Difference between revisions of "Diablo 3 Basics"

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(Release Date: Outdated info. StarCraft 2 is out (or Wings of Liberty is, at least) and a 2010 release is absurd.)
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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!
 
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!
  
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== Character Classes ==
 
== Character Classes ==
  
Blizzard have confirmed that the game will ship with <span style="color:white;">'''five'''</span> character [[class]]es. <span style="color:white;">'''Four'''</span> classes have been revealed:
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Blizzard have confirmed that the game will ship with five characters. These are the [[Barbarian]], [[Demon Hunter]], [[Monk]], [[Witch Doctor]], and [[Wizard]]. Additional classes may be added in [[expansion]]s. 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.
  
New with Diablo III is the '''choice of gender''' for each class. It's not as customizable as the characters in popular MMO [[World of WarCraft]], but the developers have made it possible to choose a '''male or female''' character of the class they prefer.
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The characters are very distinct from one another; 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.
  
The new maximum character level will be '''<span style="color:white;">60</span>''' instead of 99, with probable increases in expansions. See the [[end game]] article for many more details.
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The new maximum character level will be 60 in Diablo III, with probable increases in expansions. See the [[end game]] article for many more details.
  
  
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| [[File:Barbmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| [[File:Barbmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| '''The [[Barbarian]]''' - The same character you played in [[Diablo II]], but with some [[Barbarian skills|new skills]], and backed with power of the [[ancient]]s.
 
| '''The [[Barbarian]]''' - The same character you played in [[Diablo II]], but with some [[Barbarian skills|new skills]], and backed with power of the [[ancient]]s.
* Skills - [[Berserker Skill Tree]] | [[Juggernaut Skill Tree]] | [[Battlemaster Skill Tree]] | All [[Barbarian skills]].
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* [[Barbarian Skills]]
* Resource - [[Fury]]
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* [[Barbarian Traits]]
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* [[Resource]]: - [[Fury]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Monk
 
! colspan="3" | Monk
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| [[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]]''' - 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.
* Skills - [[Skill Tree A]] | [[Skill Tree B]] | [[Skill Tree C]] | All [[Monk skills]]
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* [[Monk Skills]]
* Resource - [[Spirit]]
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* [[Monk Traits]]
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* [[Resource]]: [[Spirit]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Witch Doctor
 
! colspan="3" | Witch Doctor
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| [[File:Witchmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| [[File:Witchmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| '''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 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.
* Skills - [[Zombie Skill Tree]] | [[Spirit Skill Tree]] | [[Voodoo Skill Tree]] | All [[Witch Doctor skills]]
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* [[Witch Doctor Skills]]
* Resource - [[Mana]]
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* [[Witch Doctor Traits]]
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* [[Resource]]: [[Mana]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Wizard
 
! colspan="3" | Wizard
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| [[File:Wizardmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| [[File:Wizardmale.jpg|85px]]
 
| '''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 previously 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]]''' - 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 previously 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.
* Skills - [[Conjuring Skill Tree]] | [[Arcane Skill Tree]] | [[Storm Skill Tree]] | All [[Wizard skills]]
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* [[Wizard Skills]]
* Resource - [[Arcane Power]]
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* [[Wizard Traits]]
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* [[Resource]]: [[Arcane Power]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Unknown
 
! colspan="3" | Unknown
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=== Skills ===
 
=== Skills ===
You can look at the above known class [[skills]] for detailed information about what will be available, but one big general change for character abilities is that you now have a skill bar instead of a potion bar. It works similar to WoW, and more skills can now be accessed easily. Read more about the [[potion]] changes below.
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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, sorted into seven tiers which are unlocked at various character levels. All skills are [[active]], there are no prerequisites other than character level, and no synergies.
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[[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]] (increased [[health orb]] benefit, about half of the traits are unique to each class, providing specific bonuses just for that class.
  
* A '''[[:Category:Skills|Full List of Skills]]''' of the class skills.
 
