User manual GAMES PC DIABLO II - LORD OF DESTRUCTION

Copyright © 2001 by Blizzard Entertainment. All rights reserved. The use of this software product is subject to the terms of the enclosed End User License Agreement. You must accept the End User License Agreement before you can use the product. Use of Blizzard's online gaming network, Battle.net, is subject to your acceptance of the Battle.net Terms of Use Agreement. Lord of Destruction is a trademark and Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment, Brood War, Diablo, StarCraft, and Warcraft are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Pentium is registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratory. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Uses Bink Video. Copyright © 1997-2001 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. Blizzard Entertainment So spoke the Wanderer, mindful of hardships and of cruel slaughters: Each dawn, I rise alone, mired in ancient sorrows. Wretched and deprived of my native land, I have had my mind bound with fetter. For many years, I lay hidden in the concealment of the earth, buried deep in stone. From there, I went, abject and winter-grieving, over the surface of the waves. I sought the prison of my noble kinsman. Sorrow is a cruel companion to one who can afford few friends, and the path of exile attends this mournful spirit. And so this world, every day, is crumbling and falling. The rulers lie dead, deprived of revelry, bands of warriors lie fallen proud by the wall. War destroyed some, carried them away; a sorrowful man hid one deep within a grave. Thus the creator of men laid waste this dwelling-place, until the old works of giants stood vacant, without the noise of their inhabitants. So said the Wanderer, set apart in secret meditations. The kingdom of the earth is full of miseries, and the decree of the fates shall change the course of the heavens. Inspired by The Wanderer (Anonymous), from the Exeter Book, ca. 10th century. + Ta ble of Contents + Getting Started (PC) ..............................................................6 Getting Started (Mac) ..........................................................7 Technic a l Support ..................................................................8 What's New In the Expansion? ..............................................9 Playing Dia blo II: Lord of Destruction ..........................10 The Coming of the Lord of Destruction ..........................13 The Assassins ..........................................................................15 Assassin Skills........................................................................16 Martia l Arts ................................................................16 Shadow Disciplines ....................................................17 Tr a ps ..............................................................................18 The Druids..............................................................................20 Druid Skills............................................................................21 Elementa l ......................................................................21 Sha pe Shifting ............................................................22 Summoning ..................................................................23 Items ........................................................................................25 Monsters ................................................................................27 Credits ....................................................................................29 Quick Reference Guide Getting Started (PC) SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Computer: Diablo® II: Lord of Destruction requires an IBM® PC or 100% compatible computer with a Pentium® 233 MHz or better processor. Your computer must have at least 64 megabytes of RAM. More RAM may be necessary in order to use Diablo II: Lord of Destruction's enhanced graphic features. Operating System: You must be running Windows® 95, Windows 98, Win ME, Windows NT 4.0 (with service pack 5), or Windows 2000 (running with local Administrator privileges) to play Diablo II: Lord of Destruction on your system. Controls: A keyboard and a 100% Microsoft®-compatible mouse are required. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction is not designed to work with game pads or joysticks. Drives: A 4X speed CD-ROM drive and a hard drive are required. In order to play Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you must have the multi-player installation of Diablo II already on your hard drive (950 megs) as well as the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction installation (550 megs). Therefore, a total of 1.5 gigabytes of space must be available on your hard drive to install all of the required files. Video: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction requires an SVGA monitor and a video card compatible with DirectDraw®. You must have DirectX® 6.1 or higher installed on your system to play the game. