Diablo d&d 3ed-any good?
- Thread starter Asmo
- Start date
HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
I liked the ideas, but not the implementation.
I've used a pile of the monsters and a few magic items from it over the years, and have re-built three of the core classes to work in a more standard d20 game.
Here's the first - the Khanduran Tribesman - a conversion of the Diablo II Barbarian class. It is based on the version in the D2 Diablerie book, but made to be more in line with the d20 rules (the D2 books were written BEFORE 3.0 was released, using beta copies of the 3.0 books and are therefore full of mistakes) as well as being more in-line with the video game version of the barbarian. I would allow this class in most of my d20 fantasy games as-is in the PDF.
Power Points in the PDF below are treated exactly as Psionic Power Points, btw (but can only be used to trigger class powers, not psionics).
I've used a pile of the monsters and a few magic items from it over the years, and have re-built three of the core classes to work in a more standard d20 game.
Here's the first - the Khanduran Tribesman - a conversion of the Diablo II Barbarian class. It is based on the version in the D2 Diablerie book, but made to be more in line with the d20 rules (the D2 books were written BEFORE 3.0 was released, using beta copies of the 3.0 books and are therefore full of mistakes) as well as being more in-line with the video game version of the barbarian. I would allow this class in most of my d20 fantasy games as-is in the PDF.
Power Points in the PDF below are treated exactly as Psionic Power Points, btw (but can only be used to trigger class powers, not psionics).
HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
Here is my version of the Diablo 2 Amazon. Again, I retooled the class somewhat to reflect both the game and the d20 system.
A note I didn't add in the last one, you are allowed to choose an ability on this list up to twice to emulate the stacking skill choices in Diablo II (this makes it more like the game as the ones in the D2 books only allow you to choose a skill once, but not so much like the game in that you can choose it up to 20 times, sorry).
Again, I would probably allow this class in my games.
A note I didn't add in the last one, you are allowed to choose an ability on this list up to twice to emulate the stacking skill choices in Diablo II (this makes it more like the game as the ones in the D2 books only allow you to choose a skill once, but not so much like the game in that you can choose it up to 20 times, sorry).
Again, I would probably allow this class in my games.
HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
Now for the problem child... the Sacred Warrior.
This is a conversion of the D2 Paladin class. But it turned out a little bit on the powerful side, and I couldn't get ANY feedback from ANYONE at the time when I made it (on three different boards no less!) so it has remained an overpowered beast to this day.
Not grossly overpowered mind you, just slightly overpowered.
I wouldn't allow this one in my games as-is.
This is a conversion of the D2 Paladin class. But it turned out a little bit on the powerful side, and I couldn't get ANY feedback from ANYONE at the time when I made it (on three different boards no less!) so it has remained an overpowered beast to this day.
Not grossly overpowered mind you, just slightly overpowered.
I wouldn't allow this one in my games as-is.
HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
As you will note, I didn't convert the Necromancer and the Sorceress...
The return on my time was insignificant (ie: no one gives a rat's posterior about these conversions) so the effort it would take to convert these two classes to this special ability selection system wouldn't be worth it, IMO.
If I ever DO convert them over, the next step would be, of course, the conversion of the Assassin and Druid.
---
Oh yeah, D2 fans and conneisseurs might notice that I didn't include the top powers from each class progression list. In the D2 books these were the Group 6 Abilities. These abilities would be available as epic feats for epic level members of these classes, and I'm too lazy to actually write them up.
The return on my time was insignificant (ie: no one gives a rat's posterior about these conversions) so the effort it would take to convert these two classes to this special ability selection system wouldn't be worth it, IMO.
If I ever DO convert them over, the next step would be, of course, the conversion of the Assassin and Druid.
---
Oh yeah, D2 fans and conneisseurs might notice that I didn't include the top powers from each class progression list. In the D2 books these were the Group 6 Abilities. These abilities would be available as epic feats for epic level members of these classes, and I'm too lazy to actually write them up.
