Nightcrest87, the creator of the featured Necromancer on the front page, made this Q&A for those interested in having a little more insight and knowing his thought process when designing the class. Check it out!
Necromancer Fanart by Sammael
To help people visualize the idea even better, I've borrowed this incredible fanart by Sammael to feature on the post.
Q: Why Necros? Why not Druids or Amazons or Space Monkeys? With the Aspect of Death vanquished, the essence of death has spread and ran rampant all across Sanctuary. The Necros were called on duty to harness it back into control.
Q: Why Wisdom? Intelligence seems like the right choice for the Necromancer. As class balance currently stands, there are 2 classes for each attribute. Adding a 3rd one for Intelligence would require two more classes to be added to get into balance once more down the line. However, if a fourth attribute was added, it would only require 1 additional class to get into balance one more. The question I asked myself was: Could Druids use Wisdom? Since the answer to this was a loud yes, then Wisdom for Necromancers seemed like a decent choice as well.
Q: Why Bile? All classes use as a resource something that comes from within them, either physically or mentally. Bile comes from within, it is thematically linked to the sinister aspects of the Necros and let’s face, it sounds cool.
Q: Why Shadow damage as a new element? I don’t know… There seems to be some sort of a link between darkness and death but I can’t put my finger on it…
Q: Why is Shadow resistance the same as Cold resistance? While adding a new elemental damage to give depth into a class is more or less inconsequential, adding an additional damage reduction option to look out and gear up for significantly diminishes the toughness of all classes in the long run.
Q: OMG! Why not use Lightning elemental damage? I don’t particularly like Frankenstein’s monster, thematically. Besides that’s WD territory, aka Voodoo monster.
Q: OMG! Why not use Fire elemental damage? Corpses are particularly flammable. I wouldn’t imagine Necros making much out of burning minions and fire in general. Besides, Poison damage and Fire damage does not match well, thematically at least.
Q: OMG! Why not use Arcane elemental damage. Blizzard pointed out that they wanted arcane damage to be a Wizard only thing. I respected that.
Q: OMG! Why not use Holy elemental damage? Really?
Q: Why didn’t you add X ability from D2 Necromancers? I R S4D. Look again! There is not a single ability that was left out. Some are now base spells and some are runes but all of them made it in, some way or another. One major difference is that the Fire Golem is now Ice Golem because my D3 Necro does not use the Fire element.
Speaking of… Raise Skeleton Raise Undead (Base) / Raise Undead (Skeletal Defenders) (*1) Skeleton Mastery Well-Constructed (Passive) / Enhanced Guardians (Passive) Clay Golem Animate Golem (Base) (*1) Golem Mastery Well-Constructed (Passive) / Enhanced Guardians (Passive) Raise Skeletal Mage Raise Undead (Skeletal Magi) Blood Golem Animate Golem (Blood Golem) (*1) Summon Resist Well-Constructed (Passive) Iron Golem Animate Golem (Iron Golem) (*2) Fire Golem Animate Golem (Ice Golem) Revive Amber Horror (Base) Teeth Spirit Fangs (Base) Bone Armor Ossein Shield (Base) Poison Dagger Eviscerate (Slice and Dice) Corpse Explosion Corpse Explosion (Base) Bone Wall Bone Wall (Base) Poison Explosion Corpse Explosion (Fountain of Death) Bone Spear Reaping Lance (Base) Bone Prison Bone Prison (Base) Poison Nova Blight Nova (Poison Nova) Bone Spirit Hateful Apparition (Base) (*3) Amplify Damage Ruby Fever (Broken Things) Dim Vision Sapphire Sickness (Typhlosis) Weaken Emerald Plague (Necrosis) Iron Maiden Ruby Fever (Retaliation) Terror Amethyst Rot (Fear of the Dark) (*4) Confuse Amethyst Rot (Base) Life Tap Ruby Fever (Base) (*4) Attract Amethyst Rot (Base) Decrepify Sapphire Sickness (Base) (*3) Lower Resist Ruby Fever (Broken Things)
(*1) Passive abilities. (*2) Fire element not used. (*3,4) Consolidated abilities.