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<br>
 
  
 
==== Skill Tree Respecs/Resets ====
 
==== Skill Tree Respecs/Resets ====
In Diablo II, a character always had all their skills and stats as they were allocated. If you made any mistake, the only solution was to start over. There has not been a definite word on talent/skill respecs, but [[Jay Wilson]] has said that he didn't like that you were limited in the old system, and that regardless of how the skill system will look, respecs are probably going to be available.
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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]].
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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.
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====Stats/Attributes====
 
====Stats/Attributes====
'''It's no longer possible to choose where to enter your own stat points.''' They will be automatically assigned every time you level up. The customization that this brought in Diablo II is now going to be moved to itemization among other ways. Have a look what kind of secondary attributes are influenced by the initial stats/attributes '''[[Attributes#Strength|Strength]]''', '''[[Attributes#Dexterity|Dexterity]]''', '''[[Attributes#Vitality|Vitality]]''' and '''[[Attributes#Willpower|Willpower]]'''.
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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, [[strength]], [[dexterity]], [[vitality]], 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.
*The '''[[Attributes|full list of attributes]]''' shows how attributes and secondary attributes interact.
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<br>
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Stats can be modified in Diablo III in various ways. By [[traits]], via [[charms]] in the [[talisman]], and with equipment bonuses, including socketing [[gems]].
<br>
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==== Skill Runes ====
 
==== Skill Runes ====
[[Rune]]s will work very different in Diablo III compared to {{iw|Rune Diablo II Runes}}, and is now part of the character customization. You will enter skill runes for your skills/spells, which will affect how the these work in the game. A multiplying rune might make your spell fire additional fireballs, another rune might make the blast radius bigger etc.
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[[File:Runes-hydra-all.jpg|thumb|350px|Hydra runestone effects.]]
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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.
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[[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.
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The first complete known skill permutations 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 notably. The effects revealed for Hydra changed considerably even between August and October 2010, when the slide to the right was presented at Blizzcon 2010:
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* Crimson rune: Turns the dragons blue, and they attack with a chilling/slowing breath.
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* Alabaster rune: Turns the dragons purple, and they attack with Arcane damage bolts.
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* Golden rune: The dragons remain red, but spit out firewalls, which deal higher damage and leave an [[AoE]] wall of flame on the ground.
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* Indigo rune: The dragons turn blue and spit clusters of lightning.
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* Obsidian rune: The dragons turn green and spit out poison damaging acid balls.
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==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 protects 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.
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[[Image:Goatmen surround a Siegebreaker.jpg|thumb|right|150px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Goatmen]] & [[Siegebreaker]].</span>]]
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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 protects 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.
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 +
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 Siegebreak isn't even an especially big boss or Act boss.
 +
 
 +
* '''The [[Monster|Monsters Article]]''' has much more information on the dozens of known monsters.
 +
* 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.
  
* '''The [[Monster|Monsters Article]]''' has much more information on the 35 known monsters.
 
* '''The [[:Category:Monsters|Full List of Monsters]]''' show what can currently be killed.
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
  
==Spectacular Deaths==
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==Death==
Diablo III promises to bring many different '''[[death|death animations]]''' for each killed enemy, as well as special death animations for [[critical hit]]s, and special fatalities by [[boss]] monsters when their hit would kill a player.
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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 merely wait a few seconds, before waiting to be resurrected by another player in their party, or restarting at the last [[checkpoint]] (not [[waypoint]]) they passed over.
  
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[[Hardcore]] mode is an option in the game, and as in Diablo II, dead HC characters stay dead forever.
  
The '''[[death penalty]]''' will be a lot more lenient. People will no longer lose [[experience]] when dying. Naturally, if the [[Hardcore]] mode makes a return, a death will be permanent, but potentially possible for friends to loot the corpse. There will also be [[checkpoint]]s that automatically save the progress of a player, and when a character dies, he's transported to the nearest checkpoint.
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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==
 
==Difficulty Levels==
  
There are going to be three [[difficulty]] levels in Diablo 3, most likely called "normal," "nightmare," and "hell" as has become standard in the Diablo series. How much more difficult and what sort of variety the higher difficulty levels will add remains to be determined. Jay Wilson addressed this issue in a November 2009 interview. [http://diablofans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23550]
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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. 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.
::''What are the differences in the difficulty levels in Diablo III other than just monsters doing more damage? ie: What reason will people have to play through these modes after having already beaten the main story of the game on an easier difficulty setting?
 
::'''Jay Wilson:''' We haven't really gotten into the difficulty settings a lot; we're still just working on the core content for the game at this point. The primary reason as to why a player would want to progress through the game, through the several difficulties, would be for more of a challenge.  
 
