Hey everyone! I’m a newcomer to Diablo 4 after playing Diablo 3, and I’ve noticed that while D4 has this darker, more focused vibe compared to the epic feel of D3, there’s something missing that I found fascinating in the previous game. Most of the folks in Sanctuary seem pretty unaware of their history—like how Deckard Cain and Tyrael laid it out for the Horadrim in D3. As far as I can tell, the lore about the Nephalem, those powerful beings from D3 who were a big deal, seems completely absent in D4. I’ve seen references to areas and characters from both D3 and the earlier games, but the term ‘Nephalem’ doesn’t pop up at all, not even from the Horadrim. Instead, we see terms like the ‘Pits of the Artificer’ replacing Nephalem Rifts. Was this a conscious choice by the writers? I really hoped I would encounter some Nephalem spirits or even Tyrael during my playthrough but got nothing until the last side quest. Anyone else feel this way?
3 Answers
I think the writers are steering clear of the Nephalem because they were just too powerful. In D3, every player felt like a god, leaving us all wondering where the story could go from that point. It might be a better choice for the overall narrative to keep things grounded in D4, even if I miss some of that lore too. Honestly, I hope they give the writing team for D4 a good shake-up because some of the plotlines in some expansions were just cringe-worthy, like all the cliché friendship stuff. The cliffhangers are especially annoying too!
Totally agree. The protagonist in D4 feels strong, but there’s no rationale behind that power like we had in D3. I definitely felt the absence of a solid origin story for why our character can smash through hordes of enemies with ease.
From a marketing standpoint, they really wanted to steer clear of D3 references when launching D4 to emphasize that darker theme they were going for. It’s interesting because D3 was such a hit, so avoiding any connection to it might have alienated some fans. Also, they may want to save the Nephalem references for future expansions to keep players coming back for more lore, which is a smart business tactic. The Nephalem storyline being pushed aside could lead to some exciting surprises later!
I felt the same way at first, but as I played through D4, I noticed more layers of the plot that link back to D3 without explicitly mentioning the Nephalem. It’s like they want to tease us!
For sure. With this live service model, it makes sense for them to leave some questions open-ended for potential future content. Here’s hoping we see Tyrael again and dive deeper into that backstory!
Honestly, I believe they ditched the Nephalem lore because it was written poorly in D3. It makes the plot tricky, as everyone becomes super strong, which limits storytelling. The current approach gives a sense that we are less omnipotent and instead highlights survival skills based on individual character success. I still have issues with the D4 story’s consistency, but I think steering clear of the Nephalem was a decent choice. At the very least, it feels like D4’s characters are real threats again!
That’s true! They needed a refreshing take where not every character is a powerhouse. It makes encounters feel more dire and immersive.
While I get wanting to scale down, I still miss feeling like I was a part of something grand rather than just a scrappy survivor. But, I understand the need for balance.
Exactly! The power level in D3 was just over the top, which made it hard to escalate the story further. I still want to see that lore explored, but I get why they might want to move away from it.