With Diablo II, set items had a somewhat lackluster role in gearing. While leveling up, finding a piece of a set was fairly common. However, being able to obtain an entire set was much rarer, at least while the gear was still viable. Unless twinking lower level characters or wearing the few end-game sets, these particular types of items just never played that big of a role in the itemization of Diablo.
With Diablo III, the development team is attempting to fix the issues from Diablo II to make set items more viable. However, we recently found out that they are still continuing to have issues with implementing this system.
Official Blizzard Quote:
Diablo: @Scyberdragon You are just all about set items all the time! They're not, yet.ScyberDragon: @Diablo How are set items working?
The developers of Diablo III are aware of the flaws of the mechanic and are working on multiple ideas to help fix the problems that set items have. A number of options have been presented to make set items more possible in the gearing of your character but each one has its own pros and cons.
The exact same as Diablo II: There is always the possibility that set items system will work the same way as it did in Diablo II. With a more accessible trade system, the possibility of completing a whole set while the gear is still viable could be much more likely.
Multiple items per slot: Another idea that has been tossed around is the possibility that each slot of a set could have multiple items that would complete that set. For example, a set may have three different chest pieces, all which would count towards completing the same set. This would allow for a wider variety of set items to drop and increase the possibility of completing a whole set.
Scalable with character level: If set items were to increase in stats with your character level, this could help your ability to find a whole set while the gear is still viable for your character. If you found one piece at level 10 and the next at level 15, as long as the gear scaled, you could still wear the whole set once found. However, a cap to this scale would have to be added to stop the need of only one set of gear for your character from level 1 -60.
Craftable set items: Crafting was added as a way to help compensate your character with gear that just happens to not drop for you. Set items could benefit greatly from this idea. Getting one piece of a set and never getting the rest negates the set item all together. There was also times where you would get one piece from one set and another piece from a different set. If you were able to salvage set items for materials to make items of a different set, this could help players control the ability to obtain a full set.
End-Game only sets: As noted earlier, most actual usage of set items in Diablo II were the few viable end-game sets. According to the most recent information, the possibility of set items in Diablo III being only end-game items is a strong possibility. This would also help lend just one more objective to do after hitting the level cap and needing more goals for your character to obtain.
No set items: There is always the possibility of set items being removed from Diablo III. Blizzard has stated that if they cannot find a system they like, they would remove it all together. Perhaps set items just are not viable in the loot heavy, randomization of Diablo.
So, when all is said and done, Diablo III has a wide variety of ways to add set items and make them usable. How would you like to see the system make a come back?
The results of last weeks poll was a bit one-sided. When asked what limitations there should be withe swapping of skills runes, over 50% of the voters thought the best way was to have the Mystic be the only way to swap them. Every time you visited the Artisan, you would get the opportunity to switch out these runes. The only other option that got a sizeable amount of votes was the option of being able to switch them out yourself as long as you were outside of combat. Increasing the frequency and availability to swap and experiment with different runes. If you would still like to voice your opinion on this topic, you can go here to vote.
Set items not for completing a set to use as a collected gear. (no value for sell/saved)
A specific set item stats that require different gear piece every month but with due expiration date to dispatch the completed set at the end of each month (hypothetically a month).
Value for trading and collecting will be the gears that has high percentages on being included into the blueprint/recipe each month.
If this kind of set items is consider valuable for pvp use than the dispatching/regathering process will be worth it to take part in the collect for magic find.
None of the above options that they are currently playing around with really.
Some points for me.
1. Set items should be extremely powerful for their level if you have all the set items.
2. They should be special, with some kind of lore attached, and not just able to be crafted by your average joe or sold down the street at the market. This isn't to say that there may be one or two items that are set items that can ONLY be done through crafting in accordance some some kind of story arc or something.
3. Not scalable with level as a rule, this would make item hunting more boring and irrelevant, and in a way really detracts from the fun of a game like this that puts so much emphasis on item collecting. As before this isn't to say a few pieces could not be scalable. On a side note, I don't really like the way every system does scalable items and my preference in regards to a set, if it was done, would be to for the items to scale to your level at the point when each piece is found. So you find a piece at level 10, it stays that level until you find the second piece at level 20, in which case both pieces become level 20, etc.
My 'other'.
I think the implementation should be around a dynamic quest functionality. Once a random piece is found, the remaining set needs to be integrated into the the game in some way. It's difficult, as you do not want non scalable set items to be so hard to hunt that they are worthless once finally found, but at the same time not so easy that every man and his dog has one within a few hours.
My suggestion would be to have some kind of mechanism that is run from say the trader, where you can pay a bunch of cash (relative to the power of the item) to purchase a treasure map for a piece of the item. This then starts a _time limited_ quest at a new random dungeon location that pops up on the map. The dungeon, with it's time limit, should be a challenge to the player, who needs to get in there before the item goes missing again. Heck the dungeons could even be themed by the set item's lore. Why not since blizzard are making set items by hand, I don't see why adding a few notes as to the general theme of the random dungeon dungeon for them, I don't think they would need to go all out with actual designed quest elements and voice over, just a random dungeon with a theme to the level that suits the item.
