Demon Hunter

Classes: Barbarian •  Crusader •  Demon Hunter •  Monk •  Necromancer •  Witch Doctor •  Wizard

"She emerged from the shadows cast by the setting sun and wasted no time in dispatching my attackers. Her hands worked twin crossbows, launching a glowing arc of flaming bolts over my head, blanketing the hulking monsters. Every shot found its mark in one of the horned beasts, felling the lot of them." - Abd al-Hazir

The Demon Hunter is a ranged class that mixes deadly marksmanship abilities with acrobatic maneuvers and trap skills to fight the forces of Hell in a more tactical manner. Ranged abilities such as Molten Arrow and Mulitshot help the Demon Hunter slay her enemies from afar, while ingenious mechanical traps allow her to continue assaulting her foes from beyond their reach. To complete her arsenal, she incorporates powerful Shadow Magic - learned from her observations of the very monsters she aims to destroy - into her attacks.

Active Skills

Active Skills
	Hungering Arrow	Requires Level 1	Generates 3	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Fire a magically imbued arrow that seeks out targets for 115% weapon damage and has a 35% chance to pierce through targets.
	Impale	Requires Level 2	Costs 25	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Impale a target for 250% weapon damage.
	Entangling Shot	Requires Level 3	Generates 3	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Imbue an arrow with shadow energy that deals 75% weapon damage and entangles up to 2 enemies, slowing their movement by 60% for 2 seconds.
	Caltrops	Requires Level 4	Costs 6	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Lay a trap of caltrops on the ground that activates when an enemy approaches. Once sprung, the caltrops Slow the movement of enemies within 12 yards by 60%. This trap lasts 6 seconds.
	Rapid Fire	Requires Level 5	Costs 20	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Rapidly fire for 228% weapon damage as Physical.
	Smoke Screen	Requires Level 8	Costs 14	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Vanish behind a wall of smoke, becoming momentarily invisible for 1 seconds.
	Vault	Requires Level 9	Costs 8	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Tumble acrobatically 35 yards.
	Bola Shot	Requires Level 11	Generates 3	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Shoot out an explosive bola that wraps itself around its target. After 1 second, the bola explodes dealing 130% weapon damage as Fire to the target and an additional 110% weapon damage as Fire to all other targets within 7 yards.
	Chakram	Requires Level 12	Costs 10	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Fire a swirling Chakram that does 150% weapon damage as Physical to enemies along its path.
	Preparation	Requires Level 13		Cooldown: 45 seconds
			Instantly restore all Discipline.
	Evasive Fire	Requires Level 14	Generates 4	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Shoot for 125% weapon damage. If an enemy is in front of you at close range, you will also backflip away 15 yards.
	Grenades	Requires Level 15	Generates 3	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Throw out three grenades that explode for 95% weapon damage as Fire each.
	Shadow Power	Requires Level 16	Costs 14	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Draw in the power of the shadows, gaining 20% of all damage done as Life for 3 seconds.
	Companion	Requires Level 17	Costs 10	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Summon a raven companion. Your raven companion will periodically peck at enemies for 30% of your weapon damage as Physical.
	Fan of Knives	Requires Level 17	Costs 20	Cooldown: 10 seconds
			Throw knives out in a spiral around you, doing 320% weapon damage to all enemies within 10 yards of you. Your knives will also Slow the movement of enemies by 60]% for 2 seconds.
	Spike Trap	Requires Level 17	Costs 30	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Lay a trap that arms after 1.2 seconds and triggers when an enemy approaches. The trap does 275% weapon damage to all enemies within 8 yards. You can have a maximum of 3 Spike Traps active at one time.
	Strafe	Requires Level 19	Costs 15	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Shoot at random nearby enemies for 120% weapon damage while moving at 65% of normal movement speed.
	Elemental Arrow	Requires Level 20	Costs 10	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Shoot a fire arrow that deals 155% weapon damage as Fire to all targets it passes through.
	Marked for Death	Requires Level 21	Costs 3	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Marks an enemy. The marked enemy will take 12% additional damage for the next 30 seconds.
	Multishot	Requires Level 22	Costs 40	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Fire a massive volley of arrows dealing 165% weapon damage to all enemies in the area.
	Sentry	Requires Level 25	Costs 10	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Drop a turret on the ground. The turret begins firing at nearby enemies for 20% weapon damage. Lasts 30 seconds.
	Cluster Arrow	Requires Level 27	Costs 50	Cooldown: 0 seconds
			Fire a cluster arrow that explodes for 200% weapon damage as Fire into a series of additional miniature bombs that explode for 100% weapon damage as Fire each.
	Rain of Vengeance	Requires Level 30		Cooldown: 30 seconds seconds
			Fire a massive volley of arrows around you. Arrows fall from the sky dealing 75% weapon damage for 5 seconds to all enemies in the area.

