Diablo II's new Warlock class is a thrilling reason to revisit this classic game, offering a fresh take on familiar gameplay mechanics. But here's where it gets controversial... While some players might prefer the classic classes, the Warlock's unique blend of ranged combat, area-of-effect (AoE) magic, and ally-summoning abilities provides a fun and engaging experience. And this is the part most people miss...
The Warlock's three Demonic partner options offer a range of playstyles. The Tainted is particularly appealing for its ability to stay out of harm's way while harassing slower enemies from afar with fireballs. However, the other Demon options can get too caught up in massive enemy swarms to be as effective as desired. The skill option that allows you to teleport your demon into a specific fight or sacrifice itself for splash damage is also underutilized, as their standard, AI-controlled attack patterns are usually sufficient.
The Chaos upgrade branch, focused on AoE spells, is particularly useful for clearing out long, narrow corridors. The Flame Wave, in particular, is a powerful tool for quickly clearing out these areas. The Sigil of Lethargy is also a valuable asset, slowing down frenetic enemy swarms and giving you time to gather your attack plan.
Combining these Chaos skills with the weapon-improving options in the Eldritch branch has made my time with the Diablo II Warlock feel like a bit of a 'best of both worlds' situation. The mixture of ranged combat options, area-of-effect magic, and allies-summoning abilities ends up feeling like a weird cross between a Sorceress, Amazon, and Necromancer, without feeling like a carbon copy of any of those classes.
While I haven't yet explored the new late-game content in the 'Reign of the Warlock' DLC, I'm eager to see how the Warlock holds up in the extreme difficulty of the Terror Zones. I also haven't experimented with any of the truly broken Warlock builds that some committed high-level min-maxxers have been busy discovering. As a casual excuse to revisit the world of Diablo II, though, the Warlock class provides just enough of a new twist on some familiar gameplay mechanics to make it worth the trip.
So, if you're looking for a fresh take on Diablo II, the Warlock class is definitely worth checking out. But don't take our word for it - try it for yourself and see what you think!
