Wizard

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

"Originally under the guidance of the Zann Esu mage clan, she was eventually handed over to the Vizjerei in the hopes that their strict and unbending discipline would break her anarchic spirit. Yet even the esteemed Vizjerei instructors were unable to rein her in. She was continually being caught seeking out dangerous and forbidden magics, heedless of the consequences to herself or anyone around her." - Abd al-Hazir

The Wizard is a rebellious caster whose skills have amazed and surpassed even the most elite mages. Originally hailing from Xiansai, the Wizard has made her way from school to school learning more and more. The Wizard mastered the elemental skills of most wizards with Hydra and Meteor spells at her disposal. Not content with these simple elemental spells, the Wizard ventured her learning into matters of the Arcane. Able to bend time and reality, the Wizard has proven her skills as a caster. Lastly, the Wizard has used her skills to conjure up swords and even a familiar to help her in her fight against the demons that now inhabit Sanctuary.

Skills

Active Skills
	Magic Missile	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Fires a missile of energy, causing Arcane damage.
	Charged Bolt	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Launches a volley of electrical bolts, each dealing Lightning damage.
	Spectral Blade	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Summons a Spectral Blade that strikes enemies in front of the Wizard, causing Physical damage with each hit.
Passive Skills
	Ice Armor	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Surrounds the Wizard in a barrier of ice that increases armor by a percentage, freezes attackers, and causes Cold damage. You can only be affected by one armor spell at a time.
	Explosive Blast	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Builds up energy around the Wizard that explodes after X seconds, causing Physical damage in a small radius.
	Mirror Image	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Creates an illusory duplicate of the Wizard that has a percentage of the caster's health.
	Wave of Force	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Summons a wave of pure force that deals Physical damage and knocks nearby enemies back and repels projectiles.
	Frost Nova	Requires Level {{{level}}}	An explosion of ice freezes nearby enemies for X seconds, dealing Cold damage.
	Electrocute	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Lightning arcs from the Wizard's fingertips towards an enemy, dealing Lightning damage.
	Arcane Orb	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Conjures an orb of pure energy that explodes on contact with enemies, dealing Arcane damage to all enemies in the blast area.
	Diamond Skin	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Turns the Wizard's skin to diamond for X seconds absorbing damage from incoming attacks.
	Energy Twister	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Summon an energy twister that deals Arcane damage per second to everything in its path.
	Hydra	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Creates a multi-headed Hydra that attacks your enemies with bolts of fire, dealing Fire damage per attack for X seconds.
	Disintegrate	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Emanate a beam of pure energy, dealing Arcane damage per second and disintegrating enemies it kills.
	Energy Shield	Requires Level {{{level}}}	A protective barrier that absorbs a percentage of damage, draining Arcane Power in its place.
	Ray of Frost	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Project a beam of frost that deals Cold damage per second.
	Slow Time	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Warps space and time, slowing nearby monsters and projectiles for X seconds.
	Arcane Torrent	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Arcane meteorites pelt the targeted region, dealing Arcane damage per second.
	Blizzard	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Call down shards of ice around an area, dealing Cold damage per second.
	Magic Weapon	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Imbues the Wizard's weapon with magical energy, granting increased damage.
	Meteor	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Summons a massive meteor from the sky that causes Fire damage to all enemies in the affected area and leaves a pool of fire that does additional fire damage per second.
	Storm Armor	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Surround yourself in electrical energy. Electric bolts are automatically fired at attackers, dealing Lightning damage. You can only be affected by one armor spell at a time.
	Familiar	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Creates a companion that fights alongside the Wizard. The Familiar cannot be targeted or damaged by enemies.
	Teleport	Requires Level {{{level}}}	Teleport instantly to the selected location.

Traits

Because characters in the BlizzCon 2010 demo were already high enough level, exact level requirements for the lowest level traits are unknown at this stage.

