Diablo 4 Will Be "Like the First Chapter of a Book", Diablo May Not Even Show Up

[Dhrizzle]

It's moreso reading into subtext.

Ex.: To play a Diablo game and not fight Diablo, suggests Diablo is still out there somewhere. Which I wouldn't mind if the story is told correctly, with proper hints leading up to the big reveal and a proper length of time between Diablo's big reveal and eventually fighting him.

If handled correctly, we get full length games and DLC of full length additions to said games leading up to the final story DLC against Diablo - And that would be a win/win for all, so long as all of the DLC is of good length and is good fun.

However, if we read into it the other way, in a Life is Strange-style story (Which, to be clear, I feel LiS released chapters in far too short increments in far too long of wait times. An indy game, so not something I gripe about, but Blizzard is not an indie company and I don't want them feeling that's 'acceptable standard' for them as well) - They release a chapter, and it's no greater than one act of D3. Then they sell us acts 2, 3, 4, and 5 as separate DLC, calling them 'separate stories.'

It would not be hard to see why D3 released with only act 1 would be seen as an 'unfinished' game.

I don't think that's what they're talking about though, it's more like Diablo 3 being the same length but with different enemies, then we find a reason to fight Malthael, then another expansion has us finally take down Diablo. The idea is to make Diablo the big bad of a Diablo story instead of someone who gets taken out partway through. Look at D3 now - Diablo is just another sub boss you take down on the way to Malthael.

[Aphrel]

Whoever is the main villain. I hope its actually the final boss of the game, as in the endboss of the endgame content. I dont want the "final" boss of the game to be someone you kill be4 even doing the endgame content.

For the people who have played poe: I hope Lillith is the "Shaper" of diablo 4, not the Kitava or Malachai.

[Coldkil]

For the people who have played poe: I hope Lillith is the "Shaper" of diablo 4, not the Kitava or Malachai.

I'm not even entirely sure Lilith will be a full-fledged villain Anyway yes, i'd like to see some baddie to be the Shaper of D4.

Given how endgame dungeons were presented, it makes sense to have an over-arching questline that makes us run multiple of them to unlock some more difficult encounter.

[Cairhiin]

Whoever is the main villain. I hope its actually the final boss of the game, as in the endboss of the endgame content. I dont want the "final" boss of the game to be someone you kill be4 even doing the endgame content.

For the people who have played poe: I hope Lillith is the "Shaper" of diablo 4, not the Kitava or Malachai.

I like this idea as well, though I have my doubts that would be Lilith. But it doesn't really matter who it is but there should really be endgame content end boss. It would also give running all these dungeons a solid purpose. And it would introduce a power ceiling (until next expansion).

[Nefastus]

Ugh, in fact story should had ended in the second game. Perhaps a third one if they saved Baal for it or the other 2 minor evils that were still kicking by the time diablo 2 ended. They insisted in going with a third game and we got that trash with the shemale diablo and lorelols all around. Best thing to do was to make a prequel during Horadrim times if they really wanted to make a new Diablo (what I am pretty sure they didn't, they were not even the team that did the first two anyways).

[Starfals]

Diablo without a Diablo is like Alien without an Alien lol ;p

[Wildmoon]

It's moreso reading into subtext.

Ex.: To play a Diablo game and not fight Diablo, suggests Diablo is still out there somewhere. Which I wouldn't mind if the story is told correctly, with proper hints leading up to the big reveal and a proper length of time between Diablo's big reveal and eventually fighting him.

If handled correctly, we get full length games and DLC of full length additions to said games leading up to the final story DLC against Diablo - And that would be a win/win for all, so long as all of the DLC is of good length and is good fun.

However, if we read into it the other way, in a Life is Strange-style story (Which, to be clear, I feel LiS released chapters in far too short increments in far too long of wait times. An indy game, so not something I gripe about, but Blizzard is not an indie company and I don't want them feeling that's 'acceptable standard' for them as well) - They release a chapter, and it's no greater than one act of D3. Then they sell us acts 2, 3, 4, and 5 as separate DLC, calling them 'separate stories.'

It would not be hard to see why D3 released with only act 1 would be seen as an 'unfinished' game.

I think you misundrrstand this. You can release 4 act with different villians.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

I really do wonder if we will see the Nephalem or a group of them appear in Diablo 4. Johanna, Kharazim, Nazeebo, Sonya, Valla could all appear imo.

I hope we get to see one of them, if not all of them, being in an antagonist capacity. One of themes at the end of Reaper of Souls was how strong the nephalem had become and to which side they would lean: good or evil. If the story in D4 picks up 20 years later it would be really interesting to see us having to contend against the original Barbarian, Wizard, Witch Doctor, and Demon Hunter character.

[Beefhammer]

I don't need Diablo to be in the game personally. I know her will show up at some point as will all the Prime evils and possibly all the lesser evils as well. I could also see Diablo being the last boss of the last act in the vanilla game with 5 expansions. As long as the story is palatable and gameplay is sublime, Diablo's part in the game doesn't really. matter to me.

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I hope we get to see one of them, if not all of them, being in an antagonist capacity. One of themes at the end of Reaper of Souls was how strong the nephalem had become and to which side they would lean: good or evil. If the story in D4 picks up 20 years later it would be really interesting to see us having to contend against the original Barbarian, Wizard, Witch Doctor, and Demon Hunter character.

