A year and a half later, I finally get this game!
I spent over a day downloading it, then the very next day, there is a 12.7gb patch!
Still in act 1 as a barbarian, but I am having fun with it.
Diablo 4, release date June 6th! Who else is getting it?
- Thread starter The Predaking
- Start date
I spent over a day downloading it, then the very next day, there is a 12.7gb patch!
Still in act 1 as a barbarian, but I am having fun with it.
You’re probably coming in at a better time than at launch. Playing since launch, they’ve done a LOT of work with quality of life stuff on inventory and some necessary difficulty balancing.
Many of my base frustrations remain, though. I think there is still work to be done on the difficulty balance at higher levels, and “strongholds” are something that don’t seem to have really amounted to much aside from being an annoying thing you have to do every season. One of my bigger issues remain with seasons: they’ve done some interesting things…but nothing ever remains. A bunch of the special weapons and skills just cease existing at the end of the season. There’s clearly some experimentation going on, but it remains to be seen if it will amount to anything in the future.
I’m still, broadly, enjoying it, but it feels like it’s still a bit work in progress. If Diablo 3 is anything to go by, the game may well be amazing in a few more years.
Many of my base frustrations remain, though. I think there is still work to be done on the difficulty balance at higher levels, and “strongholds” are something that don’t seem to have really amounted to much aside from being an annoying thing you have to do every season. One of my bigger issues remain with seasons: they’ve done some interesting things…but nothing ever remains. A bunch of the special weapons and skills just cease existing at the end of the season. There’s clearly some experimentation going on, but it remains to be seen if it will amount to anything in the future.
I’m still, broadly, enjoying it, but it feels like it’s still a bit work in progress. If Diablo 3 is anything to go by, the game may well be amazing in a few more years.
I am in Act 2 now. Still having fun running around and getting all the quest I can do as well as clearing any dungeons.
My main issue now is that some of my level 50 gear, I am still stuck with. For example the gear that gives me dust devils on my double swing, the one that gives me an extra weapon throw, and the one that make my weapon throw be three weapons instead of one. That last one is really useful as it creates a nice triangle of death, and I don't want to lose that.
My main issue now is that some of my level 50 gear, I am still stuck with. For example the gear that gives me dust devils on my double swing, the one that gives me an extra weapon throw, and the one that make my weapon throw be three weapons instead of one. That last one is really useful as it creates a nice triangle of death, and I don't want to lose that.
By level 50, you should have unlocked the occultist. Any time you salvage legendary gear at the blacksmith, you should be unlocking "Aspects" which can be applied to gear at the Occultist. This can upgrade Rare into Legendary, but it will REPLACE any existing aspect on the item. If you are finding particularly more power gear, it might be worth it to salvage your level 50 gear and simply apply the aspect to your new gear.
I will give that try! I can certainly use the upgrades for several pieces of gear.
To the surprise of almost no one, The Game Awards featured a cinematic preview of D4’s next major expansion: The Lord of Hatred. After seeing feedback from Vessel and the seasons, Blizzard delayed this expansion from a release this year into next spring. In addition to adding a new location (Skovos) to add to the next (final?) Act of the main story, the expansion will see the addition of two new classes. First revealed of those classes is our favorite holy roller, the Paladin. In addition, the web site makes note of massive range of overhauls to the leveling and skill systems (looks like the Paragon grids are being phased out?) and items (Return of the Horadric Cube!). Order now and you get early access to the Paladin before April.
diablo4.blizzard.com
I’ve been continuing to play the seasons…but it’s hard to really “commit” to this game in an aggressive way at this point. The seasons offer nifty little stories…but are functionally irrelevant long term. All the new gear and abilities are done at the end of the season. After easing up, Blizzard has retooled the difficulties and rewards to the point you actually HAVE to pay for some cosmetics or excessively grind to complete the Season Rewards. I had a great time a couple seasons back when they were free enough with rewards that I actually saw some of the fabled purple gear. But I guess too many people were achieving that so…
I think some of my frustrations continue to point to the “static” nature of the world. Despite all the promises…the events of the story, the seasons, objectives like the Strongholds, have NO impact on the state of the worlds. Doesn’t matter if I clear the strongholds, at best I open up another way point to make cross world navigation quicker. It has so little impact I didn’t even clear several this season because I had no real incentive to do so. I have no real incentive to play “the eternal realm” because once the campaign is done…it’s the same grind you see during the season but without rewards (as far as I know).