Q: So… What’s the point of this class? What niche does the Necro fulfill? He is a tank mage. He has the support qualities of the terrain manipulation and elite monster disabling type and his gameplay revolves approximately 75% around his constructs, structures and his maladies. Everything else is peripheral/optional and simply adds flavor. If this was a real class, I guess a lot of legendaries would exist to specifically point builds towards more variability.
Q: A mage dual-wielding? Really? Yarly! While barbarians use their strength to dual wield, monks use their finesse and demon hunters use some sort of impressive ammo refilling science-fiction ability that does not require a third hand, necros tap into their malice to attack with both hands, clumsily yet maniacally in order to maximize their effectiveness.
Q: But… Why runeblades? WDs stole their ceremonial daggers.
Q: What’s the deal with the bone mantles? All classes have at least one armor class specific item (shields are armor, right? RIGHT? Tell me I R RAIT?!!?!!!), and the shoulder slot does not have too much value and/or diversity as the game currently stands. I knew that I wanted it to be something around bones, so I was between shields (crusader), helms (wd, wizard), chest plates (dh) and shoulder pads. I chose the latter.
Q: Phylacteries? Are you implying that the Necros are actually dead? Who said it was *their* phylacteries?
Q: What’s the deal with the maladies? Are they like the curses from D2? Yes and no… They fill the same role but functionally they work differently. Instead of AoE spells, they are now auras that have both active and passive effects. If anything, they are the D2 curses on roid-rage.
Q: What’s the deal with Shadow Bite? C_c Just harmless flavor text. Your hardcore heroes would be safe.
Q: What’s the deal with Spirit Plane? O_O! Spirit Plane was an idea that came along as I was developing the Necro concept. It was too interesting to completely leave out but should I have thought of it from the start, it would be hardcoded into the Necromancer class sort of like DHs have the unique niche of the dual resources. Basically, if I could go back and do it all from scrap, the Necros would use Bile until it gets depleted and have a buff of +damage while they do so, then switch to Essence until it gets depleted and have a buff of +toughness. Think a little bit of Gnar from LoL.
Q: OMG! X ability is completely overpowered/underpowered and can make the Necros immortal/trash! Also, those two abilities together are totally OP! Why? I didn’t manage to do any particular balance across the entire class as it required me to go deep into statistical analysis and I was lacking the time for that. That being said, there is a decent amount of balance within each spell (spell rune balance) and within each spell category (Primaries balance, Osteomancy balance, etc.)
Q: What sort of marvelous software did you use to create all these? … MS Paint…
Q: How long did all this take you? About 2 months, but I had limited time to work on it per day. If I had to estimate actual time, I’d say it took me around 60-70 hours.
Conclusion
Feel free to leave your feedback and your thoughts about Nightcrest's vision of the Necromancer in this thread I'm sure he will appreciate it!
Why do you feel the need to answer in snide ways? We get it, you like the exact way you created your class and skills and names. Doesn't mean when critique comes you act like a child.
It doesn't take statistical analysis to see that percent based max health damage isn't nearly balanced. In grift 70 thats 165 billion dps in a passive ability to the Guardian for ruby malady.
The number of classes that use a certain main stat is irrelavent now with smart loot.
Bile comes from within, but I doubt a stomach acid would lend to a large pool of otherworldly power.
Malthael being dead didn't do anything to the world in terms of death. He embraced death just like a necromancer would. And being a former angel the power was much greater. Regardless, he wasn't actually death itself or anything that special., so his death didn't signify a spread of death across othe world, in fact, it was the opposite, innocent souls STOPPED being reaped, so even less dead than what was happening.
Also, with the falling star in the very first act of diablo 3, why wasn't the necro called then with the dead being risen left and right?
The amount of logical fallicies is mind boggling.
However, you did well converting the base skills from the necro into the new age of d3. But then again, all you did was take all the exact same skills and revamped them.
very nice ideas and probably a shit ton of work - sadly blizz said multiple times already that there will be no necro because we already got the wd.
This. I don't get the whole obession with necros. Golems are garguatuans, and skeletons are zombie dogs. It's already done, people. There will be no necromancer.
Like I said though, this guy put in a ton of effort. It's just something they have stated will never be.
very nice ideas and probably a shit ton of work - sadly blizz said multiple times already that there will be no necro because we already got the wd.
