Changes

[[Image:Monspic main.gif|right]]In a Dii.net community forum post Erich Schaefer, head of Blizzard North's character and monster design team, stated that they "...have over 60 unique monster models..." in the game with usually about three to four palette shifts per model. Doing the math gives us a total of 180 to 240 monster types. In addition to the standard monsters the game will incorporate random uniques with random abilities and minions, random "Champions" with different abilities that are always found alone, and special uniques that are vitally important to the Diablo 2 storyline. Additionally monster spawners that act like monsters will make an appearance as well as monster like objects e.g.- turrets that shoot fireballs. All in all quite a cornucopia for aspiring Diablo 2 adventurers to feast on.

[[Image:Mon-andy2.jpg|frame]]The expected final quest of Act One will be the defeat and killing of Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish. One of four lesser members of the Seven Great Evils, she will reputedly be surrounded by some very powerful and intelligent minions. Since in previously released videos she has only been seen in the company of Fallen and Zombie class creatures one would expect that Blizzard has a few surprises in store. Nevertheless she will not be a pushover alone for she has a wide area poison attack that can engage at range and a reputedly fierce melee attack for those who wander too close. Seen in released gameplay videos to be susceptible to fire based magical attack, in particular the "Meteor" skill of the Sorceress, it would be wise to use caution considering the gameplay videos to date were from earlier builds of the game.

[[Image:Mon-bone-mage1.jpg|frame]]The Bone Mage is a late addition to the pre-beta cast of monsters for Act One. They are seen in only one screenshot casting what appear to be "Ice Daggers" at a "Resist Cold" aura equipped Paladin. The aforementioned shot is from one of the "Monastery" levels, considered currently to be the hardest set of levels from the act. The level depicted in the shot combined with their evident spell casting abilities, supports the likelihood of the Bone Mage being a high level Act One monster. Similar to many other skeleton types seen so far in Diablo 2, and unlike Diablo 1, Blizzard North has chosen to dress them up a little. As evident in the above shot they've been provided with a head piece or helm, a shoulder draped garment, and a skirt or short-like cloth covering the groin and thigh area (could that be a kilt?). Shown radiating a purplish blue glow around their forearms and hands, when casting, they are a novel addition to the Diablo 2 monster list since no skeleton class monsters were able to cast ranged magic spells in the original Diablo.

[[Image:Mon-corrupted-rogue3.jpg|frame]]The victims of Andariel's evil ministrations, many types and subtypes of Corrupted Rogues (CR's) are expected to be encountered during your Act One travels. Again quoting E3 attendees... "There were heaps of different types of Corrupted Rogues at E3". Even though ostensibly equipped with the full complement of the component armour and weapon system only the following subtypes have been noted in the various gameplay videos to date - "Dark Spear Woman", "Dark Hunter Spear", and "Dark Hunter". Though only one screenshot to date has shown them wielding bows it was reported from those attending E3 that "lots of CR's had bows" so those expecting Diablo I rogue-like behaviour will not be disappointed.

[[Image:Mon-disfigured2.jpg|frame]]These relatively large creatures were featured in early Blizzard renders showing the artwork of Diablo 2. Two subtypes have been noted in gameplay videos - "Disfigured" and "Afflicted" (Paladin 1:24 & PC Games 1:13). Whether these apply to the same or different creatures is unknown due to that placeholder names were believed to be quite common at the stage of the game development when the videos were taken. Nevertheless two colour types have been noted - one with a greenish body and brown mane/nape and one with a brown body and grey on the collar. Witnessed to have a close up melee attack as well as a ranged lightning attack at E3 they have also been seen in a render to have what appears to be a cold based ranged attack as well.

[[Image:Mon-fallen1.jpg|frame]]The Fallen of Act One are perhaps the most commonly seen monster type in screenshot and video to date. Though according to game video ID tags plain Fallen seem to occur in only in a pale green colour there are orange, red, gold, and blue that have been noted as well in the act. Red seems to be the most common colour and so far is the most commonly noted colour of the "Fallen Shaman" subtype seen in screenshot and video. Noted to have a fireball ranged attack and also possessed of the ability to resurrect their deceased brethren it becomes therefore imperative that they be eliminated early on in any engagement so as to avoid fighting the same battles over and over. In gameplay videos when the "Fallen Shaman" is killed the rest of the pack immediately exhibit the flight response typical of the fallen from Diablo 1. In addition to the above aforementioned subtypes an additional fallen type labelled "Dark One", featuring a dull grey colour, has also been noted in gameplay videos (GameStar 7/99 2:00 & PC Games 0:20). So far it has been seen only nearby or in Andariel's throne room down in the depths of the monastery.

