/xbows, only Wizards and Witch Doctors can use wands, etc. See the individual items pages for full details.)
−	** New weapons: [[Fists]], [[Daggers]] (no longer a type of sword), [[Orbs]], [[Pistol crossbows]], [[short staves]] for casters only, [[battle staves]] for the Monk only.	+	** New types of weapons compared to Diablo 2: [[Fists]], [[Daggers]] (no longer a type of sword).
−	** Removed weapons: There are no [[Throwing Weapons]] or throwing [[potions]] yet seen in Diablo III.	+	** New class-specific weapons compared to Diablo 2: [[Mighty Weapons]] for Barbarians; [[Hand Crossbows]] for the Demon Hunter, [[Daibos]] and [[Fist]]s for the Monk, and [[Ceremonial Knives]] for the Witch Doctor.
		+	*** Class specific weapons, off-hand only: [[Mojos]] for the Witch Doctor, [[Orbs]] for the Wizard, [[Quiver]]s and [[1 handed Crossbows]] for the Demon Hunter.
	===Other Items Information===		===Other Items Information===
−	* [[Runes]] are no longer socketed into items, and [[runewords]] are no more. Runes are objects that get socketed into [[skills]].	+
−	* The [[inventory]] is much larger than it was in Diablo II, and after numerous permutations, it's settled on a large grid with all items either 1x1 or 1x2 in size.	+	* [[Runes]] are no longer found in Diablo III. They were never item socketables, but were socketed into skills, until a major system overhaul in early 2012.
−	* The [[stash]] in town is huge, and will be shared between characters on the same account.	+	* The [[inventory]] is much larger than it was in Diablo II, and after numerous permutations, it's settled on a large grid with all items either 1x1 or 1x2 in size, which allows for many more items than Diablo 2 ever did.
−	* Items will now drop '''per character'''; you only see items you can pick up, and no other players see or can grab them.	+	* The [[stash]] in town is large (though it shrunk from 5 to 3 pages during beta testing), and is shared between all characters on the same account. (But not HC and normal characters.) You must buy all the stash upgrades to take advantage of the space, though.
−	* Trading will be improved, and there will be some sort of auction house, though details have not been revealed.	+	* All gold and item drops from monsters, chests, quests, etc, are specific to your character. You only see items you can pick up, and do not see items for other characters, nor do they see yours in party or public games.
−	* [[Potion]]s are much less common than in previous Diablo games. There are no mana or rejuvenation potions, just health, and they come with a long cooldown between uses. Basically, potions are for emergency use, and will only tide a character over briefly; with the cooldown, they will not keep you alive through reckless behavior.	+	** Items dropped by a character are seen by all, and can be picked up unless account bound.
		+	* Trading is supported, both between characters and in a much larger way through the Battle.net [[Auction House]], which has two version, the gold and the [[real money]] version.
		+	* [[Potion]]s are much simpler in variety than in previous Diablo games. There are no mana or rejuvenation potions, just health, and they come with a long cooldown between uses. Potions are intended for emergency use only, and players must learn to survive with life leech, hit point regeneration from equipment, and by using the [[health globes]] that monsters drop. Successful players must be a bit more cautious than they were in previous games of the series.
	==NPCs==		==NPCs==
		+
	[[Image:Cain-concept1.jpg|thumb|right|75px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Cain]]</span>]]		[[Image:Cain-concept1.jpg|thumb|right|75px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Cain]]</span>]]
−	As in previous games in the series, [[NPCs]] will feature importantly in Diablo III.  Much of the game [[story]] will be given by the NPCs, and they will be more interactive, while their speeches will be shorter, more to the point, and can be listened to while playing; you are no longer forced to "stay awhile" while you "listen."	+	As in previous games in the series, [[NPCs]] will feature importantly in Diablo III.  Much of the game [[story]] will be given by the NPCs, and they will be more interactive, while their speeches will be shorter, more to the point, and can be listened to while playing; you are no longer forced to "stay awhile" to "listen."
−	[[Followers]]: More NPCs are found out in the dungeons than in past games, and mini-quests such as [[Escort Mission]]s are common throughout the game.	+	[[Followers]]: Diablo III's answer to mercenaries from D2, the followers have their own skillset and rings, amulet and weapon slots that you can customize. In addition, you can give them follower specific items, such as the [[Templar Relic]].
		+	[[Artisans]]: Are special NPCs who craft items and provide other essential services, as well as much dialogue and information about the game world and quests. They are the [[Blacksmith]] and [[Jeweler]], after the [[Mystic]] was removed during beta testing. She will return in [[Reaper of Souls]].
−	[[Mercenaries]]: The developers have talked about wanting to make mercs better and more useful than they were in Diablo II, but nothing has yet been revealed.
−	[[Artisans]]: "Vendors 2.0," these NPCs are merchants, quest-givers, and information sources. They follow the player throughout the game, traveling in a [[caravan]] between the acts, and in addition to the standard item buying and selling, they can [[craft]] new semi-random items from special [[recipes]], as well as [[enchant]], [[socket]], and [[repair]] items. Artisans can even be [[trained]] up to higher levels, giving them better skills.	+	==Locations==
−	==Locations==	+	[[Image:Sanctuary World Map.jpg|thumb|225px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[world map|Sanctuary world map]], with locations noted.</span>]]The [[world map]] of [[Sanctuary]] was actually released with the second Diablo game's manual, but a new and improved map has been made by Blizzard, outlining the continents and the major [[settlement]]s. Many of these locations will be visited in [[Diablo III]], including [[Tristram]]. Areas close by that were never visited in the previous games will also have a chance, like the [[Leoric Highlands]] and [[Westmarch]], and much of Act Three takes place in the Barbarian Lands around the [[Arreat Crater]].
−	[[Image:Sanctuary World Map.jpg|thumb|225px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[world map|Sanctuary world map]], with locations noted.</span>]]The [[world map]] of [[Sanctuary]] was actually released with the second Diablo game's manual, but a new and improved map has been made by Blizzard, outlining the continents and the major [[settlement]]s. Many of these locations will be visited in [[Diablo III]], including [[Tristram]]. Areas close by that were never visited in the previous games will also have a chance, like the [[Leoric Highlands]] and [[Westmarch]], and it's known that much of Act Three takes place in the Barbarian Lands around the [[Arreat Crater]].