Where is the source? When did blizzard actually say there would be no necromancers in d3? If i recall correctly, one of the dev's pointed out that the WD was made in such a way that if they ever did wanted to bring in the necromancer that it could be done. Same goes for the monk which at the release of diablo 3 in 2012 it was very similar to a paladin but different so it allowed them to implement the crusader class in RoS.
2. Some of the commenters here need to go rinse the sand out and relax. It's called "Fan" made for a reason!
Nobody's been unfair or mean. We all acknowledge his valiant effort. It's just we don't see how a necro wouldn't overlap a WD. A WD is a cursing, summoning dot-focused class. I mean, that's necro in a nutshell.
I suppose it's possible the necro could return, but I would lay my money on a druid or an amazon. Because, you know, Skovos.
Really enjoyed this. I hope they bring the Necro. into the game. Well... first I hope there actually is an expansion.
I would be really surprised if one is not revealed at blizzcon, it's the perfect oportunity and tbh what else can they reveal this year?
OT: Awesome work, i expect a class similar to this but instead of summons it will use different shapeshifting forms, like a druid which has survived the corruption but is now tainted by the dark powers and will use them vs hell.
I love the work and flavor, and a lot of it sounds fun, but I just don't think this class would be viable at all - it's far, far, far too squishy.
The defensive skills are very weak, a 15% max health absorb shield - I can get that with a secondary effect from a Molten Gizzard gem most of the time. Spirit Plume is a total joke, lets compare it to Spirit walk shall we: 20sec cd vs 6sec for spirit walk, 15% damage reduction vs PHYSICAL ONLY vs 100% reduction vs everything, Ability to move unhindered through walls and enemies vs not being able to. I guess it lasts 1 more second then spirit walk if you don't use the Jaunt rune. The secondary rune effects are difinately better then spirit walks runes, but they are almost all offensive, this is a defense skill we need. One of the 4 defensive skills, Tainted blood, is almost pure offense (Diablo essence rune excepted), and seems way underpowered compaired to the likes of Bigbad voodoo and other classes offensive cds.
None of it's passives seem very strong defensively.
And finally, of the 2 6pc set examples you gave, they dont seem to have any defensive/survivability effect. For other classes, almost all full sets have a very strong defensive/survival effect for their 4pc. Well, maybe you could count the 4pc that extends the duration of Tainted blood and gives it all runes, but most tainted blood rune effects are offensive in nature - doubling health replenish effects on a cooldown is not going to be competative with other classes that tend to get something close to 50% damage reduction full time.
So you have a class with no good defensive passives, no good defensive actives (including no damage immunities at all), and almost no survival boosts on their full item sets. Necros would get rekt hard.
So you have a class with no good defensive passives, no good defensive actives (including no damage immunities at all), and almost no survival boosts on their full item sets. Necros would get rekt hard.
I think that you missed some things here and there. If anything, Necros (as I designed them) are low on dmg but practically immortal,-_-
Now THIS quote is worthy of mockery. That is not how Diablo works. Even if your on the nigh unkillable, either you need to support your allies or your useless...in basically every aspect of the game.
I think it would have been cool to have a few more spells representing less sinister aspect of Necromancers to contrast the current ones, I always like how Necromancers are among the more benign factions in Sanctuary. Also, find a way to make Iron Golem use your weapons like in D2.
I really like the concept and i liked how there was D2 spells all over the place XD
Apart the blatantly OP Ruby malady (never EVER put hp% based damage abilities) the rest looked cool and well thought.
Only gripe with the concept is all the focus on the new damage type/resistance and new primary stat. I agree that they're not difficult to implement but i don't see much need for them. WIS will be a carbon copy of INT (as are STR and DEX right now) and adding more resistance types/damage doesn't quite deliver imho; the animations can be as dark and gory as necessity commands, but the damage tyope has very little to do with them imho.
The result will only be to have a longer list on the character pane.
Bone spells are phisical - Poison speaks for himself - Cold and Lightining are two good candidates to complete the 4 element class setup.
Must say, implementing WIS and shadow dmg/res would be cool, as as you said there are already 2 classes per main stat and shadow damage could be of use for other classes (WD and DH come to my mind) to spice up stuff.
All in all, i really appreciated the work on the concept. Hope to see more of this and since Blizzcon is near, we will see if you have had a nice intuition or Blizzard plans are going to another route.
Kudos.