  
::There will be also better item customization, for example a Level 100 character in a higher difficulty would see and wear [[items]] that a Level 30 character would not have a chance at seeing in the lower difficulty. Said items will also look and feel completely different whereas in Diablo II a lot of times you just had a remodel of the same old items with different names.
 
  
 
==Items==
 
==Items==
[[Image:Barbarian swing.jpg|thumb|right|[[Barbarian]] swinging two magical axes.]]While the [[Category:Items|item]] system won't be identical to that of Diablo II, it will be very similar. '''[[Items]]''' will drop randomly and have random attributes. Some of the things that definitely changed:
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[[Image:Barbarian swing.jpg|thumb|right|[[Barbarian]] swinging two magical axes.]]
* [[Runes]] no longer attach to weapons, and 'rune words' are '''completely removed'''. They are instead used to enhance your skills/spells.
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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.
* The [[inventory]] is now 'WoW-style' with '''one slot per item'''. No more 'inventory-tetris'.
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* The [[stash]] is in the game, bigger this time, and will be possible to expand further.
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Weapons are the same, and will increase from plain to fancy, with stats to match.
** The dev team is discussing potentially making it a shared stash between your characters, or adding a mail system.
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* Items will now drop '''per character''', and be invisible to other characters. They are still [[trade]]able, but you will never go a run without loot again.
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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.
* [[Known Items Listing|The Full List of Items]] contain all known items.
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* [[Potion]]s are drastically changed, with some sort of limits. If it's less gained health/mana, or if it has a [[cooldown]] is unknown, but the old potion system is replaced by [[Health Globe]]s and the belt is replaced by a [[skill]] bar.
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A very popular type of item will be the [[crafted]] items, magical or rare items made by the NPC [[Artisans]] from various recipes.
* There will be some new trading system ''in addition to'' the old one, possibly like the WoW [[Auction House]].
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===Armor and Weapon Types===
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*[[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.
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** New armor types: [[Shoulders]], [[bracers]], and [[pants]].
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* [[Weapons]]: [[Axes]], [[Spears]], [[Polearms]], [[Swords]], [[Clubs]], [[Bows]], [[Crossbows]], [[Wands]], [[shields]],
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** New weapons: [[Fists]], [[Daggers]] (no longer a type of sword), [[Orbs]], [[Pistol crossbows]], [[short staves]] for casters only, [[battle staves]] for the Monk only,
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** Removed weapons: There are no [[throwing weapons]] or throwing [[potions]] yet seen in Diablo III.
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===Other Items Information==
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* [[Runes]] no longer attach to weapons, and runewords are no more. [[Runes]] are objects that get socketed into [[skills]].
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* 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.
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* The [[stash]] in town is huge, and will be shared between characters on the same account.
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* Items will now drop '''per character'''; you only see items you can pick up, and no other players see or can grab them.  
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* Trading will be improved and there will be some sort of auction house, though details have not been revealed.
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* [[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 cool down they will not keep you alive through reckless behavior.
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==NPCs==
 
==NPCs==
[[Image:Cain-concept1.jpg|thumb|right|75px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Cain]]</span>]]There is a small number of [[NPCs]] that are confirmed for Diablo III:
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[[Image:Cain-concept1.jpg|thumb|right|75px|<span style="font-size:90%;">[[Cain]]</span>]]
* [[Deckard Cain]] - Back to ask us to listen.
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As in previous games in the series, [[NPCs]] will feature large 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."
* [[Leah]] - Girl from the [[cinematic]]. Apparently located close to Deckard Cain, likely in [[Tristram]].
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* [[Pablo DeSoto]] - Father of Leah. Close to his daughter, likely in [[Tristram]].
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[[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.  
* [[Captain Rumford]] - This NPC was found in the small town area where new characters began the [[BlizzCon 2008]] demo.
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* [[Mr. Meat Wagon]] - Unnamed NPC that dumped corpses unto a fire.
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[[Mercenaries]]: The developers have talked about wanting to make mercs better and more useful than they were in Diablo III, but nothing has yet been revealed.
* [[Crying Ghost]] - First ever Quest NPC.
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* [[Little Girl Ghost]] - Second ever Quest NPC.
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[[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.
* Speculated characters to appear in the game can be found on the [[NPC]] article.
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==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 re-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]].
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[[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 in to the universe suggests either a big expansion pack, MMOs or a film.
 