Tier  •  Requires Level 10 or lower
Prismatic Cloak Ranks: 3	An icy mist that freezes to the bone, the low hum and spark of electricity in the air...even touching a Wizard can have dire consequences.
	Increase the effects of Ice Armor and Storm Armor by 100% per point.
Arcane Channeling Ranks: 5	?
	Increases the regeneration of the Wizard's Arcane Power.
Toughness Ranks: 5	"These are dangerous times. I have the scars to prove it." - Warmaster Karja
	Increases the Wizard's vitality by 20% per point.
Unbreakable Will Ranks: 5	?
	Increases the Wizard's willpower by 20% per point.
Glass Cannon Ranks: 5	?
	Increases damage done by spells but reduces armor.
Lucky Ranks: 3	Some people survive on intelligence, others on power, and some are just plain lucky.
	Monsters drop more gold
Tier 1 •  Requires Level 11
Energy Reserves Ranks: 3	?
	Health Globes restore x% of your Arcane Power (10% at first point).
Intimidation Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the damage done by the Wizard and reduces vendor costs.
Tier 2 •  Requires Level 15
Staff Specialization Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the damage done by skills and weapons while wielding a staff.
Wand Specialization Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the damage done by skills and weapons while wielding a wand.
Weapon Master Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the damage done by skills and weapons while wielding a sword, axe or mace.
Tier 3 •  Requires Level 19
Blur Ranks: 3	?
	Reduces melee damage taken.
Quickening Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's casting speed.
Tier 4 •  Requires Level 23
Beast Hunter Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's damage against beasts.
Demonsbane Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's damage against demons.
Just...Stay...Dead! Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's damage against undead.
Tier 5 •  Requires Level 27
Cruelty Ranks: 5	?
	Increases the Wizard's critical strike chance.
Superior Skill Ranks: 5	?
	Increases the Wizard's dexterity.
Tier 6 •  Requires Level 31
Ball of Lightning Ranks: 1	A shocking defense will make enemies ponder the wisdom of their assault
	Periodically shocks a nearby enemy for 1-120 lightning damage
Soul Split Ranks: 1	?
	When the Wizard's health drops below 50%, a mirror image of the Wizard appears to distract enemies for 3 seconds. This effect can not happen more than once every 14 seconds.
Temporal Flux Ranks: 1	?
	Enemies hit by the Wizard's Arcane spells are slowed down by 25%.
Tier 7 •  Requires Level 35
Drain Power Ranks: 3	?
	The Wizard regenerates Arcane Power equal to x% of melee damage dealt. (10% at first point)
Power Surge Ranks: 3	?
	Increases critical strike damage (10% at first point).
Tier  •  Requires Level 39
Conjured Armor Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's armor by x%. If Ice Armor or Storm Armor is active, the Wizard's armor is increased by x% (25% and 50% respectively at first point).
Natural Leader Ranks: 3	?
	?
Tier  •  Requires Level 43
Expanded Mind Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's Arcane Power by x% (12% at first point).
Telekinesis Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's chance to dodge projectiles by x% (10% at first point).
Flight Before Fight Ranks: 3	?
	Increases the Wizard's movement speed when their attack is blocked. This effect can stack multiple times, but there is a cap at how many times it can stack.
Tier  •  Requires Level 47
Black Ice Ranks: 3	?
	Frozen targets take x% more damage from all sources. (25% at first point)
Anti-Magic Shield Ranks: 3	?
	Reduces magical damage taken by x% (15% at first point).
Penetrating Spells Ranks: 3	?
	Reduces enemies resistances to your spells by x% (20% at first point).

Lore

The Wizard is a rebellious youth, never content with the strict schooling of most mages. She has been sent from school to school, with hopes that someone will be able to help her control her prodigal skills. Unable to, the Wizard was caught learning magics that she should not have been. Challenged, the Wizard attacked one of the leaders of the Vizjerei Mages. Surviving the battle, the Wizard left the school to practive her newly acquired magical skills against those who oppose her.

