In the wake of recent beta tests, the Diablo 4 Druid has come under fire from the action RPG game’s fanbase, both because its abilities failed to impress, and because the character model was a bulkier, more rugged interpretation of the age-old Diablo 4 summoner. In a recent roundtable, I asked lead class designer Adam Jackson and lead game producer (story and narrative) Melissa Corning whether or not we’ll see any changes to the character’s physique.
On a roster of slim, muscular heroes and heroines, Diablo 4’s Druid stands out from the pack. Bulky, grizzled, and unkempt, the summoner’s design fantasy has divided players, with some seeing themselves in the character, while others have claimed the class’ looks dissuaded them from playing it.
When I ask Jackson and Corning about the Druid feedback – both positive and negative – Corning says “we expected a lot of different opinions about all of our classes, but the goal is for every single class to feel unique – not just through their skills and animations but definitely through diverse visual appearances as well.”
“One thing on the gameplay side is that it’s important for different classes to have different silhouettes so that you can tell what you are playing,” Jackson chimes in. “If two people come up against each other in PvP or out in the world, you can actually tell ‘oh there’s a Barbarian here, a Sorceress here.’ So I know that’s really important on the gameplay side when it comes to things like gear and how all those things look on different classes.”
When asked directly if a slimmed-down version of the Druid is planned for the future, Corning confirms that “there’s no plan currently. We made this decision from the beginning because our goal was to visually distinguish [characters] as Adam said, but we have hundreds of different pieces of gear in the game, and all of it is handcrafted for every single class. So, by having a specific look we can guarantee that, no matter how you customise your character, every piece of gear is going to look fabulous.”
As someone who has played far too many fantasy games, there’s certainly a recurring theme of slimmer characters – perhaps because it fits the hero/heroine aesthetic, or because the vast majority of people find it more visually appealing. However, the Druid is a Druid. They summon animals, live out in the wild, scavenge for their food, and don’t care about what the wider world thinks of them. They are unique, and their in-game model champions that uniqueness. So I’m all for it – especially when you see player reactions praising the fact that they’ve finally created a character that is representative of themselves.
If you’re looking to try out the Druid in the upcoming Server Slam, be sure to check out our rundown of the best Diablo 4 Druid build, or alternatively our best Diablo 4 Necromancer build if you fancy summoning dead things instead of living ones.