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction also supports enhanced graphics features when using a 3D accelerator card compatible with the Direct3D® or Glide® APIs. In order to use these enhanced graphic features, your 3D card must have at least 8 megabytes of texture RAM. Sound: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction works with any sound card compatible with DirectX 6.1 or higher. To play the game music, your sound card must be configured for playing digital audio. Some sound cards compatible with EAX® and EAX2® sound extensions are also supported. Multi-player Connectivity: Access to Blizzard Entertainment's® online gaming service, Battle.net®, requires a low-latency Internet connection with support for 32-bit applications and rated at 28.8 Kbps or faster. Multi-player games played over a LAN require a TCP/IP network. INSTALLATION OF DIABLO II: LORD OF DESTRUCTION In order to install Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you must already have the original Diablo II installed on your system. If you have not installed Diablo II, please refer to the installation instructions in your Diablo II manual. Once you have correctly installed the original Diablo II on your system, place the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction disc into your CD-ROM drive. If your computer is AutoPlay capable, the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Installer menu will automatically appear on the screen. Select "Upgrade to Diablo II: Lord of Destruction" from the list to start the installation process. Follow the onscreen instructions. If your system is not AutoPlay capable, open the "My Computer" icon on your Desktop, then select the drive letter that represents your CD-ROM drive. Double-click on the "Setup" icon and follow the instructions in the previous paragraph. If you experience any problems with Diablo II or Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, please see the Troubleshooting (PC) section in your Diablo II manual before contacting Blizzard's technical support department. 6 Blizzard Entertainment Getting Started (Mac) SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Computer: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction requires a Mac OS® computer with a G3 processor or better and 64 megabytes of physical RAM plus Virtual Memory (128 megabytes of RAM recommended). Multi-player games require 128 megabytes of physical RAM plus Virtual Memory. Operating System: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction requires System 8.1 or higher. Controls: A keyboard and mouse are required. If you have a multi-button mouse, make sure you have selected the check box for "Use Multi-Button Mouse" in the start-up options dialogue. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction is not designed to work with gamepads or joysticks. Drives: A 4X speed CD-ROM drive and a hard drive are required. In order to play Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you must have the multi-player installation of Diablo II already on your hard drive (950 megs) as well as the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction installation (800 megs). Therefore, a total of 1.75 gigabytes of space must be available on your hard drive to install all of the required files. Video: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction requires that your computer support an 800x600 display at 256 colors. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction also supports enhanced graphic features when using a card with OpenGL (version 1.1.2 or higher), Rave, or 3Dfx support. In order to run with these enhanced graphic features, your 3D card must have at least 8 megabytes of RAM. Sound: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction will work with any Mac OS-compatible system's built-in sound capabilities. Multi-player Connectivity: Access to Blizzard's online gaming service, Battle.net, requires a low-latency Internet connection that can support 32-bit applications and is rated at 28.8 Kbps or faster. Multi-player games played over a LAN require connection to a TCP/IP network. INSTALLATION OF DIABLO II: LORD OF DESTRUCTION In order to install Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you must already have the original Diablo II installed on your system. If you have not installed Diablo II, please refer to the installation instructions in your Diablo II manual. Once you have correctly installed the original Diablo II on your system, place the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction disc into your CD-ROM drive. Double-click on the Diablo II CD icon, and then double-click on the "Lord of Destruction Installer" to copy the required game and system files to your hard drive. If you experience any problems with Diablo II or Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, please see the Troubleshooting (Mac) section in your Diablo II manual before contacting Blizzard's technical support department. 7 BEFORE YOU CALL TECHNICAL SUPPORT If you are having problems, please consult the Troubleshooting section before calling technical support. We receive many calls every day and can deal with your inquiry more efficiently if you know the following information: + + + + The manufacturer of your computer and its CPU type/speed How much RAM your system has The version and type of operating system that you are using The manufacturer and model of your CD-ROM drive, video card, sound card, and modem 8 8 Blizzard Entertainment What's New In the Expansion? Diablo II: Lord of Destruction contains a number of new features and exciting enhancements to the original Diablo II: Two new character classes ­ Command the forces of nature as the Druid, or use stealth and cunning as the Assassin. Each class possesses 30 unique new skills, offering totally different game-playing tactics. An entire new Act ­ Explore the mysterious Barbarian Highlands, battle new monsters, and complete six exhilarating quests as you delve further into the epic Diablo mythos. Whether you are starting anew or continuing on with an established character, defeating Diablo at the end of Act IV opens the portal to new adventures in Act V. Increased Character Stash ­ The Stash chest has doubled in size! Each Expansion Character can now store twice as much loot as before. Higher resolution ­ By accessing the "Video Options," you now have the choice of playing Diablo II in either 640x480 or 800x600 mode. (Note: Playing Diablo II in 800x600 resolution can reduce system performance and is recommended only for higher-end systems.) New treasure types: Class-Specific Items ­ This