One could say thatDiablo 4is coming full circle with its approach to gameplay and classes compared to the first game in the series, with it playing a major role in determining which character archetype the new ARPG would have alongsideDiablo 2.Diablo 3wasn’t the success story Blizzard had likely hoped for, and it stumbled from the get-go, only for it to be improved with the Reaper of Souls expansion, which was still too little, too late to some fans. With its roots firmly planted in what makes a good action RPG,Diablo 4’s approach to lootand item drops is not too dissimilar fromPath of Exile, which arose to success in the perfect storm that wasDiablo 3’s failure.
Much like classic RPGs,Path of Exilefeatures several rarity types for its items, and so doesDiablo 4. The former’s rarest drops are called Uniques, and for the latter, it’s the same thing, with them being divided into Legendary items (meaning they are items with a Legendary Aspect) and Unique items (gear with effects that cannot be obtained elsewhere).Diablo 4’s endgamewill likely see improvements and additions over time, but a staple fromPath of Exileremains, and that’s “chase Uniques” - items so rare and so powerful that they can easily define entire builds. Yet, their inclusion is a double-edged sword.
RELATED:Diablo 4 is Not Blizzard’s Redemption
Diablo 4’s Harlequin Crest and The Grandfather are a Double-Edged Sword
Chase Uniques inPath of Exileinclude the iconic Headhunter belt, for example, which can make running the game’s content a breeze even in the highest difficulty. In the case ofDiablo 4, there are currently two of these very powerful and equally rare items, with them being the Harlequin Crest helmet and The Grandfather two-handed sword. These items were speculated to be in the game, but not confirmed by Blizzard until recently, when the studio stated that a very lucky player indeed found one of them.
Harlequin Crest gives every single ability in the skill tree +4 levels, which is incredibly powerful for any kind of build on its own, but then the item also comes with jaw-dropping stats and attributes that can make or break the endgame. The Grandfather is not exactly for everyone, however, as some classes are inherently unable to wield two-handed swords, which is not the case for helmets. However, it also comes with incredible stats and perks, one of which is increased critical strike damage rolling from 60% to 100% - a juicy one to have for manyDiablo 4PvE builds.
Because these items are so rare and valuable, though,Diablo 4’s live-service modeland seasons could prove to be a hindrance for those lucky few who manage to get their hands on these Uniques. In fact, items and characters obtained in past seasons orDiablo 4’s current season-less launch plan are not carried over to new characters made specifically for season one. Likewise, players who want to playDiablo 4’s first season will have to make a new character to fully enjoy the update.
Given that only one player has been confirmed to have obtained one of these two Uniques in almost ten days since the game came out in early access, it’s fair to assume that only a handful will actually drop in a given season.Diablo 4’s first seasonstarts in July, so it’s even more likely that players will rarely see these items, if at all. Featuring these so-called chase Uniques is a smart move on Blizzard’s part, but it also poses a few issues that also affectPath of Exile, since it also typically comes with three-month seasons, called Leagues. As such, only time will tell how successful this type of loot is inDiablo 4.
Diablo 4launches on June 6 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
