I was thinking about introducing some new ways to spend the blood shards Blizzard is bringing in with RoS. For more information, please refer to my topic in the official forums:http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/10716571801?page=1#0
But as I realized the incredible potential of these blood shards, I tried to set up a way to combine their purpose as a currency with a promising feature which needs a lot more attention from the Blizz guys to get it there where we want it to be: the nephalem rifts as a really challenging and variable endgame content.
I already took up this topic in the other post, but it was not very elaborated, so I wanted to set up a more detailed vision of what I meant. Have fun reading it (if you have the courage J ) and I would be pleased to have some feedback!
Goldberggdn
A. Elemental shards, part I: the new crafting materials for better end-game experience in nephalem rifts
Blood shards are a new currency which you can use to buy [b]corrupted elemental shards (25 blood shards), corrupted eternal shards (25 blood shards) and void shards (50 blood shards)[/b] (depending on how fast finally blood shards can be farmed). These shards are sold by [b]Lorath Nahr.[/b] Corrupted elemental shards cannot be used directly and have to be [b]purified[/b]. For purification, you need to combine following reagents to create an [b]inactive elemental shard[/b] at covetous Shen’s place:
[b]Elemental shard powder[/b]: obtained at the [b]Hellforge[/b] (yeah, I LOVE this place Just need to know how to put it back to the game, but our Blizz guys would find a way ) from 3 corrupted elemental shards. The [b]Hellforge Hammer[/b] is needed and crafted by Haedrig after getting the plan (see miscellaneous for explanations). Destroying corrupted elemental shards will also have a (very) small chance to free gems which were contained in the shards.
[b]Distilled elemental liquor[/b]: obtained at Myriam’s place, by melting 3 corrupted elemental shards. Melting corrupted elemental shards will also have a small chance to extract other crafting materials.
[b]Void shard[/b]: serves as a vessel for the new created shard.
[b]5.000 Gold[/b]
The created inactive elemental shard is the first tier of shards which can be used for transmuting rift keystones into elemental rift keystones. The different tiers are:
[b]B. Elemental shards, part II: replayability improvements of nephalem rifts by infusing variability[/b]
Each elemental shard has specific bonus and malus properties, which are increasing (or decreasing, depending on the effect) with higher tiers. A roll span is systematically integrated, to reinforce the variability aspect:
[b]Element: Fire[/b]
[b]Inactive Fire Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters life increased by 10-25%
Bonus: Gold Find increased by 5-20%
[b]Active [/b][b]Fire[/b][b] Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters life increased by 26-50%
Bonus: Gold Find increased by 10-50%
[b]Purged Fire Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters life increased by 51-75%
Bonus: Gold Find increased by 40-80%
[b]Pure Fire Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters life increased by 76-100%
Bonus: Gold Find increased by 70-100%
[b]Element: Arcane[/b]
[b]Inactive Arcane Shard[/b]
Malus: Boss and Elites damage increased by 10-25%
Bonus: Magic Find increased by 5-20%
[b]Active [b]Arcane [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Boss and Elites damage increased by 26-50%
Bonus: Magic Find increased by 10-50%
[b]Purged [b]Arcane[/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Boss and Elites damage increased by 51-75%
Bonus: Magic Find increased by 40-80%
[b]Pure [b]Arcane[/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Boss and Elites damage increased by 76-100%
Bonus: Magic Find increased by 70-100%
[b]Element: Lightning [/b]
[b]Inactive [b]Lightning [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters damage increased by 10-25%
Bonus: Experience increased by 3-10%
[b]Active [b]Lightning [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters damage increased by 26-50%
Bonus: Experience increased by 5-25%
[b]Purged [b]Lightning [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters damage increased by 51-75%
Bonus: Experience increased by 20-40%
[b]Pure [b]Lightning [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monsters damage increased by 76-100%
Bonus: Experience increased by 35-50%
[b]Element: Ice [/b]
[b]Inactive [b]Ice [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 10-25% of all monsters cast a frost nova after death
Boni:
Duration of pylons increased by 5-25%
Magic Find increased by 1-4%
[b]Active [b]Ice [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 26-50% of all monsters cast a frost nova after death
Boni:
Duration of pylons increased by 10-50%
Magic Find increased by 2-10%
[b]Purged [b]Ice [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 51-75% of all monsters cast a frost nova after death
Boni:
Duration of pylons increased by 35-75%
Magic Find increased by 8-16%
[b]Pure [b]Ice [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 76-100% of all monsters cast a frost nova after death
Boni:
Duration of pylons increased by 60-100%
Magic Find increased by 14-20%
[b]Element: Poison [/b]
[b]Inactive [b]Poison [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 10-25% of all monsters cast a poison cloud after death
Boni:
All characters and companions present in the nephalem rift have a chance of 1-5% to cast a protection shield for 2-3 seconds.