class of items, new to Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, offers properties and powers specific to the seven different character classes. Improved Item Sets ­ There are many fantastic new Set Items to be collected, endowing the wearer with even greater powers. New Insertable Items ­ Jewels and Runes add even more magical possibilities when you insert them into items with sockets. New Exceptional Items ­ Advanced players should be on the lookout for additions to the existing Exceptional Items. Elite Items ­ This new class of items is similar to the Exceptional Items found in the higher difficulty levels of Diablo II...only better. New Unique Items ­ More than a hundred mysterious ancient artifacts, including Exceptional and Elite Uniques, are just waiting to be discovered. Hundreds of new magical properties ­ Items of all levels can now possess greater and more diverse magical powers. Improved hirable NPC interface ­ Players now have the ability to heal hirable NPCs as well as equip them. Additionally, these NPCs now gain their own experience points and improve their abilities as they gain levels. New Horadric Cube recipes ­ Numerous additional recipes for the Horadric Cube are just waiting to be discovered. Item swapping ­ Quickly alternate between two sets of weapon/shield configurations (equipment outfitted in the left and right hands) with a click of the mouse or through a convenient keyboard shortcut. Eight new skill hotkeys ­ Additional hotkeys double the number of skills you can call upon with the lightning-fast stroke of a key. Interactive environments ­ Carve your own path through Act V by destroying breakable wall sections, barricades, and siege towers. 9 Playing Dia blo II: Lord of Destruction Diablo II: Lord of Destruction is more than just your standard expansion set. Once you have installed Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you will have access to such a host of thrilling new features and expanded implementations of the original game's features that it will feel like you are playing a whole new game. This manual assumes that you have played the original Diablo II game. If you have not, we recommend that you at least read through the Diablo II manual in order to familiarize yourself with the basic terminology and concepts of the game before proceeding. Expansion Characters: After installing Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you will have the option to choose between two different "character types"--Standard and Expansion--when creating a new character. (Note: these are different from the two new character classes. See pages 15 and 20.) Standard Characters are just like the characters you are used to playing in Diablo II, whereas Expansion Characters are specifically created for use in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. You should be aware of some details before deciding which character type to choose: + Expansion Characters can only create or join expansion games. They cannot create or join original Diablo II games. + Standard Characters cannot use any of the new features or modifications found in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, nor can they create or join Expansion games. (These are games specifically designed to enjoy all of the extra benefits contained in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction.) + Standard Characters can be converted permanently to Expansion Characters simply by accessing the "Select Character" screen, left-clicking on the Standard Character you wish to convert, and then leftclicking on the "Convert" button. + Converting a Standard Character is an irreversible, one-way process. Once a character has been converted to an Expansion Character, he or she can never be changed back to a Standard Character. Similarly, once an Expansion Character has been created, he or she can never be converted into a Standard Character. Corpse Recovery: In Nightmare and Hell difficulty settings, whenever your character dies, he or she suffers a loss of gold and experience points. In games of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, if you recover your corpse at the location of its demise, you can regain some of the experience points you lost. If, however, you choose to `Save and Exit' out of your current game in order to restart and recover your body in town, you will not regain any of your lost experience. Item Swapping: In Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you have the ability to swap quickly between two sets of equipped weapon selections (i.e., right- and left-hand inventory slot configurations). To do this, merely open your Inventory screen and equip your character as you normally would. Next, left-click on either of the two tabs denoted by the Roman numeral "II" (or press the W key) to toggle between the two weapon configurations. Now equip your character with an additional two-handed weapon, a weapon and a shield, or (for Barbarians and Assassins) a pair of appropriate one-handed weapons. You can switch between the two weapon configurations at any time by pressing the W key or by clicking on the inactive weapon configuration's tab in your inventory screen (the inactive configuration is the one shaded a darker grey). Note: Your left and right mouse button skill setups are linked to your two weapon configurations. This allows you to customize your skill mouse buttons in order to complement your current weapon configuration. Remember that your character must meet the requirements for any weapons you want to equip. Also, please keep in mind that only your currently selected weapon configuration is actively equipped. Any magical properties of items in your inactive configuration will not affect your character until you make 10 Blizzard Entertainment that configuration active. For example, if you are currently using