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 in to the universe suggests either a big expansion pack, MMOs or a film.
  
 
Outdoor areas will be less randomised than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead a lot of random scripted events will take place, some will even be really advanced. It can vary from an escort [[quest]], to a mouldy tome, or a big bad [[boss]] monster. You will also find interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and [[destructible]] elements. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations.
 
Outdoor areas will be less randomised than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead a lot of random scripted events will take place, some will even be really advanced. It can vary from an escort [[quest]], to a mouldy tome, or a big bad [[boss]] monster. You will also find interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and [[destructible]] elements. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations.
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==Dungeons==
 
==Dungeons==
The only known dungeon of the game so far is the [[Forgotten Tombs]], which is seen on the [[gameplay video]]. It seems to be located adjacent to the [[Leoric Highlands]], and probably close to [[Tristram]] as well. Dungeons will be almost completely randomized, increasing replayability in the game. As a dungeon is a lot easier to randomize, these will be made different each time, and outdoor locations slightly more static. You will also find interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and [[destructible]] elements. There will be "numerous" dungeons.
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The land if 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.
  
<center>
 
 
<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>
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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>
</center>
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==Transportation==
 
==Transportation==
Most transportation in Diablo III will be on foot, as there will be '''no mounts''' in the game. On the other hand, we've heard the [[D3 team]] talk about [[Waypoint]], so they will likely return, and there is also less running after a [[death]] due to [[checkpoint]]s.
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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.
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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.
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==Easter Eggs==
 
==Easter Eggs==
While no [[Easter Eggs]] have been confirmed, we can most likely expect some sort of surprise content in Diablo 3. However, it's not certain exactly what this will be. One thing is known and that is that all previous somewhat modern Blizzard games have had Easter eggs to some degree.
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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.
* Diablo II had its own [[Cow Level]].
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* Blizzard have hinted at Easter eggs and secret levels.
 
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===Cow Level===
 
===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.
 
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.
<br>
+
 
<br>
 
  
 
===Rainbow Level===
 
===Rainbow Level===
 
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 might inspire the dev team to make a rainbow level with unicorns and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carebear Carebears].
 
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 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://forums.diii.net/showthread.php?t=708777 Rainbow Level forum thread]
<br>
+
 
<br>
 
  
 
==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:
 
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]]'''
 
* '''[[Art controversy|Diablo III Art Controversy]]'''
<br>
+
 
<br>
 
  
 
==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]]. This has gone by largely unnoticed by the general population as most of those warriors who directly faced [[Hell]]'s armies (and were fortunate enough to survive) went mad from their experiences. Some people know that some sort of conflict took place, but for the most part the war against [[Diablo]] is a myth.
+
[[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 seen 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.
 +
 
 +
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.
 +
 
  
The [[Barbarian]]s gained their identity and cultural pride from protecting the Worldstone within [[Mount Arreat]]. To see it defiled by Baal and his minions, and then destroyed, tore out the heart of these proud people. They abandoned their homeland and became nomadic, wandering the lands of [[Sanctuary]] and pitching themselves into battle after battle in an effort to forget the pain of their shattered homeland.
+
===Character Personalities===
  
What happened to [[Tyrael]] after he destroyed the [[Worldstone]] is unknown to everyone. Scholars like [[Deckard Cain]] anticipated a huge invasion of demonic forces as the protection from the [[High Heaven]]s and the [[Burning Hell]]s, but no invasion ever materialized. Cain has spent the last years trying to figure out what happened, and trying to prepare us for the inevitable onslaught.
+
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.
  
We know from the [http://www.diii.net/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=600 Diablo III cinematic] that a great comet of some importance is falling down on to the [[Tristram Cathedral]], and that some unlucky soul (if it's [[Leah]] or [[Cain]] isn't sure) is hit by it. [[Hell]]'s armies are amassing, and it isn't safe any more.
+
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.
<br>
+
<br>
 
  
 
==Quests==
 
==Quests==
Not that much information is yet available in regards to [[quest]]s, but what is known is that the quest system will help players interact more with the '''[[lore]]''' of the game, but still be '''optional''', and not something you need to experience unless you so choose. [[Blizzard]] claim the quest system itself will be '''new'''. There will be the standard story-line quests, as well as optional random quests related to the game you are currently in and [[class]]-quests. The random quests will vary from game to game. The same [[location]] in the game might spawn a caravan needing protection, or a mouldy tome which contains a quest, or perhaps just a big bad [[monster]].
+
[[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.
<br>
+
 
