Diablo 4 Takes Combat and Skills to New Heights, Leaving Destiny 2 Classes in the Dust
Diablo 4 and Destiny 2 share a common issue in combat and skills as certain character classes, like Destiny 2's Titans, are limited to melee-focused playstyles, creating a disadvantage for them in both games
In Diablo 4, combat mostly revolves around close-quarters battles involving trading attacks with enemies. Although some character classes incorporate ranged skills, this is not always a reliable solution as most enemies tend to engage in close-range combat. Additionally, certain classes in Diablo 4 heavily rely on defensive skills to make their play style effective, often utilizing melee abilities.
Similar to Diablo 4, Destiny 2's Titan class experiences comparable combat situations, especially when confronted by melee enemies. While the main mode of combat in Destiny 2 involves using an assortment of guns, the true identity of Titans lies in their melee and shielding abilities. Despite the wide variety of guns available in Destiny 2, these options offer limited support for the Titan subclasses that specialize in melee abilities, mirroring the limitations faced by Diablo 4 characters.
Destiny 2’s Titans Are Trapped into Being the Resident Melee Class
When the Lightfall expansion was announced for Destiny 2, many players hoped that the new Strand Subclasses would break the cycle of melee-focused Titans. However, the Titan’s Strand Subclass turned out to be another melee-focused option. Titans in Destiny 2 have become known as the go-to class for melee combat and it seems unlikely that they will be rebranded anytime soon. On the other hand, Diablo 4 still has the opportunity to introduce new Skills, Legendary Aspects, and playable characters, keeping the game interesting and diverse.
Melee-based character builds in both Diablo 4 and Destiny 2 are incredibly powerful and are competitive with ranged builds. However, there is a catch. In most endgame content, melee playstyles require heavy investment in defensive abilities to survive. While Diablo 4 offers various ways to generate barriers, this solution is not always reliable, similar to the limited selection of ranged Skills for certain classes. Classes like the Rogue, Sorcerer, and Necromancer, which excel in ranged combat, have more freedom to explore different build directions. However, even these classes often need to invest in survivability for close-quarters fights that inevitably occur during ranged combat.
Melee-Focused Characters Have a Disadvantage in Diablo 4 and Destiny 2
Melee builds in both Destiny 2 and Diablo 4 encounter challenges when it comes to late-game content, such as Destiny 2’s Master difficulty activities and Diablo 4’s Hardcore mode. While Destiny 2 presents its fair share of demanding content, Diablo 4 takes it up a notch with Hardcore mode, which is exceptionally merciless. In Diablo 4's Hardcore mode, players face the risk of losing everything tied to their current character upon death. This permanent level of challenge inherently puts melee-focused characters at a disadvantage compared to ranged characters, who benefit from a safety net.
In addition to struggling in Hardcore mode and other high-difficulty PvE activities in both games, melee-based characters also face challenges in PvP in Diablo 4 and Destiny 2. Although Diablo 4’s PvP is generally low-risk, it can still be brutal at times as players wager all of their unextracted Red Dust. Strictly relying on melee combat can be difficult to execute successfully in Diablo 4. In Destiny 2, getting in close range is made tricky by the presence of powerful weapons like fusion rifles, shotguns, SMGs, and swords. Moreover, Destiny 2 offers various competitive variations of PvP, such as Trials of Osiris, Iron Banner, and arguably Gambit, which add to the overall difficulty.
Diablo 4 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
