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Fist weapons may look like they share animations with some one-handed weapons, but it's actually unique (a kick animation is included in the rotation). Remember that these animations are a bit different when it comes to using abilities. Some abilities use their own unique animations that are not reliant on which weapon you have equipped, while others do.

To answer your question simply, fist weapons are in their own category for transmogrification, and cannot be changed into one-handed swords or other weapons.

Same with other 1hd class specific weapons (excluding bows/xbows/2hd xbows). Like transmorg 1hd sword into wands or 1hd sword into ceremonial knives? Possible?
Wands are also unique, as they do not share their animations with any other weapon. Ceremonial knives, however, have overlap with a couple of other categories, including daggers and some spears, so they can be transmogrified into those.

Clarification: We've no additional patches planned before the pre-expansion patch (which will include Loot 2.0 and Paragon 2.0, plus a variety of other system changes and tuning). There isn't a date set for that yet, mostly because it's still under development. Reaper of Souls isn't scheduled to release until 2014, though, and our pre-expansion patches typically hit between 2 weeks to 2 months before -- so that should help give you a better time frame.

What about the PTR?
We're definitely looking forward to providing a PTR, but don't have a set date for that either. Once we do, you can be sure that we'll announce it (you know, as we do).

Will the skill tuning in recent datamining be coming into the pre-expansion patch?
such as Battle Rage - Into the Fray, Shadow Power - Gloom, and etc.
That's currently the plan, yup. Just keep in mind that datamined information isn't considered final and may actually change quite a bit before making its way into a public build.

More Pumpkins
To the community, I present: My Diablo 3 Pumpkins!
http://i.imgur.com/zW3gaDk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/sXhhoSU.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vIXx7de.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/77GpFC1.jpg
I am no professional by any means, just a fan :-)
So love 'em or hate 'em, here you are! Happy Halloween everyone!
-bluephoenix
I said it once on Twitter, and I'll say it again here: these are absolutely diabolical pumpkins! Thanks so much for sharing them with us! (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Changes to the Other Acts
Monsters and loot are receiving changes across the board. While some of the other randomization features coming in Act V are unique to that act, Acts I-IV will still benefit from changes coming in Loot 2.0. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Being able to visually customize your character is something that many players enjoy, even in Diablo III. Unfortunately, right now it's super difficult to experiment with different looks (or even achieve certain looks) without crippling your character's power or efficiency. With transmogrification, players can continue to wear the gear that makes them feel powerful, while also wearing something that makes them feel pretty*. That seems pretty win-win to us, and certainly worthy of development resources.

Yes, not everyone will want to take advantage of transmogrification, but many players will and ideally it'll make their in-game experience more enjoyable as a result.

*See also: awesome, manly, epic, badass, like a boss, [positive adjective here].

forgive me....for being a party pooper
I don't think you're being a party pooper at all. I just think you're voicing an opinion that might be different from other players you interact with. Having a differing opinion isn't bad and it certainly doesn't fall into party pooper territory. It's when you assume that your opinion is more valid than others (particularly if said opinion seeks to belittle the enjoyment of people who aren't you) and start to be a jerk about it that you need to be careful of your Double-P status.


i can think of so many other things i would like to see
instead of transmog
The majority of design decisions aren't really binary like that (i.e. you get this OR that), and we've no plans to remove transmogrification at this point given the positive feedback it's received thus far.

Even so, let's entertain the discussion. What kind of features would you like to see in Reaper of Souls instead of or in addition to transmogrification? And why?

i want less wow stuff
and more diablo stuff
We’ve no plans to suddenly starting adding features from World of Warcraft simply because they’re from World of Warcraft. We based transmogrification in Diablo III on the working model we have for World of Warcraft, yes, but the impetus for adding it wasn't because "it's in World of Warcraft, therefore it should be in Diablo III"; it was because (we feel) it provides a meaningful service to players, one that's at present missing and has been repeatedly asked for. It's not just a direct port, either; we've made several changes to the system to ensure that it makes sense within Sanctuary and fits the D3 game model.

So, the process is kind of like this:

- Identify an issue or area that needs improvement > Discuss solutions > Is the best possible solution based on World of Warcraft? > Yes. > Okay, let’s tailor it to Diablo III.