I’m enough of a mook that I’ll probably go ahead and pre-purchase Lord of Hatred and restart the campaign with the Paladin to finish it out when the full campaign drops. But, I’m a story driven guy, and it feels like a lot of Blizzard’s promise in regards to narrative impact are…lacking from my modest expectations.
Lord of Hatred - Diablo IV
New Expansion. New Campaign. New Classes. A Final Reckoning.
diablo4.blizzard.com
I’ve been continuing to play the seasons…but it’s hard to really “commit” to this game in an aggressive way at this point. The seasons offer nifty little stories…but are functionally irrelevant long term. All the new gear and abilities are done at the end of the season. After easing up, Blizzard has retooled the difficulties and rewards to the point you actually HAVE to pay for some cosmetics or excessively grind to complete the Season Rewards. I had a great time a couple seasons back when they were free enough with rewards that I actually saw some of the fabled purple gear. But I guess too many people were achieving that so…
I think some of my frustrations continue to point to the “static” nature of the world. Despite all the promises…the events of the story, the seasons, objectives like the Strongholds, have NO impact on the state of the worlds. Doesn’t matter if I clear the strongholds, at best I open up another way point to make cross world navigation quicker. It has so little impact I didn’t even clear several this season because I had no real incentive to do so. I have no real incentive to play “the eternal realm” because once the campaign is done…it’s the same grind you see during the season but without rewards (as far as I know).
I’m enough of a mook that I’ll probably go ahead and pre-purchase Lord of Hatred and restart the campaign with the Paladin to finish it out when the full campaign drops. But, I’m a story driven guy, and it feels like a lot of Blizzard’s promise in regards to narrative impact are…lacking from my modest expectations.
Word is spreading that, just hours after release, players are finding Paladin builds that COMPLETELY destroy any sense of balance in the game’s design. The Hammerdin lives again!
And reports are coming in that the game is intermittently broke on consoles after the update, with VoH content not being recognized, issues purchasing LoH, and the usual junk that happens when Blizzard rolls out a major new feature in this game.
And reports are coming in that the game is intermittently broke on consoles after the update, with VoH content not being recognized, issues purchasing LoH, and the usual junk that happens when Blizzard rolls out a major new feature in this game.
Last edited:
I really need to get back to playing this game.
It’s not a BAD time to get in before the next campaign act. Preorder it, and you get immediate access to the Paladin.
I was able to get about an hour in this morning and…Blizzard has revamped the entire game. Again. I think this is the third time (at least) they’ve done this sort of system level overhaul of the gameplay mechanics. Region Renown is gone (at least in Seasonal), and progression milestones have been modified. As a result, I’m not starting the Seasonal run with ANY extra skill points, and I’m not sure how to increase my potion load (I always start at Normal, especially when trying new stuff). Doing whispers, the mote collection has changed: instead of 3 Elite type enemies, a mob with several levels of Elites are now spawned. Even at normal, monster concentrations and loot quality seems a touch lower. Monsters seem weaker to attacks, but they also seem to hit back a bit harder than I recall last season at this difficulty.
The Paladin is feeling like they just “smooshed together” the D2 Paladin and D3 Crusader. I see traits of both, but haven’t played enough to elaborate more than that. At this stage, I’m not sure if the Paladin is OP, or it’s just part of the wider balance/system changes Blizzard instituted. As someone who effectively main’ed the Crusader in D3, there is a definite “comfortable familiarity” with my limited time with D4’s Paladin.
I’ll probably have more thoughts in the following days once I get more time with the new class.
It’s Blizzcon, boys. Diablo news a plenty-
Netflix is reportedly working with Blizzard for some sort of Diablo animated series
It’s the 30th Anniversary, so Diablo 4‘s next season (this week), Season of Hell’s Legacy, will be bringing back fan favorite Deckard Cain and revisiting classic locations. The same day as the new season, D4 will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, with all prior content. In addition, the Amazon will be joining the ranks of the heroes in “early 2027”, but won’t accompany a major expansion.
Diablo Immortal players are partaking in a crossover with the most famous superhero from Hell, Spawn.
And, finally, Blizzard announced Diablo 5. Set 100 years after D4, Diablo himself has won. Sanctuary is in the grip of terror, civilizations have fallen, and hell runs amok.
From what I’ve seen/read, it feels like they’re maybe skewing closer to D2/3 in structure and design with some of the new systems introduced in D4. My HOPE is that they’ll have a more focused gameplay core, so we don’t see the game go through as many and as significant changes as 4 seemed to go through.
Release date is, currently, spring 2029 (!). This makes it the shortest turn around between titles since Diablo II. I suspect some assets and tech from D4 is going to be used, but my HOPE is that a more focused design will allow for a speedier development cycle.
