Keep in mind this is coming from someone who hasn't played the game yet, but plans to get the XBox 360 UEE as soon as possible.
My favored build back in D2 was the Huntermentalist. For those of you not in the know, that was a Druid that relied on summons, elemental spells (mostly Fissure/Volcano and Hurricane), and...a bow. Yes, that means you were expected to make long-term use of the same basic attack you started out swatting Quill Rats, Fallen, and Zombies with. Still a very nice build.
Now, come D3, and I try to figure out how THIS is going to be doable, mostly because of the tacit devaluing (I wish I had a better word at hand...) of the basic attack. Although I ultimately realized that everyone except the Monk (maybe if we gave them a crossbow...?) has some sort of basic missile attack (Barbarian's Weapon Throw, Crusader's Justice, Demon Hunter's Entangling Shot, Witch Doctor's Poison Dart, Wizard's Magic Missile), so the bow part wasn't that hard. Then I see the Witch Doctor's Zombie Dogs.
Bow: emulated by Poison Dart (with Spined Dart arguably emulating the Solar Creeper)
Dire Wolves: emulated by Zombie Dogs
Grizzly: emulated by Gargantuan (I'm trying to remember if the Grizzly did have a stun attack; if so, Bruiser becomes especially important to the emulation)
Hurricane: emulated by Languish (this was probably the toughest thing to find, what with being VERY rune-specific)
Volcano and Fissure: former emulated by Bogadile (to have the same quality of extra-heavy damage for whatever's at the center), latter loosely emulated by Plague of Locusts
What I couldn't emulate (what with not having room) was Cyclone Armor. {sigh}
I'll grant I'll probably try Crusader first when I get D3 UEE, but I wouldn't mind if this pseudo-Huntermentalist actually proves effective in some way.
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My favored build back in D2 was the Huntermentalist. For those of you not in the know, that was a Druid that relied on summons, elemental spells (mostly Fissure/Volcano and Hurricane), and...a bow. Yes, that means you were expected to make long-term use of the same basic attack you started out swatting Quill Rats, Fallen, and Zombies with. Still a very nice build.
Now, come D3, and I try to figure out how THIS is going to be doable, mostly because of the tacit devaluing (I wish I had a better word at hand...) of the basic attack. Although I ultimately realized that everyone except the Monk (maybe if we gave them a crossbow...?) has some sort of basic missile attack (Barbarian's Weapon Throw, Crusader's Justice, Demon Hunter's Entangling Shot, Witch Doctor's Poison Dart, Wizard's Magic Missile), so the bow part wasn't that hard. Then I see the Witch Doctor's Zombie Dogs.
Ultimately, I came up with this way to approximate the Huntermentalist in D3: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/calculator/witch-doctor#ahYdlT!XdSR!bYbbac
Bow: emulated by Poison Dart (with Spined Dart arguably emulating the Solar Creeper)
Dire Wolves: emulated by Zombie Dogs
Grizzly: emulated by Gargantuan (I'm trying to remember if the Grizzly did have a stun attack; if so, Bruiser becomes especially important to the emulation)
Hurricane: emulated by Languish (this was probably the toughest thing to find, what with being VERY rune-specific)
Volcano and Fissure: former emulated by Bogadile (to have the same quality of extra-heavy damage for whatever's at the center), latter loosely emulated by Plague of Locusts
What I couldn't emulate (what with not having room) was Cyclone Armor. {sigh}
I'll grant I'll probably try Crusader first when I get D3 UEE, but I wouldn't mind if this pseudo-Huntermentalist actually proves effective in some way.