PvP (short for 'player versus player' combat) has had a storied history in the Diablo series. \For Diablo III, we've decided to take it in a new direction to ensure that it's deep, organized, frantic, and fun.
Your rewards for shedding blood in the arena are purer than that: bragging rights, the joy of sending friends old and new to their swift and inglorious deaths, and points that represent how far you've progressed on the path to fame and glory.
You'll learn many of the fundamentals of PvP (like how to avoid attacks or target specific foes) by playing the single-player game, but PvP differs in that it isn't an ideal venue for gathering new weapons and armor.
Diablo III's PvP battles are fought in arenas spread out across the world of Sanctuary. These arenas aren't random -- they're all unique, designed with differing amounts of terrain and cover. You participate in PvP using the character of your choice, with access to all of the gear and skills you've accumulated playing the game in single-player or cooperative mode.
When you participate in ranked games (fights that pit two opposing teams of players against each other in 'best of' matches), you'll earn points for advancement based on kills, accomplished objectives, wins, and other factors. Points lead to multiplayer achievements, titles, and more. Our system is focused on encouraging furious combat and multiplayer progression, not stringent competitive rankings, so you'll earn points after every match and Battle.net matchmaking will pit you against similarly skilled opponents.
Five powerful character classes to choose from, including the barbarian and witch doctor
Brand-new 3D graphics engine enhanced with spectacular visual effects and Havok physics
Numerous indoor and outdoor areas detailing new regions in the world of Sanctuary
Interactive environments with dangerous traps and obstacles, and destructible elements
Randomly generated worlds bolstered by scripted events for endless and dynamic gameplay
Vast assortment of fiendish monsters, with unique attack patterns and behaviors
New quest system and character-customization options for the ultimate action RPG experience
Multiplayer functionality over Battle.net with support for cooperative and competitive play
We're also looking into other PvP game types that exist outside the ranking system, like 1-on-1 duels and mutually chosen team battles (for example, you and your friends could divide into two teams for an arena showdown). We'll have more information on the availability of these game types in the future.
Our aim for Diablo III's PvP is to set you up with dangerous, exciting gladiatorial matches, let you battle it out with other players at your own pace, and allow you to proudly display your rewards. We've added a robust system to remove the obstructions that may have kept you out of the action, so that you can focus on what really matters: answering the age-old question of 'who would win in a fight' -- with a gauntlet to the face.