The Panel, discussing the game’s direction and scenario
And Blizzard’s page, detailing the game world and the returning classes (Monk, Demon Hunter) and the new Plague Knight
news.blizzard.com
Netflix is reportedly working with Blizzard for some sort of Diablo animated series
It’s the 30th Anniversary, so Diablo 4‘s next season (this week), Season of Hell’s Legacy, will be bringing back fan favorite Deckard Cain and revisiting classic locations. The same day as the new season, D4 will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, with all prior content. In addition, the Amazon will be joining the ranks of the heroes in “early 2027”, but won’t accompany a major expansion.
Diablo Immortal players are partaking in a crossover with the most famous superhero from Hell, Spawn.
And, finally, Blizzard announced Diablo 5. Set 100 years after D4, Diablo himself has won. Sanctuary is in the grip of terror, civilizations have fallen, and hell runs amok.
From what I’ve seen/read, it feels like they’re maybe skewing closer to D2/3 in structure and design with some of the new systems introduced in D4. My HOPE is that they’ll have a more focused gameplay core, so we don’t see the game go through as many and as significant changes as 4 seemed to go through.
Release date is, currently, spring 2029 (!). This makes it the shortest turn around between titles since Diablo II. I suspect some assets and tech from D4 is going to be used, but my HOPE is that a more focused design will allow for a speedier development cycle.
The Panel, discussing the game’s direction and scenario
And Blizzard’s page, detailing the game world and the returning classes (Monk, Demon Hunter) and the new Plague Knight
Diablo V: Forging the Next Era
Diablo V arrives Spring 2029. Read on for the burning details revealed during our BlizzCon panel, including the next era’s darker vision of Sanctuary and the road ahead.
news.blizzard.com
Warning: Steevy’s stream of consciousness ahead!
So, after reading stuff and watching the panel and interviews, I get the ”vibe” that D5 is going to skew more towards a mix of D3 and D2, but they also claim that the game will have the most classes of any prior release. Their new narrative director also pointed towards more player agency and building your own identity in the game, so that got me thinking-
What if you could “build” your own classes in the game? D1 got rather infamous in that, assuming you had the right stats, NO skill or weapon was completely off limits to any character. Want a rogue who could wield an ax? No problem, so long as you had the strength. Want to add a magic missile to your fighter? So long as you had the correct stat level and “learning scroll”, you could do that. So that got me thinking…
As “heir to Westmarch”, you have a defined past (unlike the generic returning heroes, or Nephilem, or the Wanderer). But, per the narrative director, you knew of the “good days” before 7 years ago when Diablo returned and started his apocalyptic assault on the western continent. Perhaps you start the game as one of four “archetypes”, and between leveling up, specific quests, and special events, you could “mold” your base class into something more specialized. Say you start as a fighter. As you take quests from Zarg, your Loot Goblin companion, you not only get general XP, but bonus stat(s) in DEX, allowing you access to bows. Or doing certain special quests from Zarg open up the option of learning select skills only available to the Rogue class (albeit, at the expense of other taking other characters’ special quests). From the “Core Archetype” you can either stick with a standard build but learn a few extra abilities, or take on a secondary state to create a more specialized Class. So you could stick with a Fighter all through the game, refining more “base” skills or learning a few non-standard skills to deepen your basic Fighter range. Or you could secondary on DEX, allowing you to become the Monk.
(I’m assuming they’ll use the same 4 core stats as in prior games: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower/Endurance)
Here’s my thoughts on how that might play out in a game:
Archetype: STR-> Fighter Given training by the once grand army of Westmarch, you rely on the strength of your sword and shield to survive
-Secondary DEX-> Monk Once relying on weapons forged by others, you’ve forged yourself into the ultimate weapon
-Secondary INT-> Templar Building on your foundations, you find comfort in scriptures and learn to use that Holy power against the Forces of Hell
-Secondary END-> Plague Knight You now use the very death and decay caused by Hell against it
Archetype DEX-> Rogue Quick of wit and movement, sometimes the best way to survive is from the shadows
-Secondary STR-> Assassin Near or far, you launch silent strikes against Hell
-Secondary INT-> Scoundrel When the odds are not in your favor, why not use some arcane skills to tip the balance?
