Unlock the Untold Power of the Blood Knight – Diablo Immortal's Game-Changing New Class Revealed!
Unveiling the intriguing Blood Knight class, Diablo Immortal developers reveal their thought process behind choosing this distinctive addition and how it sets itself apart thematically and in terms of gameplay from other classes
Just over a year after Diablo Immortal made its way onto countless mobile devices and PCs, much like a horde of demons pouring out of a Hell Portal, Blizzard's mobile Diablo game is preparing to introduce a brand-new class: the Blood Knight. Unlike the characters found in Diablo Immortal or even Diablo 4, the Blood Knight brings a completely fresh class to the Diablo franchise. This allowed the team to delve into developing its abilities, class concept, and backstory without being bound by previous iterations.
During an interview with Game Rant, Ryan Quinn, the senior narrative designer for Diablo Immortal, along with Chris Liao, the lead UX designer, explained why they decided to introduce the Blood Knight as the game's first new class. Aside from wanting to incorporate another class that has a dark and captivating fantasy theme, they also believed that the class's vampiric style of melee combat offered a unique playstyle that both complements and stands apart from the existing roster of characters in the game.
Diablo Immortal's Blood Knight Stands Out Thematically
From a conceptual standpoint, we were determined to introduce another "dark" class in Diablo. We have a range of classes that vary in tone, from light-hearted ones like Monks and Crusaders to darker ones like the Necromancer and Demon Hunter. Therefore, we saw this as a chance to create a class that exudes darkness. The concept we came up with incorporates a vampiric element while maintaining a distinctive and iconic feel. This new addition to Diablo Immortal's identity brings a supernatural aspect to the roster and offers something fresh that hasn't been explored in previous Diablo games. This was the primary driving force behind our creative decisions.
The Blood Knight's Playstyle Is Distinct From Other Classes
Introducing the Blood Knight, a fresh addition to the Diablo series, bringing along a wealth of new lore to explore within the expansive realm of Sanctuary. Delve into the meticulously crafted storyline of this class, accompanied by captivating voice lines tailored specifically for Diablo Immortal's exhilarating campaign. Additionally, an exciting Elite Quest awaits all players, regardless of their chosen class, as they join forces with a venerable "very, very old Blood Knight" in a relentless pursuit to capture one of her fallen comrades.
Merely relying on gruesome aesthetics and a tragic backstory is insufficient to warrant the creation of a new class if it merely duplicates an existing one. For the developers of Diablo Immortal, it was crucial to weave the Blood Knight's vampire theme into a distinctive set of abilities that offer novel opportunities for gameplay. This hybrid melee class, the Blood Knight, possesses an array of life-draining capabilities that enhance its survivability, along with a few tools to confront adversaries from a distance. Its abilities appear to cater to an unrelenting harassment playstyle, relentlessly pursuing foes and outlasting them through attrition.
The Blood Knight class was designed to incorporate various vampiric-themed elements while still maintaining their unique identity. Unlike other melee classes, they possess both melee and ranged abilities, allowing them to stand out in the gameplay meta. The Blood Knight's playstyle draws inspiration from World of Warcraft's Blood spec Death Knight, relying on life-draining abilities and tactics to combat ranged opponents and spellcasters. The satisfaction of draining opponents to enhance one's own power makes the Blood Knight an appealing option for players who enjoy this approach.
Diablo Immortal is available on Mobile and PC.