Experience increased by 1-2%
[b]Active [b]Poison [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 26-50% of all monsters cast a poison cloud after death
Boni:
All characters and companions present in the nephalem rift have a chance of 4-8% to cast a protection shield for 3-5 seconds.
Experience increased by 1-5%
[b]Purged [b]Poison [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 51-75% of all monsters cast a poison cloud after death
Boni:
All characters and companions present in the nephalem rift have a chance of 7-12% to cast a protection shield for 4-7 seconds.
Experience increased by 4-8%
[b]Pure [b]Poison [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: 76-100% of all monsters cast a poison cloud after death
Boni:
All characters and companions present in the nephalem rift have a chance of 11-15% to cast a protection shield for 5-8 seconds.
Experience increased by 7-10%
[b]Element: Holy [/b]
[b]Inactive [b]Holy [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monster density increased by 10-25%
Boni:
Cooldown of all skills reduced by 1-4%
Gold Find increased by 1-4%
[b]Active [b]Holy [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monster density increased by 26-50%
Boni:
Cooldown of all skills reduced by 2-6%
Gold Find increased by 2-10%
[b]Purged [b]Holy [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monster density increased by 51-75%
Boni:
Cooldown of all skills reduced by 4-8%
Gold Find increased by 8-16%
[b]Pure [b]Holy [/b]Shard[/b]
Malus: Monster density increased by 76-100%
Boni:
Cooldown of all skills reduced by 6-10%
Gold Find increased by 14-20%
[b]Element: Eternal [/b]
[b]Inactive [b]Eternal [/b]Shard[/b]
Effect: Additional 0-1 greater horadric caches when completing a nephalem rift in time limit: 16-20 minutes
[b]Active [b]Eternal [/b]Shard[/b]
Effect: Additional 0-2 greater horadric caches when completing a nephalem rift in time limit: 11-15 minutes
[b]Purged [b]Eternal [/b]Shard[/b]
Effect: Additional 1-2 greater horadric caches when completing a nephalem rift in time limit: 6-10 minutes
[b]Pure [b]Eternal [/b]Shard[/b]
Effect: Additional 2-3 greater horadric caches when completing a nephalem rift in time limit: 1-5 minutes
[b]C. Prismatic shards: Bringing randomness and depth into the nephalem rifts[/b]
Moreover, [b]prismatic shards[/b] can be created by combining [b]one of each elemental shard[/b] (fire, ice poison, arcane, holy, lightning) of a same tier for a variable amount of gold and [b]urns of the burning hells[/b] (see section E) ). These shards give various numbers of random properties, additional prismatic rift guardians and a guaranteed number of depth levels for each tier:
Using a prismatic shard during the transmutation of a rift keystone will [b]automatically[/b] create a prismatic rift keystone.
D. Rift keystones transmutation and effect on gaming experience
[b]Elemental Rift Keystones [/b]
Transmuting elemental rift keystones requires
1 Rift Keystone
Up to 5 shards. Combination free, only restriction: maximum 1 eternal shard (all tiers). (see examples below)
Amount of gold varying with amount of shards and tiers used
Combination examples:
1 pure eternal, 1 pure lightning, 1 pure fire, 1 pure arcane
1 pure eternal, 2 pure lightning, 2 purged fire
1 pure poison, 1 pure ice, 1 purged lightning, 1 active fire, 1 inactive fire
Rift guardians in elemental nephalem rifts can drop [b]urns of the burning hell[/b]. The droprate is calculated internally, depending on the average difficulty of the elemental rift. The difficulty is based on the combination of the shard tiers used. The formula would look like:
[b]Drop rate in % = (sum of all shard difficulty coefficients)/ (number of elemental shards)[/b]
Each elemental shard tier has its own difficulty coefficient; eternal shards are not taken into account for calculation (not a difficulty bringing shard itself, since the reward can be lost if it is not done in time)
In my opinion, the maximum drop rate of urns should be around [b]4%,[/b] so that it feels very rewarding when transmuting a prismatic rift keystone.
