The launch ofDiablo 4is already shaping up to be a more successful foot out of the gate thanDiablo 3had. One of the more successful aspects ofDiablo 4are its starting classes, which follow more familiar archetypes established inDiabloandDiablo 2as opposed to the third game’s deviation from series norms. The Necromancer class returns as a starting option after only being introduced inDiablo 3via theReaper of Soulsexpansion. The early hours ofDiablo 4establish the Necromancer as one of the most powerful classes available and a huge improvement over its appearance in the previous game.
DespiteDiablo 3’s woes at launch, theReaper of Soulsexpansion definitively corrected course toward it becoming the game it was always meant to be. One of the more crowd-pleasing additions to the expansion was the inclusion of the Necromancer class, which had made its debut inDiablo 2and was then absent fromDiablo 3. As one of the more popular classes in theDiablometa,Diablo 4’s Necromancer returnsas perhaps the best version of the class across any iteration ofDiabloand might be one of the funnest classes to play in the early hours ofDiablo 4thanks to critical improvements to core skills.
RELATED:Diablo 4’s Necromancer Shouldn’t Keep its Skeletons in the Closet on Launch
Diablo 4’s Presentation Gives the Necromancer Added Gravitas
After the dark and quasi-realistic graphics of bothDiabloandDiablo 2, the smoothed-out and almost cartoonish graphical style ofDiablo 3was one of the more unpopular changes made to the series formula. When looking athowDiablo 4could course-correctfor the company, Blizzard smartly made the choice to useDiablo 2(long considered the fan-favorite of the series) as the inspiration for the game’s graphic style and aesthetic. That choice pays off most clearly through the appearance of the Necromancer and their minions inDiablo 4.
The return to the darker and photo-realistic style ofDiablo 2(albeit with the benefit of advanced hardware) makes the Necromancer class stand out as one of the cooler-looking of the starting classes. The skeleton minions that players can summon still have the telltale turquoise health bar above their heads, but gone is the appearance of controlling props from a haunted house and in its place the genuine sense of commanding an army of the dead.Diablo 3’s version of the Necromancerfelt somewhat out of place due to that game’s presentation, but inDiablo 4the class feels right at home.
One of the Best Necromancer Skills is Made Better in Diablo 4
Outside the class' appearance and the appearance of the minions, the changes made to the Necromancer on the gameplay side of things make its appearance inDiablo 4a huge improvement overDiablo 3. One of the more popularbuilds for the Necromancer classis built around the Bone Spear and Corpse Explosion abilities. InDiablo 3, Corpse Explosion is granted to players as an early level unlock and is an effective skill but lacks the power it gains later on.Diablo 4sidesteps this issue by making Corpse Explosion available slightly later but improving its starting power.
The incorporation of Aspects and class specializations inDiablo 4makes the Corpse Explosion skill even more deadly once players unlock Blood Mist, making the Necromancer one of the most powerful classes in the early game. While this does present some balance issues that will likely be patched during the game’s launch window, for now the Necromancer has a very satisfying power creep. Between the updated appearance that more closely matches thetonality ofDiablo 2and the improved slate of skills that players unlock and build their character around, the Necromancer inDiablo 4might be the best version of the class seen yet in the franchise.
Diablo 4is available now in early access with its full launch coming June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
