Changes

This article explains some of the major differences in game play and technical details between Diablo II and Diablo I. It's written for the Diablo II player who has never tried Diablo and wants to try the original.

The biggest difference a new player notices, going from D2 to D1, is the pacing. Diablo feels very slow, especially as your character walks around Tristram, and one of the best innovations added in [[Hellfire ]] was the ability to doubletime jog in town. Thats not an option in Diablo, so players just have to accept it and get used to it. Fortunately, Tristram is rather small, and the slow walking speed isn't noticeable in the dungeons (aside from when you must move through a long, already cleared out section). Also, all characters can learn the Teleport skill, and while this can not be cast in town (except in some mods), it enables very rapid movement around the dungeons, all of which are much smaller (though more monster-packed) than any of the dungeons in Diablo II.

==CharactersMovement and Physics==Diablo has only three character classes, each of which Another big change between the games is designed to be played that everything in their own unique, iconic way. The [[D1 Warrior|Warrior]] Diablo is laid out on a melee battler, best suited to using a swordrigid X/shield, with some magic for supportY axis. The [[D1 Rogue|Rogue]] is the archergame world can be thought of as a large sheet of graph paper, deadly and masterful with the bowevery item, character, but capable of using magic quite effectively as welland monster can only take up one square. The [[D1 Sorcerer|Sorcerer] This is nearly a pure mage; slow evident when you drop items, since 8 will surround you, and weak with weapons9th will fall where you are standing, he must use spells and it's impossible to kill withdrop any more. Only 8 monsters can fit in around a character, and while getting started with if you put yourself into a Sorcerer corner only 3 can be get into range. This makes using the terrain in the dungeons a challenge, at high levels he is by far major part of the fastest killing charactergame's strategy.

===Skills Characters using ranged attacks are advised to fire down the straight lines, especially at monsters that advance along them, such as Knights or Skeletons. Monsters (and Spellbooks===While the Diablo characters ) are very different hard to hit with a projectile when targeting them diagonally. If a group of enemies is coming in, shoot in their designa straight line, they have move over a great deal of overlap as well. There are no unique skills in Diablostep, and other than one "ability" each character can use inherentlyshoot down that line, there are no skill trees of any typeetc. Magic exists in By the gamesame token, but it comes from spells which all characters can access, either from scrolls, charges on staffs, attacking arrow or by learning the spell by reading -firing enemies should move in a [[D1 Spellbooks|Spellbook]]. All characters can read all zig zag pattern to greatly reduce the same spellbooks, though since there are magic requirements to read them, Rogues and especially Warriors need special +magic equipment to learn higher level spells, and to read higher levels number of hits they will take on their way in the same spells.

===Attributes=Stash==The four attributes are very similar There is no stash in name and function in D1 and D2; strength, dexterity, and vitality are identicalDiablo. When you create a new game, and only the fourth items your character is the same in all but name, Magic vswearing or carrying go with them. Energy. The attributes have about Items can be left lying on the same purpose in each gameground during games, and just as in D2fact that's usually what players do, different characters gain different benefits from points in each attributesince the inventory needs to be cleared out to stock up on potions. Sorcerers get more mana per magic point, Warriors get more life from each vitality point, etc Just don't forget to pick all of your stuff up before you quit the game.

==Characters==Diablo has only three character classes, each of which is designed to be played in their own unique, iconic way. The maximum values [[D1 Warrior|Warrior]] is a melee battler, best suited to using a sword/shield, with some magic for each character's attributes are very differentsupport. The [[D1 Rogue|Rogue]] is the archer, deadly and masterful with the bow, providing pros but capable of using magic quite effectively as well. The [[D1 Sorcerer|Sorcerer] is a pure mage; slow and cons weak with weapons, he must use spells to each. See kill, and while getting started with a Sorcerer can be a challenge, at high levels he is by far the fastest killing character pages for more details.

===Life Skills and ManaSpellbooks===While the Diablo characters are very different in their design, they have a great deal of overlap as well. There is are no life or mana regeneration unique skills in Diablo, and life and mana leech other than one "ability" each character can use inherently, there are very rare propertiesno skill trees of any type. As a result Magic exists in the game is a bit of a potion fest, with the high level play style (especially for Sorcerers) punctuated by regular trips to Adria the Witch, where the entire inventory is filled with mana potions. Pepin the healer sells healing potions, but most life for Rogues and Warriors it comes from spells which all characters can access, either from scrolls, charges on staffs, or by learning the Healing skillspell by reading a [[D1 Spellbooks|Spellbook]]. Sorcerers have very low hit points Spells increase in power and very high decrease in manacost with each book that your character reads, so and they universally use the very effective (overpowered) Mana Shield 100% of the timeare hard capped at level 15.

