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The only system I have ever really seen work is end game only sets. Really, when you're leveling up you simply don't have the time and don't get the amount of drops needed to collect a set. I guess if they were scalable with levels, then it could work, but I feel like that would make set items far too valuable when you're leveling.

Craftable sets could work very well, but considering that you can only choose one I went with end game only, but I would definitely like to see craftable sets at many levels, as that could also be a very good incentive to spend the time and gold that it takes to level an artisan.

Changed to multiple votes so feel free to vote for both

I also think with the importance of crafting and the ability to control the chance of completing a set, this could be a very viable option.

Thanks for the idea junction3

same as d2, set items were good for starting out (like an ik barb for instance) and were still good end-game for casual players

end-game sets would be annoying to hunt for

End game is best. Scalable items promote disregarding any new loot for X levels while it is scaling. Also having multiple items that can be interchanged with in a set (like multiple chest pieces) also has the issue about ignoring other "uniques" and keeping you in the same armor set. Crafting them can be a good idea but you would have to collect the patterns first and would be tough to complete a set early-mid game while it is still worth it.

I picked scalable just cuz it seems like it would work fine, just not sure how the bonus scaling would work with different tiers. But if there is an auction house, i see no problem with it being the exact same as D2.

I think that if you find a set, it should all come at once. In the world, you will find a "recipe" or "remnants" for So-and-So's set. After bringing the recipe to your Blacksmith, he can repair and create the set for a price. The time it would take to complete the set would be far more substantial than making a normal item. A couple hours maybe. Depends on the level of the set. Once it's complete, you get each item in the set.

However, just because you turn the remnants in, doesn't mean you can make it over and over. You'd have to find it all over again to make it. Although this seems too easy, finding the remnants would not be. They'd be harder to find than in D2. These remnants would probably be a hot market item, and therefore, they'd have to be regulated so that sets wouldn't become too easy to obtain.

How about the chances for finding the rest of the set increase based on what you're wearing? So if you found a set item and equipped it, it would multiply your chances of finding more of that set (a bit like MF). Or expanding on AcidReign's idea, you could find set items in pairs. There still needs to be some element of collecting as this is what makes sets so much fun, rather than finding the whole set at the same time.

I also like the idea of adding stats to set items that scale with level. These items will still become obsolete eventually as some of the stats will remain static. This would succeed in giving you more time to find and use the set.

All the ideas I mentioned could be used together so you would be guaranteed to get more out of sets while levelling than in D2. (I voted for other).

Quote from Ophion

I also think that at least one item in every set will be a crafted item to encourage use of that system.

I think this is a good idea. I chose multiple items per slot, because the way I thought of it is they don't have to be within similar level range. Ex. one item could be level 15 while another could be 28. When you acquire the higher lvl piece, it would dramatically boost your other stats from other certain pieces as well, so it's "scaling" to a degree, but not specifically x% per level. I think it's sorta like synergy for sets in a way. This way, you can keep a lower lvl set for a longer period and it will still be viable before you found something really amazing to replace it with. At least 1 craftable piece is a great idea too, to encourage the system like Ophion mentioned.

Another bonus for a completed set should be abilities related to the lore. I think that would be pretty amazing, to acquire one new ability based on the character the set is from, nothing OP, but I think that will add variety to your class along with everything else (runes, jewels, etc).

Quote from Ophion

I also think that at least one item in every set will be a crafted item to encourage use of that system.

Although I definitely agree with this, Artisans do seem to be something that they want to be an option, not a neccessity.

I voted other because neither of the proposed options appeals to me at all. I think it could be sloved with a combination of several changes to the original system:

1) Make set items themselves viable. The main problem in D2 was that the single pieces of equipment from a set were generally not worth a crap without set bonuses. Even if you found it relatively early in the game, you could just open a portal and go sell that thing. Who in their right mind would use Isenhart's Case for example? Any, even the most basic unique or rare armor was better than that thing. Making set items only slightly less powerful than rare or unique items but adding in the bonuses from finding more would be more of an incentive to actually use set items even when you have only one of them.