<br>
+
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.
 +
 
  
 
==Single Player and Multiplayer==
 
==Single Player and Multiplayer==
[[Image:Battle.net 2.0.jpg|right]]You will be able to play Diablo III both offline on your PC/Mac as well as online with friends. [[Jay Wilson]] has said on numerous occasions that the primary focus will be co-op multiplayer, but not excluding single player game. They want all the fans to meet up together as one community, and will make huge changes to the current setup. The preferred multiplayer system for [[Diablo III]] will be [[Battle.net 2.0]] and there will be '''NO LAN'''.
+
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.
 +
 
 +
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.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===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.
 +
 
 +
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.
  
Besides the co-op, it will also be possible to fight versus other players.
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
  
 
===Battle.net 2.0===
 
===Battle.net 2.0===
 +
[[Image:Battle.net 2.0.jpg|right]]
 
Blizzard have 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:
 
Blizzard have 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]
 
* [http://www.diii.net/articles/689867/definite-battlenet-20-features Definite Battle.net 2.0 Features]
<br>
 
<br>
 
  
===Player Killing===
 
[[PvP]] will be possible in [[Diablo III]], but not as it works in Diablo II. Players will no longer be victim of "unwanted PvP action". Instead, Blizzcon 2010's opening ceremony and gameplay panel revealed the introduction of PvP-Arenas as a penalty-free way for players to repeatedly kill each other by mutual agreement.
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
  
 
==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:
* The old {{iw|Mercenaries Diablo II Mercenaries}} are now called '''[[follower]]s''', and it's now possible to have more than one with you on your travels.
 
* Blizzard have not given a final decision if there will be a '''[[Hardcore]]''' mode in Diablo III or not, but [[Jay Wilson]] has said that he likes the idea and can't see any reasons why it should not be included.
 
* '''Corpses''' will no longer be left permanently. In the opening [[gameplay video]], the corpses stayed for just a few seconds before fading away, but was later increased to 20 seconds, and in the latest builds, there is no upper limit, but instead an upper limit of corpses (so older corpses fade out). The reason is that when the number of corpses amount, they will weigh down the PC running it significantly, since it retains physics from [[Havok]] while in the game.
 
 
* '''[[Chest]]s''' will no longer be locked.
 
* '''[[Chest]]s''' will no longer be locked.
<br>
+
* 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.
<br>
+
** 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.
  
 
==Release Information==
 
==Release Information==

Revision as of 09:54, 26 November 2010

Diablo III Logo.jpg

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 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 Basics Category.

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 randomised content for high replayability. Some changes have been made in order to make the game faster and more flexible as well as making 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 Basics Category

Character Classes

Blizzard have confirmed that the game will ship with five characters. These are the Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, Witch Doctor, and Wizard. Additional classes may be added in expansions. 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 characters are very distinct from one another; 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.

The new maximum character level will be 60 in Diablo III, with probable increases in expansions. See the end game article for many more details.


Barbarian
Barbfemale.jpg Barbmale.jpg The Barbarian - The same character you played in Diablo II, but with some new skills, and backed with power of the ancients.
Monk
Monkfemale.jpg Monkmale.jpg 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.
Witch Doctor
Witchfemale.jpg Witchmale.jpg The Witch Doctor - A new class that comes from the jungle region of Teganze, and uses voodoo magic to do his bidding. One of his highlights is the Wall of Zombies spell.
Wizard
Wizardfemale.jpg Wizardmale.jpg 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 previously Diablo games. One of the highlights is the Slow Time spell which warps space and time, slowing nearby monsters and projectiles.
Unknown
The Other classes - All known information about the one missing class.


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, sorted into seven tiers which are unlocked at various character levels. All skills are active, there are no prerequisites other than character level, and no synergies.

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 (increased health orb benefit, about half of the traits are unique to each class, providing specific bonuses just for that class.


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, strength, dexterity, vitality, 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

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 complete known skill permutations 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 notably. 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

Diablo III will have a great array of monsters, 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 protects archers, ghouls that climb up sheer walls to attack you, or Grotesques 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 Siegebreak isn't even an especially big boss or Act boss.

