Diablo 3 Items

Diablo 3 returns players to “Sanctuary” for a continuation of the horrific battle against pure evil that was the storyline of the initial two installments in the bloody saga. While the game is only in a beta stage, it is already clear the new episode has improved characters, game interactions and availability of critical Diablo 3 items.

In the highly stylized extended role play game, action again takes place in Sanctuary – a fantasy world where demonic forces must again be confronted only about 20 years after pitched battles left most of this dark place’s inhabitants dead or insane from the horrors they faced.

This time around, Blizzard’s designers have enhanced the experience with a new “Demon Hunter” warrior class and other features including an auction house where players can exchange found or purchased items using virtual gold or actual cash. True to the series, cooperative play is still a central theme in the new game. But Diablo 3 goes further in making connections between players easier and more engaging.

No doubt many fans will be excited about changes to the in-game objects characters possess in play, including weapons, armor, potions, rune stones, crafting materials and other items. As in previous Diablo games, these items have significant strategic importance in Diablo 3.

There are still six equipment quality levels; however, one of them has changed and the top three categories – Rare, Legendary and Set – all have an argument for most powerful depending on the player’s station in the game. Here is a basic rundown of how equipment quality ranges in Diablo 3:

Inferior items are also called “junk” and exist mostly to be sold or salvaged. They are not typically worn on the player’s person.

Common items are as their name implies normal and have no real qualities other than those that are modified by other characteristics.

Magic items carry magical attributes that are denoted in prefixes and suffixes in the name. Only rarely will an item have magical powers denoted in both the prefix and suffix. Sometimes magic items may also appear in the rare category.

Rare items are generally better than Magic items and are responsible for generating more random properties as determined by game play.

Legendary items were created to replace Diablo 2’s unique items. Legendary items have many inherent properties that make them among the most powerful in Diablo 3, but there are also some random qualities thrown in as well.

Set items are much the same as legendary items; however, they take on different qualities when equipped as a set. Sometimes sets can be crafted in play by an Artisan with the right recipe and materials.

Diablo 3 is set up so that rare items are in principle the best to have (when they possess certain properties) while legendary and set items are most consistent. Magic items have less of an influence over play but are still better than common items.

Blizzard has allowed many of the items from Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 to return in Diablo 3, but with an altered color scheme. Normal and magic items remain previous colors (white and turquoise) and there are now purple items introduced in the new game. Armor categories remain the same in Diablo 3; however, new slots have been added for pauldrons, vambraces and pants.

Diablo 3 items are expected to stir a considerable buzz due to the popularity of collecting and trading pieces in the first two game editions. That interest will only grow with the introduction of a new element: the auction house.

The auction house improves on Diablo 2 by allowing items to be transformed into new items and bought and sold. On Battle.net there are two variations on the auction house – one that operates using virtual gold earned in Diablo 3 and another where players may buy and sell items with electronic credits that are backed by actual cash.

There were a number of art design and other technical changes to Diablo 3 before the beta version was released in September. And there will likely be more before the final version is distributed. But early indications are that Diablo 3 will retain loyal franchise players while winning over new gamers with enhanced features that improve on the already intense graphics and story line of the previous installments.