[b]Prismatic Rift Keystones[/b]
Transmuting prismatic rift keystones requires:
1 Rift keystone
1 prismatic shard (all tiers)
Up to 4 other shards. Combination is free, only restriction: maximum 1 eternal shard (all tiers). (see examples below)
Amount of gold varying with amount of shards and tiers used
Combination examples:
1 pure prismatic, 1 pure eternal, 1 pure lightning, 1 pure fire, 1 pure arcane
1 pure prismatic, 2 pure lightning, 2 purged fire
1 inactive prismatic, 1 pure poison, 1 pure ice, 1 purged lightning, 1 active fire
These chests can only be opened with the master keys dropped by the last prismatic rift guardian. Each player who [b]dealt at least 10% damage[/b][b]to the last guardian[/b] (in the last level of the rift) will be rewarded with[b] one key, [/b]meaning that [b]only a full party allows access to the content of all chests[/b].
These chests have a chance of dropping [b]specific[/b] legendaries, set items, plans and high level gems [b]which can only drop at this place[/b]. At least several high level gems should be [b]guaranteed drops in every chest to make it worth farming in a party. [/b]Of course, rift guardians have also an increased droprate for items which can be found everywhere else in Sanctuary.
E. Miscellaneous
First of all, modifying the spawn system of the guardian in rifts is a basic update which is needed in general and for a system like the one I exposed here. At the moment it occurs too rapidly and easily. I see some possibilities to improve it:
Clear each level before having access to the next one, clearing the last level will spawn the guardian. (already mentioned often here in the forums)
Combining the current system and the above mentioned: total clear is not needed, but a certain percentage of all mobs (90%? variable?) has to be killed to get access to the next level. Last level is working like current system, a percentage of mobs has to be killed to spawn guardian.
Difficulty has to increase in each level (+ density, more elites/rares, more affixes, larger maps like it was in norm/nm/hell, adding mini-events like searching a lever to open a door…)
As said in other topics, nephalem rifts are a great opportunity to implement a feature which really makes party play worth it. Some examples are given throughout the whole wall of text, but to summarize: more players in the rift means more rewards. The overall loot should increase with the amount of players [b]actively participating in farming[/b].
--------
How to get the Hellforge Hammer – legendary plan:
Can be dropped by in nephalem rifts by guardians (low droprate), eventually by trash (droprate much lower).
A higher number of nephalem fighters attacking the guardian (in the last level of the rift) increase the droprate of the plan.
--------
Examples for random properties of prismatic shards:
Every malus and bonus given by elemental shards
Additional guardians
Additional depth levels
Mixed pylons, combining 2 effects of the 4 existing pylons (weaker effect)
New pylons (100% MF, 100% GF, 100% Experience...)
Monsters life regeneration
Additional elites affixes (i.e. 5-6 affixes at lvl 70 rift instead of 4)
Elites have an aura which shares their affixes with all the monsters around them
Basic monsters can have affixes
[b]Dimensional portals:[/b] opens randomly after killing a rare or elite group, where goblins spawn out and pick up all the stuff dropped around before returning through the portal. It is your chance to slay them en masse
Durability of your items decreases 25-75% faster.
And so on… more ideas are welcome
F. Conclusion
This type of improved system would have several advantages:
A clear objective for farming blood shards
A large improvement to the nephalem rift system
Promoting party play in at least 1 aspect of the game
Some of you probably remember farming the Countess for runes, Pindleskin for items, or even just doing the rune quest in act 4 for gems and the rune. Or Uber-Tristram, to get a torch for your class. Or even selling lots of SoJs to let Uber-Dia spawn, to get the perfect Annihilus.
This is what we want, and this is what nephalem rifts could get. The system as it is globally presented here should work as a worthy, replayable and really gratifying “world quest” like they existed in Diablo II. I fear that if something in this style is not coming with RoS, this expansion and the whole game will get k.o. and won’t get up again. It’s kind of a “last chance” to arise like a phoenix from the ashes (in my opinion).
G. Note
All what I am writing is just a global idea in which direction all this could go. Let us give our Blizz friends as much feedback as possible to get this expansion in the right way. It is already doing the first steps in the right direction, and we as community should share our thoughts to make a hell of a game out of it!
In this early phase everything can change very fast, so let’s do what a beta is for and let us improve this game until (near-)perfection together
[b]Thanks for reading, I hope this topic will get some attention from the community [/b]
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I was thinking about introducing some new ways to spend the blood shards Blizzard is bringing in with RoS. For more information, please refer to my topic in the official forums:http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/10716571801?page=1#0
But as I realized the incredible potential of these blood shards, I tried to set up a way to combine their purpose as a currency with a promising feature which needs a lot more attention from the Blizz guys to get it there where we want it to be: the nephalem rifts as a really challenging and variable endgame content.
I already took up this topic in the other post, but it was not very elaborated, so I wanted to set up a more detailed vision of what I meant. Have fun reading it (if you have the courage J ) and I would be pleased to have some feedback!
