Character Attributes

From Diablo Wiki

The Character Attributes are a set of values that determine a variety of different statistics that make each character in the Diablo series.

In each game, the set of attributes have undergone a revamp. So, it is but natural to expect a similar revamping of the attributes in Diablo III. But the current set of attributes is a solid combination that addresses the various balance issues seen in Diablo I.

Every time your character gains a level, you receive five points to spend on your Character Attributes. In Diablo I you can also boost your attributes by drinking Elixirs. In Diablo II you are rewarded with 5 attribute points by completing the quest Lam Esen's Tome

[edit] Diablo I

In Diablo I, the attributes were:

• Strength: increases the damage you deal with your regular attack. Also allows you to wear heavier armor and weapons.
• Dexterity: increases your chance to hit the enemy, your AC (Armor Class)and chance to block with a shield. Rogues and in the Hellfire expansion Monks and Bards gain additional damage from Dexterity. Some weapons require a certain amount of dexterity to wield.
• Vitality: increases your amount of life. For the Barbarian in the Hellfire expansion, it also increases your damage.
• Magic: increases the amount of damage done by your magic spells, increases your mana pool, and allows you to learn more advanced spells.

The damage increase from attributes (also called character damage) is determined by your class and level. It is not affected by the damage on your weapon or by having +% damage modifiers on your weapon. The +200% damage to demons bonus on Civerb's Cudgel does apply to it.

[edit] Diablo II

In Diablo II, the most notable change was the revamping of the Skill system that led to the replacement of the earlier Magic attribute with the more general Energy attribute.

• Strength: determines how much damage you deal with your equipped weapon(s), as well as determining the type of armor you are able to equip. Each point of strength increases your damage by 1% of your weapon's damage.
• Dexterity: determines how likely you are to hit your targeted enemy and how likely your targeted enemy is to hit you. Dexterity also determines your ability to equip certain weapons, mostly ranged weapons and the chance to block an enemy attack if equipped with a shield.
• Vitality: determines the amount of life and stamina your character has.
• Energy: determines the amount of mana your character has.

[edit] Diablo III

In Diablo III, the only notable change is the realignment of the various effects that attributes grant along with the renaming of Energy into Willpower, a more general term compared to Diablo I's Magic attribute.

A very controversial change to the Attribute system is that the player no longer has the freedom to assign attributes points to the attributes on leveling up. The stats are automatically increased, although the exact mechanics are not known, it cannot be said to be a random increase in stats. It is possible that the stats are increased by how much the player is dependent on those attributes.

• Strength: has been overhauled to become much more useful when wearing heavy armor and increasing damage. It still determines how much physical damage you deal with your equipped weapon(s) but it now includes the increase in health regeneration and increase in the chance to block, attributes that were linked to Vitality and Dexterity respectively. As stat requirements for items have been said by the Diablo III team not to be in game, Strength will not affect the items you can wear.
• Dexterity: has not changed much, it determines how likely you are to hit your targeted enemy and how likely your targeted enemy is to hit you. It does not increase the chance to block like in Diablo II as the function has been transferred to Strength.
• Vitality: like its function in the previous games, it determines the amount of life your character has. It also increases the mana regeneration rate of the character.
• Willpower: the new energy attribute determines the amount of mana your character possesses, as well as the power and effectiveness of spells cast by the character. It also affects the health globe bonus your character receives.

Character Attributes
Diablo I	Diablo II	Diablo III
Strength — Damage • Health Regeneration Dexterity — Attack Rating • Defense • Block Vitality — Life Magic — Mana • Mana Regeneration Resistances	Strength — Damage • Health Regeneration Dexterity — Attack Rating • Defense • Block Vitality — Life • Stamina Energy — Mana • Mana Regeneration Resistances	Strength — Damage • Health Regeneration • Block Dexterity — Attack Rating Vitality — Life • Mana Regeneration Willpower — Mana • Fury Resistances