  • The Monsters Article has much more information on the dozens of known monsters.
  • 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.


Death

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 merely wait a 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 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. 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.


Items

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.

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.

A very popular type of item will be the crafted items, magical or rare items made by the NPC Artisans from various recipes.

Armor and Weapon Types

=Other Items Information

  • Runes no longer attach to weapons, 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.
  • The stash in town is huge, and will be shared between characters on the same account.
  • Items will now drop per character; you only see items you can pick up, and no other players see or can grab them.
  • Trading will be improved and there will be some sort of auction house, though details have not been revealed.
  • Potions 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 cool down they will not keep you alive through reckless behavior.


NPCs

As in previous games in the series, NPCs will feature large 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."

Followers: More NPCs are found out in the dungeons than in past games, and mini-quests such as Escort Missions are common throughout the game.

Mercenaries: The developers have talked about wanting to make mercs better and more useful than they were in Diablo III, 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

Sanctuary world map, with locations noted.
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 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 Amazons), as well as Caldeum and Tristram. Skovos is confirmed to be excluded from the game, but the level of detail they are putting in to the universe suggests either a big expansion pack, MMOs or a film.

Outdoor areas will be less randomised than dungeons, and the terrain will for the most part be static. Instead a lot of random scripted events will take place, some will even be really advanced. It can vary from an escort quest, to a mouldy tome, or a big bad boss monster. You will also find interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and destructible elements. There will be "numerous" outdoor locations.


Dungeons

The land if 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.


Transportation

As in Diablo II, travel is on foot. There are no mounts in Sanctuary. Nor are there any Town Portals, 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.


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.


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.


Rainbow Level

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 might inspire the dev team to make a rainbow level with unicorns and Carebears.


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:


Story Line

Mystical comet overlooking a settlement in the western part of Sanctuary.
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 seen 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.

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.


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.

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 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.


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.

All multiplayer Diablo III gaming will take place over Battle.net. Diablo III is following in Starcraft's footsteps and will not include LAN support. 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.


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.

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.


Battle.net 2.0

Battle.net 2.0.jpg

Blizzard have 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 Achievements, handy friends/foes lists and community support. You can read more about confirmed Battle.net features here:


Other Changes

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

  • Chests will no longer be locked.
  • 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 dissolve and vanish after a moment or two.
    • 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.

Release Information

This is a collection of all information available pertaining to the release of Diablo. Including release date, system requirements, beta testing, price/payment methods and age rating.

Release Date

As usual, the release date for any Blizzard production 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 are that -- rumours.

More information on the Diablo III release date article.

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 Havok physics engine, with a custom game engine made by Blizzard. The game is currently native to DirectX 9, and will not require DirectX 10 to run. 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:

Here is a Blizzard quote on the system specs: [1]

Jay Wilson: Currently we have no plans for specific DirectX 10 support. Right now are running a DirectX 9, and we run on a pretty broad range of systems, really fast. Overall, across-the-board Blizzard's goal is that all of our games support a broad range of systems. We don't jump up the system specs in any grand way. We have no intentions of being a high-end game, and certainly no intentions of being an exclusive DirectX 10 game at this time...
We don't exactly know what the system specs are yet, but we'll try to keep them pretty low. We make a lot of decisions about what we do and do not put into our graphics, in order to keep the game running fast. One of the reasons why we talk a lot about art style, and how we focus a lot on art style, stylization of art over... when we do that it allows us to have a good looking game about falling back on technology, our technology does not have to carry us when we have such great art in the game.



Diablo Alpha Beta Testing

As with the release date, a time for beta is currently unknown. General information on Blizzard beta tests can be seen on the Beta Test page.

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.

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 severely hamper the sales of the game in that country. Blizzard are more likely to censor the game in affected countries than to avoid releasing it if the censorship is too harsh.

  • 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.



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?

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 quests & lore as well as designing the world of Sanctuary.

Expansions, MMO or Diablo Movie

Whatever will come after Diablo III is unknown, but it seems apparent that Blizzard are confident [2] 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 to make it better for an expansion, or perhaps a future MMO or a Diablo movie. Regardless, Jay Wilson has said that there are 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 that they would like to make Diablo III expansions annually[3], and confirming plans for multiple expansions for the game.

Further Information

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:


References