The Distinctive Appeal of Diablo Immortal’s Blood Knight over WoW’s Counterpart
I recently had the privilege of interviewing Chris Liao, the lead UX designer, and Ryan Quinn, the senior narrative designer, from Diablo Immortal. During our exclusive discussion with PCGN, I found myself mistakenly intertwining the Blood Knight class with the Death Knight and Blood Death Knight from World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King Classic. Recognizing my confusion, I inquired whether the demon-slaying powerhouse of Diablo Immortal draws inspiration from Arthas’ corruption or if it represents a distinct entity altogether.
The Blood Knight first made its appearance in the original Diablo as a formidable melee adversary. However, this marks the first time players can assume the role of the Blood Knight as a playable class. Curious about the team’s decision to venture in a completely new direction rather than reintroducing popular classes such as the Amazon or Witch Doctor, I posed the question to Quinn.
“We always strive to strike a balance between familiarity, catering to what players already know they desire, and infusing the game with novelty and freshness,” Quinn explains to PCGamesN. “Upon the launch of Diablo Immortal, we presented the six iconic Diablo classes that long-time fans have already experienced and cherished. Personally, I’ve been playing a Barbarian since my high school days—I have a deep affection for them.
“However, the opportunity to create something truly new and distinctive, something that aligns with Immortal’s unique identity, and explore a different shade of darkness for our dark classes compared to the likes of the Necromancer and Demon Hunter was an irresistible prospect we couldn’t ignore.”
The Blood Knight in Diablo Immortal showcases its prowess as a mid-range melee combatant, which immediately drew my mind to its World of Warcraft counterpart. Being someone who played a Blood Death Knight Draenei in WoW Wrath of the Lich King Classic (utilizing a build from our WoW Wrath of the Lich King Death Knight guide, naturally), I couldn’t help but draw comparisons, particularly in terms of the emphasis on life leeching and skirmish combat.
To delve deeper into this aspect, I inquire whether the team took any inspiration from Arthas’ undead legions. Quinn responds thoughtfully, saying, “That’s an excellent question. From a class identity standpoint, with a focus on blood manipulation, there are visual and somatic resemblances. However, in terms of ability design, we ventured in a somewhat different direction.
“Death Knights in WoW typically align with a tanky, defensive archetype. While we desired some elements of deliberate movement and tactical contemplation, with the Blood Knight, our aim was to emphasize pure aggression. When you wield their polearms for close-in attacks, you’ll discover they are surprisingly swift. They may not exhibit exceptional agility to reach their targets, but once they unleash their swings, the windup is remarkably rapid.”
Being an avid monk player myself, who appreciates the thrill of a bruiser-style character, the Blood Knight in Diablo Immortal sounds incredibly enticing. I eagerly await the opportunity to experience it firsthand and explore the realm of possibilities with one of the finest Diablo Immortal Blood Knight builds once they are officially released. However, while we anticipate that moment, I highly recommend taking a look at our comprehensive compilation of the best Diablo Immortal builds encompassing all classes. There is still ample time to level up your Monks and Demon Hunters, after all, and equip yourself with the knowledge to maximize your gameplay enjoyment.
