Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Champion’s Undead Checklist

Blizzard Entertainment’s titanic action role playing game Diablo III is getting it’s first expansion, if you didn’t know. It’s called Reaper of Souls, and it looks pretty incredible – if you thought you worked your ass off to secure the Black Soulstone first time round, then be prepared for another marathon round of undead-splattering to pry it from the grips of the former Archangel of Wisdom, Malthael.

As with all new expansions, there are new things trying to kill you – so I made a rough guide about what will be trying to maul your face.

Part of a contingent from the High Heavens that were sent to drag Malthael back home by his ear, but never quite managed. Enjoys long walks through the countryside and wearing your intestinal tract as a fashionable necklace.

These guys are nasty. Murderers of men, women and children from the deepest and darkest cells in the prisons of Westmarch have been granted a new start in life, as well as a protein-rich dietary plan. Expect knockbacks, bad breath and some absurd damage.

Having been bullied at school for his oversized hands, the Exorcist has decided to use his back-scratching powers for evil, mostly by clawing at people’s eyeballs. These guys specialise in demonic possession, so prepare for plenty of minions and a repeating rendition of Tubular Bells.

Having lost out on Princess Leia, this floating Jabba-esque demon is looking to put you in a revealing short-skirt instead. Seems to be capable of snaring players, which is a massive hindrance if they aren’t the only ones at the party. Priority targets for sure.

The ranged infantry of Malthael’s rag-tag army. The Revenant Archer is even better equipped than your average ranger – he can shoot through just about anything, be it wood, stone or even the floor. No bugging this guy into a corner, kill him with fire (or whatever’s to hand).

Previously at the employ of King Justinian IV, these shieldmasters are skilled melee combatants. Since Malthael’s proposal of a better dental plan, these guys have been taking to the streets of Westmarch to wreak havoc amongst it’s inhabitants. Aim for the left leg.

The rent-a-kill mercenary soldier, undead edition. Never alone and always hungry for blood, expect to get used to grinding these into oblivion. Don’t be disheartened by the fact that these were the old militia of Westmarch – they clearly weren’t that good at holding the fort.

These guys are right nasty. When they spot you, they darken your vision and sap away all remnants of hope from your soul – mean right? Not even the school bully was that bad. Teach them a lesson in respect by lighting them up like the fourth of July.

As the name suggests, these guys are adept at summoning friends, so expect a welcome party when you stumble across one. For all the charisma and social prowess that the Summoner has, a swift jab through the heart will reduce both him and his minions to dust.

A monstrous nightmare of the canine variety, the War Beast hunts in packs and has a penchant for human flesh. Consider rubbing it’s belly with a pitchfork, or playing fetch with a face-guided fireball. Either should do the trick.

If these denizens of the undead look a bit daunting, fear not, a new class is on hand to help in your war against Malthael – the Crusader. The Reaper of Souls expansion has a release date set for 2014, with a playable version available at Blizzcon which is taking place this coming weekend, so keep an eye out for more updates.

[UPDATE]: Blizzcon has given us some new information about the monsters players will be encountering in Diablo 3’s latest expansion – here is what we know:

The Summoner defiles the ground beneath it, raising ghosts to aid it in battle.

The Punisher is a powerhouse – it smashes players with it’s massive fists, dealing heavy damage.

The Boggit, Bogan Trapper and Brute are all members of the Boggit family – amphibious patchwork looking creatures by the look of the screenshots. Brutes often throw the smaller Boggits at players, and then charge them. If a Terrorbat bites a Boggit, it becomes a Brute, which can also then spawn more Boggits, which can be bitten, etc. In essence, unless you do something quickly you will be swimming in them.

Scarab Swarms appear to try and overwhelm the player from random places.

Realm Walkers spawn monsters from other realms through a portal. Upon death they explode but the portal remains, so players can nip through and take a look at the realm that the creatures were being spawned from.

The Trapper Tower hosts monsters which throw traps down towards players, attacking them from above. If the tower is destroyed, it collapses, killing the monsters that are still up the tower.

Exorcists charge themselves with lightning, and overload it towards the player.

Westmarch Hounds attack the player by literally grabbing them in their mouth and trying to gobble them up. If one manages to kill a player, that player becomes marked as it’s territory – presumably meaning that you’re either it’s bitch, or that it will try and eat you all over again.

Take a look over at Diablo Fans to see the latest screenshots pulled from the conference.