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Necromancer Q&A
Nightcrest87, the creator of the featured Necromancer on the front page, made this Q&A for those interested in having a little more insight and knowing his thought process when designing the class. Check it out!
Necromancer Fanart by Sammael
To help people visualize the idea even better, I've borrowed this incredible fanart by Sammael to feature on the post.
Q: Why Necros? Why not Druids or Amazons or Space Monkeys?
With the Aspect of Death vanquished, the essence of death has spread and ran rampant all across Sanctuary. The Necros were called on duty to harness it back into control.
Q: Why Wisdom? Intelligence seems like the right choice for the Necromancer.
As class balance currently stands, there are 2 classes for each attribute. Adding a 3rd one for Intelligence would require two more classes to be added to get into balance once more down the line. However, if a fourth attribute was added, it would only require 1 additional class to get into balance one more. The question I asked myself was: Could Druids use Wisdom? Since the answer to this was a loud yes, then Wisdom for Necromancers seemed like a decent choice as well.
Q: Why Bile?
All classes use as a resource something that comes from within them, either physically or mentally. Bile comes from within, it is thematically linked to the sinister aspects of the Necros and let’s face, it sounds cool.
Q: Why Shadow damage as a new element?
I don’t know… There seems to be some sort of a link between darkness and death but I can’t put my finger on it…
Q: Why is Shadow resistance the same as Cold resistance?
While adding a new elemental damage to give depth into a class is more or less inconsequential, adding an additional damage reduction option to look out and gear up for significantly diminishes the toughness of all classes in the long run.
Q: OMG! Why not use Lightning elemental damage?
I don’t particularly like Frankenstein’s monster, thematically. Besides that’s WD territory, aka Voodoo monster.
Q: OMG! Why not use Fire elemental damage?
Corpses are particularly flammable. I wouldn’t imagine Necros making much out of burning minions and fire in general. Besides, Poison damage and Fire damage does not match well, thematically at least.
Q: OMG! Why not use Arcane elemental damage.
Blizzard pointed out that they wanted arcane damage to be a Wizard only thing. I respected that.
Q: OMG! Why not use Holy elemental damage?
Really?
Q: Why didn’t you add X ability from D2 Necromancers? I R S4D.
Look again! There is not a single ability that was left out. Some are now base spells and some are runes but all of them made it in, some way or another. One major difference is that the Fire Golem is now Ice Golem because my D3 Necro does not use the Fire element.
Speaking of…
Raise Skeleton Raise Undead (Base) / Raise Undead (Skeletal Defenders)
(*1) Skeleton Mastery Well-Constructed (Passive) / Enhanced Guardians (Passive)
Clay Golem Animate Golem (Base)
(*1) Golem Mastery Well-Constructed (Passive) / Enhanced Guardians (Passive)
Raise Skeletal Mage Raise Undead (Skeletal Magi)
Blood Golem Animate Golem (Blood Golem)
(*1) Summon Resist Well-Constructed (Passive)
Iron Golem Animate Golem (Iron Golem)
(*2) Fire Golem Animate Golem (Ice Golem)
Revive Amber Horror (Base)
Teeth Spirit Fangs (Base)
Bone Armor Ossein Shield (Base)
Poison Dagger Eviscerate (Slice and Dice)
Corpse Explosion Corpse Explosion (Base)
Bone Wall Bone Wall (Base)
Poison Explosion Corpse Explosion (Fountain of Death)
Bone Spear Reaping Lance (Base)
Bone Prison Bone Prison (Base)
Poison Nova Blight Nova (Poison Nova)
Bone Spirit Hateful Apparition (Base)
(*3) Amplify Damage Ruby Fever (Broken Things)
Dim Vision Sapphire Sickness (Typhlosis)
Weaken Emerald Plague (Necrosis)
Iron Maiden Ruby Fever (Retaliation)
Terror Amethyst Rot (Fear of the Dark)
(*4) Confuse Amethyst Rot (Base)
Life Tap Ruby Fever (Base)
(*4) Attract Amethyst Rot (Base)
Decrepify Sapphire Sickness (Base)
(*3) Lower Resist Ruby Fever (Broken Things)
(*1) Passive abilities.
(*2) Fire element not used.
(*3,4) Consolidated abilities.
Q: So… What’s the point of this class? What niche does the Necro fulfill?
