Ok so I have been busy playing the beta for the last couple of weeks, with some people from these forums sometimes aswell.
I have to admit before playing the beta I was excited by the Witch Doctor, however after comparing it to the other classes over 13 levels I can understand why it seems to be the least popular class.
Its because other classes get to test out some pretty cool spells/skills while the Witch Doctor gets ones that might seem powerful for now but overall are quite boring.
I know at one stage during the beta you could test hex, but outside of that I would consider the skills on show for the Witch Doctor to be quite placid.
Here is a list of skills I found fun to try out.
Barbarian
Cleave - "Rupture"
Leap Attack
Seismic Slam
Demon Hunter
Smoke Screen
Vault
Chakram
Passive - Tactical Advantage
Monk
Lashing Tail Kick - "Vulture Claw Kick"
Dashing Strike
Exploding Palm
Witch Doctor
Firebats
Wizard
Ray of Frost
Ray of Frost - Sleet Storm (Can't use in patch 16)
Frost Nova
Wave of Force
Spectral Blade
So in my opinion the other classes have atleast 2-3 skills/spells that are cool to see the way they work. While the Witch Doctor has skills that are also good like Grasp of the Dead & Soul Harvest, they just aren't nearly as fun.
I do ofcourse think the Witch Doctor will get fun spells later on, I just find it a shame that they didn't put a couple of them in the beta so people could see how awesome the Witch Doctor could be.
The beta actually made me like the other classes more and the Witch Doctor less, although I still think it will be my first class.
To answer your question for me at least: no Witch Doctor did not leave a bad taste in my mouth. Its probably going to be the class i choose for launch.
Soul Harvest adds crazy amounts of damage when used on 5 mobs. Dogs are a great distraction for mobs. Grasp of the dead is really nice cc. Triple shot poison dart is awesome because it doesn't overkill and will fly past a dead target hitting the next one which is nice. Dire fire bat is awesome as long as your not fighting half corpses because they bug and fly over them? ...
I totally agree with the OP. I'm on the Beta and the WD was my first character and the experience was underwhelming compared to the other characters. The firebats are fun, but they chew up mana real fast. In the Beta, summoning the dogs is your best bet, but watching your dogs devour the monsters isn't that much fun as it makes you a spectator. I was totally turned off on the WD, until I saw an awesome build on this forum.
Then I realized, more than any other class, this one is going to take the most skill and concentration to really use as effectively as possible. The WD has the most cooldown effects out of any class. So to use this class, you really have to know when to use each ability and keep watch over the cool downs. While the other classes are clicking away, you have to manage mana AND multiple cool down effects and know when to use each ability. It's going to be fun balancing it all out.
I was totally turned off on the WD, until I saw an awesome build on this forum.
Then I realized, more than any other class, this one is going to take the most skill and concentration to really use as effectively as possible. The WD has the most cooldown effects out of any class. So to use this class, you really have to know when to use each ability and keep watch over the cool downs. While the other classes are clicking away, you have to manage mana AND multiple cool down effects and know when to use each ability. It's going to be fun balancing it all out.
I wasn't totally turned off, I just fealt they gave us skills that might be good in quite a few builds but didn't give anything that said look how fun this is.
I agree that later on I really believe that the Witch Doctor will come good, I have a good build planned aswell. Its just a shame the beta didn't give them something more to entice people.
Yeah you don't get much in the beta with the WD, but I dont think he is gimp at all. On the contrary I think he is going to be quite strong in general.
I think one of the WD issues though is that the whole old naked african tribesman with parkinsons who shouts in gibberish when you use skills is one of the big turn offs of the class. Much harder to relate too. I think the female WD is much nicer to play as because of this. Since there is no way to fulfill the male power fantasy by playing as the WD, I think many players will avoid him out of aesthetics.
Its just a shame the beta didn't give them something more to entice people.
That is not an issue either because its a beta test, not a demo. (althought its true that if they were to release a demo, it will probably keep the same skills
I have to disagree, its so cheap you can fill a room with them dealing lots of damage and the more you use it, the more you can get them to twist the way you want. I assume the "Boomerang" version will be really nice because you can cast them, then move so they cone around all the demons attempting to rip off your head.
I generally agree, but I feel that Sacrifice s a very cool skill (I don't like firebats as much :P) It would be great if Locust Swarm or Spirit walk or Wall of Zmbies etc.etc could make it in.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If that made sense to you, Bravo! I think I even confused myself...
