Official Blizzard Quote:
We do have skills that affect the way the player looks, as well as changes based on buffs, or if they're under the effect of a certain spell/poison/debuffs, what have you. Because of all of these things it's really important that these effects are very apparent, as well as easily distinguished, as they're important to gameplay. It's obviously a really cool idea, but any visual changes to the look of the character could impair the ability for the player to quickly ascertain the visual cues being given to them. It's something we have to be extremely mindful of.
Bashiok did say the characters will change when certain buffs, debuffs, and spell effects. What actual spells have what changes to your hero is still unknown. The only effect we have been shown was in the original gameplay trailer where the Witch doctor and Barbarian were frozen and ice covered their bodies. What kind of changes would you like to see? Perhaps a Barbarian buff will actually make your character bigger or a Witch Doctor's spell will shrink the heads of your enemy. Whatever the actual changes are, let us just hope it is more than a re-coloring of the character.
A special thanks to FingolfinGR for catching this news and passing it along.
I am more interested on the buffs that have effects to your characters looks. This to me, is where things could get interesting.
also on skills, how cool would it be to add little thorns to a character that has the thorns buff and returns damage on hits?
I was thinking for the :wd:, he has some passive to gain extra mana, it would be cool if he became more transparent like he was entering the "ghost" world that they believe in.
that's what the health globes are for!
soon my friend