@Diablo and Bashiok broke a period of silence to give us some useful and interesting information today.
In regards to skills, @Diablo had this to say in response to a question about the available number of active skills per character.
Official Blizzard Quote:
Diablo: @crafty_deluxe Wizard has the most with 25, the rest have either 21 or 22. Currently. Abilities will likely change before release.
Whether or not this will mean different skills, a different number of skills, or only different rune effects is unknown. Chances are that no skills will be removed, and seeing as this comment is in response to a question about the number of active skills, chances are that not all skills have been revealed or there are skills still in development. As soon as there is any elaboration on the subject we'll be sure to let you know.
Yesterday, when the class pages went up on the Diablo III official site, some people noticed that the Demon Hunter's page seemed to suggest that they were able to use guns. Although skills such as Evasive Fire's crimson rune effect mention the use of bullets, Bashiok cleared up the issue completely and let us know that guns will not appear in Diablo III.
Official Blizzard Quote:
Demon hunters are able to pepper the battlefield with scores of arrows and projectiles, or snipe distant enemies with a precision undreamt of by other heroes. Their arsenal includes longbows, guns, grenades, hand-thrown weapons, and even dual-wielded crossbows.
Today, Bashiok cleared up the confusion that resulted, breaking a stretch of silence from the blues other than replies to technical issues.
Official Blizzard Quote:
There are no guns in Diablo. Shame on anyone who wants otherwise! SHAME.
It's an error in the text, and will be corrected.
So fortunately for some (hopefully most) and unfortunately for others, the Diablo III team has reaffirmed its view that guns don't fit in Diablo. Are you disappointed or happy that whole scare is over? Let us know in the thread below.
Guns would tarnish the basic setting of the Diablo universe, in my opinion.
For one, it just feels wrong chronologically. Guns are from the modern age, and Diablo feels much older.
Specifically, Diablo's playable and NPC characters seem out of an era too primitive for guns. Witch Doctors, Amazons, Barbarians, Monks, and Sorcerer/Wizards/etc were at their real (or mythical) power in worlds where guns didn't exist. Guns historically overpowered any cool native martial arts and technologies after the 1600's.
So for Diablo to be a world where steel, wood, and magic are credible fighting tools...guns should not be present.
Note - I'm not thrilled with the term "grenades" in Diablo. I can believe that primitive explosives could be concocted (or conjured) but I'd call them something less modern, like a "flask".
I'm confused how it was cleared up that there were no guns. Bash's comment:
"Demon hunters are able to pepper the battlefield with scores of arrows and projectiles, or snipe distant enemies with a precision undreamt of by other heroes. Their arsenal includes longbows, guns, grenades, hand-thrown weapons, and even dual-wielded crossbows."
IMO pistol xbows are guns. Just skinned and made to fit in the lore of D3. Not that I have a problem with that.
I'd agree with this. I think the evidence points to them originally making the Demon Hunter a gun class, then with the uproar of the Diablo community in general, they reskinned the guns and made them crossbows.
I wouldn't care if they were guns or 1h crossbows personally.
I'm confused how it was cleared up that there were no guns. Bash's comment:
"Demon hunters are able to pepper the battlefield with scores of arrows and projectiles, or snipe distant enemies with a precision undreamt of by other heroes. Their arsenal includes longbows, guns, grenades, hand-thrown weapons, and even dual-wielded crossbows."
That wasn't bashiok's comment. That was the post on the Diablo 3 character page. Bashiok's post was the one saying that guns are not in D3.
They don't have any reason not to dick around with the idea.
IMO, the way the Qual khek says it, it is a joke. Basically, during the early stages of Diablo 2, people were having the same discussion over guns as we are now. That whole speech is just a form of easter egg for those people. And at the same time, declares guns as a strange and implausible idea. It is just an in-game way of saying that games won't be in the Diablo series.
IMO pistol xbows are guns. Just skinned and made to fit in the lore of D3. Not that I have a problem with that.
I'd agree with this. I think the evidence points to them originally making the Demon Hunter a gun class, then with the uproar of the Diablo community in general, they reskinned the guns and made them crossbows.
I wouldn't care if they were guns or 1h crossbows personally.
I have to disagree with this notion. With skills like Impale, Entangling Shot, Bola Shot, Rain of Vengeance, I'd say that the weapons started out as bow weapons. Besides, I dont' think guns would hurt demons much if at all. We need magic to slay the Evils. Isn't that the whole concept behind Diablo. Humans have this innate magical power that is ultimately more powerful than Angels or Demons.