−	We have been shown detailed pictures of [[Skovos]] (the land of the [[Amazon]]s), as well as [[Caldeum]] and Tristram. Skovos is confirmed to be excluded from the game, but the level of detail they are putting into the universe suggests either a big expansion pack, MMOs, or a film.	+	The scorching deserts of the [[Aranoch]] will be revisited by the player when they have the opportunity to visit one of the largest capital cities in Sanctuary: [[Caldeum]]. The player will also explore the depths of the [[Archives of Zoltun Kulle]], ex-horadric mage.
−	Outdoor areas will be less randomized than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead, a lot of random scripted events will take place, and some will even be really advanced. They can vary from an escort [[quest]], to a moldy tome, or a big, bad [[boss]] monster. You will also find interactive environments with dangerous traps, obstacles, and [[destructible]] elements. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations.	+	Outdoor areas will be less randomized than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead, a lot of random scripted events will take place. You will find interactive environments with dangerous traps, obstacles, and [[destructible]] elements, such as vases and bookshelves. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations. These portions of the map that are randomised are called [[events]], and can even happen within randomised dungeons. Some are more common than others.
	==Dungeons==		==Dungeons==
−	The land is filled with dungeons, as in Diablo II. Dungeons vary widely in size and design, and are promised to offer better randomization and variety than they did in Diablo II.	+
		+	The land is filled with dungeons, as in Diablo II. Dungeons vary widely in size and design, and are much more randomized than outdoors.
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	Image:Screenshot 20.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Dark Berserker]]s and a [[Grotesque]] in the [[Forgotten Tombs]].</span>		Image:Screenshot 20.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Dark Berserker]]s and a [[Grotesque]] in the [[Forgotten Tombs]].</span>
−	Image:Screenshot 19.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">Several [[Walking Corpse]]s. [[Follower]]s can be seen as well.</span>	+	Image:Screenshot 19.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">Several [[Walking Corpse]]s.</span>
	Image:Screenshot 16.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Witch Doctor]] who's [[Skull of Flame|flameskulling]] some [[Walking Corpse]]s.</span>		Image:Screenshot 16.jpg|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Witch Doctor]] who's [[Skull of Flame|flameskulling]] some [[Walking Corpse]]s.</span>
	</gallery>		</gallery>
		+
	==Transportation==		==Transportation==
−	As in Diablo II, travel is on foot. There are no [[mounts]] in Sanctuary. Nor are there any [[Town Portal]]s, in a major change from earlier games in the series. The developers felt that Town Portals made it too easy for players to escape danger and made it impossible to offer compelling, dangerous combat.
−	To replace town portals, there are more waypoints, frequent checkpoints, and a new item, the [[Scroll of Wealth]] that allows players to sell their items remotely, without returning to to town. The new [[salvage cube]], an essential element of [[crafting]], is another addition meant to obviate the need for regular town returns.	+	As in Diablo II, travel is on foot. Unlike Diablo II, there is only one movement speed, rather than a walk and run option. This speed can be increased with item mods and some skills, and there is no stamina drain while moving. There are no [[mounts]] in Sanctuary, to ride about the world at a higher rate of speed.
		+	The main method of speedy transportation in the game comes from [[waypoint]]s, of which there are dozens per act, many more than were found in Diablo II. Waypoints are tied to quests and there are multiple waypoints in connected areas, tied to each quest. For instance, a player can only use the waypoint to the start of an area, and then while clearing that area and deeper dungeons within it, additional waypoints will be encountered, for easy returns to town. This allows for more travel without cluttering up the waypoints menu with dozens of them, as well as preventing players from warping right to the end of a quest, Diablo 2 boss run style.
		+
		+	The [[town portal]] system evolved repeatedly during Diablo III's development. TPs were in as [[scroll]]s, then out entirely, then back in via the [[Stone of Recall]] system, then changed back to a town portal activated directly from the [[belt interface]]. See those pages for more details.
	==Easter Eggs==		==Easter Eggs==
−	While no [[Easter Eggs]] in Diablo III have been confirmed, (though we've seen plenty of Diablo III Easter Eggs in Starcraft II), Blizzard has given plenty of hints about some sort of [[secret level]] in the game.
		+	There are numerous small [[Easter Eggs]] already seen in Diablo III during the beta testing. These include funny item and monster names, developer names carved on headstones, inside jokes via the [[Achievements]], and more. There are certain to be many other discovered in the full game.
−	===Cow Level===
−	The [[Cow Level]] is a very distinct piece of content in Diablo 2, but is as of yet unconfirmed for Diablo 3. Cows and Diablo have been closely linked in fan's minds since Diablo 1, and it's not unlikely that we'll get a secret Cow Level in Diablo 3 as well, even if it likely will be very different from the Diablo 2 version.
		+	===Secret Level (SPOILER!)===
−	===Rainbow Level===	+	Most fans believed there would be a secret level in Diablo III with rainbows and unicorns and happy clouds, based on various hints and jokes the developers had been making stemming from the [[art controversy]]. The fans were right, as [[Whimsyshire]], the Diablo 3 secret level, was found shortly after the game's release. See that article for full details.
−	This is a rumour started by the [[art controversy]] (see below), and all the hub-hub about the colour in Diablo 3 that came after the announcement, which might inspire the dev team to make a rainbow level with unicorns and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carebear Carebears].
−	* [http://forums.diii.net/showthread.php?t=708777 Rainbow Level forum thread]
		+	* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?708777-The-secret-rainbow-level Rainbow Level forum thread from 2008]
	==Art Changes==		==Art Changes==
−	Some fans were very upset that [[Diablo III]] is seemingly full of much more colour than the predecessor [[Diablo II]]. While the settings in general now include a lot more colour, Blizzard argues that Diablo II was more colourful than people remember. Some fans have also expressed fears that Diablo III will become too much like [[World of WarCraft]]. You can read more about concerns and responses here:	+
−	* '''[[Art controversy|Diablo III Art Controversy]]'''	+	Diablo III uses more color, or at least uses color more obviously, than previous games in the series, and this spawned numerous fan debates shortly after the title was revealed in June 2008. The early screenshots and gameplay movies sparked the [[art controversy]] and angry online petitions, which Blizzard reacted to by defending their design choices.
