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Stebo88's Monk Review

NOTE: stebo88 has played Diablo 3 at BlizzCon 09… here are his thoughts about the Monk.

With the new release of a brand new character introduced in world of Sanctuary, I didn't know what to expect from a class like the Monk. As soon as I started playing the Monk, I was blown away. This was a side of Diablo I had never seen before. His abilities and skills were far beyond any I've seen for any class of the Diablo series.

Although the Monk had a thin list of skills, it's capabilities stretched out for any situation he was in, many in which would prove highly effective in offensive attacks or defensive blocks. Here are some of my personal favorite abilities of the Monk.

Impenetrable Defense

Description: Momentarily turn your weapons into an impenetrable wall that rebounds enemy ranged attacks and grants 100% dodge against weapon attacks.

Rank: 1/1

Mana cost: 5

I had this skill save me in many cases of compacted mages or fallen shaman's throwing their spells at me. However, there was a low amount of ranged foes in the BlizzCon foe but the skill proved fairly reasonable in any case.

Exploding Palm

Description. A quick succession of attacks ending with the deadly Exploding Palm.

Rank: 1/5

This ability was truly a favorite. How it works is that you hit your enemy once, you hit again, and on the third time you hit your enemy, you will explode your enemy on impact and a small nova of fire will explode from your palm and hurt anyone around you. It's extremely fun to use and very effective when you are surrounded by foes.

Seven Sided Strike

Description: Dash at your enemies, striking six times in succession for 50% of your weapon damage.

Rank: 1/5.

Mana cost: 30

I found this to be the most favorable skill of the Monk. You strike at 6 of your closest enemies around you with lighting speed, unable to be hit or stopped. This was the most playable skill durring the demo and I was pleased to see that it was so highly effective if you are simply ambushing your enemies or making a hit N run.

My rating of the Monk’s Lore: 9/10

My rating of the Monk’s Skills: 9/10

My rating of the Monk’s Gameplay: 10/10

-Steven, stebo88

Diablo 3 Barbarian Summary

After my encounter with the savage dune thresher (see Encounter with Burrowing Death, entry 004), one might think it natural were I hesitant to venture into the wastes surrounding Caldeum. Those who have set foot upon the Borderlands' burning yellow landscape and looked out upon its miles of barren sand roiling with terrible wildlife would surely agree with this sentiment.  

It was not always thus. In years past, I could have ventured forth with no concern for my safety. Though the Borderlands are among the most savage habitats in our world, even these deadly lands were no match for the superior resolve of Caldeum in its prime.

The Borderlands were originally devoid of any but the most hardened (some would say crazed) prospectors until the great military city of Lut Bahadur (literally, "city of the gate") was built to keep the lacuni in their cliff dwellings safely away from Caldeum. Lut Bahadur's solitary watch over the desolate wastes came to an end four hundred years ago when precious ore was discovered in the region known as the Stinging Winds. The town of Alcarnus was quickly established as the center of all mining in the area, with several other smaller settlements springing up in its wake. When the Dahlgur oasis was discovered and a third town was erected there, Caldeum's dominance over the Borderlands was complete. The Borderlands could reliably depend on fresh supplies of food and water from Dahlgur's caravans, protected by the might of Caldeum's Dune Guard.

But Hakan II, our young and inexperienced sovereign, has seen fit to withdraw the support of Caldeum from the wastes and leave those who live there to their own devices. Now, no caravan is safe, and refugees from the Borderlands beat against the gates of Caldeum in an endless wave of displaced humanity, desperate for the salvation our city once provided. I have spoken with many of these poor folk at length, and the tales they share would give even the most stalwart adventurer pause. Though their stories of a secret cult intent on raising a demonic army are obviously embellished due to their lack of knowledge pertaining to such things, their hysteria and suffering have convinced me that something terrible indeed stalks the Borderlands.

From the writings of Abd al-Hazir