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Classes is a collective name for the seven playable characters available to the player in Diablo II and the expansion Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. Each class features a different model and animations, speech, skill set and breakpoints, but otherwise they all follow the same story and general game mechanics. The differences however, particularly the different skill setups, lead to very distinct playstyles that are often described in various builds.

Every class can also hire one of four different Hirelings available in the game to follow them through the game.

General Mechanics[]

All classes have a lot of features in common.

  • There are four attributes: strength, dexterity, vitality and energy. Strength determines melee physical damage (very minor) and acts as a requirement for most gear. Dexterity determines ranged physical damage, Attack Rating and as a requirement for some weapons. Vitality determines life and stamina and energy determines mana.
  • All characters have 30 skills spread across three different skill trees. All characters have unique skills that are not shared with any other character, even though some are quite similar to each other like Inferno and Arctic Blast.
  • With the exception of some class-specific gear (one kind for each class) all characters can equip every type of item in the game provided they meet the item's stat requirements.

Classes[]

Amazon Sprite (Diablo II) Assassin Sprite (Diablo II) Barbarian Sprite (Diablo II) Druid Sprite (Diablo II) Necromancer Sprite (Diablo II) Paladin Sprite (Diablo II) Sorceress Sprite (Diablo II)
Amazon Assassin Barbarian Druid Necromancer Paladin Sorceress
Game Classic Expansion Classic Expansion Classic Classic Classic
Skill Trees Javelin and Spear Skills
Passive and Magic Skills
Bow and Crossbow Skills
Martial Arts
Shadow Disciplines
Traps
Warcries
Combat Masteries
Combat Skills
Elemental
Shape Shifting
Summoning
Summoning Spells
Poison and Bone Spells
Curses
Defensive Auras
Offensive Auras
Combat Skills
Cold Spells
Lightning Spells
Fire Spells
Minions One at a time One at a time None Several Many None None

Class Characteristics[]

Though there are many unconventional builds that can use weird skill and gear combinations, the most popular builds typically fit the archetype and intended function of the class.

The Amazon is a warrior who fights with the bow or spear. The strongest builds are the ranged ones that utilize the bow, crossbow or javelin, while the spear builds are more risky due to the lack of a shield and the added protection it would bring. The attacks themselves are either fire or cold attacks for the bow and crossbow, or lightning and poison attacks for the spear and javelin. Both focuses also allows for pure physical attack skills. The passive abilities either augment the attack skills of the Amazon - whether ranged or melee - or provide ways for her to keep enemies off her, such as Decoy and Valkyrie.

The Assassin uses a distinct mechanic in the Martial Arts tree that involves charge up moves and finishing attacks: the Assassin can power up with up to three charges and release the charges with various finishing moves for a host of different effects. The Shadow tree contains passive abilities, such as a skill that allows the Assassin to block attacks with claw weapons instead of a shield, and the ability to create a duplicate of the Assassin that can utilize her skills. The Trap tree allows the Assassin to throw deadly projectiles, including blades and bombs, and also includes several fire and lighting sentries that work much like the skills of the Sorceress but originating from a thrown stationary item rather than a spell.

The Barbarian is the heaviest melee class with many melee skills and passive abilities for survivability. The Barbarian is the only class who can dual wield melee weapons (apart from an Assassin using claw weapons). The Combat Skills contains the attack skills, and allows for specialization in either one weapon (either two-handed or with a shield), two weapons or two throwing weapons. The Masteries tree contains exclusively passive skills that boost both offensive and defensive stats of the Barbarian, and the Warcries are temporary buffs the Barbarian can apply to himself and allies. Any number of warcries can be active at one time, further boosting the Barbarian's ability to boost his own stats as well as managing monsters.

The Druid requires the most specialization of all classes, as each of his trees provide for unique play mechanics. Elemental makes him a caster that creates earthquakes, hurricanes and other spells based on nature. The Shape Shifting tree allows him to become either a Werewolf based on speed or Werebear based on power, and makes him a dangerous melee combatant. The Summoning tree allows him to summon wolves, crows, a bear, creeping vines, and several spirits that provide buffs similar to the Paladin's auras.

The Necromancer is a pure caster focusing on the dead. In the summoning tree he can raise skeletons, create golems and revive dead enemies, while the Poison and Bone path makes him a more direct damage caster with poison and magic abilities. Curses are debuffs that can be cast on enemies to create a host of effects, such as increasing their damage taken and slowing them down.

The Paladin is a holy warrior and the second focused melee class. He excels while using a shield. He can use one aura at a time that provides a persistent bonus to him and his party members. Defensive helps him survive attacks, while offensive boosts his ability to inflict damage. The combat skills tree serves a similar function to the Barbarian's combat skills, but the tree is broken up between melee skills, shield skills, and magic attacks.

The Sorceress is the second caster class who focuses exclusively on elemental attacks from the elements of fire, cold, and lightning. Each tree offers different benefits: fire provides high reliable damage, cold slightly less damage but also slows enemies, and lightning provides the highest potential damage but has a large damage variance. Each tree contains some support skills in addition to the multitude of attack skills she possesses.


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