2) Following from the first system, once you keep the set item, whether in stash or inventory, your chance to find other items from that set should increase. More when you carry it, a little less when it's in the stash. The sets could also be linked, so once you have one set, you don't get it dropped all the time. After a certain level, if there is a better set with similar bonuses available, there will be an increased chance that that set will drop. Also, items inside one set could be linked, so that if you find a chest piece, next thing you are most likely to find would be gloves. The gloves then increase the chance of finding a helmet from the set etc. Therefore, it would be a kind of a chain of items, it would prevent you from finding the same piece again and again and would give a good feeling of completion.

3) Set items should drop sooner. Usually the problem was that you found a piece from a set long after it lost viability. The solution could be that set items would have a chance to drop sooner than other items. If you were say lvl 18, it would already be possible that a lvl 21 set item can drop for you. That way, once you hit the requirements for the item (whatever those will be), you could already have it at your disposal. Imagine what it does for your game when you find Arctic Furs in the Cold Plains for example. Immediately you have a very solid armor that can take you through half of the act. And with the aforementioned system, through the first act you could quite possibly find other pieces of the set and have some quite solid gear already that can take you some way before you find a better set, rare item, unique item.

I think these changes should do it though I have a few more ideas that could be implemented. Since there will be shared stashes, completing a set shouldn't be that difficult really. Also there could be some system that would temporarily boost the chance to find or simple gives you a set item. Say, when you gain a level, for the next 10 minutes, your chance of finding set items could be increased by 50-100%. That way you can really go for a set item hunt and once you find a single piece of the most current set available, the other systems would kick in, making sure you find at least something from that set other than this one piece. Bliz wants to push is into action all the time with globes and shrines and XP bonuses from multi-kills and stuff, why not add set items into the mix?

Craftable and Scalable with character level with Multiple items per slot
this will give great number of customization option's to match skill customization variations.

for example
boots and amulet you can craft
gloves and body you must find via drop (and this parts can be multiple per slot
Head and shoulders class-based and drop only from special boses (last boses) and all this scales with level

I think Marcus' solution is perfect!

@Marcus - I think that there are a few issues with your ideas. First, by bolstering the stats on set items, you would make them too powerful once the set is complete. If a single piece was slightly less powerful than rates and uniques, then once the set was complete, the added bonuses would make them better. With set stats and reliability, everyone would wear set items and diminish the randomization of getting better loot.

Increasing set item find was an original idea I had as well however, I think that it also comes with it's issues. Basically, how would the stat work. You wouldn't want it to completely diminsh the chance of getting any other set item. It would have to be a large enough increase to be noticablee yet not too big that it ensures that you get the item. There still needs to be some randomness and luck in getting certain drops. To me, increase find makes you think you are in control of determining our loot drops when it really doesn't. Especially without knowing what you would have gotten without it. It comes down to not enough and it's pointless and too much and it ruins the random loot game. This would just be too hard to balance.

Lastly, I think That increasing the ability to find higher level items and lower the chance of getting lower items doesn't work either. The idea of never getting lower level set items once you hit certain levels also gos against the basic principal of random loot. Chaning it so that only set items around your level just limits these drops too much.

And if we had all three of these systems working together, it would just make it too certain that you could complete a set. There, once again, still needs to be some randomness to completing a set. The reward of set items make it worth the challenge of getting them. I don't want to sound like I'm attacking you personally, allot the ideas have drawbacks to them and that is why blizzard hasn't chosen one yet.

I voted "Other" because i want low level sets and end game sets too.

Scalable Set items: This would be a pretty bad idea... I think... Mainly because this could dissuade people from trying new gear. Of course that all depends on the stats of the set items. If set items are to be scaled with character level, they should be scaled back at the very least, 1-2 tier levels so that drops during the game always have the potential of being better suited than that a particular set items attributes. I prefer the creativity be left to the players for determining the right attributes to have on equipment rather than them be pre-seleced for an entire armor/weapon set. It does too much work for the player. Hence my quote, "Set items are for lazy players, or players that are trying to get some laughs".

