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Blizzard explains how Diablo 3 dueling works in patch 1.0.7 preview

"We don't expect that battles will be necessarily balanced."

Diablo 3's long-awaited dueling mechanic arrives with patch 1.0.7, and Blizzard has explained how it works.

To duel another player you have to speak with Nek the Brawler at the inn in New Tristram. He'll whisk you and your party to the Scorched Chapel, a new zone for player versus player action. It has custom geometry and four different areas: the church, the graveyar, the river and the lake.

Dueling as it stands supports up to four players in a Free-For-All mode. So, that means the options are one versus one, three-player FFA or four-player FFA.

"Our intent is to provide players a safe, opt-in location where they can fight one another for bragging rights (or maybe science) without the potential for griefing as it existed in Diablo 2," Blizzard's Wyatt Cheng explained on Battle.net.

He continued: "The game doesn't keep score and there are no objectives. We wanted dueling to be as simple and straightforward as possible, so we created a minimalist system - we know that even without rewards and objectives, some players just want to beat each other up.

"Some matchups may be one-sided, and we don't expect that battles will be necessarily balanced. But that's okay, because dueling in Diablo 3 is more about kicking ass and taking names in a no-holds-barred sort of way, and this design certainly allows you to accomplish that."

Be aware: if you die in the dueling world you are resurrected in the dueling zone. Death isn't permanent there, even for Hardcore characters, so go nuts. You don't have to worry about durability damage, either. When you've had your fill, simply portal out to return to town.

Meanwhile, Blizzard explained the other changes the patch will bring to the action role-playing game. There are class updates, crafting additions, monster power changes, monster affix changes and quality of life improvements. Check them out on Battle.net. The patch will be on the PTR very soon.