		+	* The [[Art controversy]] article goes into great detail on this topic.
	==Story Line==		==Story Line==
		+
	[[Image:Cinematic 10.jpg|thumb|right|300px|<span style="font-size:90%;">Mystical comet overlooking a settlement in the western part of [[Sanctuary]].</span>]]The [[story line]] of the game takes place twenty years after a few powerful heroes saved [[Sanctuary]] from the demonic onslaught in [[Diablo II]]. Those events took place out of the sight of the common populace, and have become myth or legend over the intervening years. Most of the principles are dead or insane, and no one has had any sight of the Archangel [[Tyrael]] since he destroyed the Worldstone, triggering an explosion that erased [[Mount Arreat]] and shattered the Barbarians' civilization.		[[Image:Cinematic 10.jpg|thumb|right|300px|<span style="font-size:90%;">Mystical comet overlooking a settlement in the western part of [[Sanctuary]].</span>]]The [[story line]] of the game takes place twenty years after a few powerful heroes saved [[Sanctuary]] from the demonic onslaught in [[Diablo II]]. Those events took place out of the sight of the common populace, and have become myth or legend over the intervening years. Most of the principles are dead or insane, and no one has had any sight of the Archangel [[Tyrael]] since he destroyed the Worldstone, triggering an explosion that erased [[Mount Arreat]] and shattered the Barbarians' civilization.
−	Since the destruction of the [[Worldstone]], those few humans (such as [[Deckard Cain]]) who did know of the danger to the world have been expecting an imminent demonic invasion, without the Worldstone to keep them in the [[Burning Hells]]. This has not happened because, and players will eventually learn, the two remaining lords of Hell (presumably [[Belial]] and [[Asmodean]]) have been building armies for a full-on invasion, intended to utterly destroy humanity.	+	Since the destruction of the [[Worldstone]], those few humans (such as [[Deckard Cain]]) who did know of the danger to the world have been expecting an imminent demonic invasion, without the Worldstone to keep them in the [[Burning Hells]]. This has not happened because, and players will eventually learn, the two remaining lords of Hell, [[Belial]] and [[Azmodan]], have been building armies for a full-on invasion, intended to utterly destroy humanity.
−	Players will see small-scale demonic events, as in previous games, but the developers have promised that the scale of some aspects of the game, such as the siege on [[Bastion's Keep]], will be amazingly large; far bigger than anything ever previously seen in the series.	+	Additional information on the story line and specific details can be found here:http://www.diablowiki.net/Category:Lore
	===Character Personalities===		===Character Personalities===
−	Unlike the blank cyphers that all characters were in previous games in the series, the individual characters in Diablo III will have personalities. The Wizard is young, brash, and headstrong. The Monk is powerful and quietly confident. The Barbarian is strong and stoic. The Demon Hunter is angry and reckless in her need for vengeance. And the Witch Doctor is spiritual, mysterious, and misunderstood by the populace at large.	+	Unlike the blank cyphers that all characters were in previous games in the series, the individual characters in Diablo III will have personalities. The Wizard is young, brash, and headstrong. The Monk is powerful and quietly confident. The Barbarian is strong and stoic. The Demon Hunter is angry and reckless in her (or his) need for vengeance. And the Witch Doctor is spiritual, mysterious, and misunderstood by the populace at large.
		+
		+	The characters behave accordingly, and inspire different replies and behavior from the NPCs. The [[Followers]] such as the [[Templar]] and [[Enchantress]] each have a distinct personality with a fleshed-out background and will not only banter to the player character, but also to other NPCs (and even to each other within the camp or town). The same holds true for other NPCs, such as [[Leah]], who may on occasion follow the player into the fray during a quest.
−	The characters will behave accordingly, and inspire different replies and behavior from the NPCs, though the only known examples came from [[Captain Rumford]]'s dialogues as heard at Blizzcon 2008.
	==Quests==		==Quests==
−	[[Quests]] in Diablo III are largely similar in form to those of Diablo II. The changes are to greatly increase the number of quests, and to vary them in type and style. Numerous smaller events or adventures are randomly added in each game, amidst the main plot-skeleton quests.
−	Most large areas of the game, surface and dungeon, will also vary in content and form between games. Though the surface areas are non-random in their overall shape, there are randomized elements within them, which can yield mini-quests, bonus dungeons, or just open space and random monsters, depending on how the spawn works in a given game.	+	There are a lot more quests in Diablo 3 than Diablo 2, at least 10 each act. They are all manditory to progress though the game, although that is subject to change in the [[Reaper of Souls|expansion]].
		+
		+	Quests can be repeated in Diablo III through the game creation menu.
	==Single Player and Multiplayer==		==Single Player and Multiplayer==
−	The main focus of Diablo III is co-op [[PvE]] style play. Up to four players (yes, just four) will join up in a game and play together, and players in the same game are now always friendly and in the same party. There is no non-consensual PvP in Diablo III, and no way to "go hostile" in a normal PvE game.
−	Game creation and group formation should be easier in Diablo III. Though the details have not been revealed, the developers hope it will be very easy to join up and play. Their hope is that players in one game can simply click an option to start another one, and as everyone accepts it, they'll immediately appear in a new game and continue playing, almost seamlessly.	+	The main focus of Diablo III is co-op [[PvE]] style play. Up to four players (yes, just four) can join up in a game and play together, and players in the same game are always friendly and in the same party. Players can, however, do some [[Brawling]].
		+
		+	Game creation and group formation will be easier in Diablo III than in the past: it is mostly automated. Diablo III, being on "battle.net 2", is using a match-making system very similar to that which is seen in ladder play in [[StarCraft II]] or the dungeon finder in [[World of WarCraft]]. A player can choose a few options for their game, including whether or not they want it to be private, , which quest they would like to start on (if they don't wish to simply resume the quest they were last playing), and a tag (Monster Slaying, Key Warden or Brawling). Players can instantly join games in which people on their [[Friends List]] are playing.