Digression:
The common, magical, rare, unique, and crafted gear in Diablo 2 was a fairly nice, simple at that. However, I like the idea of having a very few amount of rare items that have the potential to be better than some of the best Unique items. If that makes any sense. Like magical items, rare items can have varying attributes with varying additions like 20-35% block rate, or +70-150% damage. If a certain tiered rare was to be perfect, it should outshine most perfect unique items of that same tier. I understand I may be pretty vague, but thats the best way I can currently explain it using old d2 terminology. Call it an ultra-rare if you will... Because rare items have far more variations in types of attributes, the odds of landing a perfect rare with not only all the attributes you want but also perfect stats on those attributes, (i.e. 150% if the range was 70%-150%) is far more improbable than that of Uniques items with set attributes and varying stats. (By attributes I mean +Dexterity, or Item casts blizzard 5% chance on hit, or + life, etc.) (By stats i mean the %'s and numbers reflecting those attributes, like 10 dexterity, or the given %). I believe that because it is so improbable that a rare may outshine a Unique item, that Unique items will still play a primary role in the trading system. But my thought on rare's would allow for an additional, very improbable level of slight improvement from perfect unique items. I may try to work out a model using d2 items as a basis for comparison to show everyone if there is enough interest.

Back on topic: Anyways back to the question, I like set items, I do... but they take away from a lot of the mystery. Diablo 2 did practically make set items irrelevant in the end, which I liked. As a result, i believe it should be implemented in a similar way. I think sets should be treated more as a gimmick than an actually usable item to a certain degree(We wouldn't want to make them completely useless). Its stuff for fun, and I can't say no to variety. I think Diablo 2 had it about right.

Ohh and I say Nay to craftable sets..., unless they are purely gimmick or decorative items with no actual use. Then it would just be a fun economy dump.

-JuystaFan

Looks like the poll is pretty close. I'm sure Blizzard will make full sets worth while in D3 somehow.

@Scyber - It all depends on the balance of the bonuses and stuff. Though my system looks like it pushes the idea of "when you find one, you have to find the rest" it all depends on how influential the system would be.

For example, the power of the set items vs unique/rare items has to be balanced of course. If you make set items too powerful, when collected it would own the game and no matter what you find, you wouldn't want to break the set for any single item. But the way it was in D2, set items were generally so pathetic, it wasn't worth even keeping them. Half of them were weaker than some regular magic items. By making the gap between set and rare/unique smaller, you would make set items viable, which is Blizzard's goal. Let's not forget that when you complete a set, you deserve to be damn powerful. Completing a set is an achievement, and as such should give you proper reward. If you complete a medium set, you'll get nice bonuses that can greatly help you mid-game...but say on Hell difficulty, you'll most likely want to get rid of it because it isn't strong enough anymore. If you complete an end-game set, you more than deserve to kick ass wearing it, so power level above what the majority of unique/rare items can provide is to be expected.

By increasing the set item find, you'd of course push back other items types which is bad. Therefore the bonus should not be so dramatic as to make every second set item you find the one you are looking for. Say a 10% increase would be sufficient. It is enough to make a difference in the long run, but not so much as to negate any other drops in the process. The bonus should be fixed, so the number of pieces you are wearing wouldn't increase this number and create problem in the MF system.

Also, I didn't say that I wanted to reduce the chance of finding low level items and increase the chance for high level items. When you progress through the game, lower level items naturally don't drop so much. But if you are wearing a few pieces of a low level set, you don't want to keep finding other pieces of that set when you are like 20 levels above that. Therefore, past a certain level difference, wearing a low level set piece could increase your chance of finding a set piece from a higher level set that has similar bonuses (say, if you have a caster set that increases Arcane damage, it could increase your chances of finding a higher level caster set that boosts Wizard's arcane skills). That way, wearing a lower level set piece wouldn't automatically "lock" you into finding worthless crap set items when you are looking for something better. Of course, you would be finding other stuff, but you don't want to be punished for wearing a lower level set piece.

