why only 5 classes?

[sarnsereg]

this kind of cofuses me. we know 2 for sure and i bet you we know 2 others for sure based of d1/d2

barbarian is the warrior type class
witch doctor is too similar to necro to allow necros back in

these two we know. the other two we know?

wizard/mage/sorceress typ class. it has to come back as it was in diablo 1 and 2(not the exact same but still there)

ranger/amazon/rogue type class that uses bows/xbox/etc(diablo was the rogue d2 was the amazon)

two classes that essentially HAVE to be in the game. the 5th coul be anytthing but i'm assuming will be something new or will be the paladin again seeing as paladin's just kind of fit in.


i just feel they could have easily added more classes. i mean male/female isn't a big deal for an option unless they actually change because of it. but it doesn't make sense to take away classes and add new ones. why couldn't they just take the ones we already have and add new ones to that? give us like 9 options?

[Swiffer]

I am honestly not certain it will be 5. Yes, the FAQ says there will be five, but at the Diablo 3 Design Fundamentals panel, Jay Wilson contradicted the posted FAQ by saying they had not actually nailed down how many classes there would be. I guess it depends entirely on when Blizzard are shooting to release the game and how many classes they have time to fully work on.

i mean male/female isn't a big deal for an option unless they actually change because of it.

Actually it means a hell of alot, mainly thanks to breasts. Every piece of armor that can be worn by a character needs a male and female version, as tossing the male version on a female will just clip and end up with the breasts showing. So lets say there are 500 pieces of armor, thats actually 1000 models they need to make, since the female versions cannot just be flat against the chest.

(Note: I am not well versed in 3d modelling, but that is my understanding of it)

[Orphan]

It'll come down to time and balance. HGL had 6 classes, but even they had duplicate skills for the same faction. D2 was intially released with 5, but given 2 more in the expansion, so I guess they could aim for additional ones in future expansions for D3.

I'd be happy if they released 5 different classes that had a different playstyle.

[Thyiad]

I'd be happy if they released 5 different classes that had a different playstyle.

Agreed.

I wasn't expected "D2 the Plus Version with Flashier Graphics". I was expecting D3; part of the Diablo series with similar features to the rest of the series, set in the same game world but with new areas, characters, skills and features. It looks like that is what we're going to get.

I think five character classes is fine; especially if they have different playstyles at earlier levels. The major thing with D2 to me is that you can basically melee through normal with any character. I think that's a shame and if I understood the Denizens panel correctly, something they want to change.

Five classes gives good variety to get your teeth into without overwhelming you. It is also the same number that D2 had before LoD. Who says we won't get more classes with a later expansion pack?

So much of this is still idle speculation and I have a lot of unanswered questions. But we won't know until Blizzard wants to tell us. :)

[Cwicseolfor]

From whence came this rumour?

Blizzard hasn't decided what number there will be. All they've said is "a similar amount to Diablo 2". A more probable number is 6.

[stillman]

I'm hoping if it's 5 classes then each class has vast numbers of skills/spells to use. This, imo, will help keep cookie cutter builds from becoming as big of an issue. Plus, we'd have the uniqueness of our characters. 5-6 offensive cold spells on the cold skill tree in d2 was not enough. It should be 50. 50 cold spells, 50 fire spells, 50 lightning spells. Some overlap in playing styles and mechanics of the spells is fine. I just want there to be options.

[Cwicseolfor]

Actually it means a hell of alot, mainly thanks to breasts. Every piece of armor that can be worn by a character needs a male and female version, as tossing the male version on a female will just clip and end up with the breasts showing. So lets say there are 500 pieces of armor, thats actually 1000 models they need to make, since the female versions cannot just be flat against the chest.

(Note: I am not well versed in 3d modelling, but that is my understanding of it)

Because it's 3d, they can generally just create one gender fully, then build the second by slightly modifying that template gender.

[Swiffer]

From whence came this rumour?

Blizzard hasn't decided what number there will be. All they've said is "a similar amount to Diablo 2". A more probable number is 6.

This is taken from the FAQ on the official site:

How many character classes are included in Diablo III? What are they?