weapon configuration "I," any magical properties of items in configuration "II" have no effect until you make it your active configuration. Hirable Non-Player Characters ("Hirelings"): Diablo II: Lord of Destruction offers some exciting modifications to hirable NPCs. These computer-controlled hirelings who fight by your side can be hired from specific NPCs in most "towns"--the safe starting points in each Act--or are given free of charge as a reward for completing certain quests. In the original Diablo II, they followed your character around and helped you slay monsters, but you did not interact with them directly. In Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, you can increase their efficiency in combat and assist their development in a number of ways. (Note: These special new features only apply to hired NPCs and retainers acquired as quest rewards. Summoned creatures are not subject to these improvements.) + Attributes and Experience: Hirelings in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction come with their own set of attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Health, Damage, Defense, and Experience. As hirelings kill monsters, they gain experience points. When they gain enough experience points to reach a new level, their attributes automatically improve. You can also improve their attributes by equipping them with better equipment (see below). Keep in mind that hirelings aren't just paid mercenaries--they are co-adventurers. They fully share Excerpt from the journal of Elder Aust of Harrogath experience for their kills with you and your party, and they receive a smaller share of experience for monsters that you or 3rd day of Montaht, Lauds your party members kill. My dearest Elora, + Equipment: You can now furnish your hirelings with It's been ten long years since you were taken from Anya equipment such as armor, helms, and weapons. Your hirelings and me. In my mind's eye, I still see your beautiful face and remember the happier days of our time together. must meet all strength, dexterity, and level requirements for the It comforts me to write and think that, somehow, you item, and any weapons must be compatible with the hirelings' are reading this yourself. It may not be long before I weapon type, as represented by what you see them carrying. (For join you in the afterlife. instance, the Rogue hirelings in Act I can be equipped with a War Our peoples' time here in Harrogath is drawing to an Bow, but not a Short Sword, whereas the Town Guard hirelings in end. Recently, our seer, Caldra, has been afflicted with terrifying visions of our doom. Last night, the whole Act II can be equipped with a Voulge, but not a Crossbow.) To village awoke to her screams. When I reached Caldra's equip your hireling, simply left-click on the appropriate button on cottage, our daughter, Anya, was already there, your Mini-panel or press the O key to bring up the Hireling comforting her. During the night, the seer's raven hair Inventory and Information screen. Then place items in the had turned stark white. She was delirious when I entered the room, howling senselessly and tearing out corresponding slots as you would in your own Inventory screen. her hair in bloody clumps. + Healing: Previously in Diablo II, if you needed to heal your It took us some time to calm her--but even then, she hireling, you had to return to town and visit the local healer. In seemed only a shadow of her former self. She wouldn't Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, however, you can heal your respond to any of us directly, instead staring into some hireling directly, by left-clicking on a healing or rejuvenation unseen world beyond our own. The healer, Malah, came, but her attempts to cure Caldra were futile. Our potion in your backpack or belt and then dragging it over the tortured seer was not sick of body--she had quite hireling's gold-bordered portrait located in the upper left of clearly gone mad. the game screen. When the portrait is highlighted, left-click again to release the potion onto the portrait. You can also heal your hireling by visiting a healing Well. + Hireling Continuity: Hirelings are now willing and able to accompany you to any of the various Acts of the game. In fact, you can actually finish the entire game through all three difficulty settings using only the first hireling received in Act I. You may choose to employ a new hireling at any time, but you may not take more than one hireling into your service at a time. If you choose to replace your current hireling with a fresh one, your old hireling will retire and be unavailable for further service. Before you replace a hireling, open the Hireling Inventory and remove any items you want to keep. Otherwise, you will lose that equipment. + Death: When your hireling dies, you can return to the nearest mercenary captain and either pay to 11 have your late comrade resurrected, or hire a new one. If you choose to resurrect your hireling, he or she will return to your employ with all of the attributes, experience, and equipment he or she had at the time of death. If, however, you decide to employ a new hireling, you give up the recently departed's services and forfeit any equipment he or she was wearing. Note: if your character dies, your hireling dies also. Automap Options: There is now an "Automap Size" selection in the "Automap Options" menu in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction. This new option allows you to choose between viewing the map as either the traditional full-screen Automap or the new, scaled-down "Mini Map." The Mini Map is about one quarter the size of the Automap and, when active, is displayed in one of the top corners of the game screen. This location can be switched from the left of the screen to the right by pressing the V hotkey. Repair All: You can now