The Resurrection of Diablo 2's Arm of King Leoric: A Game-Changing Revival in Diablo 4's Upcoming Seasons

Highlights

Certain uniques in Diablo 4 provide superior bonuses and affixes compared to others, exemplified by the renowned Harlequin Crest when juxtaposed with The Occulus.

The Arm of King Leoric from Diablo 2 would be a valuable addition to Diablo 4, especially for underpowered Summoner builds of the Necromancer class. In Diablo 4, fans of both Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 will be pleased to know that it features a combination of unique and legendary quality items, which are the rarest types in each respective game. Uniques, in particular, hold the utmost rarity, with certain uber uniques being exceptionally hard to come by. Among all the uniques in Diablo 4, some of the most impressive are iconic gear pieces that were originally from Diablo 2. Thus, it is only fitting for the legendary Arm of King Leoric to make a comeback in Diablo 4.

While all Diablo 4 uniques are hard to come by, some provide superior bonuses and affixes compared to others, such as the Harlequin Crest in comparison to The Occulus. Although both of these uniques originated from Diablo 2, the Harlequin Crest proves to be a universally advantageous item, unlike The Occulus that can only be utilized by the Sorcerer and is considered mediocre at best. Adding a Diablo 2 unique weapon like the Arm of King Leoric would greatly enhance the array of unique weapon choices available for the Necromancer, incorporating one of the finest options for the class.

Diablo 2's Arm of King Leoric Could Help Buff an Underpowered Diablo 4 Necromancer Build

The Arm of King Leoric is an exceptional wand exclusively designed for the Necromancer class in Diablo 2. It boasts a plethora of advantageous attributes that perfectly complement the Necromancer's summoning abilities. Its primary highlight lies in the +2-3 ranks it grants to various Necromancer summoning skills such as Raise Skeleton, Raise Skeletal Mage, and Skeleton Mastery, in addition to a generous +2 bonus for all Summoning, Posion, and Bone skills. Notably, the wand also augments the Necromancer's Mana pool, enhances damage against Undead foes, and introduces the chance to cast Bone Spirit and Bone Prison upon being struck by an enemy's assault.

The Arm of King Leoric would be a valuable addition to Diablo 4, especially for Necromancers focused on summoning. Currently, summoner builds for the Necromancer lack power because their minions are too fragile to be effective in later stages of the game. However, introducing a unique weapon like the Arm of King Leoric could greatly enhance the Summoner playstyle, providing additional ranks of skills that are commonly used in this build. This would not require rebalancing the stats of the Necromancer's skeletal minions.

To align with Diablo 4's mechanics, some adjustments would be necessary for the Arm of King Leoric's affixes. For instance, since Raise Skeleton is now a basic skill for Necromancers, it would be more appropriate to grant ranks to Necromancer passives like Skeleton Warrior Mastery and Skeletal Mage Mastery, rather than adding ranks through a unique affix. Furthermore, it would be logical to include the chance to cast Bone Spear when attacked by an enemy alongside the chance to activate other Bone Skills of the Necromancer.

Adding the Arm of King Leoric to Diablo 4 would likely introduce a unique affix for this weapon, just like other legendary items in the game. This affix would greatly benefit if it had a similar effect to the Aspect of Reanimation, but instead of increasing the damage done by the Necromancer's Skeletal Minions, it would enhance their overall health. Implementing this change would not only strengthen Summoner Necromancer builds in Diablo 4, but also provide Necromancers with more diverse weapon choices. By limiting this affix to a unique weapon, it would prevent any potential imbalance in gameplay. Diablo 4 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.