Monsters ===Attributes===The four attributes are resistant very similar in name and immune to the three types of magic as well. All monsters with a resistance have 75% to itfunction in D1 and D2; strength, dexterity, without exception. Monsters that and vitality are immune to a type of magic are totally immune to it; fire immune monsters won't be touched by flame spellsidentical, and the fourth is the same in all but name, or even notice themMagic vs. A few monster types are "triple immune" and can not be hurt by any type of spell except for ApocalypseEnergy. No monsters The attributes have about the same purpose in Diablo have a resistance or immunity to physical damage thougheach game, so immunities and resistances are of little concern to most Warriors and Roguesjust as in D2, different characters gain different benefits from points in each attribute. Sorcerers must join them in bashing sometimesget more mana per magic point, since they can only use Stone Curse and their weapon (and perhaps a Golem) to kill triple immunesWarriors get more life from each vitality point,etc.

===Equipment===Items The maximum values for each character's attributes are more limited in Diablovery different, providing strengths and limitations to each. Characters wear only body armor, helms, two rings, an amuletWarriors max out at 60 dexterity, and perhaps therefore need equipment to obtain a shieldsufficient to/hit. There are no glovesRogues only get 55 strength, boots, or belts. Weapons are divided between axes so must specialize their equipment to wear the heaviest (all two-handed90 str req), swords, maces, staffs, and bowsplate mail. There is no item switch option, And so if you want to change around your equipment, it requires opening up the inventory window and clicking and draggingforth. Gold is a physical item as well, and it takes up room in the inventory; 5000 per inventory spot is See the limit, which means a individual character can only hold up to 200,000 gold. There are no socketed items, runes, jewels, or charms, and no Horadric Cube or any sort of item conversion or crafting recipespages for more details.

==PvP =Life and Friendly FireMana===Playing multiplayer There is no life or mana regeneration in Diablo requires skill not to PK, but to '''avoid''' killing other playersand life and mana leech are very rare properties, and only work with melee weapons. Warriors can play in close proximity without accidentally killing each other if they're careful where they swing, but Rogues have As a result the game is a lot bit of trouble not nailing each othera potion fest, and two with the high level play style (especially for Sorcerers can't even be on ) punctuated by regular trips to Adria the Witch, where the same screen without accidentally incinerating each other entire inventory is filled with stray spells or direct hits that pass through monsters mana potions. Pepin the healer sells healing potions, but most life for Rogues and nail other characters in Warriors comes from the same directionHealing skill. Even being off the screen is no guarantee of safetySorcerers have very low hit points and very high mana, since so many spells and arrows travel well off they use the very effective (overpowered) Mana Shield 100% of the visible screen without losing any of their potencytime.

==Dungeon Elements==The world of Diablo is much smaller than that of Diablo II. The only town is TristramWhen you die in a multiplayer game, beneath which there are [[D1 Levels|16 dungeon levels]], grouped into four sets of four levels each. Going down, they are referred your corpse "pops" and everything your character had equipped falls to as the Church (or Cathedral)ground. This makes recovering your loot after death a real challenge, one that's compounded by the Catacombs (Cats)smaller dungeons, the Cavesmore persistent monsters, and Hell. The uppermost level the lack of each new dungeon section has a stairway running speed. On the bright side, telekinesis can pick up anything you target it on, and all characters can learn the teleport spell. Rogues and Warriors are advised to carry (at least) a spare weapon they can leave in town, and in multiplayer games since it's possible for characters of usually necessary to kill a sufficient level few monsters to descend directly to level 5, 9, or 13get your stuff back.

===Shrines=Resistances==There are only three types of resistances in Diablo I: fire, lightning, and magic. All direct damage spells fit into one of these categories, with one exception; [[D1 ShrinesD1_Spellbooks#Apocalypse|ShrinesApocalypse]] in Diablo play , which deals a much more important role than they do in D2special type of damage that can not be resisted and that nothing is immune to. Players can raise their resistances to 75% at most. Shrines may have positive or negative effectsThey max out there, and some of the negative ones can not be raised any higher by any equipment. Many spells can be blocked by characters who are permanent. Itstanding still and equipped with a shield, though this isn's essential that you view a list of shrines and note t always desired (write down) which ones low damage spells like Charged Bolt can cause you absolutely do not want to touch. It's recommended that players never hit a Goat Shrine or Cauldron, since those create a random shrine effect which could permanently damage block and interrupt your characterattack animation).

play ==PvP and Friendly Fire==There is a hostile button in Diablo II, but the only difference it makes is allowing you to select the point where the SP experience other player as a target. The button is very nearly equal almost irrelevant, since it's trivially easy to swing, shoot, or cast in the BNet one (with the obvious exception direction of other players)another player, and since there is unlimited friendly fire in Diablo and Hellfire, they're dead meat whether you've gone hostile or not.