repair all of your outfitted items in a single step. To do this, go to the nearest "blacksmith" NPC (whoever repairs your equipment) and select "Trade or Repair" as you normally would. Blacksmiths still have the usual buttons for buying, selling, and repairing options; in Expansion games, they also have an added "Repair All" button. This option allows you to repair all of the items that your character currently has equipped in a single operation. If you move your cursor over this button, the highlighted text shows the cost of this procedure, and pressing the button completes it. Note: The Repair All button only repairs equipped items. Any damaged items that your character is not wearing must be repaired individually. Fill Tome: By pressing the Shift key while right-clicking on a scroll you want to buy, you automatically purchase enough scrolls to fill the first unfilled Tome of that scroll type in your character's Inventory. Champion-Class Monsters: You will remember Champion-Class Monsters from the original Diablo II. These appear as a slightly different-looking pack of monsters that are tougher than normal monsters of their kind. You can immediately discern a Champion-Class Monster because its name appears in purplish-blue letters when targeted. Diablo II: Lord of Destruction offers several different monsters of this type. In addition to the standard Champion, you might encounter the following monsters: Berserker ­ These monsters have been driven into a homicidal frenzy by demonic corruption. They focus so much energy into slaughtering anyone they see that they do significantly more damage than normal demons. However, their frenzied rage leaves them physically weakened and therefore easier to kill. Possessed ­ Some demons have been instilled with especially diabolical spirits. These spirits grant the Possessed increased vigor at the cost of the demons' free will. Because their minds are no longer their own, the Possessed cannot be affected by Necromancer curses. Fanatic ­ Fanatics are monsters who responded to their own corruption with such zeal that they are now willing to do anything to win the favor of their dark masters. They rush into any battle, fervently attacking with blinding speed any and all foes. Their recklessness does leave them open defensively, and if you can avoid their cascade of blows, you should be able to strike them with greater ease. Ghostly ­ Once, a powerful faction of mages developed a spell to banish a group of monsters from this world. The use of this spell created a spiritual conduit through the Planes, allowing those monsters to return to the material world by projecting themselves back through the conduit. Their translucent bodies and sluggish gait make these specters easily recognizable. Due to their incorporeal nature, Ghostly Champions are harder to hit with physical blows. 12 Blizzard Entertainment The Coming of the Lord of Destruction "And a child will cradle Terror in his breast as the heart of man falls under the shadow. A Wanderer will pass through the ancient lands trailing chaos in his wake. The Three Brothers will be reunited as the mortal world trembles before their might. And so it was foretold that the Three, once reunited, would be shattered again-- And the last of them would set his sights on the holy mount. The warnings held that Their defeat would be illusory--that the final gambit had yet to be played..." + + + And now at last the storm surges forth from the southlands, and the hand of Destruction Reaches out to undo the workings of the Ancients. The tides of Hell surge--ready to smash Down upon the shores of the mortal world--to drown the guilty and the innocent alike. -Excerpt from The Prophecies of the Final Day THE LAST TESTAMENT OF ORD REKAR once believed. Others looked to me for strength, for my faith was a pillar in the house of the Elders. I once believed in something greater than myself; I believed that the faithful would be rewarded and the evil would be punished. I believed the Prophecies of the Final Day to be mere superstitions--and that even if they had any credence at all, as our ancestors believed, the events they spoke of would never come to fruition in our time. I was a fool. The gods have not revealed their divine plan to me, nor have they blessed me with their countenance. But I am certain of one terrible fact--At long last, the prophecies have begun to fulfill themselves. First, there was Tristram... Diablo, the Lord of Terror, cast his shadow over the quiet hamlet and set his demonic minions loose across the countryside. A number of valiant heroes rose up to challenge Diablo's wrath and hunted the demonlord into the bowels of the earth itself. Only by the grace of the Light did they vanquish Diablo's mortal host and put an end to his nefarious schemes. It seemed that the Lord of Terror had been defeated, and my heart took solace in this affirmation of my faith...but alas, the nightmare was only just beginning. Somehow, Diablo's terrible spirit survived and took root within the very hero who struck him 13 down. Wearing the guise of the mysterious Wanderer, Diablo set out to free his brothers, Baal and Mephisto, from their imprisonment in the East. Just as before, a new band of heroes arose to put a halt to Diablo's dark quest. Though the Lord of Terror succeeded in freeing his brothers from bondage, their reunion would be short-lived. The mortal heroes managed to vanquish Mephisto and even hunted Diablo into the depths of hell. Only Baal, the Lord of Destruction, was left unaccounted for... Once again, it seemed that justice had been served. Blind as I was, I clung to the path of the righteous--believing that perhaps, finally, all was well...that the nightmare had given way to a dream of peace. But the plague of evil persists, and I...grow weary. For now, the nightmare has started once again. Baal has