Passive Skills

Passive Skills
	Tactical Advantage	Requires Level 10		Whenever you use Vault, Smoke Screen, or backflip with Evasive Fire you gain 60% movement speed for 2 seconds.
Whenever you use Vault, Smoke Screen, or backflip with Evasive Fire you gain 60% movement speed for 2 seconds.
	Thrill of the Hunt	Requires Level 10		Every 10 seconds, your next bow attack will immobilize your target for 3 seconds.
Every 10 seconds, your next bow attack will immobilize your target for 3 seconds.
	Vengeance	Requires Level 13		Your maximum Hatred is increased by 25. In addition, gain 20 Hatred and 2 Discipline whenever you are healed by a health globe.
Your maximum Hatred is increased by 25. In addition, gain 20 Hatred and 2 Discipline whenever you are healed by a health globe.
	Steady Aim	Requires Level 16		As long as there are no enemies within 10 yards, all damage is increased by 20%.
As long as there are no enemies within 10 yards, all damage is increased by 20%.
	Cull the Weak	Requires Level 20		Damage against slowed enemies increased by 15%.
Damage against slowed enemies increased by 15%.
	Night Stalker	Requires Level 20		Critical Hits have a chance to restore 1 Discipline. Discipline is used to fuel many of your tactical and defensive skills.
Critical Hits have a chance to restore 1 Discipline. Discipline is used to fuel many of your tactical and defensive skills.
	Brooding	Requires Level 25		As long as you have not taken damage in the last 3 seconds you gain 1% of your maximum Life per second.
As long as you have not taken damage in the last 3 seconds you gain 1% of your maximum Life per second.
	Hot Pursuit	Requires Level 27		Whenever you are at full Hatred, movement speed is increased by 15%.
Whenever you are at full Hatred, movement speed is increased by 15%.
	Archery	Requires Level 30		Gain a bonus based on the weapon type of your main hand weapon: Bow: 15% increased damage Crossbows: 50% Critical Hit Damage Hand Crossbows: 10% Critical Hit Chance
Gain a bonus based on the weapon type of your main hand weapon: Bow: 15% increased damage Crossbows: 50% Critical Hit Damage Hand Crossbows: 10% Critical Hit Chance
	Numbing Traps	Requires Level 30		Enemies hit by Fan of Knives, Spike Trap, and Caltrops have their damage reduced by 25% for 3 seconds.
Enemies hit by Fan of Knives, Spike Trap, and Caltrops have their damage reduced by 25% for 3 seconds.
	Perfectionist	Requires Level 35		Reduces the Discipline cost of all skills by 10%. Discipline is used to fuel many of your tactical and defensive skills.
Reduces the Discipline cost of all skills by 10%. Discipline is used to fuel many of your tactical and defensive skills.
	Custom Engineering	Requires Level 40		The duration of your Caltrops, Marked for Death, Spike Trap, and Sentry is increased by 100%.
The duration of your Caltrops, Marked for Death, Spike Trap, and Sentry is increased by 100%.
	Grenadier	Requires Level 45		Increases Hatred generated from Grenades by 2 and reduces the Hatred cost of Cluster Arrow by 10. Upon death, you drop a giant grenade that explodes for 450% weapon damage as Fire.
Increases Hatred generated from Grenades by 2 and reduces the Hatred cost of Cluster Arrow by 10. Upon death, you drop a giant grenade that explodes for 450% weapon damage as Fire.
	Sharpshooter	Requires Level 50		Gain 3% Critical Hit Chance every second. This bonus is reset 1 second after you successfully critically hit.
Gain 3% Critical Hit Chance every second. This bonus is reset 1 second after you successfully critically hit.
	Ballistics	Requires Level 55		Damage from rockets increased by 50%. Rockets are fired from certain skill rune effects.
Damage from rockets increased by 50%. Rockets are fired from certain skill rune effects.

• Stats based on lvl 60 character.

Resource System

• Hatred/Discipline: The system will be a personality-based dichotomy. Hatred skills will be able to be used more than Discipline skills. Hatred skills will be mostly associated with bow attacks and burst-damage while Discipline will primarily focus on traps and preparation. Hatred regenerates passively and can also be generated by using a Hatred generator skill, while Discipline regenerates slower much like the Witch Doctor's mana.

Lore

Calling the bleak area known as the Dreadlands home, the Demon Hunter lives for vengeance, honing her skills on the numerous demons that inhabit the area. However, the Demon Hunter's life was not always so. She lived a normal life until demons attacked her home. She fled to the shadows and watched as the demons razed her town and slaughtered her loved ones. As she hid, a mysterious woman came and killed her attackers, saving her life. After surviving the horrific ordeal, the girl was recruited to become a Demon hunter; a story shared by all of her brethren.

