History of Leoric's Crown
Today we are going to be taking a look at the history of an iconic item found throughout multiple Diablo games. That item today is of course none other than King Leoric’s crown.
If you’re a long-time player of the Diablo series then you have probably noticed that there are some very iconic Unique / Legendary items that show up in multiple games with lore behind them. If you’re new to the Diablo series then this will be a nice little lore treat that might give you a deeper appreciation for some of the items that you may use from time to time.
There once was a king named Leoric that first appeared in Diablo I and while this won’t be a deep dive on him it is to say that this item is tied to a specific character that you interact with in the game which has a deep lore in the Diablo series. If you’re a lore fan, King Leoric is definitely a character worth reading about. He may not be a prime evil but he’s still iconic in his own right amongst the series.
In Diablo I when you defeat King Leoric in single player, he will drop The Undead Crown. This item has a very special affix for helms and that is Life Steal. The Life Stealing on this helm can stack with other life stealing weapons as well which makes it even more powerful for survivability.
The Undead Crown
Stats
Life Stealing (0-12.5%)
Armor Class: 8
Durability: 50
The next time we see this crown make an appearance is in Diablo II though slightly changed it still retains one of its most valuable characteristics, Life Stealing. There is no specific monster or boss to kill this time to automatically ensure that the Undead Crown drops. Instead it’s just a lucky drop this time around and of course there are many ways of increasing your chances to acquire it from farming with “magic find” gear and going to specific zones but that’s a topic for another time. Let's take a look at the stats of this item in Diablo II and you’ll see what I mean when I said that it’s slightly changed.
Undead Crown
Stats
Defense: 99-113
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 55
Durability: 50
+30-60% Enhanced Defense
+50% Damage Vs. Undead
+50-100 Attack Rating Vs. Undead
Half Freeze Duration
5% Life Stolen Per Hit
Poison Resist +50%
+40 Defense
+3 To Skeleton Mastery (Necromancer Only)
Last but not least, Diablo III. This is the last game to have King Leoric’s Crown appear and there is a place to obtain the item from a specific boss. You guessed it, the undead King Leoric is back! If you are going through the campaign mode of Diablo III then you will have to face the Skeleton King once more and once defeated he will drop the legendary helm Leoric’s Crown. Once again the item’s stats have changed to be in line with the new game so let's take a look at those stats and see what has happened to them.
Stats
Leoric’s Crown
Armor: 660-759
Increases the effect of any non-Legendary gem socketed into the helm by 75% - 100%
One of three affixes:
- Dexterity: +626 - 750
- Strength: +626 - 750
- Intelligence: +626 - 750
+three random magic affixes
Empty socket
As you can see, the item has changed quite a bit over the series but the lore is all tied together and it gives it just that little special something when you come across it in game. It has been fun to see these little connections throughout the game’s series and I hope that this will inspire you to look just a tiny bit deeper at some of the items you may have equipped and perhaps it will bring some extra enjoyment to your experience as well.
If you are a new player to the series and have only played Diablo IV then you will not have known about the evolution of this particular item and perhaps that will get you wondering about some of the other items you may have found. If you’re a returning player to the series then I hope this has brought a smile to your face as you reminisce on times past.