OR

- Identify an issue or area that needs improvement > Discuss solutions > Is the best possible solution based on a mechanic from World of Warcraft? > No. > Okay, cool. Let’s do something else.

NOT this:

- Let’s arbitrarily add a World of Warcraft feature to Diablo III > Does it make sense to add this feature or solve any issues? > lol, no > Find excuses to add it anyway.

It's all about having an issue to address or a role to fill first then developing a feature to fit, not vice-versa.

I think your transmog feature is a mistake, and I would much rather see you blatantly copy rifts wardrobe tab. I'm sorry, im very excited for transmog.. but not this transmog.
Cosmetic slots are pretty sweet! Though, perhaps not the best solution for Diablo III specifically. We feel the transmogrification system is a little more robust and a lot easier for players to maintain, especially in terms of item management.

For reference: unlike cosmetic slots (or even the way transmogrification works in World of Warcraft), the system in Diablo III doesn't actually require players to keep the "visual" item in order to use its appearance. Which is great when stash space is limited. Instead, you unlock appearances by leveling up the Mystic – or, in the case of Legendary items, by identifying them. Once an appearance is unlocked, it'll be available across all Normal characters or all Hardcore characters on your account, depending on which game mode you're playing. Any appearance you unlock will then be stored in the transmogrification UI.

(For people who may have missed it, here’s a big write up by Vaeflare on the Mystic that goes over a lot of its functionality: http://us.battle.net.../blog/11337855/)

Jennifer poops at the parties?
It's easier than shooting some fish in a barrel. (Where do you get a barrel these days, anyway?)

The legitimate pve you said we would have at release.
The build and item diversity you said we would have at release. And In loot 1.04.
Better replayability, greater build diversity and balance, and a (more) meaningful item hunt are all core pillars for both the expansion and pre-expansion patch. Those three goals are guiding nearly every decision and change we're making, which includes but is certainly not limited to: smart drops, enchanting, Paragon improvements, loot runs, and the yet-to-be-officially-announced Adventure Mode (which you'll hear more about at BlizzCon).

There's also changes like:

• Reducing the number of items that drop, but improving their overall quality

• Narrowing stat ranges on items (example: instead of rolling 1-100 an item might now roll 80-100)

• Breaking item stats into two separate categories -- Primary (stats that directly improve your character's power) and Secondary (stats that provide utility) -- that can roll independently of one another to help avoid scenarios where a stat like Pick-Up Radius is having to compete with stats like Attack Speed or +%damage

• Creating Legendary powers that are aimed at not only being mathematically powerful, but also have the opportunity to spawn meaningful and potentially interesting build choices

• Plus a boatload of skill tuning that's still very much in-progress (see recent datamining)

In the end, transmogrification is simply one small part of a much larger picture. We hope you'll enjoy the result.

The pvp you said we would have at release.
As for PvP, that's a fair request, but not one we have any immediate plans to address. Right now, our priority is focused on addressing issues with core gameplay and building upon the PvE experience. We really want to nail that first.

Okay, so stupid question: Will I have access to the appearances of the identified legends I already have, or will I have to find/craft new ones to gains those appearances?
Not stupid at all.

Legacy Legendaries that are already identified will definitely not unlock an appearance. We're still determining whether or notunidentified legacy Legendaries will work the same way/have the same restriction. Once that decision is made, we'll be sure to let everyone know. I'd definitely recommend checking out Vaeflare's blog in the meantime; lots of great details in there!

FYI: legacy (in this case) = items that drop before the pre-expansion patch goes live.

Can I just point out the flaw in this logic? The process should be based on innovation. You shouldn't go right to working models and just tailor it to diablo 3. That seems like the basis of reasoning that has made diablo 3 a mediocre game.
You're trying to read between the lines when there's no need to. We're not immediately looking to pre-existing solutions. Rather, the scenario I provided was simply to illustrate that we don't go out of our way to implement features from World of Warcraft "just because." We do so if it makes sense for Diablo III and also happens to be (what we feel) is the best possible solution available.

Another way of putting it is:

- Identify an issue or area that needs improvement. > Explore and examine many different solutions, new and pre-existing. > Is the best possible solution based on World of Warcraft? > Yes. > Okay, let’s tailor it to Diablo III.

