Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 introduces the Druid class, which is also featured in Diablo 4, but the game features far more character options to choose from.
- In Diablo 4, the Druid class focuses on beast transformations and weather control, while in Baldur's Gate 3, the Druid can choose from different subclasses with unique abilities.
- The Druid's abilities in Baldur's Gate 3 are spread across various other classes, such as Barbarian, Cleric, Ranger, and Sorcerer, showcasing the extensive class selection in the game. Those who love playing as Druids in Diablo 4 will need to pick carefully in BG3.
Already one of the year’s biggest releases, Baldur’s Gate 3 brings the classic CRPG series into the modern world with the highest fidelity adaptation of Dungeons and Dragons yet. Baldur’s Gate 3 comes packed with content courtesy of developer Larian Studios, much of which comes from the astonishing amount of options available regarding the player character.
One of the game’s most popular classes has seen a resurgence in recent times thanks to representation in Blizzard’s Diablo 4: the Druid. A master of natural forces that balances physical attacks with magical abilities, the Druid archetype is a classic fantasy mainstay that both Blizzard and Larian Studios have taken to implementing. While players of Diablo 4’s Druid may expect a smooth transition into Baldur’s Gate 3’s class of the same name, there is actually a fair bit of nuance to the process brought about by the depth of the latter game.
Diablo 4's Druid
Returning from Diablo 2, the Druid class represents the fury of nature through beast transformations and weather control. In Diablo 4’s progression system, the playstyle of a Druid is defined by a player’s unique build instead of an explicit subclass. Builds incorporate Skills from the Basic, Spirit, Defensive, Wrath, Companion, and Ultimate categories in-game, but the Druid’s Skills can be further broken down by the playstyles they support.
- Shapeshifting Skills like Claw and Maul involve transforming the Druid into a Werewolf for fast, powerful attacks, or a much tankier Werebear that generates more Spirit resource.
- Storm Skills like Cataclysm and Cyclone Armor control lightning and winds to deliver devastating damage and devastating effects such as the Vulnerable status effect.
- Earth Skills manipulate nature in the form of spells like Earthen Bulwark that bolster defense and Boulder for attacks alike.
- Companion Skills allow the Druid to summon Wolves, Ravens, and Poison Creeper minions to assist in battle.
Baldur's Gate 3's Druid
While several classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 act as effective analogues for the four available in Diablo 4, Druid is one that actually exists in both titles. Sharing many of the core features of Blizzard’s recent spin on the nature wizard archetype, this version of the Druid further benefits from Baldur’s Gate 3’s multiple subclass options. While Druid is obviously a solid choice for fans of the playstyle, there are also elements of it that show up in several other subclasses.
- Druid’s basic Circle of the Land subclass has the most traditional nature-based focus, while Circle of the Moon mainly focuses on signature Wild Shape transformation spells. Circle of Spores, on the other hand, is a more alternative playstyle that could even be compared to Diablo 4's Necromancer with its potential to manipulate the undead.
- The Wildheart subclass of Barbarian grants the Speak with Animals spell alongside unique actions that depend on a Bestial Heart type.
- Clerics specializing in the Nature Domain have the Acolyte of Nature trait that allows a choice of Druid Cantrip spell, and later gain Channel Divinity: Charm Animals and Plants as a class feature.
- The Cleric’s Tempest Domain subclass and the Sorcerer's Storm Sorcery subclass both have access to the lightning and wind magic Diablo’s Druid is known for.
- The Beast Master subclass of Ranger has access to the Summon Companion action, with further access to Speak with Animals and the Companion’s Bond class feature.
The title may be shared by the Druids of Diablo and Baldur’s Gate respectively, but the deeper nature of Larian Studios’ release sees a more distributed set of fitting powers spread across many more classes. Diablo 4 clearly takes a streamlined approach with only five options to begin with, but the title's Druid ends up combining multiple archetypes that are each more deeply explored within Baldur's Gate 3's extensive class selection.
Baldur's Gate 3 launches on August 3 for PC and Mac, and September 6 for PS5.