resurfaced, and behind him marches the vast Army of Destruction. He has gathered a legion of demons that revel in mayhem and wanton chaos--and they are headed right towards us...right towards the holy mountain our ancestors swore to Excerpt from the journal of Elder protect. It is obvious that Baal comes to assail Arreat, seeking the Aust of Harrogath Heart of the World. And my faith, once unwavering, is now shaken to the very core. 4th day of Montaht, Sext This morning, as the dawn came, the other The prophecies that spoke of this day have at last come true. Elders and I held a vigil over Caldra's Doom has come to our world. comatose form, praying to the Ancients for guidance. Then, just as suddenly as it began, her madness broke, or so it seemed. She sat straight up in bed, thin strands of her once beautiful hair draping over her nightgown--her eyes seemed to glow with a feverish inner light. By the Ancients, she looked older than any Elder there. She gazed slowly around the room, looking at each of us in turn. With a slight, almost mocking smirk, she whispered in a ragged voice, "Baal comes...and destruction follows him like a storm." She then sank back into the bed and with a shudder, breathed her last. By the gods, Elora, as long as I draw breath, I will never forget her terrible portent. As I have said, my brothers, I grow weary. I have no doubt that Evil exists. I have seen it with my own eyes; I have seen its cruelty. But is it not cruel for the gods to give hope, only to dash that hope again and again? In my youth, I tried as best I could to prepare for such an event. It was, at one time, the very reason for my existence. But now that the moment is at hand, I feel old. I feel afraid. I feel that I have lost my strength. I confess that my faith no longer guides my path. It is with a heavy heart that I take my leave of you, my brothers. I would say that I will pray for you, but I fear my prayers would fall on deaf ears. May you someday find the truth, and may that truth finally give you freedom. Yours in sorrow, Ord Rekar Elder of Harrogath 14 Blizzard Entertainment The Assassins In the third century, two brothers rose to dominance from within the ranks of the Vizjerei clan of mages; their names were Horazon and Bartuc. Both were equally powerful and ambitious, and both were fascinated by the power one could obtain through the practice of Demonic Magics; however, the two differed in their views regarding how best to study demons. While Horazon viewed demons as a great source of power, he felt that in order to use that power best, you must harness a demon and bend him to your will. His brother, on the other hand, grew to sympathize with the demonic powers and felt (with no small influence from the demons) that the demonic forces were best understood by allying with the Hellish authorities so their secrets could be shared freely, and that is exactly what he did. Their diametrically opposed philosophies caused a great schism that split the ranks and tore the Vizjerei clan apart. When at last their fierce rivalry culminated in inevitable violence, the combatants learned too late that they had both been played as pawns by the demonic host. The ensuing battle was so great it set the very firmament aflame, and when it was complete and the stillness of remorse was all that remained, Bartuc lay dead, Horazon had vanished into self-imposed exile, and the Vizjerei had learned a costly lesson. The small surviving group of sorcerers, the remnants of the once-great Vizjerei clan, resolved forevermore to spurn Demonic Magics and set about renewing their studies in the Elemental Magics. To further ensure that a similar tragedy could never happen again, they formed a secret order whose sole purpose was to police the mage clans, destroying corruption wherever they found it. This was the birth of the Viz-Jaq'taar, the Order of the Mage Slayers-- otherwise known as the Assassins. Knowing that such an order might itself be corrupted if exposed to the power of magic, the Vizjerei deemed it of the utmost importance that these Assassins maintain the purest, most focused minds. They should live in meditation and draw their power from within, not from external forces that could easily mask demonic interference. To this end, the Order would not employ the magic arts directly; rather, they would use ingenious devices and enchanted items to battle those possessing great magical powers. To further their campaign against demonic corruption, they concentrated on honing the natural martial abilities of their bodies, both physical and mental. Because the Order remains veiled in secrecy, few people, even among the mages, know more than rumors about this mysterious organization. Their reputation has been one shrouded in ambiguity. Legends of their stalwart vigilance, and the widespread fear of their retribution, have kept many mages away from the temptations of corruption, so actual sightings have been rare. However, with the reemergence of the Three, and the subsequent increase in demonic manifestations in the world, the Order has shown a greater public presence of late. Traits and Abilities Assassins do not employ the magic arts directly; rather, they use enchanted items that mimic elemental powers, which can function autonomously. To further avoid potential corruption, they also focus on the natural abilities of the mortal body-- powers of the mind and unarmed combat. The Assassins have trained extensively in the use of an exotic group of weapons: sets of metal blades and claws that strap onto the wrists. They have expertly incorporated the use of these weapons into their martial arts, and when wielding one in each hand, an Assassin can deliver a devastating double attack. Even the most novice of Assassins is a past master of infiltration, and no lock has been made that they cannot circumvent. Hence, an Assassin needs no key to open locked chests. 