−	All multiplayer Diablo III gaming will take place over Battle.net. Diablo III is following in Starcraft's footsteps and will <u>not include LAN support</u>. Though Blizzard never explicitly terms it as such, this is primarily a security measure; requiring players to buy a retail copy and have a valid Battle.net account and CD-Key to play multiplayer is their way of fighting piracy.	+	Diablo III takes place over Battle.net. There is no offline mode: the game is online only. Diablo III is following in Starcraft's footsteps and does <u>not include LAN support</u>. Though Blizzard always claims that this is a benefit, enabling greater player connectedness, most players regard it as an annoyance implemented as a security feature, since all Diablo III play requires players to possess a Battle.net account and valid cd-key.
Line 245:		Line 227:
	[[File:Battle-arena-new-round1.jpg|frame|350px|A new round begins in the Battle Arena.]]		[[File:Battle-arena-new-round1.jpg|frame|350px|A new round begins in the Battle Arena.]]
−	The outlet for PvP in Diablo III is the [[Arena]], a special game type that exists only for head-to-head combat. Players can join up and fight their friends in 1v1 or 2v2 games, but the main design is for players to take part in 3v3 battles, either in teams or as singles who will be sorted together via the game's [[matchmaking]] system.
−	Arena play debuted at Blizzcon 2010 and was wildly popular, even with just 3 pre-made characters available to choose from, and limited skills all pre-set.	+	Arenas were first delayed, then delayed again, then replaced by [[Brawling]] with the promise better would be coming out. So far, no improvements have been made to pvp in Diablo 3.
−	Hardcore Arena will be supported, and the initial plans of the team is for it to be regular Hardcore rules: you die, you stay dead. This approach has many critics, who ask for some sort of non-lethal HC version, and point out that virtually no one plays PvP in D2 Hardcore since the penalty for death is so severe, both in emotional pain and in the play hours required to build up another character to PvP level. It also seems like any sort of team play would be impossible, since even if a team won, one or two of the players on it would lose their character.	+	[http://eu.battle.net/d3/en/blog/3828550/Diablo_III_PvP_Update-09_03_2012#blog]
		+	===Battle.net 2.0===
−	===Battle.net 2.0===	+	Battle.net 2.0 for Diablo III includes a [[Friends List]], numerous matchmaking and automatic game joining options, and limited [[chat channel]] support.
−	Blizzard has promised very big changes in [[Battle.net 2.0]], and besides removing the [[LAN]] functionality, the idea is to encourage people to play online with [[Achievement]]s, handy friends/foes lists, and community support. You can read more about confirmed Battle.net features here:
−	* [http://www.diii.net/articles/689867/definite-battlenet-20-features Definite Battle.net 2.0 Features]
	==Other Changes==		==Other Changes==
		+
	Among the things that are not listed under their own headline, there are a few other things to highlight about Diablo III:		Among the things that are not listed under their own headline, there are a few other things to highlight about Diablo III:
−	* '''[[Chest]]s''' will no longer be locked.	+	* '''[[Chest]]s''' will not ever spawn in a locked version.
−	* Monster corpses are no longer something that players can interact with. There are no corpse skills like Diablo II's {{iw|Corpse_Explosion Corpse Explosion}} or {{iw|Find_Item Find Item}}, and bodies on the ground dissolve and vanish after a moment or two.	+	* Monster corpses are no longer something that players can interact with. There are no corpse skills like Diablo II's {{iw|Corpse_Explosion Corpse Explosion}} or {{iw|Find_Item Find Item}}, and bodies on the ground will vanish after certain criteria have been met. However, dead bodies can be affected by [[physics]].
−	** There are no player corpses either, in the sense of lootable objects as they were in Diablo II. Like monsters, dead players are subject to the game's physics and can be blasted aside or out of sight by spells, and will vanish after a few minutes.	+	** There are no player corpses either, in the sense of lootable objects as they were in Diablo II. Like monsters, dead players are subject to the game's physics and can be blasted aside or out of sight by spells, and will vanish after a few seconds.
		+
		+
		+	=== System Requirements ===
		+	See the [[System Requirements]] article for full details on minimum and recommended system specs for PC and Mac.
−	==Release Information==	+	<center>
−	This is a collection of all information available pertaining to the release of Diablo. Including [[release date]], [[system requirements]], [[Beta Test|beta testing]], price/payment methods and age [[rating]].	+	{|
		+	| Windows Minimum Requirements:
		+	* Windows® XP/Vista/7 (latest service packs) with DX 9.0c
		+	* Intel Pentium® D 2.8 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4400+
		+	* NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800 GT or ATI Radeon™ X1950 Pro or better
		+	* 1 GB RAM (XP), 1.5 GB (Vista/7)
		+	* 12 GB available HD space
		+	* DVD-ROM (required for retail disc versions only)
		+	* Broadband* Internet connection
		+	* 1024x748 minimum resolution
		+	| Mac Minimum Requirements
		+	* Mac® OS X 10.6.8, 10.7.x or newer
		+	* Intel® Core 2 Duo
		+	* NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT or ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 or better
		+	* 2 GB RAM
		+	* 12 GB available HD space
		+	* DVD-ROM (required for retail disc versions only)
		+	* Broadband* Internet connection1024x768 minimum resolution
		+	|}
		+	</center>
−	=== Release Date ===	+	<center>
−	As usual, the [[Release Date|release date]] for any Blizzard product is kept under wraps for as long as possible. While Blizzard has shown playable builds of Diablo III at conventions and press events, the level of polish makes it harder to estimate development time left. Any other dates or rumours, which are constantly provided by game retailers, are just rumors and should not be given any credence.	+	{|
		+	|
		+	PC Recommended System Requirements
		+	* Windows® Vista/7 (latest service packs)
		+	* Intel® Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 5600+ 2.8 GHz
		+	* 2 GB RAM
		+	* NVIDIA® GeForce® 260 or ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 or better
−	More information on the '''[[Diablo III release date]]''' article.	+	|
		+	Mac Recommended System Requirements
		+	* Mac® OS X 10.7.x or newer
		+	* Intel® Core 2 Duo
		+	* 2 GB RAM
		+	* NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M or ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 or better
		+	|}
		+	</center>
−	=== System Requirements ===
−	* Windows XP compatible
−	* Windows Vista compatible
−	* Mac OSX compatible
−	Read more on the [[Diablo III System Requirements]] page. Diablo III is made completely in 3D, using custom in-house tools. The game is currently native to DirectX 9, and will not require DirectX 10 or 11 to run.[http://ablegamers.com/Disabled-Gamers-News/AbleGamers-Interviews-the-Diablo-III-Team.html] The game will probably use a slightly higher level of system requirements than [[StarCraft II]], which also uses Havok & DirectX 9, and is the closest thing we can compare the game to. You can read more on StarCraft II's requirements and DirectX compatibilities as well as shader info here:
−	* [http://www.starcraftwire.net/articles/954/starcraft-2-graphics-requirements-confirmed Graphics Requirements Confirmed] - The most prominent part of the system requirements, the graphics requirements released from Blizzard document.
−	* [http://www.starcraftwire.net/articles/675/starcraft-2-system-requirements StarCraft II System Requirements] - System requirements analyse from available information.
−	* [http://www.starcraftwire.net/articles/735/kalos-chronicles Kalos' Chronicles] - Technical articles for StarCraft II.
	===Diablo Beta Testing===		===Diablo Beta Testing===
−	As with the release date, a time for beta is currently unknown. Jay Wilson has estimated that the release will occur about six months after the beta test begins. No dates or estimates for the beta have been given, but Blizzard did say that 1000 randomly-selected ticket buyers to Blizzcon 2010 will win a beta slot. Many fans have taken this to mean that Blizzard hopes to start the Diablo III beta before Blizzcon 2011, which would likely be in the August-October time frame, as it has been each year thus far.
−	General information on Blizzard beta tests can be seen on the '''[[Beta Test]]''' page.	+	The [[Diablo 3 beta]] test began in early September, 2011, and continued through the end of the year and into 2012. The frequency of patches and number of beta testers increased dramatically in early 2012, as the game neared completion and balancing changes grew more frequent.
		+	Prior to the start of the test, the developers had repeatedly said it would be a quick beta test, devoted largely to technical issues and Battle.net stress testing. That turned out to be very untrue.
−	===Retail Price===
−	The retail price for Diablo III is unknown and will be stated closer to release. It's likely that the game will be "boxed" (no monthly fees, just a one-off price) and priced similar to other AAA titles. Starcraft II (and other recent AAA titles by Activision) retailed for $60, up $10 from the traditional $50 price tag, and it's virtually certain Diablo III will follow that route.
−	All online game retailers are listing $60 as their estimated price, at least.
		+	===Game Age Rating===
−	===Game Age Rating===
−	The '''[[rating]]''' of [[Diablo III]] is estimated to be aimed for gamers above the age of 15, while still trying to avoid USK 18+ in Germany, or other similar ratings that would hamper the sales of the game in that country. [[Blizzard]] have stated that they will censor out blood and other gore, as required to avoid "adult" ratings in various countries with more restrictive gore requirements than those found in the US.
	* '''America ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board ERSB])''' - "M" Mature Rating (player should be at least 17 years old). No law enforcement.		* '''America ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board ERSB])''' - "M" Mature Rating (player should be at least 17 years old). No law enforcement.
	* '''Europe ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEGI PEGI])''' - 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). No law enforcement (for most countries).		* '''Europe ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEGI PEGI])''' - 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). No law enforcement (for most countries).
	* '''Germany ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterhaltungssoftware_Selbstkontrolle USK])''' - USK 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). Law enforcement of USK.		* '''Germany ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterhaltungssoftware_Selbstkontrolle USK])''' - USK 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). Law enforcement of USK.
	* '''Read more''' in the '''[[rating]]s''' article.		* '''Read more''' in the '''[[rating]]s''' article.
−
−
−	===Copy Protection and DRM===
−	It's unknown what type of copy protection (DRM) will be used on Diablo III, but with the new Battle.net changes and new Battle.net accounts, the game will likely only use a very light form of copy protection since the license is associated with the account. Online play will most likely not require a DVD in the drive, and offline play is unknown.
	==Who's in Charge?==		==Who's in Charge?==
−	Naturally, [[Blizzard]] are the guys making Diablo III, but that isn't a surprise. The important people for this production is the relatively new Blizzard employee Diablo III Lead Designer [[Jay Wilson]], besides the regular team. For fans, you might want to keep a look out for [[Bashiok]], the new Diablo Community Manager and [[Leonard Boyarsky]] who is the Lead World Designer for Diablo III, and head of [[quest]]s & [[lore]] as well as designing the world of [[Sanctuary]].
		+	[[Blizzard Entertainment]] , with the Diablo III Game Director being [[Josh Mosqueira]]. [[Jay Wilson]] was formerly the Lead Designer and Game Director, but quit.
	==Expansions, MMO or Diablo Movie==		==Expansions, MMO or Diablo Movie==
−	Whatever will come after [[Diablo III]] is unknown, but it seems apparent that Blizzard is confident [http://www.incgamers.com/Games/1935/features/90/Diablo-III-Inforview] that there '''WILL''' be expansions. They have mentioned that the story line will have a more "final" ending than in Diablo II, which possibly means making it better for an expansion, or perhaps a future MMO or a [[Diablo movie]]. Regardless, [[Jay Wilson]] has said that there is lots of potential for expanding the universe. What types of media this will come in is unknown: books, comics, manga, expansions, games or a movie...
−	[[Mike Morhaime]] said they would like to make '''Diablo III expansions annually'''[http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/diablo-3-will-have-several-expansions], and confirming plans for multiple expansions for the game.	+
		+	[[Mike Morhaime]] said they would like to make '''Diablo III expansions annually'''[http://www.diii.net/blog/comments/diablo-3-will-have-several-expansions], and confirming plans for multiple expansions for the game. So far, [[Reaper of Souls]] has been announced.
−	==Further Information==	+	==References==
−	You can follow the links to each specific section for further details on Diablo III development and information. You can also use one of the following links for further information:
−	* {{wl|[http://www.diii.net/news Diablo III news]}} - The most coherent news listing for Diablo III.
−	* [[Media Coverage]] - All Interviews, Previews, Pictures, Videos and Articles from around the web.
−	* [[:Category:Basics|Diablo III Basics]] - A listing of articles with good information if you are new to Diablo III.
−	* [[Diablo III FAQ]] - Frequently Asked Questions
−	* [[Diablo 3 History]] - The history of Diablo III up until the announcement.
		+	(more references needed}
−	==References==
	* [http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/080628.html Blizzard Press Release]		* [http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/080628.html Blizzard Press Release]

