Diablo IVhas a brand new class on the way, and ahead of its big debut, Blizzard held a “campfire chat”-style livestream showcasing the upcoming Spiritborn class. The stream was a semi-deep dive into the otherworldy warriors, which look a bit likeDiablo’sfamiliar Monk with a healthy dash of deep jungle warrior aesthetics.
It’s all in preparation forDiablo IV’supcoming expansion,Vessel of Hatred, but there was plenty to unpack around just theSpiritbornalone inBlizzard’s hour-long livestream.
Rumble in the jungle
Conceptually, the Spiritborn are warriors with a special connection to the Spirit Realm, a land that reflects our own and can be accessed through something called the veil, which was discovered by Akarat. This Spirit Realm is sort of the afterlife’s “third place,” as it exists outside the conflict of Heaven and Hell.
By harnessing the power of the Spirit Realm, the Spiritborn can call on sick animal ghosts called Spirit Guardians that fight alongside them in battle. They’re a dex-focused melee class that’s, according to the developers, the fastest and most aggressive class the games have seen yet.
With a little help from my Spirit Guardian
The biggest takeaway from the stream was just how the Spiritborn will play. We all expected a melee fighter, but what we got was a martial artist with the ability to summon hulking spirit animals on command. The spirits, called Spirit Guardians, form the core of the class’ identity, all featuring their own playstyle.
The Jaguar, for instance, focuses on speedy, fire-focused attacks. The Gorilla is a true tank, with abilities that soak damage before returning it through retribution skills. The Eagle is all about precise, ranged attacks with some lightning flavor and high mobility, and the Centipede (a preview-favorite, apparently) poisons enemies and leeches their health.
Of course, you aren’t locked into any one of these Guardians, and you can mix and match them freely. In fact, a class-specific mechanic called the Spirit Hall will allow you to choose two passive buffs along your journey. The first will grant you a passive bonusandmark all skills with that Guardian’s tag (all skills will become Gorilla skills, for example).
The second Spirit Hall node will buff the chosen Guardian’s keyword that applies to their skills, like the Jaguar’s “Ferocity,” which increases attack speed with consecutive attacks. You’re free to pick two of the same, or two different, Guardian buffs.
It’s clear the Spiritborn is a class about personalization, and there’s a bit more complexity to its buildcrafting than we’ve seen before. If you’re hankering for more details, there’s a whole slew of creators getting early access to the class today, so expect to see plenty of sizzling hot takes in just a few hours.