I've learned not to waste my time giving devs/blue my opinion. They rarely listen, and when they do, it takes them 2 years to act on it. Why bother?
Oh STAHP. We're absolutely open to feedback and have made many changes based on it since launch, and are continuing to draw upon said feedback as we develop Reaper of Souls.

If you're perhaps wondering why we may not be acting on your particular feedback, though? That could be for two reasons, I suppose. On one hand, it's possible the goals we have for Diablo III may not align with the goals you have. On the other, you may just be having a hard time communicating your wants or needs in a way we can understand and relate to. Seriously. It helps heaps if you voice your opinions constructively and leave them open to debate and discussion, rather than taking a completely offensive position and then just shutting down to alternative viewpoints (as I've noticed you're sometimes wont to do). From a design perspective, it's much easier to understand what an individual, or a even a community, wants/needs -- and then figure out what we can potentially do to address that -- if feedback is expressed in a way that encourages dialogue and is open to compromise.

/friendly, though somewhat off-topic 2cents

How about the team bases solutions on ... wait for it ... Diablo 2?
If the best solution to an issue draws from Diablo II, we've no problem with that at all. There are many features in the game right now that are based on or pay homage to features in previous Diablo games. However, what we consider to be the best solution and what players consider to be the best solution will sometimes vary, and that I think that's really the crux of the debate here.

When implementing new features or making changes to existing ones, our goal is to improve the game as a whole and hopefully make your play experience much more enjoyable as a result. It's not about where ideas come from, but whether or not they're achieving said goal. We think transmogrification is something that will both improve the game and the play experience, and a lot of players would agree.

As you can see by this discussion, though, we can't always please everyone. This is where feedback comes in. While we may not be able to reach a 100% please-rate, we're happy to re-examine our design decisions to see how we might get closer to that mark.

Please the Diablo players, WoW players be damned
So you're saying that the many people who asked for visual customization options and will enjoy transmogrification somehow aren't true Diablo players and should (therefore) have their feedback ignored? Interesting.

I'd like to hear your argument for why a service like transmogrification doesn't fit with a Diablo game, by the way (beyond "it's from WoW"). How do you personally feel it takes away from the core gameplay experience? That's not really been articulated yet.

Transmorg you say? !@#$ that's priority number one, lets get it done and have an entire panel at blizzcon about how cool it's going to be to change up how my char looks between a handful of different possible options.
There's a transmogrifcation panel at BlizzCon?! BUT IT'S NOT ON MY SPREADSHEETS.

Seriously, though (and I noted this earlier): transmogrification is simply one part of a much larger picture. It's not a linchpin; it's a complement to many other features and changes being worked on for our expansion and pre-expansion patch milestones.

Lylirra can you help us understand why a cosmetic change disables any further trading?
Why is this requirement on par with a complex game mechanic like an affix reroll?
Currently, the binding is part of the cost of the service and helps function as an item sink. While we'll be removing the gold and real-money auction houses, we're still evaluating what measures are required (in their absence) to ensure a good item acquisition/reward loop for any given player.

Basically: it's something we're experimenting with, but isn't set in stone. We definitely appreciate all the feedback. I've already passed on a lot of the discussions here to designers working on the Mystic, and they agree you've all brought up many great points (re: BoA).

I really hope this is a subtle hint that your devs may find the complainants are right on this one and that BoA on transmog has a chance of disappearing into the aether. It's a great system (even by the consideration of many who have never been MMO guys, WoW in particular) that I'd love to not see crippled for the sake of sinking items. =)
It’s more than a subtle hint. I actually just spoke to Wyatt this morning, and they’ve already tasked removing BoA from transmogrification.

About transmogrification skins and crafted legendaries.
Since transmogrification skins for legendaries will be unlocked by identifying the item, what happens with crafted legendaries that come already identified?
Will craft at least one of them count as having identified one?
Will we be able to use those skins for transmogrification if the blacksmith knows how to craft them?
Wyatt told me to tell you “great point.” We’re looking into it right now. If the tech can support it, we’d like to grant players visual appearances for crafted Legendaries the first time they craft the item.

However, making the item BoA for upgrading it still makes a lot of sense. I hope that part gets left in there.
Enchanting an item will still bind it to your account, yup!