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Latest revision as of 02:44, 5 November 2018

This is the Diablo 3 Basics page, which is the main Fact Sheet of known Diablo III information. Regardless if you just started playing diablo 3 or returned after a long vacation to other games, this page will get you up to speed!

If you are looking for the Basics Section of the wiki, you can find that in the Basics Category.

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Diablo III, while featured completely in 3D with a 3D environment, follows closely in Diablo II's track by using the classic isometric view, fast gameplay, and randomized content for high replayability. Some changes have been made in order to make the game more welcoming to new players, to ramp up the difficulty more smoothly, and to create a "deep and engaging" combat system. The Diablo III developers took inspiration from previous games in the series, as well as World of Warcraft, and other different games such as Zelda and God of War.

Remember that if you're a newcomer to Diablo, you can find more related articles in the Basics Category.

Character Classes[edit | edit source]

The Following classes are in diablo 3:

Barbarian
		The Barbarian - The one returning class is still a mighty brawler, but he's gained countless new tricks, with only a few skills returning, and all of them modified in various ways. Barbarian Skills Barbarian passive skills Resource: - Fury
Demon Hunter
		The Demon Hunter - The game's ranged weapon specialist, Demon Hunters are fast-moving archers with devastating offensive capabilities and a wide variety of tactical traps and demonic gadgets. Demon Hunter Skills Demon Hunter passive skills Resource: - Hatred & Discipline
Monk
		The Monk - The follower of a thousand Gods, Monks from Ivgorod are holy warriors. Combining fast-hitting, melee-ranged martial arts with holy magics, auras, and defensive tactics. Monk Skills Monk passive skills Resource: Spirit
Witch Doctor
		The Witch Doctor - A mysterious class from the jungles of Teganze, the Witch Doctor wields a huge array of magical attacks, as well as the ability to mind control enemies and summon up pets to fight alongside him. Witch Doctor Skills Witch Doctor passive skills Resource: Mana
Wizard
		The Wizard - An evolutionary improvement from the Sorcerer and Sorceress seen in previous Diablo titles. Wizards boast an impressive array of offensive spells that are useful for every situation, as well as defensive spells and escape abilities that combine to create this murderous glass cannon. Wizard Skills Wizard passive skills Resource: Arcane Power

Skills[edit | edit source]

When just starting the game, you have a basic attack, which is a primary skill. The next level will unlock another skill, and so on. At level 6, you unlock skill runes, which alter the way skills work. For example, a Wizard's basic fire Hydra can use a skill rune turning it into a frost or lightning hydra. Each 10 levels up to level 30, you unlock a passive slot, which change the way your character functions. For example, there is a Barbarian passive that makes it so instead of losing fury over time, you regenerate it. All basic skills are unlocked by level 30, but it takes until level 60 for your character to reach full potential.

Skills can be changed at your convenience. At level 60, changing skills makes you loose Nephalem Valor. When changed in town, there are no cooldowns.

Unlike diablo 2, many skills have cooldowns ranging from 5 seconds to a whooping 2 minutes. Skills with cooldowns tend to be more powerful than normal skills and are worth the wait.

Monsters[edit | edit source]

In Sanctuary, you face many monsters, demons, beasts, undead, etc. They range from small, such as the imp found in crypts, or large, like the mighty Siegebreakers that are employed by lords of hell. It will be necessary to know the strengths and weaknesses of these monsters. You can begin learning about them here: http://www.diablowiki.net/Category:Monsters.

Death[edit | edit source]

In softcore, death is very mild, punished only by 10% durability loss and a need to run back to where you came from. The task is made much easier by checkpoints, which help with this, and waypoints, which make going places a very simple task.

One planned feature that didn't make it into the game were specially gruesome player fatalities, which some bosses were to have the ability to inflict when they killed players.

Difficulty Levels[edit | edit source]

There are four difficulty levels in Diablo III, Normal difficulty, Nightmare difficulty, Hell difficulty, and Inferno difficulty. Each difficulty level repeats the same game content, but with monsters, items, and everything else increased in level to keep scaling up the challenge. Normal is designed to be fairly easy, especially early on, to usher new players into the game and teach them the ropes without too much challenge. Difficulty starts to increase in Nightmare and Hell, and characters should max out at level 60 around the end of Hell. In addition, there are 10 monster power options that increase loot drops, experience gain, and the life and damage of your foes.

Gold[edit | edit source]

Gold is the main trading resource in diablo, and is common to find. It is used for repairs, buying potions and other services from vendors, trading, and the Auction House.

The Auction House[edit | edit source]

The Auction House is a huge trading base, where you can buy and sell nearly every item in the game, excluding account bound items. It is being removed in March 2014.

Items[edit | edit source]

Armor and weapons function much as they did in previous games in the series. Players find low level gear early on, and one of the major goals/enjoyments of playing is to find better quality gear and thus improve your character's performance. One big change to the appearance of armor is the elimination of exception and elite versions of gear. Unlike in Diablo II, Diablo III characters will not find the exact same looking armor repeated on each difficulty level. Instead there are 18 "tiers" of armor, organized into something the developers call gear sets.

Each gear set has a distinctive, organized look, and thus a character wearing all (or most) of say, gear set 14, would have a cohesive, coherent appearance as the items would match each other. The developers have released numerous screenshots of the classes in complete gear sets, and they are stylish indeed. It's less clear, in advance of playing the higher levels, just how often (if ever) a character will have most or all of the same gear set on, or if characters will always be clad in a mixture of different level equipment.

Item quality is similar to that of Diablo II, with item scarcity progressing normal > magical > rare > set > legendary (unique items). There should be more mixing and matching at the highest levels, with rare, set, and legendary items of approximately-equivalent quality, depending on the random mods they spawn with.

Item and weapon types can be seen below.

Item Crafting[edit | edit source]

Crafting returns in Diablo III, in a major game system that combines elements of the item crafting and item gambling systems from Diablo II. Players use the Blacksmith NPC Artisan to create semi-random weapons and armor, including (eventually) set items and legendary items. Each crafted item requires gold and materials, and crafted items all have some pre-set and some random mods, making the item creation a gamble that player may wish to repeat many times, in hopes of spawning an item with better modifiers.

The Blacksmith must first know the recipe to create the item, and these are taught to the Artisans by training them to higher levels, as well as by finding crafting plans, including rare ones, as drops from monsters and chests.

The Jeweler works very similar to the blacksmith, however he specializes in gems and some account bound rings + amulets, rather than gear.

