The Barbarian stands strong among the known starting classes in Diablo 4. So far, nobody matches it when it comes to heavy weapons mastery. The Barbarian class is filled with time-honored Diablo traditions. It has everything from a whirlwind attack to battle cries to bolster allies and terrify enemies. On top of all its brutal damage options, the Barbarian is the definitive tank, and will appeal to anyone who wants to shrug off the attacks of demon hordes. But the Barbarian isn't alone -- Diablo 4 will also launch with a pair of familiar spellcasters known as the Druid and the Sorceress.
It's pretty standard fare for Diablo to have more than one type of magic user available. Even in the days of the original Diablo game, players could technically use magic with any class if they wanted to. However, since the Druid and the Sorceress are what sets the bar for magic in Diablo 4, they're worth comparing to one another. There's actually a significant amount of overlap between these two classes. Blizzard definitely has different playstyles for them in mind, and ultimately they're both unique, but the Druid and the Sorceress seem like spellcasting cousins. Here are some of the traits they share, as well as what sets them apart.
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Probably the most important thing that sets the Druid apart from the Sorceress is its shapeshifting talents. Ever since Diablo 2, the Druid has been famous for transforming into various animals in combat, just like druids in games like Dungeons and Dragons are known for. The Sorceress has many skills, but she certainly can't turn into a werebear or a werewolf like the Druid can. These transformations let the Druid go from a caster to a frontline combatant. It has formidable melee options thanks to these transformations, making the Druid pretty versatile.
Companions are another unique category of abilities that the Druid can use. Druid players have the option to summon wolves, ravens, or vine creepers to fight alongside them thanks to the Druid's connection to nature. These trusty allies will provide the Druid plenty of extra DPS, especially when he's shapeshifting and running into melee combat. Although the player can't control these companions directly, they have lots of innate value. The raven and vine creeper will constantly deal out the damage they're summoned for, and wolves can distract enemies from the player, since only they can take damage. Companions are bound to be very valuable.
Finally, there's a few elements that the Druid can control that the Sorceress can't. It has mastery over wind and earth, featuring a few skills controlling each of these. Blizzard has highlighted the Druid's Boulder in particular as a skill that'll probably help the Druid rack up a lot of damage. All in all, the Druid seems like a really diverse, flexible class that players can adapt to a number of playstyles. This class didn't show up in Diablo 3, so it's nice to have it back in the franchise.
Taken at face value, the Sorceress seems like it's stepping on the Druid's territory somewhat. Unlike Diablo 3's Wizard, the Sorceress doesn't make use of the Arcane element or have skills related to time, gravity, or other such forces of physics. Instead, the Sorceress is squarely centered on three elements of nature: fire, ice, and lightning. While it seems like only the Druid should be referred to as a nature-focused caster, the Sorceress is actually very different. The Druid doesn't have access to the Sorceress' fire and ice, for instance. The Sorceress alone can use these powers, and does so to devastating effect.
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The Sorceress' sheer number of options at range make it distinct from the Druid. The Druid may be flexible, but the Sorceress has a ton of ways to kite enemies and keep at the edge of the fight. Druids may eventually be forced to pick melee fights to make the most of their skillset. There's no such pressure on Sorceresses, who are effective at any range. Their raw damage sets them apart from the Druid too. Passive and active Sorceress skills can be combined to make her a strong candidate for Diablo 4's most dangerous class. Her area-of-effect fire skills can set enemies ablaze for lots of extra damage over time. Druids might be better at taking hits, but they can't wipe out a demon horde as quickly as a Sorceress can.
Lightning is one tie that binds the Druid and the Sorceress together. One of the Sorceress' main trees involves the use of lightning, and not just for damage. Her lightning skills provide some unique and crucial mobility tools that will keep her alive even in the most dire circumstances. The Druid has a few ways he can use lightning too. While he can empower his melee attacks with lightning, he also has the ultimate skill Cataclysm, which will summon a lightning storm that's sure to turn the tide of any battle in his favor. Although the Sorceress and Druid might use lightning differently, it's a talent familiar to both of them.
These two classes are also great at dishing out crowd control. For the Sorceress, much of this is relegated to her ice skills. On top of dealing damage, the Sorceress's ice attacks will build up chill on enemies until they freeze, locking them down and making them vulnerable. The Druid's options for crowd control are more diverse. While it can stun enemies with some of its shapeshifting talents, it also has the Petrify skill, which will stun enemies for a very long time and increase the damage from the next hit they take. Both these classes know how to handle a horde -- they just place themselves differently while fighting them.
Ultimately, these classes are more different than similar. The Sorceress is great at standing at the edge of a fight and blowing up large groups of enemies. The Druid, meanwhile, can play in a broader number of ways and has a lot more types of skills packed into its kit. Still, it can't be said that they don't bear some resemblance to each other. Once Diablo 4 drops, any player that's a fan of one of these classes should consider trying the other.
Diablo 4 is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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