Is this you?
Diablo 4, despite the criticism by some as being too easy, is, in fact, a complex game that requires a good deal of knowledge, time, and experience to master, especially for gamers who are new to the franchise or who have relatively little prior experience with modern MMORPGs. With an extensive variety of builds and other gameplay options, including the new Seasonal mechanics being introduced to the game every three months, Diablo 4 may seem somewhat overwhelming for casual gamers who have only a limited amount of time to play, or who lack the opportunity to party up with other people who are more experienced.
If this sounds like you, then it’s important to be aware, first and foremost, that you are among the majority of people who play this game. As such, this article is intended specifically for you, assuming that you would like to get even more enjoyment and progression out of your game. As you continue reading, please keep in mind that nothing in this article is meant to be demeaning in any way. The information below is only intended to help you take the basics steps toward getting even better at playing Diablo 4.
The depths of knowledge
There are so many resource websites out there with a ton of information about how to properly play Diablo 4. To make matters worse, all that information gets constantly changed, updated, and expanded as Blizzard releases patches and hotfixes that are intended to make the game more playable and satisfying. Consequently, it could take a new player days or weeks of reading through a multitude of different guides before achieving the level of understanding required to make well-informed decisions on how to approach the game.
Who has the time for all that research? People decided to buy this game because they wanted to actually play it rather than spending a bunch of their precious time researching and learning how to do it. Well, it turns out that most people who play Diablo 4 simply do not have the time or inclination to learn all of what they would need to know in order to play the game really well.
It is true that you can jump right into the game and figure things out through the process of trial and error. In fact, the developers designed the game to be playable in this way, but only up to a point. Just making things up as you go along could get your first character to level 60 or 70. However, those same developers fully expect players to buckle down and learn the game really well in order to effectively progress much further than that. Confidently progressing beyond the early endgame, or taking full advantage of the Seasonal theme, will likely require most players to become thoroughly familiar with the game mechanics, me included.
Help! help!
I have encountered many casual Diablo players over the years who were, or are, struggling with their games. This experience has made me well aware of the challenge associated with acquiring the extensive knowledge and experience that is required for gaming proficiency. For example, I know from personal experience that there are a fair number of players who, right now, nearly four weeks into Season 2, have yet to even look at, never mind learn and understand, the Vampiric Powers. Many players who have already reached Character Level 60+ still have no familiarity with, or awareness of, these new Seasonal mechanics. Some players may find this observation a little hard to believe, but the truth is that this fact is a clear reflection of the obstacle confronted by many casual players due to the huge volume of information that is disseminated at the launch of a new game like Diablo 4, or at the beginning of a new Season.
So, where does a casual player go for help? Well, the answer is not to go and find a simpler game (Candy Crush probably makes more money than the entire Blizzard catalog combined). After all, we really do like playing Diablo and so we want to stay with it. Thankfully, most of the things you may have questions about are covered in the Diablo 4 Wiki. We specifically write the wiki content to make it easy to understand for everyone, so do check that out. If you still need more help with basic gameplay, or with understanding and interpreting the guides on this site, please feel free post a comment below and rest assured that you will receive a favorable reply.
On the other hand, there are several other gaming resource websites that offer a plethora of guides, which many of my fellow casual gamers have found to be quite perplexing. That’s because those guides are not necessarily intended to be teaching aids, per se, but are designed as references for experienced players who are already comfortable with navigating their way around brand new builds or complex game mechanics. Casual players have also reported encountering some difficulty when attempting to contact those sites with questions about their guides, or when posting requests for help on busy forums. Sometimes they’ve received constructive answers, if they were lucky (I never was), but they were even more likely to be told to just read the guides again or trolled off the forums. The same has usually been true for many of the popular Diablo streamers. Most were willing to answer brief and straight-forward questions that were posted in chat, but taking more time to help new players learn the game just wasn’t feasible.
The 4-1-1
Casual players can benefit from more gaming knowledge just as much as anyone else. The trick is to be able to learn and understand all that stuff more quickly and still have plenty of time left to actually play the game. One solution is to find a more friendly forum on which to post questions and requests. I can say with all honesty that the Diablo 4 Forum here on PureDiablo is one such place. At the same time, though, I can truly appreciate the hesitation felt by many solo and casual players when it comes to posting a question, because they’re afraid of being made to feel naive. Nevertheless, the PureDiablo forums are a safe place to interact with other gamers, and it’s worth giving it a try at least once.
However, in-depth learning about gameplay basics may prove to be impractical or extremely time consuming via a Q&A forum. Therefore, a much better option may be to party up with experienced players who are willing to take new players under their wing. I realize that many, if not most, casual and solo players experience some degree of social anxiety when considering the prospect of grouping up with people they don’t know. Be that as it may, knowing that the Diablo community is, overall, a genuinely friendly group of gamers should help to alleviate some of that apprehension.
Players who feel self-conscious about needing a lot of help can start by looking through the Diablo 4 Player Match-up / Clan Recruitment forum. Find a post from a clan that is recruiting players of all experience levels and respond by indicating that you are a new and/or inexperienced player who needs help with learning the game. Alternatively, you could just make a similar post of your own to indicate that you are looking for a friendly clan. You might be surprised to find that there are a lot of well-meaning players on this forum who would be more than happy to help you out. Don’t forget, PureDiablo has its own clan too and you can search for us in-game on the clan search. While you’re at it, also consider joining the PureDiablo Discord so you can post your questions or requests for help in one of the text channels.
Stay awhile and listen
If you’re still apprehensive or hesitant about exploring the options suggested above, then your fellow casual gamer Gazerrick has got your back. Sound off in the comments section below, ping me on the PureDiablo Discord, or join the PureDiablo Clan in-game and whisper me there. In any case, I will always do my best to respond by either taking you under my wing (one-on-one if you prefer) or by helping you find a good group that can provide the support and guidance you need.
We would love to hear your opinions on the matter, so please share them below. Also keep an eye on the news feed here at PureDiablo so you’ll have all the up-to-date info you need to get the most out of your game.
Cheers,
Gazerrick