May I inquire as to why the dev team is so determined to add binding to this game? You've removed efficient trading already, so why more binding?
Same philosophy I provided before:

Currently, the binding is part of the cost of the service and helps function as an item sink. While we'll be removing the gold and real-money auction houses, we're still evaluating what measures are required (in their absence) to ensure a good item acquisition/reward loop for any given player.

However, we agreed with the feedback of "BoA should be a price to pay for power, not cosmetics," as well as several other cases provided in this thread (which is why we elected to remove the BoA cost from transmogrification).

i think its great this is being done but its a bit scary that 1. it was to go ahead in the first place and 2. the devs change their minds as quickly as i change my shorts.
I wouldn't panic. We added BoA to transmogrification in the first place to see how it would play out; it was never set in stone, but instead was something we wanted to explore as a possibility in the actual game environment. That's how iteration works, especially during the development stages we're in right now (where there's still experimentation happening and lots of internal testing).

Any news about whether or not we'll be able to carry forward legacy UNIDENTIFIED items to unlock skins in RoS?
No updates yet!

If it gets rid of the clown look....I'm all for it.
So, relatedly (I just made that word up), on the whole "clown-like" topic:

As some of you may know, when a Rare item drops, they have a random dye color automatically assigned to them. Currently, all dyes are considered valid options for Rare drops, which can lead to some pretty interesting outcomes.

We recently made a change to this mechanic, however, to restrict the kind of dyes that can do this. Basically, we've disabled a handful of the more...uhh, fabulous dyes from being auto-applied to Rare items.

The following dyes will be continue to roll automatically on Rare items: Abyssal, Infernal, Purity, Mariner's, Winter, Cardinal, Ranger's, Tanner's, and Desert.

The following dyes will (as of the pre-expansion patch, I believe) no longer roll automatically on Rare items: Lovely, Royal, Elegant, Summer, Golden, Autumn, Aquatic, and Forester's.

This should outright eliminate the dilemma of "Oh sweet, an upgrade for my Barbarian! Aaand it's bright pink again. Awesome."

Legendary and Set items that can be dyed? That thing we were told was being worked on. Even an update on that would be really nice.
That's certainly the goal, but it's a work in progress at the moment so not yet confirmed to happen 100%. In our internal builds, we've got dyes working for a lot of Legendaries, but certainly not all. We've still got some work to do to get the tech right, and of course...testing.

Chances are that if you've played Diablo III for any significant period of time that you've died at some point in your journeys. In Hardcore mode, death is the end of the road for your hero. Death in Normal mode (or Softcore), however, is a very different affair, and the penalty for doing so is significantly less.

Every now and then the community likes to exchange ideas about dying in Normal mode, and this week we're highlighting one of those discussions started by Magna on the official Diablo III forums, who asks:

• Will the Real Death Penalty Please Stand Up?

Currently, dying in Normal mode means that all of your equipped items suffer a 10% durability loss, and your character respawns at the nearest checkpoint. Some players feel that this is enough of a deterrent on its own, but others would like to see something different in place.


What do you think about the death penalty in Diablo III? Would you like to see a steeper penalty? Would you prefer a system that incentivizes survival rather than punishing mistakes? Let us know in the comment section below, or join the discussion on the Diablo III forums!

In just over a week, BlizzCon 2013 will be unleashed upon the mortal realm of Anaheim, California. Whether you're joining us in person at the convention, turning in with a Virtual Ticket, or following along online, it's certain to be a weekend to remember!

Over the course of the two-day convention, we'll be hosting several panels about Diablo III and its upcoming expansion, Reaper of Souls, including an open Q&A focused completely on the game's story and lore. The Q&A is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PDT on Friday, November 8th, so be sure to mark your calendars!

In the meantime, we know there are a lot of players who enjoy exploring the history of Sanctuary to its finest depths and would love to hear more about what topics interest you. For our latest community question, we want to know:

If you had the opportunity, what single lore or story question would you ask our Diablo III developers about Reaper of Souls?

Are you curious about Malthael's motivations? Do you ever wonder what may have transpired within the Angiris Council after the Prime Evil was defeated? Perhaps you'd like to learn more about the Crusader's background, or what lies ahead for Lyndon, Kormac, and Eirena?
Leave a comment below to let us know!

