It's been over six months since Diablo 4 was officially announced, and speculation is running high for Blizzard's next action-RPG. While there hasn't been much info released so far, there are plenty of classic features that are sure to return in Diablo 4. Procedurally generated dungeons and loot-focused character building have been confirmed, as well as new open-world and player vs. player systems.
Three of the game's playable classes have also been revealed: the Barbarian, Sorceress, and Druid. These have all appeared in the series before, with the Barbarian having featured in every Diablo game to date. One character who hasn't been as prominent, yet could be very interesting to see in Diablo 4, is the Amazon. With a unique fighting style and warrior-caste lore, here's why we think the Amazon should make a return in Blizzard's next title.
Who is the Amazon
The Amazon first appeared in Diablo 2, where she was playable alongside the Barbarian, Sorceress, Necromancer, and Paladin. However, unlike some of her counterparts, she failed to make the cut for the game's sequel. She does appear as a playable character in Heroes of the Storm though, focusing primarily on javelins.
In Diablo's lore, the Amazon is named Cassia and hails from the Askari nomad bands. These bands are loosely connected tribes who roam freely near the South Sea. Within this society. she is a member of the Amazon caste, a group of all-female warriors. In Askari culture, only women fight, as their litheness and dexterity make them more effective in the dense jungles of their home.
Why Diablo 4 Needs the Amazon
The Amazon fills an interesting and unique role in Diablo's colorful cast of playable characters. While she excels in the use of a bow, she is equally as comfortable wielding spears and javelins. This gives her the edge in medium-range conflicts, particularly when drawing enemies in with her ranged firepower. Any Succubi Queen that wanders too close will find that the Amazon is no slouch in melee combat either, able to deal a great deal of damage with her spears.
Unlike Diablo 2's other classes, the Amazon's starting attributes offer a mixture of Strength and Dexterity. These abilities allow her a great deal of versatility, as she can switch from ranged to melee combat on the fly. This unique fighting style could be perfect for Diablo 4's roster, which is likely to be dominated by less flexible fighters. She further exemplifies this versatility through the use of elemental magics, allowing her to add arcane effects onto her weapon attacks.
Why we may not see the Amazon
While the Amazon certainly fills a unique spot in the typical Diablo class line-up, she does have one downside. In Diablo 3, and quite probably in Diablo 4 too, no class is limited by gender. Whether playing as a Barbarian, Necromancer, or Monk, Diablo 3 players select either a male or female character.
As the Amazon is a member of an all-female warrior caste, allowing a male Amazon would require a serious retcon. The only alternative to this is for Blizzard to scrap the ability to pick a gender, which seems unlikely. One possible compromise may be to make the Amazon an exception to the normal class rules, and include a new lore-friendly male-only class to balance her out. While this seems like a bit of a stretch, here's hoping that Diablo 2's spear-slinging Wonder Woman finds a way to make a return in Blizzard's latest title.
Diablo 4Â is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
