The beta for Diablo 4 is underway and players hopping in will get the chance to check out some classic Diablo classes in a new context. Early Access to the Diablo 4 beta ran from March 17-19 with the Open Beta running from March 24-26, during which players can play up to level 25. Only three classes are available during the early access period, with players who pre-order the game being allowed to choose from Barbarian, Rogue, and Sorcerer.
While the Early Access period is limited to these three classes, two more classes, Diablo 4's Druid and the Necromancer, will be available during the Open Beta weekend. Each class comes with its own specialties in combat, and with a maximum of 10 characters players are able to create during the beta, it's a great opportunity to try out all the different classes the game has to offer. These classes may be familiar to longtime Diablo fans, but the new mechanics added to Diablo 4 help them to feel fresh and put the Sorcerer in particular in a great position to mow down hordes of demons.
How the Sorcerer Class Plays in the Diablo 4 Beta
The Sorcerer class in Diablo 4 retains the typical magic-based skills the archetype has been known for in past entries, but with some unique twists new to this latest title. Like the Wizard class from Diablo 3 and the Sorceress class from Diablo 2, the Sorcerer in Diablo 4 fits into the glass-cannon archetype in which they are capable of dealing high amounts of damage, but are frail defensively, meaning Sorcerers are most successful when taking on enemies from a distance. With how quickly demons can overwhelm players in Diablo 4, grouping up with other players via co-op is ideal for Sorcerers.
Elemental spells are the primary source of damage for Sorcerers, with the three primary types being Fire, Cold, and Lightning. Diablo 4's skill trees follow the typical ARPG formula, having clusters of nodes with various skills available that unlock as players progress up the tree. For Sorcerers, these skills revolve around the three elemental damage types, and the unique side effects associated with each element means Sorcerers will need to carefully consider which skills to invest in while building their character.
Fire spells inflict enemies with the Burning effect which deals passive damage over time, making Fire spells great for creating space among hordes of enemies. Cold spells inflict Chill which slows down enemy movement and has the ability to stack speed reduction until the enemy is Frozen at 100% Chill. Lightning spells are unique in that some have the potential to spawn orbs of Crackling Energy, which interact differently depending on the player's skills with the potential to be discharged to damage foes or consumed to restore Mana. With the unique effects from each of these elemental types, Diablo 4's Sorcerers can be great for DPS as well as providing great crowd control options.
Aside from being able to wield wands, staffs, and elemental spells, Sorcerers have the unique class mechanic Enchantment that allows players to place skills into three additional slots aside from six active skill slots to gain a passive effect based on the slotted skill. While this ability comes at the cost of being able to use that skill, it can provide Sorcerers with a variety of benefits and spell configurations, aiding in the diversity of build potential. Players looking to dive into a deep skill tree and check out the diverse build options for magic users should play a Sorcerer in the Diablo 4 beta.
Diablo 4 releases June 6 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
