'Diablo 4' leak reveals more 'Diablo 2' classes could return
Blizzard might announce two more classes soon.
by Danny PaezDiablo 4 might still be a few years away but everything Blizzard Entertainment has revealed so far has painted it to be a spiritual revival of Diablo 2.
The 2000 dungeon crawler was beloved by fans for its hellish, savage, and brutal aesthetic. The 2012 release of Diablo 3 largely replaced this with an angels versus demons theme. The series’ fourth installment will once again be about blood magic and pure evil, while improving upon Diablo 3’s smooth combat mechanics. But that’s not the only thing making a comeback.
At Blizzcon 2019 earlier this month, Blizzard announced three character classes from Diablo 2 will return for the next installment: Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid. Ever since Diablo 2, every entry has come with at least five playable roles, so at least two more additions are expected. A leak posted way back in July might have already revealed what classes will make the cut.
Redditor /u/Gorelight posted a massive list of bullet points predicting that Blizzard would announce Diablo 4 at Blizzcon, which proved accurate. The leaks specifically mentioned the Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid classes, all of which Blizzard has since confirmed. The leaker also mentioned that Paladin and Amazon would be included in the launch, with the Necromancer coming later, since the class was playable in Diablo 3.
The first three classes revealed to be playable in 'Diablo 4'. From left to right: The Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid.
The only class missing is the Assassin, which might still make it based on how closely Blizzard is following the precedent of Diablo 2. Here’s a look at what each of the confirmed character types will be able to do and what the unannounced ones might be like, judging from their previous iterations.
Barbarian
The Barbarian will be a melee-combat specialist with an emphasis on survivability and explosive, close-quarters damage. The gameplay included in the Blizzcon 2019 Diablo 4 trailer showcased the Barbarian’s ability to dual-wield and use two-handed weapons for devastating attacks.
The Barbarian will use brute strength and a flurry of weapons to slash and slam through enemy front lines.
Based on the Barbarian’s Diablo 2 skills and attributes, he’ll be a weapons expert that will rely on “warcries” to temporarily power him up and strike fear in the hearts of his enemies. He’ll have limited range but with abilities like Leap Attack (seen below) and Whirlwind, he’ll be able to deal massive damage to multiple targets at once and close in on ranged attackers.
Sorceress
The Sorceress will be a ranged spellcaster who harnesses the elements to freeze opponents in place and then blast them with fire balls. She’s seen using a staff as her main weapon in the Blizzcon trailer.
The Sorceress can free whole groups of enemies and then rain down fire attacks to demolish them.
Her Diablo 2 version gives players the option to use fire, lighting, and cold spells, depending on the situation. She was fairly weak in close-quarters combat but capable of devastating mobs from a distance.
Druid
The Druid is a hybrid melee brawler with shapeshifting and summoning abilities. He calls upon nature to imbue him with feral strength and can deal massive elemental damage, like the Sorceress. He’s also able to transform in to an animal or summon beasts to do his bidding in combat.
Druids ride into battle with their pets and can momentarily transform into animals to greatly boost their melee capabilities.
His Diablo 2 iteration is a sort of jack-of-all-trades class and can hold its own in ranged and close-quarters battles. Druids are incredibly self-sufficient and can solo hordes of enemies if their skills are used wisely.
Paladin
The Paladin is a warrior of light with balanced offense and defense. His equipment of choice in Diablo 2 was a sword and shield or a two-handed longsword.
He relied on auras to defend him against the elements and lash out against enemies with attacks like Holy Shock. The Paladin is invaluable in a team, as all of his auras are shared to all party members making him more of a team-oriented character. This kind of playstyle could carry over to Diablo 4.
Amazon
The Amazon is a primarily ranged class uses of blows, javelins, and spears. She’s known for her superior agility and evasion abilities, while also being able to use magic to power up her ranged attacks.
Diablo 2 players could choose to master javelin and spear combat, or go the bow and crossbow route. Either way the Amazon is most powerful at a distance but is more than capable of maneuvering her way out of a dicey situation.
Diablo 4 will be released… eventually.