Armor and Weapon Types[edit | edit source]

• Armor: helms, shields, chest armor, gloves, boots, rings, amulets, and belts return. Belts are now just another piece of armor; they do not have any special potion-holding function.
  • New armor types compared to Diablo 2: Shoulders, bracers, and pants.
  • New class-specific armor types compared to Diablo 2: Mighty Belts for the Barbarian; Cloaks for the Demon Hunter; Spirit Stones (helms) for the Monk; Voodoo Masks for the Witch Doctor, and Wizard Hats for the Wizard.

• Weapons: Axes, Spears, Polearms, Swords, Maces, Bows, Crossbows, Wands, Shields. (There are no throwing weapons in D3v, and many of these weapon types have class limitations -- Monks can not use bows/xbows, only Wizards and Witch Doctors can use wands, etc. See the individual items pages for full details.)
  • New types of weapons compared to Diablo 2: Fists, Daggers (no longer a type of sword).
  • New class-specific weapons compared to Diablo 2: Mighty Weapons for Barbarians; Hand Crossbows for the Demon Hunter, Daibos and Fists for the Monk, and Ceremonial Knives for the Witch Doctor.
    • Class specific weapons, off-hand only: Mojos for the Witch Doctor, Orbs for the Wizard, Quivers and 1 handed Crossbows for the Demon Hunter.

Other Items Information[edit | edit source]

• Runes are no longer found in Diablo III. They were never item socketables, but were socketed into skills, until a major system overhaul in early 2012.
• The inventory is much larger than it was in Diablo II, and after numerous permutations, it's settled on a large grid with all items either 1x1 or 1x2 in size, which allows for many more items than Diablo 2 ever did.
• The stash in town is large (though it shrunk from 5 to 3 pages during beta testing), and is shared between all characters on the same account. (But not HC and normal characters.) You must buy all the stash upgrades to take advantage of the space, though.
• All gold and item drops from monsters, chests, quests, etc, are specific to your character. You only see items you can pick up, and do not see items for other characters, nor do they see yours in party or public games.
  • Items dropped by a character are seen by all, and can be picked up unless account bound.
• Trading is supported, both between characters and in a much larger way through the Battle.net Auction House, which has two version, the gold and the real money version.
• Potions are much simpler in variety than in previous Diablo games. There are no mana or rejuvenation potions, just health, and they come with a long cooldown between uses. Potions are intended for emergency use only, and players must learn to survive with life leech, hit point regeneration from equipment, and by using the health globes that monsters drop. Successful players must be a bit more cautious than they were in previous games of the series.

NPCs[edit | edit source]

As in previous games in the series, NPCs will feature importantly in Diablo III. Much of the game story will be given by the NPCs, and they will be more interactive, while their speeches will be shorter, more to the point, and can be listened to while playing; you are no longer forced to "stay awhile" to "listen."

Followers: Diablo III's answer to mercenaries from D2, the followers have their own skillset and rings, amulet and weapon slots that you can customize. In addition, you can give them follower specific items, such as the Templar Relic. Artisans: Are special NPCs who craft items and provide other essential services, as well as much dialogue and information about the game world and quests. They are the Blacksmith and Jeweler, after the Mystic was removed during beta testing. She will return in Reaper of Souls.

Locations[edit | edit source]

The world map of Sanctuary was actually released with the second Diablo game's manual, but a new and improved map has been made by Blizzard, outlining the continents and the major settlements. Many of these locations will be visited in Diablo III, including Tristram. Areas close by that were never visited in the previous games will also have a chance, like the Leoric Highlands and Westmarch, and much of Act Three takes place in the Barbarian Lands around the Arreat Crater.

The scorching deserts of the Aranoch will be revisited by the player when they have the opportunity to visit one of the largest capital cities in Sanctuary: Caldeum. The player will also explore the depths of the Archives of Zoltun Kulle, ex-horadric mage.

Outdoor areas will be less randomized than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead, a lot of random scripted events will take place. You will find interactive environments with dangerous traps, obstacles, and destructible elements, such as vases and bookshelves. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations. These portions of the map that are randomised are called events, and can even happen within randomised dungeons. Some are more common than others.

Dungeons[edit | edit source]

The land is filled with dungeons, as in Diablo II. Dungeons vary widely in size and design, and are much more randomized than outdoors.

• 

  Dark Berserkers and a Grotesque in the Forgotten Tombs.

• 

  Several Walking Corpses.

• 

  Witch Doctor who's flameskulling some Walking Corpses.

Transportation[edit | edit source]

As in Diablo II, travel is on foot. Unlike Diablo II, there is only one movement speed, rather than a walk and run option. This speed can be increased with item mods and some skills, and there is no stamina drain while moving. There are no mounts in Sanctuary, to ride about the world at a higher rate of speed.

The main method of speedy transportation in the game comes from waypoints, of which there are dozens per act, many more than were found in Diablo II. Waypoints are tied to quests and there are multiple waypoints in connected areas, tied to each quest. For instance, a player can only use the waypoint to the start of an area, and then while clearing that area and deeper dungeons within it, additional waypoints will be encountered, for easy returns to town. This allows for more travel without cluttering up the waypoints menu with dozens of them, as well as preventing players from warping right to the end of a quest, Diablo 2 boss run style.

The town portal system evolved repeatedly during Diablo III's development. TPs were in as scrolls, then out entirely, then back in via the Stone of Recall system, then changed back to a town portal activated directly from the belt interface. See those pages for more details.

Easter Eggs[edit | edit source]

There are numerous small Easter Eggs already seen in Diablo III during the beta testing. These include funny item and monster names, developer names carved on headstones, inside jokes via the Achievements, and more. There are certain to be many other discovered in the full game.

Secret Level (SPOILER!)[edit | edit source]

Most fans believed there would be a secret level in Diablo III with rainbows and unicorns and happy clouds, based on various hints and jokes the developers had been making stemming from the art controversy. The fans were right, as Whimsyshire, the Diablo 3 secret level, was found shortly after the game's release. See that article for full details.

• Rainbow Level forum thread from 2008

Art Changes[edit | edit source]

Diablo III uses more color, or at least uses color more obviously, than previous games in the series, and this spawned numerous fan debates shortly after the title was revealed in June 2008. The early screenshots and gameplay movies sparked the art controversy and angry online petitions, which Blizzard reacted to by defending their design choices.