"Owing to my lack of tolerance for those who would use magic towards their own nefarious ends, many have assumed that I am averse to the practice of the magical arts on a philosophical level. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My quarrel is with those sorcerers who dismiss the ancient traditions and teachings – teachings that have been honed over millennia in order to preserve respect for authority and the rule of law.

Recently the youth of Caldeum have fallen prey to the overblown stories of just such a delinquent wizard. That is correct: I used the uncouth term Wizard, not Sorcerer. It seems that even the title of a civilized magic wielder is too restrictive for this young upstart. Through my contacts at the Yshari Sanctum of the mage clans, I am one of the few who actually know the truth behind the rumors now sweeping our streets regarding this hellion who flaunts her magic irresponsibly.

This wizard was sent here to spend her formative years under the tutelage of the best mages in the world. Well, it seems they neglected to teach our wizard manners on her native island of Xiansai, for she was a rude and uncooperative student from the very beginning. Originally under the guidance of the Zann Esu mage clan, she was eventually handed over to the Vizjerei in the hopes that their strict and unbending discipline would break her anarchic spirit. Yet even the esteemed Vizjerei instructors were unable to rein her in. She was continually being caught seeking out dangerous and forbidden magics, heedless of the consequences to herself or anyone around her.

Although there is no truth to the tales that she actually ventured into the infamous Bitter Depths below the Sanctum, she was caught in the Ancient Repositories, where the most dangerous incantations are housed for the safety of the public. When confronted by the great Vizjerei mage Valthek and demanded to account for herself, she brazenly attacked him rather than face the punishment merited by her acts. Exaggerated stories of the battle are already being inflated to mythic proportions by the more rebellious of our city's youth, but suffice it to say that she did not actually best Yshari's most powerful mage in single, honorable combat. The details of the encounter remain unclear, as Valthek has yet to regain consciousness, but it has been verified by reliable sources that she relied on trickery and deceit to bring the great man low. I have also been assured that the extensive property damage was chiefly the result of Valthek's magical prowess, not the upstart wizard's. As to where she is now, no one rightly knows, for she fled the city immediately after the encounter.

It is not my goal to alarm, but I find this situation disturbing. We now have a rebellious wizard, young and inexperienced, wandering the world, dabbling in powerful magics she does not understand. Those wiser than you or I determined long ago that certain schools of magic were too dangerous and forbade their practice. It is those magics that this wizard seems determined to explore – magics centered on manipulating the primal forces from which reality is constructed. Imagine, a headstrong nineteen-year-old youth, able to warp time itself to her will! The thought is truly terrifying. It is my honest hope that this self-styled wizard chooses never to return to Caldeum" - Abd al-Hazir

Development

The Wizard was the third class to be revealed. Shown at the 2008 Blizzcon, the Wizard helped fill in the magical caster archetype. Barring many similarities to the Sorceress of Diablo II including having many of the same spells, the Wizard has moved beyond the classic elemental spells. Adding a new type of damage to the Diablo franchise, the Wizard was given power over the Arcane. Most notably, Slow Time is a skill that shows how much more tactical this class will be. Being one of the first classes developed, along with the Barbarian, the Wizard was showcased with many of her skills unlike most of the classes. In fact, very little has been changed from the original concept of the Wizard.

Perhaps the biggest change in this character was the changing of her resource from mana to Arcane Power. This change with through many iterations. The first change was planned to be a more unstable energy source. Casting spells would raise her vulnerability up both increasing spell damage but leaving her exposed to increased damage. This changed after balancing this idea became too difficult. The Wizard now uses Arcane Power which is a fast regenerating set pool of energy. However, even this is subject to change as it was commented at the 2010 Blizzcon that they may be bringing her back to the iconic Mana system.

Media

Concept Art

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  Artwork of the female Wizard using Disintegrate

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  A female Wizard

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  A female Wizard

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  A female Wizard

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  A female Wizard

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  A male Wizard

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  First preview of Wizard Set

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  Second preview of Wizard Set

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  Hydra Concept Art

Screenshots

Act 1 Exterior

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Act 1 Interior

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Act 2 Exterior Act 2 Interior

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