BlizzCon 2016: Diablo 20th Anniversary Celebration

Posted 2016/11/04 at 7:06 PM by Serrinn

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Darkening of Tristram Event

Originally was just going to be original music tracks added; but now Blizzard is adding all 16 dungeons, all 4 bosses.

The audio is tinny, the movement is jerky so we're trying to get back to 1997 with the style of this event.

Recreated old monsters, but new AI.

Retro UI will be there, and D3 combat but D1 looks.

Event will be triggered by a pentagram by the Old Ruins.

Lots of easter eggs.

Rewards and Loot: Portraits based on original health and mana, Butcher Pet, Transmog is a Soulstone in your Skull! Also gives you an legendary gem for your helm.

Butcher's Cleaver and Wirt's Leg for your transmog as well. You can finally dual wield Wirt's Legs

Bosses: Fighting D1-style Butcher

Patch 2.4.3 will have the anniversary event but also new Items.

Every January the Darkening of Tristram will be back.

Diablo Armory

You'll be able to save "Loadouts" - 2017 future patch. 5 loadouts per character - passives, gear, Cube powers, talents, gems.

Instant equip loadout with 1 button.

Gem unsocketing cost will be gone, including legendary gems.

This is for PC and console.

Necromancer

Reimagining the Necromancer from D2.

Went through brainstorming phase with an art team - started with ideas like "the King of the Dead," then the fearsome hunter who wears the trophies of the dead.

Also thought of the Cryptkeeper

This lead to the Commander of the Dead - somewhat like a Rockstar with Legions of (dead) fans.

They thought this was a good way to update the Necromancer for Diablo 3.

Also got to introduce a female necromancer for the first time.

Themes of Classic, Aristocratic, Reanimation or "Bone Saint", Blood, Bone - the production process included ideas about armor with all of these.

Classic armor set matches the D2 Necromancer, they wanted to get that right.

Necromancer gameplay basics: Pet and Ranged Magic class, darkly themed, "darkest class ever" - they are commanders of the dead!

Includes army of skeletons, dead things, mostly dead things, magic.

Magic includes blood, bone, reanimation and curses - a personal wish you case on your enemies.

Difference from the Witch Doctor: themes are different - WD is more light hearted, more about creepy crawlies, etc. Think of the exploding chicken!

Compared to the necromancer - much darker themes, more blood and bone than disease. They are deadly series, not light hearted.

Big difference in pets - pets in WD are passive, Necromancer are more Active Passive (i.e. like monk mantras.) Short term active benefit even though your pets also exist passively.

Activating the Seal commands pets to attack targets and you have a damage buff. Much easier to lead them around as well.

Resource differences - WD has mana, Necromancer has essence. Essence doesn't regen over time, it requires action.

Necromancer has two resources! The other is corpses. Corpses power some of your skills.

Corpse explosion will be back. Up to 10 at a time per click

Bone Spear is back.

Decrepify is a way to keep monsters grouped together. This is a curse.

Pychic Blood is a life/essence steal.

Blood Rush is a teleport type skill

Blood Golem - a very gross pet. Also with an active passive type function.

Army of the Dead - 100+ skeletons RUSH onto an enemy.

Diablo in WarcraftDiablo's 20th Anniversary

Blank Diabolic Tome: The Diabolic Tome may be a reference to the Tomes in which the game lore of D1 and D2 were written in game.

Twelve-String Guitar: The Twelve String guitar plays the New Tristram music from D3.

Stone of Jordan: The Stone of Jordan is a reference to the infamous ring of the same name. In Diablo 2, this ring was a type of currency - you could trade several Stones to another player for a higher end item. References to the Stone of Jordan have been around for a long time in WoW: Staff of Jordan, Sash of Jordan, Grand Staff of Jordan.

Horadric Satchel: The Horadric Satchel shares an icon with the Horadric Cube, a D3 item enhancement item.

Scroll of Town Portal and Tome of Town Portal: Scroll of Town Portal/Tome of Town Portal are related to the former Teleportation items in D1 and D2, and the Town Portal spell in the Diablo games which return you to your home town., It is a reference also to the Tome in which you kept your Town Portal Scrolls. One of the reasons this item was so iconic was that the Secret Cow Level could only be reached in Diablo II by beating a difficulty of the game for the first time and then combining the Tome of Town Portal with Wirt's Leg inside the Horadric Cube. You may want to dig up your Southsea Lamp for this event! (Thanks to Wowhead user Dragon729 for this comment)

Stalwart's Grand Charm, Large Charm of Dexterity, Large Charm of Strength, and Serpent's Grand Charm: These mimic the charms you carried around in Diablo 2 to buff your character, but were not equipped and took up an inventory slot. It looks like these are not a consumable or equippable - perhaps they function similarly.

Twelve-String GuitarAzeroth in Sanctuary: A Guide to WoW References in Diablo IIIDiablo III Press Kit Images

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Comment by jtunisAwesome!Comment by NahaiNot sure this will make the game lovable again. Sure, new content is all anybody ever wants - but to put it in the form of microtransactions? This is one of only a few times blizz has made content strictly available through microtransactions and frankly I am not a fan of it.Comment by jjanchanWhat I'm most looking forward to in trying out the original Diablo is getting the story from the beginning. The references have always gone over my head for that franchise.Comment by PwncessI haven't played Diablo since my long-distance bf moved in with me and we share a computer
but I finally convinced a friend to get it and play with me so we can enjoy the new changes together and I am very excited to give things another go.Comment by KelsakiCool Diablo stuff, can't wait.Comment by dimabameee! let's go blizzard! mrgl-mrgl! more mrglchanses!)Comment by sabertooth961Simply amazing cannot wait to play this!Comment by WuatdahThis is neat.Comment by roweboyNecromancer! I can't wait!Comment by SaithieCan't believe I just found out about this.Comment by chasecheeseMe and my boyfriend can´t wait for the necromancer :DComment by SirMikkCan you only loot the cow king once per day?Comment by mickeyworld92Awesomness!

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