-Secondary END-> Demon Hunter You’ve used the shadows to survive, not it’s time to make Hell fear them as well
Archetype INT-> Sorcerer Harness the elements (both natural and arcane) to fight back against the desecration of Hell
-Secondary STR-> Druid More than just the elements, bend the natural world itself to rebel against the demon horde
-Secondary DEX -> Mage Honed to a razor’s edge, you wreck havoc upon Hell with precision and speed
-Secondary END-> Necromancer Surrounded by death, you now turned that against the forces of Hell
Archetype END-> Survivor Even with everything destroyed, you endured and survived
-Secondary STR-> Barbarian In a world ravaged by Diablo, you will persevere by your own strength of will and weapon
-Secondary INT-> Warlock Use the very powers of Hell to fight against it
-Secondary DEX-> Mercenary The best way to survive is to not be seen to begin with
And, obviously, some of those could be juggled around (Monk could be replaced by Amazon in STR and replaced the Assassin in DEX, for example), but I think you all get the idea. I think it would tie into the game’s narrative direction and include an element that “crunchier“ ARPGs are doing (the Ascendancy/Specialized Classes concept), but make it a bit more accessible to Diablo’s, generally, more ”novice” player base.
So, after reading stuff and watching the panel and interviews, I get the ”vibe” that D5 is going to skew more towards a mix of D3 and D2, but they also claim that the game will have the most classes of any prior release. Their new narrative director also pointed towards more player agency and building your own identity in the game, so that got me thinking-
What if you could “build” your own classes in the game? D1 got rather infamous in that, assuming you had the right stats, NO skill or weapon was completely off limits to any character. Want a rogue who could wield an ax? No problem, so long as you had the strength. Want to add a magic missile to your fighter? So long as you had the correct stat level and “learning scroll”, you could do that. So that got me thinking…
As “heir to Westmarch”, you have a defined past (unlike the generic returning heroes, or Nephilem, or the Wanderer). But, per the narrative director, you knew of the “good days” before 7 years ago when Diablo returned and started his apocalyptic assault on the western continent. Perhaps you start the game as one of four “archetypes”, and between leveling up, specific quests, and special events, you could “mold” your base class into something more specialized. Say you start as a fighter. As you take quests from Zarg, your Loot Goblin companion, you not only get general XP, but bonus stat(s) in DEX, allowing you access to bows. Or doing certain special quests from Zarg open up the option of learning select skills only available to the Rogue class (albeit, at the expense of other taking other characters’ special quests). From the “Core Archetype” you can either stick with a standard build but learn a few extra abilities, or take on a secondary state to create a more specialized Class. So you could stick with a Fighter all through the game, refining more “base” skills or learning a few non-standard skills to deepen your basic Fighter range. Or you could secondary on DEX, allowing you to become the Monk.
(I’m assuming they’ll use the same 4 core stats as in prior games: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower/Endurance)
Here’s my thoughts on how that might play out in a game:
Archetype: STR-> Fighter Given training by the once grand army of Westmarch, you rely on the strength of your sword and shield to survive
-Secondary DEX-> Monk Once relying on weapons forged by others, you’ve forged yourself into the ultimate weapon
-Secondary INT-> Templar Building on your foundations, you find comfort in scriptures and learn to use that Holy power against the Forces of Hell
-Secondary END-> Plague Knight You now use the very death and decay caused by Hell against it
Archetype DEX-> Rogue Quick of wit and movement, sometimes the best way to survive is from the shadows
-Secondary STR-> Assassin Near or far, you launch silent strikes against Hell
-Secondary INT-> Scoundrel When the odds are not in your favor, why not use some arcane skills to tip the balance?
-Secondary END-> Demon Hunter You’ve used the shadows to survive, not it’s time to make Hell fear them as well
Archetype INT-> Sorcerer Harness the elements (both natural and arcane) to fight back against the desecration of Hell
-Secondary STR-> Druid More than just the elements, bend the natural world itself to rebel against the demon horde
-Secondary DEX -> Mage Honed to a razor’s edge, you wreck havoc upon Hell with precision and speed
-Secondary END-> Necromancer Surrounded by death, you now turned that against the forces of Hell
Archetype END-> Survivor Even with everything destroyed, you endured and survived
-Secondary STR-> Barbarian In a world ravaged by Diablo, you will persevere by your own strength of will and weapon
-Secondary INT-> Warlock Use the very powers of Hell to fight against it
-Secondary DEX-> Mercenary The best way to survive is to not be seen to begin with
And, obviously, some of those could be juggled around (Monk could be replaced by Amazon in STR and replaced the Assassin in DEX, for example), but I think you all get the idea. I think it would tie into the game’s narrative direction and include an element that “crunchier“ ARPGs are doing (the Ascendancy/Specialized Classes concept), but make it a bit more accessible to Diablo’s, generally, more ”novice” player base.
Man, I really need to finish D4.