Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 raises the bar for isometric RPGs with its depth and quality of content.
- Diablo 4's Necromancer has multiple build playstyles that help it stand out uniquely from other classes.
- Baldur's Gate 3 offers different classes that parallel Diablo 4's Necromancer archetype, showcasing the game's focus on player choice and variety.
Baldur's Gate 3's full release is imminent, and the game is already making waves through its unprecedented level of depth. The most advanced video game adaptation of the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop game yet, Baldur’s Gate 3 is poised to continue its legacy under new developer Larian Studios. The bar is likely to be raised for the isometric RPG genre and beyond due to the game featuring more quality content than the majority of releases within the past decade, and players of another similar title of recent memory have likely taken notice.
The isometric style of Baldur's Gate may feel strange to some, but it has actually remained relevant over the years through more mainstream titles such as Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo series. Released in June of this year, Diablo 4 is a prominent entry in the APRG subgenre which is characterized as loot-driven and endgame-centric. While the more story-driven CRPG structure that Baldur’s Gate 3 utilizes is a departure from this, the isometric perspective connects the titles. One of Diablo 4’s most simultaneously beginner-friendly and advanced classes available is its iconic Necromancer, but transitioning into Baldur's Gate 3 as a summoner of the dead takes a nuanced approach.
Diablo 4's Necromancer Playstyle
Diablo 4’s iteration of the Necromancer stays true to its classic style from the past of the series while expanding upon its abilities. Defined by the progression of the player’s unique build rather than a solidly defined subclass, Necromancers can focus on several different routes in terms of Skill development. Builds for Necromancer characters are divided into four playstyles that drastically affect the approach to combat, but can still be mixed together.
Diablo 4 Necromancer Playstyle Builds
- Bone Necromancers focus on dealing high damage through their unique Skills, with the signature Bone Spear spell showing the offensive leaning of this build.
- Darkness Necromancers excel at dealing damage over time, with spells like Blight and Decompose showcasing the class’ ability to control groups of enemies.
- Blood Necromancers focus on stealing the vitality of their foes, draining life using spells like Blood Mist which allows the player to transform into a vampiric cloud.
- The Army Necromancers utilize the ability to control the dead to its full extent, summoning skeletons and golems to do their bidding and benefit from the class’ Book of the Dead mechanic.
Baldur's Gate 3's Necromancer Analogues
Baldur’s Gate 3 has several parallel classes that fit into Diablo 4’s Necromancer archetype, with the variations supporting different playstyles respectively:
- Wizards who choose to focus on the Necromancy School are ideal for players who want to recapture the focus on life stealing and minion control that many Diablo 4 builds prioritize.
- Surprisingly, the Druid class offers another option with its Circle of Spores subclass which is centered around decay and undeath of nature.
- The Fiend subclass of Warlock evokes some of the powerful buffs Necromancers in Diablo 4 receive in optimized builds, but this time in the form of dark blessings.
- More physically oriented than the others, the hidden Oathbreaker subclass of Paladin also happens to partially fit into the evil summoner niche through its ability to manipulate the dead and utilize Necromancy spells.
While some terminology may be shared between the games, there is ultimately no one-to-one parallel class within Baldur's Gate 3 that completely fills the role of Diablo 4's Necromancer. The class diversity in Blizzard's title, however, ensures that every playstyle under the Necromancer's belt has a form of representation in the world of Faerun. The niche and even secret nature of some of Baldur's Gate 3's more sinister subclasses only serve to highlight the game's focus on player choice and variety, as some of the most obscure paths are capable of being equally rewarding for those drawn to the dead.
Baldur's Gate 3 launches on August 3 for PC and Mac, and September 6 for PS5.
