The certain contents in Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred expansion have invited divisive argument among players for different reasons, such as Dark Citadel raid, story campaign and its epilogue.
But it is undeniable that Spiritborn, the sixth class in the game, seems to be generally well received. Because it allows for the element of mixing and customization, and combines with different play styles and guardian Spirits. Therefore, Spiritborn is more refined and well-rounded than the five preliminary classes in the base game.
The problem facing Spiritborn, however, is that it is easy for players to compare it with Druid, for better or for worse.
Spiritborn And Druid Class
Spiritborn serves as the guardian of Spirit Realm and Nahantu and share quite a lot of similarities with Diablo 3 Monk, the inspiration sources of Spiritborn. So Spiritborn is essentially a martial artist. The skills that he is equipped with are more suited to close combat, though his most powerful skill comes to Quill Volley, a ranged skill from Eagle line.
Druid, on the other hand, is the ultimate protector of nature who is inclined to cast spells and transform its form.
But the comparison makes sense, even though on the surface Spiritborn and Druid share nothing alike. The comparison certainly raises the question that whether the class is outdated.
The most positive consequence of the comparison is deeper thinking and discussion about class design, which can lead to more reasonable and comprehensive characters.
Spirits And Nature Of Spiritborn And Druid
The most obvious similarity between Spiritborn and Druid is that both of them have their animal spirit, which help determine what achievements they can acquire in the aspect of gameplay.
Spiritborn class is available to choose its primary and secondary guardians between four original spirits in Spirit Hall screen, and they are Jaguar, Gorilla, Eagle, and Centipede, respectively.
They all have different emphases in terms of skills and strengths. Jaguar centers on Ferocity and multi-attack skills, Gorilla focuses on Resolve and Barriers skills, Eagle gives much emphasis on Evade-based skills and projectile attacks, and Centipede pays much attention to enhance damage significantly over time via Poison.
These four spirits share unique merits and associated builds. But compared with Druid’s Spirit Boons, the advantages of these spirits are very obvious, because Druid’s Spirit Boons are not qualified to affect game choices or how Druid works.
For Spiritborn, the combination of unique spirits generates unique play styles and builds. In terms of the degree of customization, Spiritborn’s spirits share more freedom than Druid’s Spirit Boons.
Gameplay And Mobility Of Spiritborn And Druid
Another comparison that players talk about is about mobility. It is well known that compared to other classes, Druid has a poor upgrade experience and weaker mobility. On the other hand, because of the introduction of mobility in Eagle skills, Spiritborn does not suffer from the trouble of leveling up. And it makes Spiritborn smooth sailing in the early stages of the game.
In terms of the combination of unique abilities, since Druid is designed as an image of slow speed and tanky figure, flexibility and mobility are relatively poor, such as Werewolf and Werebear skills or Nature and Earth skills. But Spiritborn is obviously more agile, and even as for relatively hefty Gorilla skills, there will be more mobility tools waiting for them to pick.
Although Werewolf skills can generally provide Druid with more mobility, they are also considered being one of the weakest skills in the class.
Impact On Class Design
Some characteristics of Spiritborn and Druid are very similar. Perhaps, considering that Spiritborn is a new class and has received a lot of attention at the beginning of its release, many players ignore its similarities.
After gaining an in-depth understanding of Spiritborn’s skills and builds, many players compared it with Druid, including its similarities and differences. And it begs a question that whether Diablo 4 requires new classes. Because to some extent, Spiritborn can be regarded as an improved version of Druid.
The introduction of Spiritborn undoubtedly exposed Druid’s weaknesses in the first few seasons, and even affected the career choices in the next few seasons. Of course, it also gave game developers a deeper level of thinking in class design, not just limited to the balance between classes.
The balance of different classes’ abilities is certainly important, but if the balance is created by weakening Spiritborn’s skills, it is something that many players do not want to see. What really matters is the unique mechanisms and skills of the classes.
Unique Items For Spiritborn And Druid
Whether it is Spiritborn or Druid, there are Unique items for them to equip. Let us put the difference and influence of them aside, and pay attention to improve their strength in the first place.
Rod of Kepeleke and Rakanoth’s Wake serve as two outstanding items in Diablo 4’s Spiritborn arsenal, especially for players who focus on a core skill build. But there is also a significant alleviation, which is that it reduces damage based on their Vigor Cost. But this can be offset by secondary effects. The performance provided by these two Unique items is literally equivalent to a freight train. And you can embrace them by devoting some Diablo 4 Gold.
If you choose Druid as your class, then it is recommended to equip the following Unique items to make you unstoppable and influence the gameplay further.
- Vasily’s Prayer: A top-tier item for Pulverize Werebear build, offering synergy function with Earth skills.
- Insatiable Fury: Boosts Werebear form to make it more suitable for tanky, melee-focused builds.
- Mad Wolf’s Glee: Best item for Werewolf speed-farming builds.
- Waxing Gibbous: Perfect for Shred Werewolf builds, providing near 100% Crit Chance.
- Temerity (Ancestral quality): Provides significant sustainability improvement.
- Mother’s Embrace: Provide amounts of Spirit regeneration when employing Tornado Druid build.
The above is the discussion caused by the comparison of Spiritborn and Druid. Thanks for reading.
