Deckard Cain
Introduced in 1997 in the original Diablo, Deckard Cain has become a surprising mascot for the series over the past 25 years. Surprising mainly because his old ass is the opposite of the frenetic gameplay of the quintessential hack & slash action RPG.
In a game with demons, summons and wild skill particle effects littering the screen, Deckard is a slow-moving, slow-talking old guy who implores us to "stay a while and listen."
Good thing we're interested in what he has to say.
Since that first iteration, he has been a mainstay in the games – usually giving us tutorial help or backstory. Or, in the case of Diablo III, a student who turns into she-diablo.
I missed Diablo as a 10 year old, but I remember my friend's older brothers being obsessed with it. I joined the franchise in the next installment, Diablo II, which has gone on in the scrolls of game history as one of the high points.
And, as well documented throughout this site, I was a big, big fan of Heroes of the Storm, where Deckard Cain joined as a support hero. That will form the basis of the biggest inspiration for this build.
Keys to the Character
Stay a While and Listen!
When you have lived as long and hard as Deckard, you have a lot to say. Fortunately, we like to hear it... to a point.
Scrollin' Stones
Countless scrolls litter Deckard's desk and poke out of his giant backpack. Hopefully none of those accidentally goes off! Wait... is that possible?
Pass the Potion
Heroes of the Storm combined Diablo's health potion mechanic with Deckard's support, making him a support who tosses out potions to the floor for lucky teammates to pick up. I don't hate it.
Homecoming King
It seems like most Diablo games feature an early moment where Deckard gives or explains Town Hall Portals to you. The guy sure wants you to get home safe (and then get right back to the dungeon where you left).
A slow-moving, low-health, long-talker. Deckard is an incredible role-play character, but he has a few hurdles to overcome to be a compelling party member once encounters begin.
Luckily the Thaumaturge class fills a lot of those gaps for us out of the gate. On the battlefield, Deckard will put his many tomes, scrolls and research topics to good use, setting the stage for Deckard to be a 5-star support player. Strengthening allies and weakening enemies will be the fundamental part of his action economy, while a limited number of scrolls (from an ultra-wide spell list) can come in clutch when needed.
Plus, following the example set in Heroes of the Storm, Deckard splashes into an Alchemist dedication to craft and throw healing potions – another Diablo mainstay. This gives Cain some extra support utility, tossing out heals and esoterica from the backline.
Outside of battle, Deckard shines even brighter. His high performance skill can be the ultimate distraction for party members looking to get access to something, and his unparalleled knowledge of the world can be drawn on constantly for guidance.
Build OVERVIEW
Ancestry
Ancient Elf
Human lifespans don't adequately represent how old this guy seems. His voice sounds 200, for starters. To get it right, we need him to be ancient.
The big benefit of this representation, of course, is that it allows Deckard to start with an immediate Alchemist Dedication, to get right into brewing those potions.
Background
Occult Librarian
Do scrolls count as books, in a library sense? If so, Deckard Cain must be the foremost librarian in Hell, Heaven and Earth. This guy has scrolls everywhere, and is either reading them or moving slowly to a new place where they are kept.
Class
Thaumaturge - Tome Implement
Deckard takes his giant book, his pack of scrolls, and his other random esoterica out with him to help allies and stop Hell. Sounds like a Thaumaturge for sure.
In addition to the baseline Thaumaturge activities of debuffing enemies through sheer knowledge, this class lets Deckard put his scrolls front an center with the scroll feat line. This give him an incredibly wide (though limited use) array of spells to use daily. And yes, that can include a Teleport back to town.
The Alchemist Dedication is taken at level one and adds a few feats, up to Healing Bombs. This can end up filling a number of actions each encounter, throwing clutch healing potions to allies ahead of him, and using a big scroll heal in a pinch.
Skills & General Feats
Legendary Performance? Yes, what else is going to make you stay that long and listen that close?
Legendary: Crafting, Lore: Esoterica, Occultism, Performance
Master: -
Expert: Arcana, Medicine
Attribute Increases
Equipment
Suggested Starting Equipment
Key Spells
Changelog
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