Last edited:
Gez
First Post
Sadly, it's often all one get for his efforts.
I'm nigh tempted, out of sympathy, to look at these classes for you and comment; but I've really too much classes already IMC (nigh 40! not counting subclasses like specialist wizard, nor prestige classes of course). Or at least sneakily lies and make some comments out of the blue ("the sacred warrior should get a smaller sacred bonus to his armor class") but you'd be able to discover the ruse by looking at the download counter -- or just the fact the comments are totally clueless.
Oh well. At least, I can give you a rat's ass:
(By the way: found a rat that's thinking it's a Diablo Amazon while googling for the pic above.)
Thanx guys for all the answers!!
We played our first session last night and it was pretty much the standard hack `slash fest I expected it to be - but I like it so I don´t complain.
It seems that they are using the treasure tables, but I don´t complain as long we get nice stuff
Early on we noticed that we had way to powerful pc:s, so they buffed the monsters accordingly, but we had almost no problems (one pc at - 1 or because of a lucky crit from a shortbow - 16 damage - glad it was the barbarian).
They had rolled the stats before the game,so all had the same numbers and it was not like the average 28 point buy
. I think it was 19, 17, 15, 13, 13 and 12. These two dm:s are new to dm:ing (at least when it comes to 3 ed ),but it worked pretty well. I think it was a nice start and a fine gaming night, can´t wait to give Diablo a severe spanking somewhere down the road 
Btw, I play the amazon - feels good to have Improved Critical as special power for free at first level.
Asmo
We played our first session last night and it was pretty much the standard hack `slash fest I expected it to be - but I like it so I don´t complain.
It seems that they are using the treasure tables, but I don´t complain as long we get nice stuff Early on we noticed that we had way to powerful pc:s, so they buffed the monsters accordingly, but we had almost no problems (one pc at - 1 or because of a lucky crit from a shortbow - 16 damage - glad it was the barbarian).
They had rolled the stats before the game,so all had the same numbers and it was not like the average 28 point buy
. I think it was 19, 17, 15, 13, 13 and 12. These two dm:s are new to dm:ing (at least when it comes to 3 ed ),but it worked pretty well. I think it was a nice start and a fine gaming night, can´t wait to give Diablo a severe spanking somewhere down the road Btw, I play the amazon - feels good to have Improved Critical as special power for free at first level.
Asmo
Voadam
Legend
Diablo II for 2e was amazing.
The magic item generation system had a serious impact on 3e item creation rules.
the 3e Diablo Diablerie one had some good elements but was a major step backward in most respects.
Barbarians and amazons are neat (if a little overpowered) and paladins are neat but seriously underpowered and their class abilities can not actually work as written.
The spells are more balanced to 3e than the 2e ones were.
The choose abilities from a class list idea was great but poorly executed in general.
The monsters lost a number in translating to 3e and all their descriptions.
The world info is nonexistent in the 3e one.
The magic items were not repriced to fit 3e.
The piecemeal armor rules are ok as are the new armors and weapons, although they are overpowered, compare a higher damage Diablo bastard sword to a standard D&D one.
So some good elements but a disappointment to those who had the 2e supplement and were expecting better.
The magic item generation system had a serious impact on 3e item creation rules.
the 3e Diablo Diablerie one had some good elements but was a major step backward in most respects.
Barbarians and amazons are neat (if a little overpowered) and paladins are neat but seriously underpowered and their class abilities can not actually work as written.
The spells are more balanced to 3e than the 2e ones were.
The choose abilities from a class list idea was great but poorly executed in general.
The monsters lost a number in translating to 3e and all their descriptions.
The world info is nonexistent in the 3e one.
The magic items were not repriced to fit 3e.
The piecemeal armor rules are ok as are the new armors and weapons, although they are overpowered, compare a higher damage Diablo bastard sword to a standard D&D one.
So some good elements but a disappointment to those who had the 2e supplement and were expecting better.
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