I actually hope they died when Malthael committed human genocide. It's been done, before it was OK. Give me random events like the Necro story in Act 2 in D3 where we learn about the D2 Necro instead.

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The plan seems fairly clear. Diablo 4 is meant to last a long time and have frequent (annual or biannual) updates. Having Diablo be around from the start makes little sense. He should not appear until further down the line and with proper build up like he had in Diablo 2. He probably will NOT be the last boss anyway if Diablo 4 is to last for a long time. I think we will first meet Lesser Evils and perhaps Mephisto and/or Inarius. Considering we have Baal, Diablo, Mephisto, Lilith, Inarius, Imperius and most importantly our PC from Diablo 3 (who is more powerful than anyone else in Sanctuary) all as possible enemies, there is going to be a lot of story to be told. heck we might even meet Trag'oul

I really do wonder if we will see the Nephalem or a group of them appear in Diablo 4. Johanna, Kharazim, Nazeebo, Sonya, Valla could all appear imo.

I think Lillith will not be a boss but rather Inarius. If they go the 4 Act structure, I believe Inarius will be the last boss.

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Diablo without a Diablo is like Alien without an Alien lol ;p

Not really IMO.

[Maylander]

I hope they don't try to pull a WoW with the story telling here; the story arcs spanning years, one drip at a time.

As long as they don't go that route, I will be interested in seeing what direction they go in when it comes to the story. Both angels and demons have completely lost their mojo once it was established that the nephalem are way beyond them. I mean, a nephalem pretty much flattened the Prime Evil in about 12 minutes after its incarnation, and the threats of Imperius to kill the nephalem if he/she didn't leave the High Heavens were a bit of a joke. He'd get his ass kicked if he tried, and he's supposedly the most badass warrior in existence.

Maybe some sort of "power up", via soulstones, a new world stone or similar is going to happen. Perhaps something that threatens the Balance, given Rathma's presence. Also, the guardians, like Trag'oul and so on could be involved somehow (we know very little about them or their power level).

Of course, the most likely course of action is that Diablo is still Diablo, popping up after X chapters of this "book", and we're supposed to take him seriously. Which we won't, because that illusion has already been dispelled by D3.

[therealstegblob]

Never cared much for the story in Diablo. In Diablo 2 it was pretty much barebones and whitenoise. In Diablo 3 they expanded the lore, but in the most boring way possible. Yeah wow DA ETERNAL WAR111 HEAVIN AND HELL AT WAR FOR EVER THE ETERNAL BEINGS OF CONFLICT FOREVER, really interesting.

I don't have any interest in Diablo story, frankly. As long as D4 is as fun as D2 was, I'll be fine with it.

[Coldkil]

I don't have any interest in Diablo story, frankly. As long as D4 is as fun as D2 was, I'll be fine with it.

The fact the bothers me the most is that lore is actually interesting. Aside the eternal Heave/Hell Light/Dark Order/Chaos conflict, there's actually a third party which is the nephalem. ANd everyone is basically against them plus now Lilith and Inarius possibly.

There is the chance for a good story to be done, while i kinda agree that it doesn't need to be that prominent. It just needs to be told in a good way. In D2 it was barebone but made sense. In D3 is was a splatter on a wall.

[Mister K]

Diablo without a Diablo is like Alien without an Alien lol ;p

Alien 1 then?

[Kpmk]

Idk in D3 before they absolutely gutted the difficulty, even reaching Diablo was challenging, let alone beating him. This was on release anyway, when every boss and every mob post-butcher (aka post-beta test) hit far harder than they should've.

I forgot how hard the game was then. I remember spending probably an hour or 2 fighting belial over and over because his abilities would 1 shot me and I had to dodge everything

[Unholyground]

I'd prefer for him to not show up at all. Him being a master manipulator goes against the characterisation of Belial and Mephisto. Furthermore you can kill the same dude so many times before it gets riddiculous. Oh my god Diablo is here!? You mean the chump we killed three times already? Can't he take a hint? Okay, let's kill him again.

Well they would not have called it Diablo 4 if he wasn't going to be in it in some way. Generally the title says a lot about your game haha.

[Wangming]

Well they would not have called it Diablo 4 if he wasn't going to be in it in some way. Generally the title says a lot about your game haha.

Well it is a sequel to Diablo III. Let's not confuse consumers by naming it Diablo's Niece

[Unholyground]

Well it is a sequel to Diablo III. Let's not confuse consumers by naming it Diablo's Niece

Well every single title has had Diablo so until one does not this one Does, also all the evils are very likely possessing people by now so we know they all have physical forms somewhere in sanctuary. So I guess the base game might not have him but before the final expansion we will have to fight him likely.

[Triceron]

How would that work though? Lilith's coming apparently brings out the worst in the people of sanctuary making the world an even worse place. People also go all cult crazy on her.

There was a wild-theory on Reddit that supposed that Imperius might be the big bad, in that he closes the gates of heaven in preparation of a war against Sanctuary. Rathma, the person about balance as he is, would feel that he needs to bring back a powerful demon to 'balance' things out. Even if he harbours no love for his mother, he knows Lilith may fight for the sake of humanity if there were any demon who would.

[kail]

Having Diablo in every Diablo game simply diminishes his character as the big bad villain. His presence should be kept minimal with various followers, tainted areas and other connections that lead up to him. The genre needs to bring some level of fear back into Diablo villains, D3 felt like some Cartoon Network action show for kids-teens.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

People are far too cynical.