At gamescom 2024, we were able to speak with Rod Fergusson, the head of Diablo, and Gavian Whishaw, the Executive Producer of Vessel of Hatred. The interview covered topics including the new class arriving with Vessel of Hatred in Diablo 4 and which spirits are the developers’ favorites.
With Vessel of Hatred, Diablo 4 gains a new class – the Spiritborn. MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus had the opportunity to test the Spiritborn and its spirits in advance in July 2024. At gamescom 2024, he was able to discuss the new class with Diablo head Rod Fergusson and Gavian Whishaw, the Executive Producer of Vessel of Hatred.
As a fan of the wizard class, the Eagle spirit was the natural choice for Benedict Grothaus. In the conversation, he explains that he was also impressed by the Jaguar, especially its Ultimate. The developers also have their own favorites – and sometimes rely on surprising combinations of spirits.
“I love the versatility of this class”
Vessel of Hatred is the first expansion for Diablo 4 and introduces a new class to the game. The Spiritborn has a connection to the “Spirit Guardians” and can summon them to utilize their skills. The spirits represent the special class mechanic of the Spiritborn.
In the interview, Rod Fergusson reports that it feels like there are four classes when playing with the spirits of the Spiritborn. He says: “[…] But then comes the moment when you remember: No, wait, it’s just one class, I can have so much variety with this class.” For him, the most exciting thing about the Spiritborn is that the class allows for so many combinations.
He adds:
Some focus completely on the Jaguar or mix Jaguar with Centipede or Eagle or whatever. I love the versatility of this class.
Diablo Head: “I am Mr. Non-Meta”
Of course, we wanted to know which spirits are the favorites of the two developers. While testing the new class, they were surprised to find that they also liked spirits that were not their first choice.
Rod Fergusson says:
Actually, I’m starting to change my mind about this. Originally it was the Centipede because I’m a huge fan of poison damage over time, I was a Necro main. I played the Centipede, but during a few playtests, I tried the Jaguar for a change and really started to love the Jaguar. So it could end up that I play a mix of Jaguar and Centipede.
To our remark that this is a strange combination, Fergusson laughs and responds: “Hey, […] I am Mr. Non-Meta; if I can create a build, I will do it!”
Gavian Whishaw, the Executive Producer of Vessel of Hatred, is continually surprised by how fast the Spiritborn is. He says: “There are so many skills that bridge distances so quickly – that’s why I’m not going fully on Jaguar, it’s too fast, it’s too much.” His plan is to combine the Jaguar and the Gorilla as spirits, but he is still not completely sure:
This kind of thing happens all the time. At the beginning of the season, everyone says this will be the meta […] and then you see players starting to explore the depth of the system. Other builds emerge. When I started, I was very focused on Gorilla and then added the Jaguar, but when I played the demo and just focused on Centipede, I thought: “Oh, there’s something there.” So I’m still unsure; I need to work it out and try mixing and adjusting.
We asked the developers how they ensure that not everyone plays the Eagle spirit to trigger “Vulnerability” – an important aspect for many builds. According to Fergusson, it won’t just be the Eagle that enables “Vulnerability.” He isn’t “too worried” about it.
By the way, MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus also appeared in this year’s FYNG live stream. Over the gamescom weekend, you can also see MyMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski:
Regarding overly powerful skills and builds, the developers are now more relaxed. Fergusson emphasizes that the team has recognized that it’s okay if certain things are “overpowered” or work differently than originally thought. Balancing the five – soon to be six – classes is a central theme in Diablo 4, and we discussed exactly this with the two developers. The head of Diablo 4 revealed to us what is most important in balancing the classes.
Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) accompanies the great gaming event as the official media partner of gamescom 2024.
