I'd like to discuss in this in-depth analytical post what I believe to be the root issues surrounding build diversity and lack thereof;
Why we find ourselves with so little choice when it comes to creating our own builds with the skills and Legendary/set powers available to us that are viable competitively in the Scaling Difficulty system and Leaderboard rankings.
And how to implement changes that would effectively free up this restricted gear combination setup and maximize build diversity, giving us freedom and flexibility to create builds we want using skills we want with the current and potential future Legendary and set items.
The two causes for a lack of build diversity:
% buffs, for skills mainly on sets and some Legendaries that make one specific skill/build superpowered beyond all other options.
Mandatory sets, requiring the full set to acquire the maximum % buff and skill bonuses. Essentially making the full set give the most powerful effect and restricting players from using other Legendaries.
The 'Legacy of Nightmares' rings set attempts to add diversity, by requiring the use of yet another set and locking up the precious rings slots, to solve the issue by two problematic approaches:
Once again, simply giving a % buff once again to match the % buffs given by other sets, not always adding up to compete with the sets.
Freeing up the need to have a full set, but not allowing you to use a set other than LoN.
Solution to these two problems, effectively enabling diversity once in for all:
Remove % buffs as a whole, instead only have effects that give skill combinations synergism and effectivity.
Allowing players to make use of all the skills at their disposal, choosing what fits their playstyle best, and rewarding the player with equally powerful effects compared to sets.
Along side the next solution, letting the player choose freely between wearing a full set, or making use of other Legendary powers along with a set.
Making initial set bonus the most prominent, instead of the last, and make additional set pieces simply add complimentary effects afterwards.
Essentially flipping the onset increase in power, giving the most crucial set effect from the first set bonus (either (2) or (3), depending on how much flexibility you want the set to be) instead of last.
Effectively letting players choose to gain additional utility and survivability from the rest of the set, complimentary with the set's playstyle concept, or decide to use other Legendaries of their choice instead of having to have the full set for the most powerful effect.
An alternative to Legacy of Nightmares, without requiring players to ditch all other sets, simply to put on regular Legendaries for a unique diversified build setup.
Also making the Ring of Royal Grandeur less necessary when it comes to giving the players one additional slot to choose their own Legendary or combine together another at the cost of one ring slot or jewelry Cube power.
That's it. Simple as that.
With these two changes,
The diversity of effective builds is maximized.
Players now no longer find themselves forced to build around the set effects that give massive % buffs to only a select number of skills, basically leaving the developers to dictate how players must play effectively and having to add a new set for each separate skill combination, or instead having to use another set that discontinues all other sets.
Players can both use the full set bonuses to their pleasing, or choose to modify the existing set build because the main effect of the set is readily available without requiring the full number of set items given, without needing RoRG which only frees up one slot while removing another.
Sets are worth using without having a buildup of power that not only overwhelms the majority of Legendary effects and restricts any other options, but still has incentive to make use of the full set for it's still effective complimentary bonuses to the nature of the set's playstyle.
Finally, instead of the game being dominated by sets that merely modify your damage output to make it outdo non-set items, sets are synergistic with the rest of the Legendaries powers and now give a full path to create new potential Legendary and set powers.
Thank you for reading,
Have a wonderful day!
Sol
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Official Diablo thread:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/20747725055
Greetings everyone!
I'd like to discuss in this in-depth analytical post what I believe to be the root issues surrounding build diversity and lack thereof;
Why we find ourselves with so little choice when it comes to creating our own builds with the skills and Legendary/set powers available to us that are viable competitively in the Scaling Difficulty system and Leaderboard rankings.
And how to implement changes that would effectively free up this restricted gear combination setup and maximize build diversity, giving us freedom and flexibility to create builds we want using skills we want with the current and potential future Legendary and set items.
The two causes for a lack of build diversity:
The 'Legacy of Nightmares' rings set attempts to add diversity, by requiring the use of yet another set and locking up the precious rings slots, to solve the issue by two problematic approaches:
Solution to these two problems, effectively enabling diversity once in for all:
Allowing players to make use of all the skills at their disposal, choosing what fits their playstyle best, and rewarding the player with equally powerful effects compared to sets.
Along side the next solution, letting the player choose freely between wearing a full set, or making use of other Legendary powers along with a set.
Essentially flipping the onset increase in power, giving the most crucial set effect from the first set bonus (either (2) or (3), depending on how much flexibility you want the set to be) instead of last.
Effectively letting players choose to gain additional utility and survivability from the rest of the set, complimentary with the set's playstyle concept, or decide to use other Legendaries of their choice instead of having to have the full set for the most powerful effect.
An alternative to Legacy of Nightmares, without requiring players to ditch all other sets, simply to put on regular Legendaries for a unique diversified build setup.
Also making the Ring of Royal Grandeur less necessary when it comes to giving the players one additional slot to choose their own Legendary or combine together another at the cost of one ring slot or jewelry Cube power.
That's it. Simple as that.
With these two changes,
The diversity of effective builds is maximized.
Players now no longer find themselves forced to build around the set effects that give massive % buffs to only a select number of skills, basically leaving the developers to dictate how players must play effectively and having to add a new set for each separate skill combination, or instead having to use another set that discontinues all other sets.
Players can both use the full set bonuses to their pleasing, or choose to modify the existing set build because the main effect of the set is readily available without requiring the full number of set items given, without needing RoRG which only frees up one slot while removing another.
Sets are worth using without having a buildup of power that not only overwhelms the majority of Legendary effects and restricts any other options, but still has incentive to make use of the full set for it's still effective complimentary bonuses to the nature of the set's playstyle.
Finally, instead of the game being dominated by sets that merely modify your damage output to make it outdo non-set items, sets are synergistic with the rest of the Legendaries powers and now give a full path to create new potential Legendary and set powers.
Thank you for reading,
Have a wonderful day!
Sol