[[Image:Mon-foul-crow1.jpg|frame]]Seen in only two screenshots to date and not ID tagged in any released gameplay videos very little is known about this creature. It is notable however for appearing in the one screenshot where a "monster generator" is believed to be depicted. Monster generators are a new addition to the game play milieu in Diablo 2. Both static and moving monster generators are believed to exist in the game. They will continue to repopulate an area until they are destroyed. This factor alone will keep players on their toes for you will no longer be able to count on previously cleared areas to stay that way, as in the original Diablo, and this will likely have a significant effect on gameplay strategies. Unlike their Act Two cousins the Foul Carrion ,which appear to be flightless, the Foul Crow are definitely flight capable and have been seen in both indoor and outdoor areas of Act One. There is no info available yet on its AI tendencies and whether it has a ranged attack in addition to its expected ability to deal close up damage with its claws and beak.

[[Image:Mon-gargantuan-beast1.jpg|frame]]One of the star monsters of the GameStar mega video of January 99, where it was seen mainly on the receiving end of the Amazon's poison javelin, this huge lumbering creature is well deserving of its name. Current speculation, however, is that its appellation is one of the many believed to be just placeholder names. So "Brute" or "Gargantuan Beast" either way it is an interesting addition to the Act One menagerie. It's size alone suggests a good number of hit points as well as solid damage from a direct melee attack. No range attack has been seen as yet. It has also been noted for serving as a placeholder graphic for the Necromancer's golem in several videos (GameStar 7/99 3:24 & PC Player 1:40) in which it was seen with the "Brute" ID tag.

[[Image:Mon-quill-rat1.jpg|frame]]An aptly named creature whose early on distinction was its similarity in shape and size to the "Scavenger" monster class from Diablo 1. It was nevertheless clearly shown in the January GameStar video to differ from the "Scavenger" class by having a very distinct ranged attack using it's quills as projectiles. Once disturbed it launches a well aimed shaft which during flight appears very much like a small arrow. Though undoubtedly a nuisance to characters specialising in melee they seem to provide very little challenge either up close or at a distance. In death they curl up into a half ball exposing their quills at perpendicular angles to the plane of the body. It is expected that they will be the source of many an Amazon arrow through her use of the "Convert" skill on quills given up on their death. I can almost hear your friendly neighbourhood Amazon uttering the phrase... "Sorry be right back gotta bag me some quill rats to replenish my arrows". Apparently found throughout the outdoor areas of Act One a subtype has been noted indoors in a gameplay video (Paladin 1:13) under the different ID tag "Thorn Beast".

[[Image:Mon-razorback1.jpg|frame]]An early nominee for fiercest looking Act One monster the Razorback has unfortunately not been seen very often in screenshots or videos to date. Consequently very little is known about its behaviour and attack style. From one early screenshot we can infer that it is apparently susceptible to some form of "stone curse" type magical attack. Nothing original there since excepting the big "D" himself all monsters in Diablo 1 were susceptible to stone curse. However since the Amazon, featured along with the razorback in the shot, is not currently known to have access to a skill type giving the greyish white "frozen" effect of the original stone curse spell (her cold based arrow skills give a bluish tinge to the frozen effect) this could of course be a case of speculation run rampant. Only time and eventual release of the game will likely lead to a rational explanation of the shot. Nevertheless the Razorback, simian in stance, with long arms whose knuckles drag along the ground, and equipped with a formidable looking row of sharp dorsal spines, as its name reflects, will undoubtedly make for fun company along the Diablo 2 trail.

[[Image:Mon-skeleton1.jpg|frame]]A great feature in which Diablo 2's monster development differs from the methods used in the original Diablo is the previously discussed "Component Armour and Weapon System". Of all the monster types revealed so far by Blizzard to be used in the sequel the Skeleton class may be the one to most benefit from the component system in terms of variety of appearance and impact on gameplay. The kinds of nuances added to gameplay by the component armour and weapon system are certainly a welcome addition to the game design for they add variety and require additional tactical thought by the player. Not content to just add variety of armour and weapons, Mike Huang of Blizzard North has recently revealed that monsters equipped with shields will also be able to block attacks the same way player characters can. You can bet that this monster skill, new in Diablo 2, will be featured in the Skeleton class and may significantly impact the "luck" factor in the game. Though skeletons are expected to be a big part of the monster environment in Diablo 2, screenshots and videos seem to imply that they are significantly more prevalent in Act Two rather than Act One. Nevertheless one skeleton subtype - "Corpse" - has been clearly seen in the outdoor areas of Act One in the recent PC Player video (1:11).

