Diablo, featuring Leopard Print

Druid fans rejoice!
... Maybe.

Official Blizzard Quote:

Diablo: Explorations of animal themed armors are promising.

This actually isn't the first we've heard of animal themed armors: a suspiciously druidic looking female was shown in the artwork trailer.

We all know that animal themed armors were present back in Diablo II, with the druid pelts (Griffin Headress, Wolf Head, ect). With these new animal themed armors, it's starting to sound like the next class will be the druid, right?

Wrong.

Not only has Blizzard stated that the Barbarian will be the only returning playable class, but if Blizzard is just beginning to explore animal themed armors, then this would suggest two things...

In the event that the next class is the druid, then this would suggest that the fifth class is nowhere near being done, and concepts are just starting to be drawn out. I say this, because if the fifth class was a druid, it would be a safe bet that animal themed armors would be explored immediately, or very soon after the druid was settled upon.

In the event that the next class is not the druid, then this ends up just being an aesthetic thing. However, this may also be hinting at a more naturalistic fifth class. Ranger, Beastmaster, Hunter (cue WoW rage): all could be associated with such animal themed armor.

As for the armor itself, we have to ask just how animalistic they will be. We don't know if this armor will turn out to be the hides of animals draped over the character, metal armor fashioned to resemble animals, exotic hide armors (think tiger leather), or even tattoos to resemble animals, like a tigers stripes, or a leopards spots. Of course, tattoos for armor probably wouldn't provide much physical defense, but it would be safe to assume that such armor would carry many magical enhancements with it.

So, while this may not be the holy grail that druid fans have been searching for, it does hint towards an equally naturalistic fifth class. Hopefully though, all classes will be able to wear these new types of armor. I know I want my wizard decked out in leopard print.

Comments

Nektu
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#1 Nektu

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Posted Jul 3, 2010
Hmm, the idea of being able to deck out amcharacter in leopard print brings dreadful flashes of a '70's nightmare that makes me twitch uncontrollably. But to think that this new armor is based off of a fifth class that could end up being a Beastmaster, is very similar to the Druid in my mind. Since the Druid could conjure up animals. The only thing that would make the nightmare complete would be a big 'ol fidora with a giant feather coming out of it.

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diablo2lod
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Posted Jul 3, 2010
animal themed armors? if by that they mean animal skins, it sounds to me like native Americans. or like the Mayans and what not. though the witch doctor seems to fill the slot of tribal warrior. maybe the armors are for him/her.

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Saper17
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Posted Jul 3, 2010
HEY that second part of your post is making it really hard for me to rejoice at the maybe druid class.

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Zhar
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Posted Jul 3, 2010
Haha, I'll be sure to write a more druid-friendly article next time :D.
Favorite class right there, btw.
Fury druids were the shit.

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Azriel
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Posted Jul 4, 2010
*crosses fingers*

Please be a ranger class, please me a ranger class... someone who can deal damage with a sword and a bow, please...

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zeroRooter
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Posted Jul 4, 2010
As much as it was a joke...

I thought the Archavist was an interesting idea, prefectly viable... original

what would drive me mad is if they implement one of those "Ranger/hunter" classes, that would not be original

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Quote from Azriel

*crosses fingers*

Please be a ranger class, please me a ranger class... someone who can deal damage with a sword and a bow, please...

naw hate that, just like the hunter in WoW, underpowered in ranged AND melee dps lol

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Azriel
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Posted Jul 4, 2010
Quote from zeroRooter »

naw hate that, just like the hunter in WoW, underpowered in ranged AND melee dps lol

Whatever is your cup of tea, I guess. I just hope that it's something balanced in either melee or ranged, it really doesn't matter what it has to be. I just want a warrior of some sort, not the hulking brute that is the barbarian. It's just personal preference.

You know what's koo...? Barbecue chefs. Barbecue chefs is koo...

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Nekrodrac
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#8 Nekrodrac

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Posted Jul 4, 2010
I am more thinking along the line of armor sets here.

Like Spider/snake set could be more oriented towards poison damage and pushing the boundaries your poison skills.

Lion could be for greatly enhancing melee damage...etc...etc... The name of the set itself would without doubt be made fancier with prefixes or suffixes but that's not really relevant.

Anyway ya, I can't help but think this will go way further than mere aesthetics.

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italofoca
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Posted Jul 4, 2010
The last class is a ranger. Maybe with some twist (dark ranger for example), but it's a ranger.

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Zeitus42
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Posted Jul 5, 2010
We all know they state the classes as non-returning to allow them to tweak the specific characteristics of the archetype with less whining. I do think the druid has a lot of potential and I would be sad if the class did not return. Animal themed armors necessitate the druid! Or a similar extrapolation.

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