He is a tank mage. He has the support qualities of the terrain manipulation and elite monster disabling type and his gameplay revolves approximately 75% around his constructs, structures and his maladies. Everything else is peripheral/optional and simply adds flavor. If this was a real class, I guess a lot of legendaries would exist to specifically point builds towards more variability.
Q: A mage dual-wielding? Really?
Yarly! While barbarians use their strength to dual wield, monks use their finesse and demon hunters use some sort of impressive ammo refilling science-fiction ability that does not require a third hand, necros tap into their malice to attack with both hands, clumsily yet maniacally in order to maximize their effectiveness.
Q: But… Why runeblades?
WDs stole their ceremonial daggers.
Q: What’s the deal with the bone mantles?
All classes have at least one armor class specific item (shields are armor, right? RIGHT? Tell me I R RAIT?!!?!!!), and the shoulder slot does not have too much value and/or diversity as the game currently stands. I knew that I wanted it to be something around bones, so I was between shields (crusader), helms (wd, wizard), chest plates (dh) and shoulder pads. I chose the latter.
Q: Phylacteries? Are you implying that the Necros are actually dead?
Who said it was *their* phylacteries?
Q: What’s the deal with the maladies? Are they like the curses from D2?
Yes and no… They fill the same role but functionally they work differently. Instead of AoE spells, they are now auras that have both active and passive effects. If anything, they are the D2 curses on roid-rage.
Q: What’s the deal with Shadow Bite? C_c
Just harmless flavor text. Your hardcore heroes would be safe.
Q: What’s the deal with Spirit Plane? O_O!
Spirit Plane was an idea that came along as I was developing the Necro concept. It was too interesting to completely leave out but should I have thought of it from the start, it would be hardcoded into the Necromancer class sort of like DHs have the unique niche of the dual resources. Basically, if I could go back and do it all from scrap, the Necros would use Bile until it gets depleted and have a buff of +damage while they do so, then switch to Essence until it gets depleted and have a buff of +toughness. Think a little bit of Gnar from LoL.
Q: OMG! X ability is completely overpowered/underpowered and can make the Necros immortal/trash! Also, those two abilities together are totally OP! Why?
I didn’t manage to do any particular balance across the entire class as it required me to go deep into statistical analysis and I was lacking the time for that. That being said, there is a decent amount of balance within each spell (spell rune balance) and within each spell category (Primaries balance, Osteomancy balance, etc.)
Q: What sort of marvelous software did you use to create all these?
… MS Paint…
Q: How long did all this take you?
About 2 months, but I had limited time to work on it per day. If I had to estimate actual time, I’d say it took me around 60-70 hours.
Conclusion
Feel free to leave your feedback and your thoughts about Nightcrest's vision of the Necromancer in this thread I'm sure he will appreciate it!
Wow!!! Me likes!!! I'm ready to play that NAO!!!!!!!!!!!
It looks like a very impressive amount of work for only 60-70 hours. If this were actually in D3, I would very much like to play it.
Why do you feel the need to answer in snide ways? We get it, you like the exact way you created your class and skills and names. Doesn't mean when critique comes you act like a child.
It doesn't take statistical analysis to see that percent based max health damage isn't nearly balanced. In grift 70 thats 165 billion dps in a passive ability to the Guardian for ruby malady.
The number of classes that use a certain main stat is irrelavent now with smart loot.
Bile comes from within, but I doubt a stomach acid would lend to a large pool of otherworldly power.
Malthael being dead didn't do anything to the world in terms of death. He embraced death just like a necromancer would. And being a former angel the power was much greater. Regardless, he wasn't actually death itself or anything that special., so his death didn't signify a spread of death across othe world, in fact, it was the opposite, innocent souls STOPPED being reaped, so even less dead than what was happening.
Also, with the falling star in the very first act of diablo 3, why wasn't the necro called then with the dead being risen left and right?
The amount of logical fallicies is mind boggling.
However, you did well converting the base skills from the necro into the new age of d3. But then again, all you did was take all the exact same skills and revamped them.
A LOT of effort for a class that already exists, albeit under a different name :-(
But a great effort!
Does silence affects only elites, or it als affects trash mobs (fallen shaman cannot ressurect imps etc.)?
Edit: Oh, i just noticed silencing and silencing elites in descriptions. nvm.