Over 30,000 Diablo III players around the world participated in last week's "Choose Your Weapon" poll, and today we're excited to share the results. Taking an impressive 33% of our global vote, the Legendary weapon we'll be crafting alongside our community is: a one-handed sword!

*cue fancy trumpet flare*

A big thanks to everyone who voted, posted, shared, and tweeted. This is only the beginning, though. We'll be kicking off another community vote next week, so be sure to keep an eye on diablo3.com for Design a Legendary: Part 2!

Are you joining us at BlizzCon 2013 or watching from home? Download the free mobile BlizzCon 2013 app, available now forAndroid™, iPhone®,and iPod touch®! It's part calendar, part event planner, part social media assistant, part live stream player, and part fortune teller. (OK, so the last part is totally made up . . . just making sure you're paying attention.)
This convenient app is designed to help you make the most of your BlizzCon experience, and this year we've added even more functionality, including the ability to watch this year's free live BlizzCon streams. (Unfortunately, Bubble-Hearthing didn't make the cut.)

With the app, you can:

• Plan your day—Review the details of the official events taking place at BlizzCon, and add them to your calendar. You can sort your events by day, time, game series, and more.
• Chart a path—Zoom in on the exhibit hall floor with the BlizzCon map. Use it to quickly find a panel, meet up with friends, or just figure out where you’d like to go next.
• Watch Free Live Video—Access the free BlizzCon video streams via the app, including the opening ceremony and eSports tournaments for StarCraft II, World of Warcraft, and Hearthstone. *New for 2013*
• Catch your favorite events—Set alerts for any event on your calendar to make sure you get to it on time.
• Stay updated—Receive instant updates and the latest news from the official BlizzCon news feed.
• Social Networking—The mobile app now includes Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram integration. Share your BlizzCon experience with the world! *New for 2013*

©2013 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, and BlizzCon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S., and/or other countries. iPhone® and iPod® touch are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions.

The winners of this year's pumpkin-carving contest have been chosen -- and they're monstrously spectacular. We've shared some of favorite designs below, but be sure check out all of the creepy, incredible, and creative winning pumpkins here.


We'd like to thank everyone who participated this year, and we can't wait to see your mad scientist skills in action again next time around. Happy Halloween, Sanctuary!

Do you want to come to a party? Southern California punk rock legends Blink-182 will be playing in front of a sold-out BlizzCon® crowd on November 9, and you’re invited! If you’ve already scored tickets to BlizzCon 2013, then we’ll see you there! If you’re not on the guest list, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

To enjoy the show from the comfort of your home, check out the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, and you’ll have a front-row seat to all the festivities, from exclusive developer panels to our famous costume contest, and what is sure to be an epic concert from Blink-182 to close out the show.
So what are you waiting for? Order the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket BlizzCon Virtual Ticket to catch the action online, or check out thepress release for more details. We’ll see you at the rock show!

There was a time when Westmarch was a lively, vibrant city. Now, an unnatural chill hangs over the sprawling mass of Gothic architecture, and the unmistakable stench of decay chokes its few remaining survivors.

Take a trip with us through Reaper of Souls's first zone and peer behind the scenes at our design team's process in putting together the gloom and eeriness of a city under Death's siege.

Westmarch, Interrupted

When discussing Westmarch, we've often referred to it as the site of a "haunted apocalypse." What was once a bustling metropolis and the military capital of the west has now been reduced to something of a wasteland, its previous grandeur (and population) gutted by Malthael's vile, soul-pillaging minions. The elegant Western European and Gothic themes, upon which this city draws heavily, are now juxtaposed by the stomach-knotting dread that only the Angel of Death and his agents can bring.


Don't expect Westmarch to be a simple palette of browns, blacks, and grays, though. More than a swatch of colors was considered when crafting this locale. Creating a truly dark and foreboding city requires evoking an emotional atmosphere, and you'll feel the burden of that weight as you brave the dangers wrought by Maltheal's reapers.

The Lay of the Land

Picture the fog-laden cobblestone streets of London in the 1800's, in the midst of England's Gothic revival. The rows upon rows of buildings tightly packed together, occasionally punctuated with small, dilapidated shops and sprawling passageways. The rotting clotheslines hung precariously between shingled rooftops and grimy windows, heavy with freshly-washed laundry. Or the pools of fetid water flooded with animal waste and discarded trash stagnating in neglected gutters and potholes, ideal breeding grounds for unspeakable plague.