"I have just returned from my travels on the edge of the frozen wasteland known as the Dreadlands, a once-beautiful place forever changed by some great calamity in its history. Now, only ruined cities and bleak landscapes remain, no place for any living thing. I was headed for the village of Bronn for the night, but when I arrived, I found a scene of devastation such as I had never seen before. I should have fled at the first sign of danger, but my curiosity drove me forward. Most of the town's buildings had been burnt to their foundations, and a few charred timbers were the only sign of where they had once stood. Ash choked my lungs. There were bodies strewn everywhere, many dismembered and some even half consumed. The city was abandoned.

Or so I thought.

From the husk of the inn, one of the few buildings still standing, monstrous, gray-skinned creatures burst forth, shouting in some infernal tongue. They were masses of misshapen flesh, of sinewy muscle made for battle. Helpless, I stood frozen as they drew close. The one in the lead seized me by the front of my cloak and lifted me from the ground, its claws tearing through fabric and skin. Its breath was hot on my face, and I was assaulted by the putrid smell of rotten flesh. Its mouth yawned wide, and I saw rows of sharpened teeth, yellowed and stained with blood. I thought only of the shame that my voice would be silenced, never to illuminate another of the wonders of our world for you, my loyal readers.

A sharp sound whistled by my ear, and a crossbow bolt sprouted from the eye of the beast before me, spraying my face with its burning blood. It howled an inhuman cry of pain and threw me to the ground, grabbing at the quarrel. The other creatures scanned for this unseen attacker, and I was forgotten for the moment. From the ground at their feet, I tore my head around to see where the bolt had come from.

That was when I saw a demon hunter for the first time.

The girl could have been no more than twenty. She emerged from the shadows cast by the setting sun and wasted no time in dispatching the rest of my attackers. Her hands worked twin crossbows, launching a glowing arc of flaming bolts over my head, blanketing the hulking monsters. Every shot found its mark in one of the horned beasts, felling the lot of them. From the corner of my eye, I saw more of the savage brutes sneaking up on her from behind. My voice froze in my throat as I tried to scream a warning. I needn't have worried: she was not unaware. The hunter reached into her belt and rolled a trio of strange metal spheres into their path. The monsters looked down just as the contraptions exploded into light and flame, stunning them. It gave her enough time to round on them, her crossbows dispatching them one by one.

With a last look over the town, apparently satisfied that no danger remained for her, she came forward, shaking her head sadly. There was a look of profound disappointment on her face as she returned the crossbows to her sides, hidden by the folds of her cloak.

"No survivors," she said bitterly.

They call themselves the demon hunters, a group of fanatical warriors sworn to a single purpose: the destruction of the creatures of the Burning Hells. The demon hunters number in the hundreds and make their home in the Dreadlands so that they can live and train without the interference of any nation that would worry over having such a fearsome group camped within its borders (though at any time over half are dispatched across the world like this girl, seeking hellspawn). There is something in all demon hunters that gives them the strength to resist the demonic corruption that would drive lesser men to madness. They hone this power, for their resistance to this taint enables them to use the demons' power as a weapon. But their mission and their power are not all that bind them together.

That night, the girl told me of her life, about how, as a child, the demons had descended upon her town. She had watched as demons destroyed her home, setting her village to the torch. They murdered everyone she knew and stole from her everyone she loved. She should have died with them, but she fled, hiding from the hellspawn for days until she was found by a demon hunter who saw the strength in her and took her in as one of their own. Each and every demon hunter, she told me, has a story like this.

They are the survivors, and they are searching for vengeance." - Abd al-Hazir

Trivia

The female Demon Hunter is voiced by Anna Graves, and the male Demon Hunter is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.

Development

The Demon Hunter was the last class to be revealed for Diablo III, despite being the first character they began work on. However, the class went through numerous changes, including a major one right before Blizzcon 2009. Originally planned to be revealed then, she was put on hold to be re-worked and the Monk was revealed instead. They knew from the beginning that they wanted a bow-wielder, but the original concept for the class took on a more naturalistic "ranger" feel. They had added quick, dagger-like attacks to the class, however this decision made the character feel less and less like a ranged class. Scrapping the whole idea, the development team started over from scratch, deciding to go with a darker feel to the class. The original concept of the Demon Hunter was as an actual Demon. They soon changed their mind from this idea, as it contradicted the core storyline of the Diablo franchise: Humanity against everyone else. Instead, she was changed to a human who possessed demonic features; specifically a Demon's arm. Even this small amount seemed too odd and added a melee feel to the class which they wanted to avoid. The final - completely human - version of the Demon Hunter was born from this, featuring a sleek and sexy look, a dark past, and revenge fueling her fight. Unveiled at Blizzcon 2010, the Demon Hunter joined the rest of the classes to fight the denizens of the Burning Hells.

Media

Concept Art

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  Male Demon Hunter Concept

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  Female Demon Hunter Concept

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  Various levels of Demon Hunter Armor

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  Female Demon Hunter Art

Screenshots

Act 1 Exterior

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Act 1 Interior

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Links

• Demon Hunter: The Dreadlands - Demon Hunter forums at DiabloFans
• Demon Hunter Skill Calculator