Witch Doctor ---> Witch

[Generic]

When you're in a hole, you reach a point where you just need to stop digging. (delete ftw)

[Creuzebek]

Why changing the class name would help? And why don't you like the Witch Doctor "graphical representation and persona"? I hope it is not because he is black. If you are talking about the way he shivers, I like it, because it is like he's in some spiritual trance. Which is ok since he contacts another dimension to channel his powers.

[Generic]

It has nothing to do with his skin color. Please don't imply that I'm racist out of the blue, it's quite rude.
What I'm saying is that aside from a character's skills and overall combat effectiveness his persona and graphical representation play a significant part in a player's mind when they are formulating an opinion of them, subconcious or otherwise. That said I'll give an example of what I mean:

Character - Connotations (what they're persona/image brings to mind):

Barbarian - Strong, Fierce, Brutal, Weary

Wizard - Mysterious, Cunning, Arrogant

Witch Doctor - Frail, Weak, Crackpot, Guy who smoked a few too many joints.

----
I think with a few graphical tweaks/changes maybe a name change we could change the Witch Doctor to have a much more "formidible" persona.
Do you see what I'm saying?

[Jodaus]

I think it's his pot belly, personally. The WD seriously needs to do some more jogging or something. ;)

[Zhulok]

Witch = Female Wizard

"Frail, Weak, Crackpot, Guy who smoked a few too many joints."

Thats what a Witch Doctor is supposed to be like and i think it is new and refreshing to have a character like that. Not every character has to be strong or fierce looking.

[Mad Mantis]

My problem with his stance is that is looks like they simply slapped black skin on a WC3 troll and placed another head on the shoulders. You also have this huge disparity between the female WD and the male WD. Only the male looks like this goofy old fool.

[Zhulok]

He doesnt look goofy. I dont see how leaning over a little bit makes him look anything less than cool. He specializes in the dark magic and voodoo so hes not going to be the strongest looking guy. He also lives in the jungle so hes going to be dirty or looks older.

[Naja]

Maybe the "deceptively-frail-yet-awesomely-powerful" magic caster is a cliche, but it's a cliche I like.

I don't really see him as goofy. Just old and (seemingly) frail.

I do agree about the disparity between the man and woman, though.

[Generic]

Well another point of contention. If this is what they are "going for" than why does the female Witch Doctor look like a super model?

[Creuzebek]

Well another point of contention. If this is what they are "going for" than why does the female Witch Doctor look like a super model?

Good point.

[Keighvin]

I am really amused that I can state my disagreement with you, Generic, on 2 different forums now. Still think that WD looks good and that changing the name to witch makes absolutely no sense.

[stillman]

Yeah, witch kind of makes me think of England, black arts, evil eye, failing crops, witch burnings (not voodoo jungle man).

Anyway, the reason I don't like the WD is because he's not just a little bent over; he's almost non-human. I can hardly tell what he is at a glance. I have to look really hard at him.

Now the barb, well he looks like a barb. There's no mistaking him for a purple-green insect like you do when glancing at the WD.

For me, the problem is the WD was designed to be too visually "loud".
-He has loud colors: purple and bright green. I guess the green is Ok because of the jungle foilage, but purple...ugh.
-His movements are too loud. He is flailing about TOO MUCH.
-His hunching is just way too much. His head is covering the xiphoid of his chest.
-His mask is too loud. It's huge. You're basically looking at a giant mask with some wirey limbs kicking around under it.
-To sum up, he is overdramatized..to the extreme.

The way I described it on another thread was easier: get you mother to look at the WD and ask her what she thinks it is. Look carefully at the squnity face she makes and time how long it takes for her to answer. Then, ask her to look at the barb. I'll bet she will say "barbarian" or "warrior" really fast.

[Generic]

When you're in a hole, you reach a point where you just need to stop digging. (delete ftw)

[Zhulok]

Stillman none of those i see as a problem because the sorceress in D2 was the same way. She had lots of colors on her. The hunching isnt as bad as you make it seem and the masks are cool looking. "He is flailing around TOO MUCH." ...um what? In a an action RPG you care about a character moving too much? Who cares? Overdramatization is good every once in a while.