The Sin Wars spoiler
The Angiris Council made everyone on Sanctuary forget their powers, so that humans didn't stop both the Angels and Demons. Plus, mankind wasn't quite ready for the powers yet.
I have to disagree with this notion. With skills like Impale, Entangling Shot, Bola Shot, Rain of Vengeance, I'd say that the weapons started out as bow weapons. Besides, I dont' think guns would hurt demons much if at all. We need magic to slay the Evils. Isn't that the whole concept behind Diablo. Humans have this innate magical power that is ultimately more powerful than Angels or Demons.
The Sin Wars spoiler
The Angiris Council made everyone on Sanctuary forget their powers, so that humans didn't stop both the Angels and Demons. Plus, mankind wasn't quite ready for the powers yet.
Well, I see where you are coming from. However, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine using magic to cause connect two or three bullets to cause a Bola shot, or other such skills.
As for bullets not causing much damage to demons, I don't see a sword hurting Diablo either without magical enchantments on it.
Regardless, guns (Aside from pistol crossbows) are not in Diablo 3.
Official Blizzard Quote:
Demon Hunter's page seemed to suggest that they were able to use guns. Although skills such as 
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Posted Sep 15, 2011Our secret cache of awesome images.
Those are just the hand crossbows by the way, not the actual normal crossbows, or bows.
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Posted Sep 15, 2011Thats why i think the demon hunter is so much sicker with a bow (first time i saw it was that leaked skill video thingy)
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Posted Sep 15, 2011I really hope they dont favorise 1 hand xbows doe DH <_< i="" want="" a="" longbow="" of="">
and please give more pic of weapons!
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Posted Sep 15, 2011For one, it just feels wrong chronologically. Guns are from the modern age, and Diablo feels much older.
Specifically, Diablo's playable and NPC characters seem out of an era too primitive for guns. Witch Doctors, Amazons, Barbarians, Monks, and Sorcerer/Wizards/etc were at their real (or mythical) power in worlds where guns didn't exist. Guns historically overpowered any cool native martial arts and technologies after the 1600's.
So for Diablo to be a world where steel, wood, and magic are credible fighting tools...guns should not be present.
Note - I'm not thrilled with the term "grenades" in Diablo. I can believe that primitive explosives could be concocted (or conjured) but I'd call them something less modern, like a "flask".
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Posted Sep 15, 2011"Demon hunters are able to pepper the battlefield with scores of arrows and projectiles, or snipe distant enemies with a precision undreamt of by other heroes. Their arsenal includes longbows, guns, grenades, hand-thrown weapons, and even dual-wielded crossbows."
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Posted Sep 15, 2011-
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Posted Sep 15, 2011I'd agree with this. I think the evidence points to them originally making the Demon Hunter a gun class, then with the uproar of the Diablo community in general, they reskinned the guns and made them crossbows.
I wouldn't care if they were guns or 1h crossbows personally.
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Posted Sep 16, 2011For the full battle.net forums discussion and further clarification, read this:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/3123319681
IMO, the way the Qual khek says it, it is a joke. Basically, during the early stages of Diablo 2, people were having the same discussion over guns as we are now. That whole speech is just a form of easter egg for those people. And at the same time, declares guns as a strange and implausible idea. It is just an in-game way of saying that games won't be in the Diablo series.
I have to disagree with this notion. With skills like Impale, Entangling Shot, Bola Shot, Rain of Vengeance, I'd say that the weapons started out as bow weapons. Besides, I dont' think guns would hurt demons much if at all. We need magic to slay the Evils. Isn't that the whole concept behind Diablo. Humans have this innate magical power that is ultimately more powerful than Angels or Demons.
The Sin Wars spoiler
BTW, its nice to see you again Linkx.
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Posted Sep 16, 2011Well, I see where you are coming from. However, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine using magic to cause connect two or three bullets to cause a Bola shot, or other such skills.
As for bullets not causing much damage to demons, I don't see a sword hurting Diablo either without magical enchantments on it.
Regardless, guns (Aside from pistol crossbows) are not in Diablo 3.
Nice to see you again, too, Archie.
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Posted Sep 17, 2011guns shoot bullets propelled by an explosion
bows shoot arrows catapulted by a string
Huge difference! never ever guns in Diablo!!!!
Takes away all the fantasy of shooting things as well.