Diablo 4 was finally officially announced at BlizzCon 2019, and while it was great to see this terrible-kept secret formally revealed, it was the inclusion of the Druid class that had veteran fans of the series truly excited. First introduced in the expansion to Diablo 2 , the class quickly became a player favorite and was sorely missed when Diablo 3 was released.
Players hoped to see the Druid eventually released in an expansion pack in Diablo 3 , and hints were scattered throughout the game that led to nothing materializing on the matter. Problems with the auction house likely led to the cancellation of any plans to bring back the class there, and so players are understandably excited to see it return once again.
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The Diablo 3 Hints That Led To…Nothing
The first hints that the Druid would be added to Diablo 3 were not mere conspiracy theories by hopeful fans, but deliberate clues added into the Public Test Realm of the game, which a developer then hinted at for players to find through social media. Diablo 3 content-creator superstar Rhykker goes into detail on this matter, beginning with the Muddied Parchment as one such clue, reading "The words are illegible from the elements and what appear to be claw marks."
As long-time fans of the class will know, as well as everyone who watched the reveal trailer for Diablo 4 , Druids harness the power of elemental magic and for their bond with nature, with claw marks being indicative of their ability to shapeshift into wolves, bears, or even to summon companions like ravens.
The note was added in the same PTR as the Fiacla-Géar wings, previously known as the Seraphim Wings. This will be covered in greater detail later under lore, but for now the significance of the name Fiacla-Géar is that he was the first Druid in the world of Diablo. Then, Sean White, a developer for Diablo 3 , tweeted clues until players found the Muddied Parchment.
In retrospect the entire situation is nothing less than strange. Why did White go out of his way to ensure players find this reference to Druids when nothing would formally be released? We can only speculate, but given how Diablo 3 ’s long-term development shaped up, White may have genuinely thought that the Druid class would be released for the game, and then backpedaled to delete certain tweets afterwards when it became apparent that those plans would not unfold as first thought.
Why Was The Druid So Popular In Diablo 2?
As part of the Diablo IV Insight II: Lord of Destruction DLC, the Druid was one of the two classes added to the game. They were a mixed bag of features from existing classes. They had the ability to grant auras like a Paladin, harness elemental magic like the Sorceress, and summon allies like the Necromancer.
Via: youtube.com (Seabeast)
Their popularity came both from their interesting lore and the distinct builds they could use. It was easy to create a viable build as either a melee fighter or spell caster, or to depend on their summons. The strongest and easiest types to play in all difficulties were the Tornado and Hurricane builds, while the weakest was summoning, at least in the Hell difficulty.
Shapeshifting was one of the most notable features of the Druid class identity, and it was feasible to play a in melee range in an action-oriented build with life leach. Werebear was also viable thanks to its attack speed and defense, but typically slower and would feel more repetitive than other builds.
Who Are The Druids?
The Druids call Scosglen home, in the northeast of Sanctuary bordering the empire of Kehjistan, with the Frozen Sea to the northwest. They are kin to the Barbarians and dislike the use of traditional magic, which they call Dubhdroiacht. They instead embrace a bond of oneness with the natural world, known as Caoi Dúlra. Their magic stems from this bond with nature, and is rooted in the elements of fire, earth, and wind.
Via: darkmatters.org
As Druids are so close to nature, this also brings the companionship and assistance of animals that freely help in times of conflict. Finally, they can use their bond with nature and animals to shapeshift into some of the strongest animals in nature.
The early history of the Druids shows that much of their development was aligned towards preparing for the final conflict. By the Darkening of Tristram, the Druids thought this to be the final and most important point that would decide the fate of the world. While Bul-Kathos united the Barbarian tribes with the plan to establish their strict martial training, Fiacla-Géar, described as a close friend in some texts and a brother in others, took a smaller group and taught them Caoi Dúlra. In all this time, the Druids have worked towards perfecting themselves to be the world’s last defense for when the great conflict finally arrives.
Evolution Of The Druid Class In Diablo 4
The trailer from BlizzCon gave fans a superficial overview of what to expect, but all the key features appear intact. The newest form of the Druid will still commend elemental magic, though fire magic has not yet appeared, which would coincide with it remaining the exclusive domain of the Sorceress.
Via: venturebeat.com
Shapeshifting was also confirmed as being not only available, but a playstyle that can be permanently used if players would like to always be in Bear form. Finally, it appears that a summoner build will be the third focus of the Druid’s abilities. This is likely true because it was a popular, though not overly effective build for Diablo 2 , and because the companions were referenced so often at BlizzCon.
For now we can only speculate, but with so much lore to pull from, we are bound to see some interesting incorporation of the Druid into Diablo 4.
Source: Rhykker , diablo.fandom.com
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