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Following the announcement on Friday of the upcoming Diablo II Expansion Set, Blizzard has updated their web site with details on this addition to their incredibly popular real-time RPG. Featuring two new character classes, new monsters and 'bosses,' thousands of new items and an entire new Act to explore, this title will be a must-have for fans of the game. No release date for this expansion is given, as is Blizzard's way, but the careful timing of this announcement may indicate a release for the all-important holiday buying season.

Similar in application to the Brood War expansion to StarCraft, only those who buy this expansion will be able to participate in or host games which feature Expansion Set features. Here are some excerpts from the FAQ:

What exactly is new about the Diablo II Expansion?

Two new character classes each with 30 unique skills/spells, the ability to play the new character classes through the original four acts of Diablo II, new monster types (including Bosses, Uniques and Subordinates), interactive environments (such as Siege Towers, Town Walls and Fortified Battlements), thousands of new weapons, armor and magical items (including class-specific Quest items), new recipes for the Horadric Cube, and increased storage space in your Stash.

Will players who do not have the Expansion set be able to see those new classes in their games?

People who only have Diablo II will be able to see the two new character classes represented in their basic armor, much as the basic Warrior is used to represent the original Diablo in the chat room. Expansion and standard characters will not be able to play in the same game, however, which is similar to the restrictions between Starcraft and Brood War games.

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