Five character classes will be included in the game, two of which, the barbarian and witch doctor, were revealed when the game was announced at the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational. The other classes will be announced at a later date.

Hence the current confusion, since Jay said otherwise in the panel.

[sbn]

Seems to me somewhat that they are doing 5, so they CAN add more in an inevitable expansion

[sarnsereg]

yeah they "can" and "will" add more in an expansion... i don't doubt that. but i'd be pretty pissed if they decided not to add X class from d2 to d3 until an expansion. imagine if they don't do necro, druid, and assassin and then the first expansion comes out and surprise.. here come those 3 classes? it seems to me like the basis for diffirent classes are there already so why not have them already?

the best response i've seen is thyiads in that they want to change things. d1 to d2 changed classes but kept the world and storyline. i guess i can live with they want to keep it simple and not use the same classes.. yet at the same time they're already using at least a couple of the same ones so it kind of confuses me as to why not keep all the old and add acouple new ones? i'm sure there will be some kind of lore as to why this happens the way it does though.

[akaimpc]

Seems to me somewhat that they are doing 5, so they CAN add more in an inevitable expansion

i agree. they are probably thinking long term and are going to add more classes later on in a future expansion.

[Morannon]

IMO 5 classes are enough. The first exp shouldn't take more than 1-2 years.

[Sequitur]

Personally, I'm happy with 5. It's just enough, without being over the top. And like many people have said, always room for more in an xpac or two.

Also, I'm not sure why people keep crying about 'oh no, there's no necro' or 'witch doctor, that just stupid' etc etc.

The thing I'm most looking forward to is a 'new experience'! That doesn't mean to say that I want a whole, new different game that has absolutely no ties to predecessor. Of course I want it to take me back to the warm, fuzzy days of Diablo, and it's sequel.

That said, I think everyone should be taking these 'changes' with a pinch of salt. I'm excited about new classes, loot systems, quest systems, everything! What I don't expect is a carbon copy of D2, with better graphics and new loot.

Whatever your complaint....do you really think Blizzard will let you down?

Heck no, says this observer.

[s4nder]

I wonder if anyone said "why only five classes?" when D2 came out. As long as they're interesting and distinctive, five classes are fine.

[sarnsereg]

I wonder if anyone said "why only five classes?" when D2 came out. As long as they're interesting and distinctive, five classes are fine.

no we didn't say why only 5. mainely because diablo only had 3(i don't count the 3rd party xp). so 5 classes vs 3 classes is more. they're adding more you do't ask why only that many? with diablo 2 we had 5 +2 so we have 7 now. and then with d3 back down to 5. that is why i am asking why only 5? 5 is the same as diablo 2 but they are changing which 5 there are yet using some of the same from diablo 2.

[Joshisapoolie]

I just hope they spend enough time on checking the PvP strength of these characters. It would be a disaster if one class had a massive advantage/weakness over another class/classes.

You could probably change the strength of a skill in a patch or expansion, but that could takes months/years. I think that happened with multi-shot didn't it?

[Bad Ash]

I bet the WD pwns in PvP since everyone is hatin on it haha.

Also, the necro does not have a 0% chance of being released in D3 regular or expansion. They clearly said over and over that the WD is not a Necro replacement. Also, I hope that if they only do 5 classes (which isnt a bad thing..) that they have 3 archetypes we are used to, barb, sorc, zon (or close to that) and 2 new ones. There are rumours that the pally is getting a complete overhaul which would make it a new-ish character which could be pretty cool.

Ideally I would like 6, that would give us 4 we are used to and 2 new ones and then an expansion pack with 3 classes.

I want bigger and better, but understand that the char classes might not be where they emphasis this. 6 is perfect to start with in my eyes, but will not be dissapointed with 5 if they make them right (which they will..its blizzard)

[Herald of Doom]

I just hope they spend enough time on checking the PvP strength of these characters. It would be a disaster if one class had a massive advantage/weakness over another class/classes.

You could probably change the strength of a skill in a patch or expansion, but that could takes months/years. I think that happened with multi-shot didn't it?

Exactly, more classes leads to more difficulty balancing PvP AND PvE. I'd rather have 5 very distinct classes that are all around viable than 7,10 or whatever that aren't. Ofcourse 10 viable classes with unique skills would be awesome, but not very realistic.