15 Assassin Skills MARTIAL ARTS Intrinsic to the Assassin's arsenal of abilities is her incredible prowess in the mysterious Martial Arts style of the Viz-Jaq'taar. Martial Arts skills come in two forms, Charge-up Skills and Finishing Moves. A Charge-up Skill is an attack that adds a "charge" for each successive hit within a short time frame. While each Charge-up attack deals normal damage, the charges continue to accumulate until triggered or until the time limit runs out. To trigger the accumulated charges, strike a monster with either a normal attack or one of the Finishing Moves. A Finishing Move doesn't just trigger the release of the accumulated charges--it also adds a powerful effect of its own. Furthermore, by building up a succession of different Charge-up Skills, Assassins can generate a potent combination of effects. Assassins are specially trained in the use of exotic Claw-class weaponry, and certain of their skills can be used only when armed with these weapons. Tiger Strike ­ Charge-up Skill Through extensive training in human, animal, and demonic anatomies, Assassins have developed the ability to perceive natural points of weakness in their foes and target these locations for especially devastating attacks. Dragon Talon ­ Finishing Move An Assassin is taught to utilize her entire body as a weapon--using this skill, she lets loose a powerful kick to send her opponents flying. Fists of Fire ­ Charge-up Skill Combining her powerful Martial Arts abilities with her psychic training, an Assassin can charge her own fists with pyrokinetic energies, scorching her opponents when the charge is released. Dragon Claw ­ Finishing Move This skill allows the Assassin to try to finish her opponent off with a rending double claw attack. (Requires two equipped Claw-class weapons.) Cobra Strike ­ Charge-up Skill A properly trained Assassin can focus her mind to draw upon the ambient energies surrounding her. Using this skill, she drains her adversary of life and spiritual essence adding it to her own. Claws of Thunder ­ Charge-up Skill Using her weapon's metal blades as conductors, an Assassin charges the ions surrounding her and delivers a devastating lightning attack to any who dare challenge her. (Requires equipped Claw-class weapon.) 16 Blizzard Entertainment Dragon Tail ­ Finishing Move The experienced Assassin can deliver a kick so powerful it actually causes an explosion on impact, sending any nearby victims sprawling. Blades of Ice ­ Charge-up Skill Charging the ether around her claw blades, the trained Assassin can freeze opponents with a vicious rake of her razors. (Requires equipped Claw-class weapon.) Dragon Flight ­ Finishing Move After years of disciplined physical conditioning, an Assassin can develop the ability to move faster than the eye can follow in one quick burst. Using this skill, she lunges at her target and delivers a devastating kick. Phoenix Strike ­ Charge-up Skill This mighty skill allows the Assassin trained in its arts to prepare an attack that gives off powerful elemental energies. SHADOW DISCIPLINES To remain protected from exposure to the potential corruption of magic, Assassins must defeat their sorcerous opponents without actually using spells themselves. To this end, they have mastered the clandestine talents, as well as the arts of obfuscation, and honed their latent psychic abilities to develop the Shadow Disciplines. These skills represent the end result of generations of strict mental conditioning and intensive stealth training. Claw Mastery ­ Passive Well-disciplined training in this skill improves the artistry with which an Assassin wields her unique Claw-class weapons. Psychic Hammer By utilizing her intense mental prowess, an Assassin creates a powerful force of mental energies and directs it towards a hostile creature, blasting it backwards. Burst of Speed Tapping into her psychokinetic energies, an Assassin temporarily increases the speed of her movements and attacks. Weapon Block ­ Passive After developing this skill, an Assassin wielding two Claw-class weapons can use her blades to deflect incoming attacks, thus giving herself a defensive edge without using a shield. (Requires two equipped Claw-class weapons.) 17 Cloak of Shadows Moving through the darkness, unseen by her foes, the enshrouded Assassin can steal past opponents or ambush her unsuspecting victims with a series of devastating attacks. Fade An Assassin can will her physical being to shift partially into the astral planes. As her body becomes less substantial, she becomes less susceptible to the effects of elemental attacks and magical curses. Shadow Warrior The Assassin trained in this discipline has the ability to project a "shadow" of herself. The Shadow Warrior makes use of the two skills the Assassin has readied for herself. Mind Blast Focusing her anima, an Assassin using this potent ability can crush the will of a group of enemies, stunning them and confusing the feebleminded into attacking their comrades. Venom Poison use is another technique an Assassin has to help even the odds when battling demons and their ilk. An Assassin who has mastered this skill secretly coats her weapons with vile toxins. Shadow Master This discipline allows an Assassin to project an even more powerful shadow avatar. The Shadow Master has access to all of the Assassin skills. TRAPS Sometimes, the incredible martial prowess and awesome psychic capacity of the Assassins are not enough to battle all forms of magic-wielding menaces. To supplement her array of tools and abilities, the Assassin has access to an ingenious group of devices. These mechanisms, engineered by Viz-Jaq'taari sages, have been perfected over many years of use. They range from simple thrown missiles and bombs to more complex proximity-triggered sentries. Fire Blast This skill gives an Assassin the ability to manufacture and throw a small incendiary device. This ordnance explodes on impact, damaging any foe within its small blast radius. 