In the end, I'm not a designer and have given this system relatively little thought, but it makes me wonder whether the devs have thought about a similar system and scrapped it because of some problems with balance, or something like this hasn't occured to them. I'm sure this could be balanced properly for it to work the intended way. Bliz doesn't seem to have problems creating complicated systems for e.g. calculating character damage. I wouldn't be against a more complex item system, especially when it comes to set items because that was one of the biggest flaws that D2 loot system had IMO. I don't think set items can be solved in a simple way like item scaling because that just exchanges one problem for a slew of others, far worse. If the main problem of set items was that they were weak, found when they were not viable anymore, and found too rarely to complete a set, I think all of these problems have to be addressed together.

The multiple items Idea is wonderfull - like deoending on the breast plate u wear the dmg to ur attack changes like FireBreather BP adds 200 fire dmg - ColdHeart - 150 cold etc

I think sets and loot would be much more viable if they slow the lvling down a bit and make the lvls feel a little bit longer so sets that are available for lvl 10s will be good for a while. Make stats points happen one pt per 1/5 of a lvl so that it doesnt feel like ur getting nothing while waiting for the next lvl.

Maybe items that are only available to use by chars that posses a certain amount of skill pts in a particlar skill like boots you can wear if you have 5 base skill pts in jump

Or maybe a limit cant wear belt if you have more than 200 base vita etc

idk sounds like fun ideas to me

Quote from ScyberDragon

@Marcus - I think that there are a few issues with your ideas. First, by bolstering the stats on set items, you would make them too powerful once the set is complete. If a single piece was slightly less powerful than rates and uniques, then once the set was complete, the added bonuses would make them better. With set stats and reliability, everyone would wear set items and diminish the randomization of getting better loot.

What if the added set bonuses were only minor? So you might wear a couple of pieces for the first bonus but still use your unique/crafted sword because it's better for your build.

Quote from ScyberDragon

Increasing set item find was an original idea I had as well however, I think that it also comes with it's issues. Basically, how would the stat work. You wouldn't want it to completely diminsh the chance of getting any other set item. It would have to be a large enough increase to be noticablee yet not too big that it ensures that you get the item. There still needs to be some randomness and luck in getting certain drops. To me, increase find makes you think you are in control of determining our loot drops when it really doesn't. Especially without knowing what you would have gotten without it. It comes down to not enough and it's pointless and too much and it ruins the random loot game. This would just be too hard to balance.

I'm not sure if this is a problem. In a scenario where a set piece drops that you've been searching for, you're going to be pleased and not even consider what it could have been. There should also be a system so you can't find pieces you have equipped. I think what jonny_cool mentioned about having only equipped set items influencing your drops (not stuff in your stash) is the best solution. The system is still random you just have greater odds of getting a set piece you actually need.

Quote from ScyberDragon

Lastly, I think That increasing the ability to find higher level items and lower the chance of getting lower items doesn't work either. The idea of never getting lower level set items once you hit certain levels also gos against the basic principal of random loot. Chaning it so that only set items around your level just limits these drops too much.

And if we had all three of these systems working together, it would just make it too certain that you could complete a set. There, once again, still needs to be some randomness to completing a set. The reward of set items make it worth the challenge of getting them. I don't want to sound like I'm attacking you personally, allot the ideas have drawbacks to them and that is why blizzard hasn't chosen one yet.

You will still get lower level set loot in lower level areas. You can't farm an early dungeon wearing Immortal King's and expect it to drop for you. Your drops are only being influenced remember, you're not going to only find the set you're wearing. I agree the stash set pieces shouldn't add to your chances.

Edit: Didn't notice Marcus' reply.

What if the added set bonuses were only minor? So you might wear a couple of pieces for the first bonus but still use your unique/crafted sword because it's better for your build.

I'd rather cool set bonuses (like procs and stats that you can't find on other gear or are hard to find) over strong gear within a set. Otherwise, there wouldn't be all that much of a point to going out of your way to collect and trade for set pieces. The only problem with that is if a certain set doesn't give very good bonuses for certain classes.

As for the overall topic, I also think that quest related or boss specific sets would work well.