[Werzoth]

I wonder if anyone said "why only five classes?" when D2 came out. As long as they're interesting and distinctive, five classes are fine.

Exactly. Many games offer tons of different classes but when you play them you realize there's not much difference in most of them. The importance is not the quantity but the quality. More classes = more development time, more ridiculous skills to invent and balance, etc. I prefer having a solid game.

[snugglson]

Why does everyone want the same 5 classes from D2? this is a new game, give us new classes with new skills. give us something original.

[Apocalypse]

personally i think going with only 5 classes is better. last thing we need is a bunch of classes where all the skills are the same with a difference graphic. also i hope that 2 of the next 3 classes are "new" and only the wizard or sorc makes the return. i actually would not have minded if all 5 were completly different. i want something new, not d2 in the skin of d3

[CarsV]

5 beginning classes is perfectly fine and logical. Even D2 started with this. It leaves the option for more classes in future added content.

All I know is that they better have a paladin class in the initial 5 lol, or something like it.

Edit: by the way, is this site sluggish for anyone else?

[sectoid]

I think we'll get 2 updated D2 chars(one of which we already know), 2 new but somewhat related to previous chars (WD/necro, maybe a sorc or zon replacement depending on which other D2 char comes along) and 1 or 2 completely new classes.

That would please almost everyone, old and new players, and would be true to the Sid Meyer's(or someone else, can't remember) vision of how sequels should be:
- 1/3 old content carried over
- 1/3 old content but reworked to feel new
- 1/3 totally new content

Someone at blizz said they were sticking to this vision(sorry, I never remember the references :P). I like it and think it'll work very well. I also think that they'll come up with 6 classes initially, if only to appease players that need the "more!" thing. We should get 1 or 2 more classes at the expansion, and 1 or 2 more in a possible another expansion.

I say this because it's obvious why they want to augment the Diablo World's lore... look at all those people saying that D2 LOD's end finished the story. They're doing this to make a better game, I'm sure of that, but they're also doing it as to not lose this great franchise. Diablo games needs to go on, we all want that!

So, if it is to release more expansions, or to release more sequels in less time, or to make a path to a future MMO, we can't know, but it IS possible that we'll get more than one expansion this time imho :)

[Mivo]

As long as I can play something similar to the sorceress and the javazon, I'll be happy. ;) Well, okay, I think I'd also like a trapsin equivalent, but that's probably too specific.

[Apocalypse]

anyone who enjoys a sorc or the wiz will of course be happy, no rpg game is gonna launch without a dedicated caster class

[DrSoup]

What if there are 5 classes but each class has more skills (like 4 or 5 skill trees)?
A paladin or knight could easily take on many of the amazon's skills.

Witch doctor could be a combination of the necro and the druid.

There are only 5 main classes, but I'm more interested in the skill categories and the different builds you can make.

[Cwicseolfor]

I don't want MORE skills. I just want every skill to be useful. If not by itself, then in concert with another.

None of this "resist fire/ice/lightning" when salvation would suffice, or "chilling/freezing/drooling armour" when a single cold armour would suffice. For example, the Assassin trap tree? Too much overlap between the specific trap (non-blade) skills.

[diabloreturns]

I just want quality in those classes... I'll be statisfied with five. There would probably be an expansion afterwards so I wouldn't be too worried.

[mjkittredge]

I'm hoping if it's 5 classes then each class has vast numbers of skills/spells to use. This, imo, will help keep cookie cutter builds from becoming as big of an issue. Plus, we'd have the uniqueness of our characters. 5-6 offensive cold spells on the cold skill tree in d2 was not enough. It should be 50. 50 cold spells, 50 fire spells, 50 lightning spells. Some overlap in playing styles and mechanics of the spells is fine. I just want there to be options.

Aside from avoiding setting the skill system up to benefit cookie cutter builds, I hope characters are encouraged to make use of most skills, in certain occasions, and that you don't completely outgrow skills (and that there aren't broken/useless ones, like D2 has).

If they are going to give each character 30 skills like d2, make them all useful please.