That foreboding feeling, a setting where Jack the Ripper or Mr. Hyde might seem perfectly at home, is what you can expect as you navigate the winding, narrow alleyways and broad town squares of Westmarch. Our artists and designers worked to further this sense of dread and doom by leaving visual breadcrumbs of Malthael's presense, covering the city in a blue-green haze and littering its byways with freshly-reaped corpses. To give Westmarch a more worn-torn, apocalyptic feel, they also peppered the landscape with tattered remnants of failed defenses (smashed bulwarks, supply carts, and spiked blockades, for example) and emptied the city of its living denizens, replacing them with animated constructs—all macabre reminders of the slaughter that has occurred.



A Welcomed Reprieve:
The inspiration of this Gothic age does not stop there, however. The Survivor's Enclave, the artisan and quest hub for Act V located in the heart of Westmarch, was designed to be a place where the remaining citizens could feel safe as they seek refuge from Malthael's army, and also a location where the nephalem can rest and regroup.

Settled atop a hill overlooking the city, this cathedral square has been modeled after a real world locale in Toledo, Spain. As a densely packed city originally built in the 13th century, its large cloister safeguarded by soaring towers seemed to fit the safe haven tone just right.



Event Planning:
Littered throughout the zone, you'll also find multitudes of randomized sequences we affectionately refer to as "cellars," named after the one-room events scattered throughout Old Tristram in Act I.

This concept of one-room events has been taken to a new level in Reaper of Souls, to the point where you might consider these less like events and more like mini dungeons. One of our artists, Johannes Thé, came up with a new idea on how to chain together multiple types of rooms, which has allowed our designers to create some truly immersive experiences!

Imagine starting in a small house that opens up into a courtyard, where a path guides you through an alleyway to a new house. Not only is this a great way to introduce larger, more interesting story elements, but it's an opportunity to experience Westmarch as though you were actually traveling through it.


Overall, there are about 30 different cellars, more than in any other zone, scattered throughout Westmarch, each providing more juicy insight to the city’s history and people (and, of course, luscious loot).

Per Ardua ad Astra: Adversity in Design

Designing Westmarch did not come without its difficulties, however. The camera system used in Diablo III quickly proved an interesting obstacle when creating an urban feel. Our lead level designer Dave Adams offered some insight on this challenge.

"When we think of cities, even old ones, they are typically filled with tall buildings packed together. We wanted that vibe, but we did not want to have all those buildings fade out in front of the player. It can become very distracting after a while and take away from the gameplay experience."

What then, was the best solution to this issue? The fading of buildings has been reduced by positioning the buildings of Westmarch on opposite sides of the street to the regular camera angle. Roofs, similarly, have been angled away to minimize foreground distractions.



This effect results in the feeling that you are really making your way through a realistic cityscape.

The Journey Begins

Westmarch has been a challenging delight to explore, design, and implement. With this particular zone, we didn’t just want to set the stage for Reaper of Souls. We wanted to take you to a place of which you have heard only the faintest of whispers, to bring forth from your imagination a legendary location and make it breathe. Through the greatest depths of our artists' and designers' passion, it has been brought to life. . .only to be crushed beneath Malthael’s advancing legions.
Are you ready to face the horrors that loom around each cobblestoned turn? Prepare yourselves, nephalem: Death awaits you.

What first comesto mind when one thinks of Westmarch, the first zone players will encounter in Diablo III's upcoming expansion, Reaper of Souls? From the home base of an eponymous order of knights to an architectural wonder built of monuments to King Rakkis's conquests, it is a city steeped in tales both heroic and bloody.

But what of its founding? Or the secrets that drove King Rakkis to be buried in a fetid swamp rather than his shining capital? It is said that the best preparation for the future is to study the past, so let's take a closer look at these legends as we steel ourselves for the impending destruction and chaos of Malthael, the Angel of Death.

