#1 - May 17, 2012, 5:25 a.m.
The Demon Hunter
Demon hunters are relentless vigilantes who execute their infernal targets with an arsenal of ranged weapons. They crouch and take aim far from danger, relying on bows, deadly traps, and projectiles to swiftly bring an end to the creatures that haunt their world.
With sweeping blasts of shot, wide salvos of arrows and timed explosives at their disposal, demon hunters excel at devastating groups of foes who cluster together. Hunters’ pinpoint accuracy also allows them to deal with stronger monsters at a distance: they can snipe at key targets or fall back while snapping off kill shots at advancing foes.
However, demon hunters’ focus on ranged combat and limited melee-weapons training leave them in danger when they’re cornered or surrounded. Evasive skills like defensive rolls and jumps, as well as targeted attacks that hamstring and slow enemies, are as crucial to survival as any arrow in a hunter’s quiver.
Videos
- Darkness Falls, Heroes Rise - Demon hunter story and gameplay pre-launch preview
- Skill Rune Preview - An example of how skill runes augment an ability like Cluster Arrow
- Demon Hunter Reveal Trailer - The demon hunter class is revealed at BlizzCon 2010
- Diablo III Gameplay Preview - Worldwide Invitational 2008 Diablo III first-ever gameplay trailer featuring the barbarian and witch doctor
Gameplay
Images
Character Background
Hatred and Discipline (Excerpt)
There was a barely discernible, persistent hum. The only signs of life came from Josen and two other hunters, one searching the derelict structures, another standing near a rundown storehouse. Whatever had happened here, they were too late to do anything about it. Now it was a matter of looking for survivors. That was, after all, the second most important thing her people did: feed and shelter those left homeless in the aftermath of unthinkable catastrophe. Guide them, encourage them, heal them, educate and train them... to do the most important thing, should they so choose: become a demon hunter and annihilate the hellspawn responsible for evils like this.
The Enemy Within
Very little is known about the secret society of demon hunters. While not native to the region, this elusive cadre of warriors has chosen to root its forces amidst the ruins of a forgotten city located in the Dreadlands. Apprentices come from every corner of the land, all bearing the scars of demonic attack—all seething with hatred for the hellspawn that left their twisted mark. The recruiters know that only those with a personal vendetta will be driven enough to complete the harsh training required to stand as a true demon hunter.
Neophyte hunters are trained merely by surviving in the demon-infested wastes of the Dreadlands. Practiced in the subtle arts of knife and crossbow, the demon hunter learns how to dodge monstrous blows with acrobatic skill—and return them with sharp-bladed fury. These delicate weapons require masterful finesse, but they allow demon hunters to bring death to their targets with surgical precision.
This precision requires a level of mental focus that is unique to the demon hunters. In combating their monstrous quarry, they are taught to bridle their hatred and channel it to become a superhuman weapon of willpower and discipline. It is the only way to counter the vicious psychic attacks that demons make when they prey on mortals' weaknesses and fears. A powerful demon hunter can turn such attacks around on their unsuspecting enemies, hitting them where they have no defense.
Every demon hunter has a network of eyes and ears, a dependable crew of watchers, spies, and informers stationed across the length and breadth of Sanctuary. Once a demonic incursion is spotted, the demon hunters arrive with surprisingly swift and lethal intent. The recent news from New Tristram of a fallen star and walking dead has caught the attention of these shadowy warriors. They have sent the best from amongst their ranks to deal with the situation. And demon hunters deal in only one form of currency.