Goldberggdn
A. Elemental shards, part I: the new crafting materials for better end-game experience in nephalem rifts
Blood shards are a new currency which you can use to buy [b]corrupted elemental shards (25 blood shards), corrupted eternal shards (25 blood shards) and void shards (50 blood shards)[/b] (depending on how fast finally blood shards can be farmed). These shards are sold by [b]Lorath Nahr.[/b] Corrupted elemental shards cannot be used directly and have to be [b]purified[/b]. For purification, you need to combine following reagents to create an [b]inactive elemental shard[/b] at covetous Shen’s place:
[b]B. Elemental shards, part II: replayability improvements of nephalem rifts by infusing variability[/b]
Each elemental shard has specific bonus and malus properties, which are increasing (or decreasing, depending on the effect) with higher tiers. A roll span is systematically integrated, to reinforce the variability aspect:
[b]C. Prismatic shards: Bringing randomness and depth into the nephalem rifts[/b]
Moreover, [b]prismatic shards[/b] can be created by combining [b]one of each elemental shard[/b] (fire, ice poison, arcane, holy, lightning) of a same tier for a variable amount of gold and [b]urns of the burning hells[/b] (see section E) ). These shards give various numbers of random properties, additional prismatic rift guardians and a guaranteed number of depth levels for each tier:
Using a prismatic shard during the transmutation of a rift keystone will [b]automatically[/b] create a prismatic rift keystone.
D. Rift keystones transmutation and effect on gaming experience
Transmuting elemental rift keystones requires
Combination examples:
Rift guardians in elemental nephalem rifts can drop [b]urns of the burning hell[/b]. The droprate is calculated internally, depending on the average difficulty of the elemental rift. The difficulty is based on the combination of the shard tiers used. The formula would look like:
Each elemental shard tier has its own difficulty coefficient; eternal shards are not taken into account for calculation (not a difficulty bringing shard itself, since the reward can be lost if it is not done in time)
In my opinion, the maximum drop rate of urns should be around [b]4%,[/b] so that it feels very rewarding when transmuting a prismatic rift keystone.
Transmuting prismatic rift keystones requires:
Combination examples:
Prismatic rifts always contain 4 locked demonic chests:
- Pandemonium Chest
- Worldstone Chest
- Chest of the High Heavens
- Chest of the Seven Evils
These chests can only be opened with the master keys dropped by the last prismatic rift guardian. Each player who [b]dealt at least 10% damage[/b][b]to the last guardian[/b] (in the last level of the rift) will be rewarded with[b] one key, [/b]meaning that [b]only a full party allows access to the content of all chests[/b].These chests have a chance of dropping [b]specific[/b] legendaries, set items, plans and high level gems [b]which can only drop at this place[/b]. At least several high level gems should be [b]guaranteed drops in every chest to make it worth farming in a party. [/b]Of course, rift guardians have also an increased droprate for items which can be found everywhere else in Sanctuary.
E. Miscellaneous
First of all, modifying the spawn system of the guardian in rifts is a basic update which is needed in general and for a system like the one I exposed here. At the moment it occurs too rapidly and easily. I see some possibilities to improve it:
As said in other topics, nephalem rifts are a great opportunity to implement a feature which really makes party play worth it. Some examples are given throughout the whole wall of text, but to summarize: more players in the rift means more rewards. The overall loot should increase with the amount of players [b]actively participating in farming[/b].
--------
How to get the Hellforge Hammer – legendary plan:
--------
Examples for random properties of prismatic shards:
F. Conclusion
This type of improved system would have several advantages:
Some of you probably remember farming the Countess for runes, Pindleskin for items, or even just doing the rune quest in act 4 for gems and the rune. Or Uber-Tristram, to get a torch for your class. Or even selling lots of SoJs to let Uber-Dia spawn, to get the perfect Annihilus.
This is what we want, and this is what nephalem rifts could get. The system as it is globally presented here should work as a worthy, replayable and really gratifying “world quest” like they existed in Diablo II. I fear that if something in this style is not coming with RoS, this expansion and the whole game will get k.o. and won’t get up again. It’s kind of a “last chance” to arise like a phoenix from the ashes (in my opinion).
G. Note
All what I am writing is just a global idea in which direction all this could go. Let us give our Blizz friends as much feedback as possible to get this expansion in the right way. It is already doing the first steps in the right direction, and we as community should share our thoughts to make a hell of a game out of it!
In this early phase everything can change very fast, so let’s do what a beta is for and let us improve this game until (near-)perfection together