18 Blizzard Entertainment Shock Web These traps comprise a collection of small conductive components that arc electricity between one another, damaging any opponents who tread upon them. Blade Sentinel This skill allows the Assassin to throw a razor-sharp device that flies back and forth between the Assassin and its target, slicing any hostile creatures in its path. Charged Bolt Sentry This small device, once cast upon the ground, emits charges of electricity that shock any adversary who strays too close. Wake of Fire Once erected, this trap releases waves of searing flames that incinerate any opponents within its path. Blade Fury Using this skill, the Assassin throws several small blades, shredding her enemies with a barrage of metal. Lightning Sentry This device discharges great bolts of electricity, frying any assailants foolish enough to come near. Wake of Inferno Once an Assassin throws it to the ground, this trap expels a large spout of fire at any opponent who moves within its range. Death Sentry This trap emits projectiles laden with a potent chemical catalyst, detonating the exposed cadavers of slain enemies. Blade Shield This contrivance releases several small razors and uses magnetic forces to set them spinning about the Assassin, inflicting grievous wounds on any foe who approaches her too closely. 19 The Druids In the ancient tome of the Druids, the Scéal Fada, it is written that Bul-Kathos, the great and ancient king of the Barbarian tribes, had a mysterious but trusted confidant, who was only referred to as Fiacla-Géar. This man is sometimes described as Bul-Kathos's close friend, and at other times, he is referred to as his brother. Whatever the source of their relationship, their bond was strong, and together they shared the secrets of the ancients: of the mysteries below the peaks of Mt. Arreat, of the venerated task put to their people to protect those mysteries, and of the prophecies regarding the dark times ahead. They both agreed that, in order to fulfill their sacred trust, their people must devote themselves to nothing save that charge. However, they disagreed on exactly how the people could best do this. Bul-Kathos believed that only by bringing the tribes together and training them in strict martial discipline could the tribes faithfully concentrate on their goal for generations to come. FiaclaGéar, on the other hand, believed that only through obtaining a spiritual oneness with the land they had sworn to protect could the people truly appreciate the importance of their role. Both agreed the other's philosophy had merit, and so around the time Bul-Kathos united the tribes, Fiacla-Géar gathered together a small group consisting of the tribes' greatest warrior-poets and shamans and mysteriously retreated into the forests surrounding the area known as Scosglen. There he and his people created the first of the Druid Colleges, huge mortar-less stone towers, covered in vines and safely hidden beneath the leafy canopies of the dense forests. They have dwelt there ever since, forging a new way of life for themselves. They created a new culture and language, cutting themselves off from their Barbarian cousins and their ways, vowing not to return to the Steppes of Mt. Arreat until the time of the Uileloscadh Mór, the final battle between the men of the world and the demons of the Burning Hells. Here, in preparation for the impending conflict, he taught his people the Caoi Dúlra, a way of thinking that holds harmony with the natural elements of the world, its plants and animals, as the heart of its most intrinsic beliefs, for they are the personification of the very world that the Druids have sworn to protect. Not only was Caoi Dúlra the basis for their system of values, but through its study and practice, the Druids learned to bond with the natural entities of Sanctuary. This bonding was so absolute that eventually they discovered how to talk to the plants and animals, and these beings taught them all the secrets of the natural world. They taught them methods to call animals from far away, how to summon sentient plants from the earth, ways to change their own forms to share the strengths of their animal cousins, even, to a limited extent, techniques to control the weather. At the Túr Dúlra, the greatest of the Druid Colleges, stands the magnificent oak Glór-an-Fháidha. This tree is the most revered source of the Druids guidance and teachings. Under its branches, for centuries, the Druids of Scosglen have been honing not only their powerful arsenal of natural magic, but also the martial skills they have retained from their Barbarian forefathers. They have done this because they believe themselves to be the world's last line of defense when the time of the great conflict comes, a time they believe is at hand. Lashing out in fury at the recent insurgence of denizens of the Burning Hells, and at the Leathdhiabhala, demonic corruptions of the very creatures they have vowed to defend, the Druids have, at last, emerged from their forests, marching toward their final stand against the minions of Chaos. Traits and Abilities The Druids shun the use of traditional magic, or Dubhdroiacht, as they call it. They instead practice a form of magic based in their close bond to nature. Through this intimate kinship with the world of Sanctuary, a Druid has the power to command fire, earth, and the winds. He is a friend to the animals of the wilds and can call upon them to aid in his struggle. He can also use his heightened rapport with the animals to change the shape of his own body, drawing on the strengths and abilities of his woodland companions to better serve their cause. 20 Blizzard Entertainment