This is not the case in Playing multiplayer Diablorequires skill to '''avoid''' killing other players. The single-player game is somewhat persistent: Warriors can play in close proximity without accidentally chopping other players, but Rogues have a lot of trouble not hitting nailing other players (usually when you save your characterthey walk into the Rogue's firing line), and Sorcerers have a hard time playing on the game is saved with itsame level, and loading will pick up in much less the exact spot that you left offsame screen, as other players. When starting It's surpassingly easy to kill a new game, Diablo will randomly generate friend with a set of quests that you may complete in addition to some pre-set ones, and these may come with quest-specific rewards (unique itemsstray Fireball or Chain Lightning, etc). You must also manage saving your game yourself - even if you quit without saving, your progress is lostthey're well out of visual range. When the inevitable happens, clear the area as quickly as you die in single-player, your game ends, can and your options are only to reload from your previous save use a resurrection scroll or start else cast a brand-new game while re-using safe Town Portal (if they've restarted in town) near the same character. And, finally, the single-player game allows you only Normal difficulty - there is no Nightmare or Hell modepile of items your dead friend popped.

==Items=Shrines===Items underwent [[D1 Shrines|Shrines]] in Diablo play a serious overhaul much more important role than they do in D2. Shrines may have positive or negative effects, but in Diablo, and some of the negative ones are permanent. It's essential that you will find only three types: normal (white), magic (blue), view a list of shrines and Unique note (goldwrite down)which ones you absolutely do not want to touch. It is not necessary to identify an item before using it's recommended that players never hit a Goat Shrine or Cauldron, and you may be able to use the abilities of the item without knowing what they are, but beware: there are negative magical affixes (reduced since those create a random shrine effect which could permanently damage, lowered durability, etc.). These "cursed" items sell for virtually nothing with the shopkeepersyour character.

There is no Stash in Diablo. ==Singlevs Multi-players may safely leave items on the ground in town and they will stay between save/load cycles, but when you start a new game, only the items carried on your character come with you. Also, multiplayer characters keep only their inventory between sessions - so pick everything up before you log off!Player==

There are very few differences between playing single-player or multi-player Diablo II. This is no way to highlight not the case in Diablo I. Most obviously, single player Diablo characters are truly single player. They can not play in any sort of MP game. Single player games are saved exactly as they are; all the monsters, level layouts, items on the ground, etc, are preserved exactly. D2 players are used Be sure you save frequently, since if you did you will have to hitting load from the SHIFT key every few seconds last save point, and it's no fun to have to scan clear a level for loot, but Diablo forces the second time since you forgot to keep your eyes and ears open save for the past hour. Diablo does not support nightmare or hell difficulties for things to pick upsingle player characters (Hellfire does). Be especially mindful of checking There is a work around monster corpsespossible in Diablo, though. If you play a multiplayer game, behind tombsthen exit it and start a single player game, etc. when looking for dropped stuffthe difficulty of the SP game will be the same as the MP game played before hand.

When item durability reaches 0, Multiplayer Diablo I is equivalent to singleplayer Diablo II. Characters are saved on your computer and can be played solo or with friends in a TCP/IP or LAN game. There are no saved games; just your character's state and the item equipment they're using and carrying is destroyed entirelysaved. Everything is fine up until you lose that last durability point - thenThere are only 4 [[Diablo Quests|quests]] in multiplayer Diablo I, and the item simply disappears from your inventorysame four are found every game. For armor, durability Multiplayer is lost by taking hits. Melee weapons lose durability through hitting enemies. Bows do not use arrowsalso much harder on Nightmare and Hell, but instead where the monsters have a chance to lose durability whenever about double the hit points they are fireddo in single player. The Blacksmith in town restores items You must be level 20 to full durability with create a Repair, but at nightmare game and level 30 to create a price (of course)hell game.

Some other items are now findable in ===Battle.net===Diablo, howeverwas the game that Battle. Scrolls come in all varieties of spellsnet was launched to support, and afford a one-time casting of you may still play the listed spellgame online via Blizzard's service. Diablo also supports TCP/IP and LAN play, with lower magic requirements and those are generally better lag than actually learning you'll get through the listed spellBattle. Spellbooks will teach net servers. There is no security on Diablo games or characters, and it's recommended that you new spells if back up your character files before playing online with anyone you can read themdon't know, since character corrupting hacks abound.

LastlyOne special monster to note: there The Black Death is a special monster which may appear in bright yellow zombie found on levels 3-5 called the Black Death. These bright yellow zombies They permanently take away 1 max hp every steal one of your hit points each time they successfully hit your character! You strike you, and should consider using ranged attacks or spells to eliminate be avoided at all cost. Do not fight them before they get a chance to get close.   ==Multiplayer==Diablo came in the days before modern ethernet networks were highly popularmelee, if you can help it, and sadly it does do not allow TCP/IP play over LAN. You may attempt to let them hit you or that's a hit point you will never get one of the other methods working, but most players will hop on Battle.net instead. Here are some of the differencesback.