Diablo: Immortal Enters Closed Alpha
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With the technical alpha behind it, Blizzard’s mobile action-RPG Diablo: Immortal is now ready to enter closed alpha. This new stage of the game’s development introduces the Crusader class, some new zones, and even faction-based PvP. Here’s Blizzard’s game director Wyatt Cheng with an overview of all the new stuff:
And an excerpt from the announcement article:
NEW CLASS
Your faith did not betray you. The Crusader is here.
Roam the battlefield as a wrathful zealot, striking with cruel flails and clad in impenetrable armor. Seek glorious purpose ridding Sanctuary of Hell’s abominations and heretics. With your shield, safeguard humanity. With your Holy magic, vanquish evil. With your life, fulfill duty.
The Crusader is a mid-range hybrid caster/melee colossus and one of five playable classes—alongside the Barbarian, Demon Hunter, Monk, and Wizard, in the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha. Presently, we are focusing our gameplay testing in the Closed Alpha on solely these five classes, with the Necromancer to come in a future testing phase.
NEW ZONES & DUNGEON
The journey continues onwards and upwards. Deep in the heart of the Tamoe mountains, ascend into the new zone Mount Zavain, the home of the Monks, who are among Sanctuary's most deadly warriors. The Khazra, sometimes called “Goatmen” or “Goat Demons,” are on a warpath that threatens the Sentinel's Watch. Repel the savage invasion and plunge into the shrouded mists, confronting nightmares that may contain clues that lead to a shard of the Worldstone.
Trudge north across the snowy wastelands of the Frozen Tundra. Like a plague, war festers in the region around the great mountain of Arreat, where the Lord of Destruction still threatens the world. Only the barbarian tribes can keep the remnants of Baal’s army at bay, but they are scattered and isolated. As they must live united or they will surely die divided, you will rally the barbarians against your common foes or hell will break loose once more.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. A new dungeon has been discovered in the Frozen Tundra, one that contains a relic of a long-forgotten age. In the Cavern of Echoes, adventurers will need to ward off the cold embrace of death as they seek out the Iceburn Tear.
THE CYCLE OF STRIFE – FACTION-BASED PVP
Since the shattering of the Worldstone, the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells has spilled out across the world. The realm’s most elite heroes, the Immortals, are sworn to protect Sanctuary from this unending threat. Equipped with the Eternal Crown and access to the Immortals’ Vault, they have a plethora of tools to remain eternally vigilant in their watch over humanity. Such peril calls for accountability, and the Shadows lurk, watching keenly, to make sure the Immortals don’t waver from this crucial task. If they should prove unworthy of their station, the Shadows will take the Immortals down and rise upas the new protectors of Sanctuary. And they will know that as the new Immortals, the next group of Shadows will be watching, waiting to advance the cycle once more.
The Cycle of Strife
In the Cycle of Strife, three factions wage war for the Eternal Crown—an ancient source of power central to the Cycle of Strife. They are the Adventurers, the Shadows, and the Immortal(s).
Prepare for War: Getting started as an Adventurer
In Diablo Immortal, only those with a razor-sharp sense of survival live long enough to decide their own fates. Among them are the thrill-seekers and treasure hunters known as Adventurers.
All Heroes will start as Adventurers, and can take on daily missions to quell the churning evil and journey the world. Once ready, Adventurers may make the decision to challenge the throne as a Shadow or seek out an invitation to join the ranks of the Immortals.
Become what the light fears: Embrace the Shadows
Beyond their sacred halls, there are those who watch the Immortals with great scrutiny. They are known as the Shadows, and their singular purpose is to make sure the Immortals uphold their duties in defending Sanctuary from the Burning Hells. If the Immortals should fail in their righteous duty, or prove too weak to protect Sanctuary, the Shadows will take their place. Only the most elite defenders are worthy of the Eternal Crown and the noble burden behind it.
What you’ll do as a Shadow:
Ultimately, all Shadows’ tasks advance their goal of initiating the Rite of Exile (explained further below), their hard-earned chance to take down the seated Immortals. However, even from within there is competition. The Shadows fight amongst themselves to discover the strongest candidates to take on the Immortals before this important rite. Shadows who have rallied under a single banner to form a Dark House (explained further below) will challenge Shadows in other Dark Houses to qualify for the final showdown with the Immortals. Only the top Dark Houses will qualify to participate in the Rite of Exile.
