New Diablo 3 Class: Wizard

[DoctorFinger]

You may not be aware of this, but a small indie game company is holding an event today - Blizzcon. And as usual with Blizzard, they manage to turn a small tidbit of information into a big deal (of course since I'm reporting on it I'm an accessory to the hype, but never let it be said that I don't give my adoring public what they want). Today we learned the third class for Diablo III - The Wizard who according to Shacknews "manipulate[s] primal forces of the universe to vanquish foes".

The Wizard, as well as the previously announced Barbarian and Witch Doctor classes, was playable on the floor of the convention. The Wiz' skill tree is at the moment incomplete, but it apparently has at least one skill previously associated with the Druid, indicating that class may possibly have been removed from the game.

Blizzard has still not said when Diablo III will come out, although most industry watchers think a 2009 release is unlikely.

Source - Shacknews (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55245).

[Johan]

I still have to get around to Diablo I and II. Still too expensive! :D

**I am nothing if not patient**

[Troggles]

I think everyone here saw this coming. You really can't make an fantasy game this days without some sort of wizard class. I am excited to see that it has some of the old druid abilities as well. I do think that we can pretty much count out druids now as the both the wizard and the witch doctor has some of their old abilities or concepts.

[astranoir]

It seems like the Witchdoctor is already Druid/Necromancer-like. I wonder why they're doing that with two classes when they are limiting to so few classes.

[Alkanos]

The Wiz' skill tree is at the moment incomplete, but it apparently has at least one skill previously associated with the Druid, indicating that class may possibly have been removed from the game.

I'm pretty sure I read an interview with one of the Diablo 3 devs that said the only class returning from D2 was the Barbarian. And the only reason the barbarian stayed was because the class they made to replace it was so similar, that the only difference would be a name change, so they just stuck with Barbarian. (Now if only I can remember where I read that...:confused:)

[bryan]

I still have to get around to Diablo I and II. Still too expensive! :D

**I am nothing if not patient**

If you don't mind you can get the game from g2buy.com for 5 bucks. It gives you a key which lets you add the game to you Blizzard Store account. Works, bought two keys for a friend and myself.

[Mortis]

Glad the caster has been announced, this will be my first class.

[Oblivion]

I'm pretty sure I read an interview with one of the Diablo 3 devs that said the only class returning from D2 was the Barbarian. And the only reason the barbarian stayed was because the class they made to replace it was so similar, that the only difference would be a name change, so they just stuck with Barbarian. (Now if only I can remember where I read that...:confused:)

I read this somewhere too. The justification was they would be bored making the same classess all over again and I agree, if the devs are not exited about the game how would you expect gamers to be excited about it?

[Gorvi]

I can has console port?

[PathMaster]

Now we just need a range fighter (Rogue/Amazon) and some other class.

[diablopath]

I am not happy with the deletion of the druid.
EDIT: Well, seeming deletion as of now.

[bapenguin]

Now we just need a range fighter (Rogue/Amazon) and some other class.

You can SEE the rest of the classes. No names yet.

http://www.co-optimus.com/article/664/All_Diablo_3_Classes_Revealed_-_Only_3_Are_Official.html

One looks like a Gypsy or something to me.

[VerseD]

I thought Blizzard said frachise fans wouldn't be happy with the next class to be announced. Wizard sounds pretty close to Sorceress/Mage.

[astranoir]

You can SEE the rest of the classes. No names yet.

http://www.co-optimus.com/article/664/All_Diablo_3_Classes_Revealed_-_Only_3_Are_Official.html

One looks like a Gypsy or something to me.

Isn't that just the males and females of the ones announced already?

[QueQueg]

Isn't that just the males and females of the ones announced already?

Looks that way to me. Male and female versions of each class! Revolutionary!

[DiBiddilyBop]

I can has console port?

Negative. Blizzard single-handedly keeps PC gaming alive.

[Mortis]

There is video of the wizard up at Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/watch-diablo-3s-wizard/). Pure awesome, with the amount of video we are seeing I think an 09 winter release is possible.

Edit: There was video, doesn't seem to be working anymore, at least not for me. Edit2: Working now

[DoctorFinger]

I can has console port?I really wanted to go to Blizzcon just to start a rumor that they were working on a simultaneous console release for DIII. Saying it was going to be console only would have been seen as BS right away, but saying that they're working on the console version alongside the PC release is just believable enough to drive some people crazy.

[KingGorilla]

Given that the druid for WoW is just a fucking hippie, not a werewolf with carniverous familiars, fucking cut him.
Everyone also agrees that classes was a broken, win button.


I think they will be keeping it more basic. Few hybrids, classic classes only.

[agentgray]

My guess is they'll generate a crazy amount of hype, pass off the development, and then kill it.

;)

[GunnyMo]

**I am nothing if not patient**

I would say more like a complete cheapskate. :D You can get both of those for less than $20 these days.

Bust open the cookie jar, video game poser! :p

[Johan]

I would say more like a complete cheapskate. :D You can get both of those for less than $20 these days.

Not that I've seen. The Diablo Battle Chest typically runs $35-40.

At $20, I would already own it (but only for disks; I don't want a download of this one).

[Hotcod]

i think the only thing to say about all this... awesomer and awesmoer....

[Deadend]

I think a console port may happen... as Activision likes money.

so... will the Wizard be able to Ice Orb and teleport for magic-find runs?

[KingGorilla]

I think a console port may happen... as Activision likes money.

so... will the Wizard be able to Ice Orb and teleport for magic-find runs?