Oh and i took your little challenge with my mom, i told her that i had two pictures to show her. I told her that one was a Barbarian and one was a Witch Doctor but i didnt tell her which is which. It took her no more than 6 seconds to get both right and she never squinted.

[Turnip]

Well all I know is the witchdoctor is made by someone who worked on WoW, if it was made by d2's guys it probably would be a witch; D2 is more a medieval type game; witchdoctor would fit right into WoW though. :whistling:

I expect him to say "you got a righteous grooveeee"

[Keighvin]

Turnip, there were enemies called witchdoctors in D2, so they fit in fine, the term witch is generally gender specific, and according to people who were able to actually play the game, while the witchdoctor has an accent, it is not a comedic one.

[Frostraven]

Yeah, witch kind of makes me think of England, black arts, evil eye, failing crops, witch burnings (not voodoo jungle man).


...
Witch Doctor makes me think of England, people selling good-for-nothing potions, quacks selling mud to cure madness and saltwater to cure blindness.
That was before they knew colored people existed.

Jungle hobos had a name before they were named Witch Doctors -- after their english quack counterparts; Namely shaman.

[MooCQ]

First thing that comes to mind with "Witch" is a broomstick and pointy top hat.. Wizard of Oz...

Witch doctors are suprisingly realistic compared to the other Diablo characters. I'm surprised, they are getting such harsh criticism. Naysayers seem to have cultural misgivings with the witch doctor concept, I'm not talking "in-game lore," its more the projected image is not what the conceptual character represents. If you knew a little more about world civilizations, & culture, you might actually find, a respect for the character. Witch doctors are in no way frail, these guys are powerful magic users, of which whole societies are formed, and held as one. There's been quite a few really interesting Natl. Geographic documentaries about them, maybe your opinion may change if you watch one of these programs... and realize exactly who it is you're describing.

[Teleportftw]

First thing that comes to mind with "Witch" is a broomstick and pointy top hat.. Wizard of Oz...

Witch doctors are suprisingly realistic compared to the other Diablo characters. I'm surprised, they are getting such harsh criticism. Naysayers seem to have cultural misgivings with the witch doctor concept, I'm not talking "in-game lore," its more the projected image is not what the conceptual character represents. If you knew a little more about world civilizations, & culture, you might actually find, a respect for the character. Witch doctors are in no way frail, these guys are powerful magic users, of which whole societies are formed, and held as one. There's been quite a few really interesting Natl. Geographic documentaries about them, maybe your opinion may change if you watch one of these programs... and realize exactly who it is you're describing.

real life doesn't have magic.

[a brick]

Personally I don't think its not fair to say the WD is too flashy or too whacked out looking to menacing. This is is supposed to be visually appealing remember? He's admittedly on drugs for heaven's sake! thats why he shakes! A lot of people pick their class based on their abilities, and if it doesn't match up well then why would anyone want to play it?

The gender differences is a valid argument, though. An old crazy WD and what to me looks like a awkwardly swaying model dressed like a WD for a photo shoot.
But then you would have a problem with the Barbarian, which no one seems to be mentioning. The Barb is supposed to be the same character as in D2 but has spent the las 20 freaking years honing and mastering his skills. How can a woman who must have been AT MOST 10 when D2 took place suddenly have the same abilities as an aged man, probably in his 50's?

Just something to think about

[Khagan]

It has nothing to do with his skin color. Please don't imply that I'm racist out of the blue, it's quite rude.
What I'm saying is that aside from a character's skills and overall combat effectiveness his persona and graphical representation play a significant part in a player's mind when they are formulating an opinion of them, subconcious or otherwise. That said I'll give an example of what I mean:

Character - Connotations (what they're persona/image brings to mind):

Barbarian - Strong, Fierce, Brutal, Weary

Wizard - Mysterious, Cunning, Arrogant

Witch Doctor - Frail, Weak, Crackpot, Guy who smoked a few too many joints.

----
I think with a few graphical tweaks/changes maybe a name change we could change the Witch Doctor to have a much more "formidible" persona.
Do you see what I'm saying?

I think I'd love the Wizard, seems a pretty cool class :D