Right now as you level up you either get 1 new still, 1 new rune effect or both every level. This system is fine but I believe it falls short in many ways that have already been discussed in multiple threads.
Currently the community is divided into two catagories.
- Those that like skill swapping and freedom to change skills on the fly as to not have to reroll ( feeling this method of build experimentation was redundant and felt punishing.
- Those that hate the current system and feel that build customization and specialization has been ripped out of the game with the current mechanics of 15 second skill swap and never a need to reroll with the availability to have every skill at your disposal when deemed fit.
A new method of character building , similar to the current system but pays a nod to d2 and tries to please both communities for the greater good - the reintroduction of a point, more specifically a RUNE point.
i suggest the player receive skills automatically, like in the current system, at predetermined levels but have all rune options UNLOCKED. You may be asking "what happens during the lvl 30-60 deadzone?" Simple, each level/second level the player is awarded a RUNE POINT. When the player is awarded a rune point they open the UI , select the skill they wish to modify with a rune effect and select 1 out the 5-6 current rune options for that skill. Once a selection has been made, all other rune options for that skill are greyed out and unusable. As the player is awarded more RUNE POINTS as they level they can use the point in any skill they have just received only any point already spend in 1 set of runes for a specific skill will be greyed out. An example is listed below,
Jimmy a lvl 10 wizard has just received an option to use a rune point, he already changed the effect of arcane orb to have a greater radius with his last rune point so he can ONLY change any other skill that is NOT arcane orb, Jimmy chooses to spend that rune point in Magic Missile and chooses to have it shoot 3 missile instead of one, magic missile's rune effects are now all greyed out.
The role of NPC's as gold sinks/item sinks to change an existing RUNE POINT into another choice in a specific skill.
I propose the Jeweler or Blacksmith have an option to remove a selected rune choice by paying them a fee in gold that scales the more you switch out a rune point, so for example, say the player removes a rune choice , the first removal can cost 10 gold, as the player continues to remove points the cost increases to say 10-->100-->1000---->10000 etc.(similar to talent respects in WOW)
As choices are made a timer can be used to ensure the player does not abuse this system and after a certain amount of time the gold amount reduces.
There can also be a droped/craftable item in the world that removes a rune choice when consumed, Pleasing the crowd that wanted runes as drops.
This System promotes players to continue using there level 60 in inferno, who will be farmign gold to be able to change runes as they see fit with a minor penalty. Those that wish to by pass the gold sink can reroll a new character and start from scratch
I really like this idea, even as someone who likes the current Rune set up.
I wonder what the chances of developing a Synergy system with this? Maybe combine the effects of two Runes of the same skill together at the expense of extra Rune points?
Say hello again to "skilltrees" most people and blizz does not want. Try to break out of your D2-Dreams. Most people like it, how it is now. Try to accept that or wait, how it is working and feeling, when it is live.
This is an interesting idea, but I feel like it doesn't mesh with the Diablo 3 philosophy behind skills and experimentation. It basically just introduces some punishment for deciding to try out a skill variation.
I don't think that the freedom to change out your skills forces people to do it any more than they would if they were "locked in" to a certain build. All that "locked in" really means is that you have to pay a fee or create a new character, which people would do anyway. Why not cut out the extra step?
This was (basically) the same thought that I had when I read about the new rune system. The problem I have with the rune system as it stands now is that it essentially makes builds that rely on particular rune effects completely unviable until that/those rune effect(s) are unlocked - which in some cases isn't until the 50s. If the Crimson rune for Mantra of Evasion doesn't come unlocked until level 40 (I don't know the actual level...I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but just using it as an example) it basically negates a dodge Monk as a viable leveling build.
I think Rune Points are a good solution to this issue: it allows players to get the runes they want/need to make their build as soon as possible. I don't feel like having restrictions to which runes you can choose, like the OP suggested (only 1 per skill?) is really necessary, but there could be trouble with learning curves and new players wasting their rune points. Therefore, maybe the system could remain how it is in "tutorial" mode and rune points would only be available if the player chose to play in Elective mode? It's also a great compromise for the players who miss getting to do something/put a point somewhere when they level without being a stifling system.
Currently the community is divided into two catagories.
- Those that like skill swapping and freedom to change skills on the fly as to not have to reroll ( feeling this method of build experimentation was redundant and felt punishing.
- Those that hate the current system and feel that build customization and specialization has been ripped out of the game with the current mechanics of 15 second skill swap and never a need to reroll with the availability to have every skill at your disposal when deemed fit.
A new method of character building , similar to the current system but pays a nod to d2 and tries to please both communities for the greater good - the reintroduction of a point, more specifically a RUNE point.
i suggest the player receive skills automatically, like in the current system, at predetermined levels but have all rune options UNLOCKED. You may be asking "what happens during the lvl 30-60 deadzone?" Simple, each level/second level the player is awarded a RUNE POINT. When the player is awarded a rune point they open the UI , select the skill they wish to modify with a rune effect and select 1 out the 5-6 current rune options for that skill. Once a selection has been made, all other rune options for that skill are greyed out and unusable. As the player is awarded more RUNE POINTS as they level they can use the point in any skill they have just received only any point already spend in 1 set of runes for a specific skill will be greyed out. An example is listed below,
Jimmy a lvl 10 wizard has just received an option to use a rune point, he already changed the effect of arcane orb to have a greater radius with his last rune point so he can ONLY change any other skill that is NOT arcane orb, Jimmy chooses to spend that rune point in Magic Missile and chooses to have it shoot 3 missile instead of one, magic missile's rune effects are now all greyed out.
The role of NPC's as gold sinks/item sinks to change an existing RUNE POINT into another choice in a specific skill.
I propose the Jeweler or Blacksmith have an option to remove a selected rune choice by paying them a fee in gold that scales the more you switch out a rune point, so for example, say the player removes a rune choice , the first removal can cost 10 gold, as the player continues to remove points the cost increases to say 10-->100-->1000---->10000 etc.(similar to talent respects in WOW)
As choices are made a timer can be used to ensure the player does not abuse this system and after a certain amount of time the gold amount reduces.
There can also be a droped/craftable item in the world that removes a rune choice when consumed, Pleasing the crowd that wanted runes as drops.
This System promotes players to continue using there level 60 in inferno, who will be farmign gold to be able to change runes as they see fit with a minor penalty. Those that wish to by pass the gold sink can reroll a new character and start from scratch
I wonder what the chances of developing a Synergy system with this? Maybe combine the effects of two Runes of the same skill together at the expense of extra Rune points?
thanks for the constructive feedback
I don't think that the freedom to change out your skills forces people to do it any more than they would if they were "locked in" to a certain build. All that "locked in" really means is that you have to pay a fee or create a new character, which people would do anyway. Why not cut out the extra step?
I think Rune Points are a good solution to this issue: it allows players to get the runes they want/need to make their build as soon as possible. I don't feel like having restrictions to which runes you can choose, like the OP suggested (only 1 per skill?) is really necessary, but there could be trouble with learning curves and new players wasting their rune points. Therefore, maybe the system could remain how it is in "tutorial" mode and rune points would only be available if the player chose to play in Elective mode? It's also a great compromise for the players who miss getting to do something/put a point somewhere when they level without being a stifling system.