But the parent company, Vivendi-Universal, has made a lot more money off of letting Blizzard do whatever the fuck they want. The Diablo and Starcraft ports were not very special on Playstation and N64.

[MagGnome]

I am very excited for this game, but I have shelved my excitement until it is a month or two from release.

[Gorvi]

But the parent company, Vivendi-Universal, has made a lot more money off of letting Blizzard do whatever the fuck they want. The Diablo and Starcraft ports were not very special on Playstation and N64.
The PS1 Diablo port was actually pretty damn great for it's time. It was the only good game of it's type on the console and it had same system co-op. My wife (then girlfriend) and I played that game to death 10 years ago.

[MagGnome]

My wife (then girlfriend) and I played that game to death 10 years ago.

For some reason I read this as "My sister (then girlfriend)..."

I did a double take. :p

[Gorvi]

For some reason I read this as "My sister (then girlfriend)..."

I did a double take. :p
Thankfully I have no sisters. :)

[Nikjitsu]

For some reason I read this as "My sister (then girlfriend)..."

I did a double take. :p




Freudian Slip not

[KingGorilla]

I just realized something. So far, there are no women in Diablo 3. Looking at 2 there was the Sorceress, Amazon, and Assasin. The first three characters thus far have been all duded, Witch Doctor, Barbarian, Wizard. I seem to recall a Monk as well, but that may come of a drunken haze.

Unless they make the classes Unisex, where are the women?

[Ancalagon]

I just realized something. So far, there are no women in Diablo 3. Looking at 2 there was the Sorceress, Amazon, and Assasin. The first three characters thus far have been all duded, Witch Doctor, Barbarian, Wizard. I seem to recall a Monk as well, but that may come of a drunken haze.

Unless they make the classes Unisex, where are the women?

You can have male and female versions of the same class.

So, to answer your question, they are everywhere. Watch that first 20 minute video again, you even see female versions of both the witchdoctor and barbarian.

[KingGorilla]

I must have missed that, while I was fuming and pounding out my online petition to remove rainbows.

[bryan]

I just realized something. So far, there are no women in Diablo 3. Looking at 2 there was the Sorceress, Amazon, and Assasin. The first three characters thus far have been all duded, Witch Doctor, Barbarian, Wizard. I seem to recall a Monk as well, but that may come of a drunken haze.

Unless they make the classes Unisex, where are the women?

The cinematic released for the Wizard featured a female one.

[KingGorilla]

Like I said, I was too busy looking for errant rainbows.

I just checked the site, and yeah there are lady pics in there, and if you look hard enough you can sort of figure the character in the gameplay vid to be a woman. That was my thing, I just figured from the source I saw the video at, that it was a dude. I did not see a bustier or a thong, so I assumed dude.

[SilentScreams]

I pretty much mastered the Sorceress in D2, so this will be the first class for me.

[KingGorilla]

What I do like about this, is that it seems that they are making sure that each class can solo the game effectively. In D2 on Nightmare and Hell difficulties, you really could only solo with a super Wherewolf Druid, the Barbarian, and an Aura specked Palladin.

[Ancalagon]

What I do like about this, is that it seems that they are making sure that each class can solo the game effectively. In D2 on Nightmare and Hell difficulties, you really could only solo with a super Wherewolf Druid, the Barbarian, and an Aura specked Palladin.

You could solo D2 with any class in Nightmare.

Things get different in Hell difficulty - with the global 50% physical resistance, barbs and most pallie builds got nerfed quite bad. Sorceresses with Frozen Orb and good cold penetration didnt have many problems, or 2 element sorcs. Hammerdins also have no problems because their magic damage is almost impossible to resist.

What do you mean an Aura specked paladin? Every single paladin uses at least one aura.

[SilentScreams]

What I do like about this, is that it seems that they are making sure that each class can solo the game effectively. In D2 on Nightmare and Hell difficulties, you really could only solo with a super Wherewolf Druid, the Barbarian, and an Aura specked Palladin.

And Frozen Orb/Meteor Sorc. First class I soloed Hell with.
I know what you mean though. It was hard with anything other than a few uber builds.
I had to pretty much rely on my mercenary when I came up against magic immunes, which was hard.

[OrangePulp]

You could solo D2 with any class in Nightmare.

Things get different in Hell difficulty - with the global 50% physical resistance, barbs and most pallie builds got nerfed quite bad. Sorceresses with Frozen Orb and good cold penetration didnt have many problems, or 2 element sorcs. Hammerdins also have no problems because their magic damage is almost impossible to resist.

What do you mean an Aura specked paladin? Every single paladin uses at least one aura.

Actually, they took out the 50% phys resistance later on; replaced it with double life, so that caster classes had just as much difficulty. And as far as being able to solo with any class in hell, well, I kinda hope so, but we haven't seen anything to really indicate one way or the other yet.

[SilentScreams]

Actually, they took out the 50% phys resistance later on; replaced it with double life, so that caster classes had just as much difficulty. And as far as being able to solo with any class in hell, well, I kinda hope so, but we haven't seen anything to really indicate one way or the other yet.

With all the talk of respeccing, I'm thinking that might end up a key element of being able to solo.
Like with WoW. When I leveled a Mage to 70, I was constantly respeccing to make different areas easier.

[Abednigo]

I really love how Diablo 3 is looking. Diablo 2 is one of my all time favorites.

[SilentScreams]

I really love how Diablo 3 is looking. Diablo 2 is one of my all time favorites.

Likewise. It's one of a handful of games where my addiction is measured in years rather than weeks.