I think the total opposite, when the classes were first announced everyone was "OMG Barb and Wiz" then people got to play and I'd say WD really rose on the polls of what char they would play first.
EDIT: As for preference I find the barbarian very boring but hey we all have different perspective.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Playing Diablo since 97. I know nothing and having nothing good to say, I be a troll.
If anything, I think the beta gave the WD a very GOOD rep :P. I dunno, it just seems to be the vibe I get that a lot of people are very excited for this class.
I personally think he's very fun. I wasn't a fan of Poison Dart (seemed a bit 'lame' of a starting skill compared to something like Bash or Hungering Arrow), but I've come to really like it :P.
Although I rarely see other WD's online, the WD is the most talked about class on the forum. So maybe the harder core people are taking a huge liking to the WD. The least popular (269 forum topics vs WD 375 & 3500 replies vs WD's 5011 replies) is the demon hunter, which to me is the most static/unchanging character class. The WD can be played a variety of different ways and there are a lot of different build types, which will give it lasting appeal.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I have to admit before playing the beta I was excited by the Witch Doctor, however after comparing it to the other classes over 13 levels I can understand why it seems to be the least popular class.
Its because other classes get to test out some pretty cool spells/skills while the Witch Doctor gets ones that might seem powerful for now but overall are quite boring.
I know at one stage during the beta you could test hex, but outside of that I would consider the skills on show for the Witch Doctor to be quite placid.
Here is a list of skills I found fun to try out.
Barbarian
So in my opinion the other classes have atleast 2-3 skills/spells that are cool to see the way they work. While the Witch Doctor has skills that are also good like Grasp of the Dead & Soul Harvest, they just aren't nearly as fun.
I do ofcourse think the Witch Doctor will get fun spells later on, I just find it a shame that they didn't put a couple of them in the beta so people could see how awesome the Witch Doctor could be.
The beta actually made me like the other classes more and the Witch Doctor less, although I still think it will be my first class.
Im not saying its not a good spell, im saying its not a very fun ability. Infact I even mentioned that in the post.
hmm I agree to an extent, I do think people watch videos etc though to get an idea of what the classes are like.
I think they will end up being awesome late game, once they get all their aoe skills.
Soul Harvest adds crazy amounts of damage when used on 5 mobs. Dogs are a great distraction for mobs. Grasp of the dead is really nice cc. Triple shot poison dart is awesome because it doesn't overkill and will fly past a dead target hitting the next one which is nice. Dire fire bat is awesome as long as your not fighting half corpses because they bug and fly over them? ...
Then I realized, more than any other class, this one is going to take the most skill and concentration to really use as effectively as possible. The WD has the most cooldown effects out of any class. So to use this class, you really have to know when to use each ability and keep watch over the cool downs. While the other classes are clicking away, you have to manage mana AND multiple cool down effects and know when to use each ability. It's going to be fun balancing it all out.
I wasn't totally turned off, I just fealt they gave us skills that might be good in quite a few builds but didn't give anything that said look how fun this is.
I agree that later on I really believe that the Witch Doctor will come good, I have a good build planned aswell. Its just a shame the beta didn't give them something more to entice people.
I think one of the WD issues though is that the whole old naked african tribesman with parkinsons who shouts in gibberish when you use skills is one of the big turn offs of the class. Much harder to relate too. I think the female WD is much nicer to play as because of this. Since there is no way to fulfill the male power fantasy by playing as the WD, I think many players will avoid him out of aesthetics.
And that list is meaningless, as it only adds what you consider to be cool. Over the months of the beta we have tried out tons of skills and runes.
"Just google "diablo 3 gold guide" and magical rainbow covered demons will assault your eyes."
That is not an issue either because its a beta test, not a demo. (althought its true that if they were to release a demo, it will probably keep the same skills
I have to disagree, its so cheap you can fill a room with them dealing lots of damage and the more you use it, the more you can get them to twist the way you want. I assume the "Boomerang" version will be really nice because you can cast them, then move so they cone around all the demons attempting to rip off your head.
EDIT: As for preference I find the barbarian very boring but hey we all have different perspective.
I personally think he's very fun. I wasn't a fan of Poison Dart (seemed a bit 'lame' of a starting skill compared to something like Bash or Hungering Arrow), but I've come to really like it :P.