Product of Conquest
Nearly two and a half centuries past, at a time when the Zakarum faith was quickly gaining momentum, the empire of Kehjistan was beset by a myriad of troubles. From famine and disease to rioting amongst the citizenry, the stage was set for a new faith to rise and stoke the fires of hope in the hearts of the desperate. While many politicians and nobles saw this evangelical traction as a threat, Emperor Tassara, fresh to his rule, realized the teachings of Akarat could be used as a tool to solidify his reputation. By embracing the burgeoning religion, Tassara would hasten the rapid acceptance of the Zakarum doctrines, allowing him to ensure the people would stay devoted to his cause.

The Rise of Rakkis:

Soon after his ascension, competitors for Tassara's throne banded together in an attempt to overthrow the emperor before his position was fully secured. Anticipating this insurrection, Tassara enlisted the help of one of the most zealous Zakarum converts and a skilled military general: Rakkis. The exploits of Rakkis echo through the annals of history, but it is important to note that his undeniable strength and his series of victories to protect the crown were an inspiration to the common folk.


Rakkis's popularity proved a double-edged sword, however, as Tassara began to consider the general a potential threat to his own rule. Thus, he ordered Rakkis to venture west and spread the Zakarum faith through conquest.

As this crusade tore across the land, Rakkis's army faced steep resistance, especially from the nation of Ivgorod and the barbarians of Mount Arreat. Despite these setbacks, Rakkis eventually banded together nine warring clans of the subcontinent under his banner, slowly integrating the Zakarum faith into their culture. This new force allowed him to crush the remaining resistant natives of the south.


Soon, it came time for the general to claim proof of his deeds. To this end, he declared the land he seized Westmarch, in honor of the task to which Tassara had assigned him. Its capital, which would share the same name, was settled as a river port, and its convenient proximity to the sea allowed the city to quickly flourish into the mighty martial and mercantile power it is today.

The City Under Siege
Westmarch enjoyed many decades of peace and prosperity, as few would dare the wrath of its intimidating military. Those who did, such as Khanduras’s ill-fated invasion during the Darkening of Tristram, were slaughtered, with few survivors left to tell of their decimation. In the two hundred plus years since Westmarch’s founding, no outside force would visit harm upon those within the city’s formidable walls, until the arrival of Malthael, intent on slaughtering the entire population of the capital for an as yet undetermined purpose.
This begs the question: Why Westmarch? What secrets does the city hold that would lure the Angel of Death to its doorstep?

A Secret History
Generally speaking, if one were to carve a vast nation from the wilderness, the least appealing location to build one's new home would be next to a sprawl of fetid marshes. Yet, that is precisely what Rakkis did when he chose the location for his nation’s capital. Was there an ulterior motive? Surely there must have been, as the site would later draw forth the interest of not one, but two independent members of the Angiris Council.
Near Westmarch lay a treasure far more valuable than anything Rakkis had procured during his campaign. After his coronation, the king spent many years of his reign wandering the cyclopean ruins that lay forgotten beneath the adjacent marsh. At his behest, King Rakkis was laid to rest within it after his death. It was whispered by some that the ruins were not those of just any civilization, but rather, a lost city of the Nephalem.


This location holds undeniable power, and few have managed to pry secrets from its ancient corridors. The greatest quality the lost city is said to possess, however, is remarkable warding against the trespass of both angels and demons. Mentions of this warding were well hidden, but the new mortal Aspect of Wisdom, Tyrael, learned of the ancient protection in a time of great need. Seeking a place of refuge on Sanctuary for the Black Soulstone, he planned on using these ruins to hide the terrible artifact, shielding it from both demonic and angelic intervention alike. With power of the Prime Evil stored within the stone’s murky facets, not even the High Heavens could be trusted with its safekeeping.
Unfortunately, no one, not even Tyrael himself, could have foreseen the adversary who would pluck the Black Soulstone from its refuge. . .


Like Tyrael, Malthael had undergone a transformation, and his new incarnation as Death allowed him to cross the threshold of the ruined city unhindered.

The Future of Westmarch
Now, dangers beyond imagining threaten to lay waste to Westmarch, and only you, brave Nephalem, can save the historic city from ruin. Its residents are being culled and raised as an undead army bent on serving Maltheal’s every whim. How will you help cleanse Westmarch of the evil that’s befallen it? What unknown horrors do you imagine wait to stop you?
Let us know in the comments below, and remember: Be careful what you wish for!