Edit 2: Cloud Nine rune, lol.
Really enjoyed this. I hope they bring the Necro. into the game. Well... first I hope there actually is an expansion.
"What is best in life... To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women."
-FadexStep
This. I don't get the whole obession with necros. Golems are garguatuans, and skeletons are zombie dogs. It's already done, people. There will be no necromancer.
Like I said though, this guy put in a ton of effort. It's just something they have stated will never be.
1. Great job OP. Combine this with Sammel89's concept art, print it out, and tape it to the D3 Art Directors windshield over at BlizzHQ in Cali. ;D
2. Some of the commenters here need to go rinse the sand out and relax. It's called "Fan" made for a reason!
I suppose it's possible the necro could return, but I would lay my money on a druid or an amazon. Because, you know, Skovos.
make it a vitality build for the win.
There is no wisdom in the game ... use the only unused stat ... and vitality for a necro makes great sense.
I threw money at the screen but nothing happened. Intended?
I might have played necro more than is healthy in D2 and this is so awesome. But i still would like to see druids.
I would be really surprised if one is not revealed at blizzcon, it's the perfect oportunity and tbh what else can they reveal this year?
OT: Awesome work, i expect a class similar to this but instead of summons it will use different shapeshifting forms, like a druid which has survived the corruption but is now tainted by the dark powers and will use them vs hell.
Those Who Do Not Know True Pain Cannot Possibly Understand True Peace...
I WANT MORE EXPANSION! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!
Caps lock cruise control!
I love the work and flavor, and a lot of it sounds fun, but I just don't think this class would be viable at all - it's far, far, far too squishy.
The defensive skills are very weak, a 15% max health absorb shield - I can get that with a secondary effect from a Molten Gizzard gem most of the time. Spirit Plume is a total joke, lets compare it to Spirit walk shall we: 20sec cd vs 6sec for spirit walk, 15% damage reduction vs PHYSICAL ONLY vs 100% reduction vs everything, Ability to move unhindered through walls and enemies vs not being able to. I guess it lasts 1 more second then spirit walk if you don't use the Jaunt rune. The secondary rune effects are difinately better then spirit walks runes, but they are almost all offensive, this is a defense skill we need. One of the 4 defensive skills, Tainted blood, is almost pure offense (Diablo essence rune excepted), and seems way underpowered compaired to the likes of Bigbad voodoo and other classes offensive cds.
None of it's passives seem very strong defensively.
And finally, of the 2 6pc set examples you gave, they dont seem to have any defensive/survivability effect. For other classes, almost all full sets have a very strong defensive/survival effect for their 4pc. Well, maybe you could count the 4pc that extends the duration of Tainted blood and gives it all runes, but most tainted blood rune effects are offensive in nature - doubling health replenish effects on a cooldown is not going to be competative with other classes that tend to get something close to 50% damage reduction full time.
So you have a class with no good defensive passives, no good defensive actives (including no damage immunities at all), and almost no survival boosts on their full item sets. Necros would get rekt hard.
I think it would have been cool to have a few more spells representing less sinister aspect of Necromancers to contrast the current ones, I always like how Necromancers are among the more benign factions in Sanctuary. Also, find a way to make Iron Golem use your weapons like in D2.
I really like the concept and i liked how there was D2 spells all over the place XD
Apart the blatantly OP Ruby malady (never EVER put hp% based damage abilities) the rest looked cool and well thought.
Only gripe with the concept is all the focus on the new damage type/resistance and new primary stat. I agree that they're not difficult to implement but i don't see much need for them. WIS will be a carbon copy of INT (as are STR and DEX right now) and adding more resistance types/damage doesn't quite deliver imho; the animations can be as dark and gory as necessity commands, but the damage tyope has very little to do with them imho.
The result will only be to have a longer list on the character pane.
Bone spells are phisical - Poison speaks for himself - Cold and Lightining are two good candidates to complete the 4 element class setup.
Must say, implementing WIS and shadow dmg/res would be cool, as as you said there are already 2 classes per main stat and shadow damage could be of use for other classes (WD and DH come to my mind) to spice up stuff.
All in all, i really appreciated the work on the concept. Hope to see more of this and since Blizzcon is near, we will see if you have had a nice intuition or Blizzard plans are going to another route.
Kudos.