I imagine that as the set item level goes up, the availability of the 'map' for an item from the trader goes down, so that with top level item maps having an very rare availability but not nearly as rare as the item drop itself, and also they should be incredibly hard to accomplish
Ahh, it's a work in progress, but I think it would be best done around quests, and would really make something thats boring and fairly useless in the current Diablo to be a really fun new part that can add a lot to the game.
Having sets become the best would take away all of that sense of randomness and uniqueness. I love uniques and I love sets because they give a bit of lore and some fun benefits but I really loved the feeling of finding a rare that was near perfect and no one else had one like it.
Well there's no reason for them to not play around with using set items as puzzle pieces. I think it's a safe zone to play with what could become of the set items in the future after the release. Powerful in a having a secretive, unique set items skill gift gifted to the set. Make it more like an event for treasure find.
If they catch this I think there will at least be some thoughts on how to deal with something in this way. And that's more content for us.
Making it sounding in anyway like runewords however, is definitely not the way to go.
I also agree with the niche set bonuses, something specific and neat, unique to that set. Not something that increases combat effectiveness directly, but a fun thing that adds some value, like how trangs turned you into the Caster enemy from act 3(name not forthcoming) or IK made you shiny.
Sure. I just didn't particularly like the options in the vote over what I had in my head at the time.
I also agree that set items should not be the most powerful in the end game, but I would imagine that there would be done by there being less rune sockets and such with set items, and not because complete set of ultra rare at end game should be not as powerful as other random items. Just less flexible and enhanceable because you are stuck with the set bonuses rather than being able to find lots of ultra rare runes to slot in.
Likewise other peoples said, there's a chanse to found a "recipe" that provide your aristan ability to create that set. But getting materials for it is not enought, you also need that chest/head/shoulder token to complete item.
I dunno, looks close to the craft system. So vote for it.
Just wish I can really push this concept into the dev team's head. Make them give a good mind spin on the idea.
I always want to see something that stands more encrypted, something more neutral, in powers' terms.
A Soldier Angel Set: (Becomes Tyrael's race of angel) Lightening bolts human who doesn't follow the rules to obey the being that's in possession of the full body set. All sets will self-destruct at the end every month. Clan stock up on possible pieces each month is the more efficient method.
#Set items' treasure find worth will be determin by the pieces that is descripted to have the better odds of becoming the selected piece every month.
I really don't know how this sounds really. Had this idea in my mind for awhile now. Of course I think alot on this for pvp use.
I like the finding different levels of the same set idea (of course with a small visual upgrade as well). would be cool to wear sigons from start to end of game - of course you look epic by then end, not looking the same the entire game.
Wait so you want the items to self-destruct after 30 days? Or on a certain day of each month? Either way doesn't really appeal to me, to be honest.
I really like the idea of wearing items of an incomplete set granting you an increase in the chance of finding the other set pieces, but I can understand the farming side of that as well.
Maybe a bind on equip, relative to all of that particular sets pieces?
I play single player mostly, so I'm not concerned with some items flooding an economy, but I also would like the ability to pass items along to other characters on my account, so BOE might not be the right way to go.
Whatever they decide to go with, I would like to be able to complete a high level set in single player. Even when I played battlenet, I never FOUND IK armor, I had to trade for it, and then I was never sure it was legit.
And i've never found a stone of jordan either, after 10 years. Really. Bad luck, but thats kinda my point. Maybe they can increase the drop rate for single player. Hmmm.
And a genre that its power is more neutral, it should stands out because it has interesting effect that differ from anything on the battle field. It might work best for pvp/clan war.
Blizzard should design the loot system so the set/unqiue items drop in/off a lower zone/mob are for a few levels higher, or a later zone. That way you dont always come across a level 8 item at level 12 for instance. This way the items you find will as least be viable for your current character, rather than an alternate or later character.
Scaleable items could defeat the purpose of finding alot of items, hence taking alot of fun out of finding upgrades and new gear. I don't want to use the same item all game.
So my "other" vote would be this: set items should scale SOMEWHAT, not huge, but SOME armor should "stretch" 5 or 10 levels so you can collect and enjoy the set.
Why i say SOME armor should "stretch" or "grow with character" i dont want to be lvl 57 and get a piece of gear that has the option of "growing" 5 lvls but it only has a chance to 3 lvls since i didnt get it till 57. Unless the "growing" gear would be x strong at x lvl and not "grow" with lvl but be a set strength at each lvl. But i do not want a lvl 15 set piece to stretch up to lvl 60, would be kind of lame to have the best end game gear at 15... but not know you had it until you were 60...
P.S. spell check doesn't recognize diablo as a word.
I'm not really endorsing this to be honest. I prefer the idea of finding it, though I really want to make it easier a set than in was in D2.
You can get scrolls or have the Artisan have options for the number of pieces of the set and what pieces to be used. The more pieces and the type of pieces used will determine the cost. Some of the mods can be picked and again the cost can vary based on the mods picked. Most of the mods would be randomly generated. You may get lucky and get a great set or you might get unlucky and need to try again. The sets should be able to compete with great gear but it should not be guaranteed to be the best.