• The Art controversy article goes into great detail on this topic.

Story Line[edit | edit source]

The story line of the game takes place twenty years after a few powerful heroes saved Sanctuary from the demonic onslaught in Diablo II. Those events took place out of the sight of the common populace, and have become myth or legend over the intervening years. Most of the principles are dead or insane, and no one has had any sight of the Archangel Tyrael since he destroyed the Worldstone, triggering an explosion that erased Mount Arreat and shattered the Barbarians' civilization.

Since the destruction of the Worldstone, those few humans (such as Deckard Cain) who did know of the danger to the world have been expecting an imminent demonic invasion, without the Worldstone to keep them in the Burning Hells. This has not happened because, and players will eventually learn, the two remaining lords of Hell, Belial and Azmodan, have been building armies for a full-on invasion, intended to utterly destroy humanity.

Additional information on the story line and specific details can be found here:http://www.diablowiki.net/Category:Lore

Character Personalities[edit | edit source]

Unlike the blank cyphers that all characters were in previous games in the series, the individual characters in Diablo III will have personalities. The Wizard is young, brash, and headstrong. The Monk is powerful and quietly confident. The Barbarian is strong and stoic. The Demon Hunter is angry and reckless in her (or his) need for vengeance. And the Witch Doctor is spiritual, mysterious, and misunderstood by the populace at large.

The characters behave accordingly, and inspire different replies and behavior from the NPCs. The Followers such as the Templar and Enchantress each have a distinct personality with a fleshed-out background and will not only banter to the player character, but also to other NPCs (and even to each other within the camp or town). The same holds true for other NPCs, such as Leah, who may on occasion follow the player into the fray during a quest.

Quests[edit | edit source]

There are a lot more quests in Diablo 3 than Diablo 2, at least 10 each act. They are all manditory to progress though the game, although that is subject to change in the expansion.

Quests can be repeated in Diablo III through the game creation menu.

Single Player and Multiplayer[edit | edit source]

The main focus of Diablo III is co-op PvE style play. Up to four players (yes, just four) can join up in a game and play together, and players in the same game are always friendly and in the same party. Players can, however, do some Brawling.

Game creation and group formation will be easier in Diablo III than in the past: it is mostly automated. Diablo III, being on "battle.net 2", is using a match-making system very similar to that which is seen in ladder play in StarCraft II or the dungeon finder in World of WarCraft. A player can choose a few options for their game, including whether or not they want it to be private, , which quest they would like to start on (if they don't wish to simply resume the quest they were last playing), and a tag (Monster Slaying, Key Warden or Brawling). Players can instantly join games in which people on their Friends List are playing.

Diablo III takes place over Battle.net. There is no offline mode: the game is online only. Diablo III is following in Starcraft's footsteps and does not include LAN support. Though Blizzard always claims that this is a benefit, enabling greater player connectedness, most players regard it as an annoyance implemented as a security feature, since all Diablo III play requires players to possess a Battle.net account and valid cd-key.

Battle Arena[edit | edit source]

Arenas were first delayed, then delayed again, then replaced by Brawling with the promise better would be coming out. So far, no improvements have been made to pvp in Diablo 3.

[1]

Battle.net 2.0[edit | edit source]

Battle.net 2.0 for Diablo III includes a Friends List, numerous matchmaking and automatic game joining options, and limited chat channel support.

Other Changes[edit | edit source]

Among the things that are not listed under their own headline, there are a few other things to highlight about Diablo III:

• Chests will not ever spawn in a locked version.
• Monster corpses are no longer something that players can interact with. There are no corpse skills like Diablo II's Corpse Explosion or Find Item, and bodies on the ground will vanish after certain criteria have been met. However, dead bodies can be affected by physics.
  • There are no player corpses either, in the sense of lootable objects as they were in Diablo II. Like monsters, dead players are subject to the game's physics and can be blasted aside or out of sight by spells, and will vanish after a few seconds.

System Requirements[edit | edit source]

See the System Requirements article for full details on minimum and recommended system specs for PC and Mac.

Windows Minimum Requirements: Windows® XP/Vista/7 (latest service packs) with DX 9.0c Intel Pentium® D 2.8 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 4400+ NVIDIA® GeForce® 7800 GT or ATI Radeon™ X1950 Pro or better 1 GB RAM (XP), 1.5 GB (Vista/7) 12 GB available HD space DVD-ROM (required for retail disc versions only) Broadband* Internet connection 1024x748 minimum resolution

Mac Minimum Requirements Mac® OS X 10.6.8, 10.7.x or newer Intel® Core 2 Duo NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT or ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 or better 2 GB RAM 12 GB available HD space DVD-ROM (required for retail disc versions only) Broadband* Internet connection1024x768 minimum resolution

PC Recommended System Requirements Windows® Vista/7 (latest service packs) Intel® Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 5600+ 2.8 GHz 2 GB RAM NVIDIA® GeForce® 260 or ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 or better

Mac Recommended System Requirements Mac® OS X 10.7.x or newer Intel® Core 2 Duo 2 GB RAM NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M or ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 or better

Diablo Beta Testing[edit | edit source]

The Diablo 3 beta test began in early September, 2011, and continued through the end of the year and into 2012. The frequency of patches and number of beta testers increased dramatically in early 2012, as the game neared completion and balancing changes grew more frequent.

Prior to the start of the test, the developers had repeatedly said it would be a quick beta test, devoted largely to technical issues and Battle.net stress testing. That turned out to be very untrue.

Game Age Rating[edit | edit source]

• America (ERSB) - "M" Mature Rating (player should be at least 17 years old). No law enforcement.
• Europe (PEGI) - 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). No law enforcement (for most countries).
• Germany (USK) - USK 16+ (player should be at least 16 years old). Law enforcement of USK.
• Read more in the ratings article.

Who's in Charge?[edit | edit source]

Blizzard Entertainment , with the Diablo III Game Director being Josh Mosqueira. Jay Wilson was formerly the Lead Designer and Game Director, but quit.

Expansions, MMO or Diablo Movie[edit | edit source]

Mike Morhaime said they would like to make Diablo III expansions annually[2], and confirming plans for multiple expansions for the game. So far, Reaper of Souls has been announced.

References[edit | edit source]

(more references needed}

• Blizzard Press Release