[[Image:Mon-thorned-hulk1.jpg|frame]]One of the most impressive if not the most impressive of the Act One non unique monsters is the "Thorned Hulk". The abilities of the "Thorned Hulk" appear to be a closely guarded Blizzard North secret (are we being a little paranoid here?) since it has only been seen in one Act One screenshot and has been absent from all videos released to date. Featured in an early Blizzard piece on monster creation Anatomy of a Thorned Hulk it's characteristics and AI behaviour have nevertheless remained a mystery.

[[Image:Mon-zombie1.jpg|frame]]Many shots of Zombie class monsters are noted in released screenshots and videos. With the exception of the "Fallen" class they have been featured to the greatest extent in the currently available media. As their Diablo 1 brethren they are slow moving and, those in Act One, seem to feature only a close up melee attack. Three distinct subtypes have been clearly ID tagged in videos to date - "Hungry Dead", "Carcass", and "Ghoul". The "Hungry Dead" have been seen mostly in the outdoor areas of Act One where they will likely provide much early level monster fodder for those starting new characters. The "Carcass" subtype has been seen in the Blizzard Paladin video (1:56) in the "Crypt" level, and the "Ghoul" subtype has only been found in or nearby "Andariel's" throne room in the bowels of the Monastery in both the GameStar 7/99 (2:25) and PC Games (1:32) videos. No inkling yet on whether a Zombie subtype similar to the "Black Death" from Diablo 1 will reappear. Undoubtedly the least favourite Zombie type of Diablo 1 "Warrior" class vets, given their penchant for melee style combat, due to it's ability to reduce the absolute hit point cap. It's unlikely however that a similar monster type will be included in Diablo 2 since it has been stated that there will be no character level cap in the game and hence absolute hit point caps presumably will not be a feature.

[[Image:Mon-blunderbore1.jpg|frame]]Much has been written about the Blunderbore but unfortunately it hasn't been ID tagged in any of the videos so far released. The pin head look with a mohawk style nail coiffure and it's apparent affection for the latest look in chains do wonders for its fearsome appearance. Of course its propensity to use humans as clubs doesn't hurt either though one has to wonder how effective clubs made out of soft malleable human flesh would be even if wrapped in fine chain. There simply is no accounting for taste in the Blunderbore's choice in weapons... ;) Expected to have a strong melee attack, no knowledge of its monster AI behaviour is currently known.

[[Image:Mon-claw-viper1.jpg|frame]]Claw vipers have been seen predominantly in a red colour but gold and orange variants have also been noted. It was speculated that of the latter two, the orange variant may have been a special unique since it was seen alone in the company of "reds" in an excellent screenshot. They seem to rely on their pointed barb like tail as their primary attack (not known if poisonous but possible). They've been seen to have an AI tendency to push the player character back using their claws so as to engage with their presumably stronger tail lash attack. Thus it has been suggested for close up attack specialists, such as the Paladin and Barbarian, that it may be advisable to attempt to close the distance in order to engage it while it can only use its weaker melee based claw attack. They have been noted outside in the Desert, in the Catacombs, in the Tombs, and in the Sewer levels of Act Two.

[[Image:Mon-desert-wing1.jpg|frame]]Large bat-like creatures thought to be first seen in a shot from the 1998 E3 Cinematic. With flying movements somewhat reminiscent of the Zerg mutalisk fliers in Blizzard StarCraft cinematics, these creatures eluded naming until the fairly recent French D2 video where they appeared with the above noted ID tag. They have been seen both outside in the desert environs surrounding "Lut Gholein", the principal town in Act Two, as well as in the "Tomb's" level seen in many released screenshots and videos. There is no knowledge, as of yet, whether they have any special attacks and very little can be discerned of their AI behaviour patterns from released video. As seen above in the only available screenshot, in which they are found, they have characteristically bat like wings, long pointy ears, and curiously shaped lower extremities with what appears to be abnormally long toes curved upwards in an almost prehensile fashion.

[[Image:Mon-dung-warrior1.jpg|frame]]A relatively slow moving armoured warrior of the desert, it is currently unknown whether it has any other attacks except via direct melee. The subtype "Steel Weevil" was noted in the French video (00:16 & 00:48) in the "Tomb's" level. The only colour combination noted in screenshots to date can perhaps be seen best in this shot. They have a greyish-black head, claws, and fore-appendage along with a reddish-brown upper arm and abdomen. Curiously they walk using only two legs. Do upright walking bi-pedal insects exist in the real world? Food for thought for those tirelessly pondering the mysteries of the Diablo 2 universe... any entomologist D2 fans out there?