Community Feedback for Improving Itemization

General Discussion
924

You’re right, we should propose a buff that is easier to implement, does this work?..

Naj’s Ancient Vestige

  • +1 To Teleport (Full Set)
  • Change All Skills from +1 to +3 (Full Set)

We could add a new section under General Changes…

Melee Range
Improve the reach for large melee weapons as shown below:

Melee Range Current Improved
Great Sword (normal) 2 4
Executioner Sword (exceptional) 2 4
Colossus Blade (elite) 2 4
Great Axe (normal) 2 4
Gothic Axe (exceptional) 2 4
Champion Axe (elite) 2 4
Great Maul (normal) 2 4
Martel de Fer (exceptional) 2 4
Thunder Maul (elite) 2 4
Voulge (normal) 2 4
Bill (exceptional) 2 4
Colossus Voulge (elite) 2 4
Bardiche (normal) 2 4
Lochaber Axe (exceptional) 2 4
Ogre Axe (elite) 2 4

Note: Other two-handed melee weapons with a range of 0-2 (except staves) increased to 3

Solid change, I’ll add it in the next update.

925

Runewords review

Overall I don’t like suggested the changes. The idea of allowing lots of runewords to spears and polearms (and to all/melee weapons as proxy) because I don’t think A2 merc should be made even better. He’s already the best. The wand\orb runewords also go against the purpose of making staves distinct\better.

Besides, more RW options pulls the balance again towards runewords, after the effort to relative improve uniques. There’s already plenty of RW options.

why not all blunt weapons then?

While it would be fun to explore, it doesn’t fit thematically, as a claw is not a very “law-bringer-ey” weapon (D2 assassin is not Maiev/Warden, just a magekiller)

1 Like
926

I tend to agree with you, all these unique changes and we just expand RW even more. I would really like to trim the list down significantly. Maybe we could only have a handiful of lackluster RWs, like expanding Stone into Shields for example.

927

Nice, just tried that with an lvl 15 Char. Took me about 100-120 sashes :crazy_face: Now have to take look on my grail list :slight_smile:

With you. Stone would be fun. But on the other hand that would bring a lot of the mediocre shields back down. Would rather buff a little bit the clearly useless armors (Myth and the other class specifics).

But honestly. Nerfing Enigma, Grief (to make others more usefull) and spirit woul be enough. But how they change KN ob BK we wont see that (since the “old” Version would be insanely go up in value when having two version).

So lets focus on working through the uniques first.

1 Like
928

In the next update, I’ll take out expanding runewords in main body of OP, and put it in supplemental post talking about improving runewords. I’ll add footnote at very end of OP.

For discussion on improving runewords, please see Improve Runewords

In supplemental post, we can focus on expanding and improving RW’s for melee characters. I would not buff casters one bit. This can be a side discussion, but not the main focus of improving uniques.

3 Likes
929

Works perfectly, if no one has any objections to this change in proposal

I think everyone agrees with that, but that includes the difficult prefix and sulfix table changes. Charles considers fixing the Level Req mess as a complicated change (if the person knows how to operate in excel it doesn’t take 30 seconds to apply, I’ve already tried to offer this fix). We need proposals for what to do in prefix and sulfix tables and so far I’m proposing alone.

Any inclusion of properties that can be drawn to rares, includes that magic items can also have them.

There is another question, I read in one of the lost topics about crafting a proposal to add recipes, one of them with a Gold/MF theme (which I consider a good proposal) and the other one I don’t remember. If only the MF were accepted, it would be possible to implement it in the current form of specific bases without repeating bases.

There are other constraints on what you suggested

Of the 7 classes there are 3 groups where each of them has its specific weapon slot.

Amazon, Assassin and Sorc have weapons
Druid and Barbaros have helmets
Necromancers and Paladins have shields.

Here I already have an argument for the better. As your proposal stands, it benefits Amazon and Sin much more than the other classes, Sorc would gain a good benefit by rods joining the staff group and Barbaro and the druid shape would have a wider range of weapons. Caster versions of the Druid, Paladin, and Necromancer gain nothing from this.

Sorry but i have to reply

@Everone

We need proposals for the prefix and sulfix tables. I can’t keep talking to myself about this part of the topic.

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930

Sorry for not being clear, what I meant there not affixes but default properties of crafted items. They are not connected to the affix table.

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931

I understand your point that you are talking about fixed properties that are assigned directly in the cubemain table. I think making changes there is desirable.

In my point of view safety and hitpower recipes are big crap as they are and making changes there for them is more than desirable, it is necessary.

But unfortunately Craft is not something that can be fixed without touching the affix tables.

1 Like
932

As someone who has played through the entire game with close to 1000 hc ssf barbarians (single player and ladders) and has crafted all the items in those 2 categories multiple time, I have to disagree.

I like the Defence vs Missiles and the Frost Nova of Hit Power items and the DR and Resistances of the Safety items. Prismatic and Rainbow, can roll on their respective jewelry, as can all skills on the amulets - not all character classes need FCR and mana. Wolf can roll on them, as well as Lamprey and Vampire.

The defensiveness of these categories are excellent for melee characters. The Attack Takes Damage and Frost Nova do help to speed up killing monster packs. Not all recipes are endgame viable, but every category has endgame viable recipes - amulets, rings and weapons.

Also,

Hit Power mauls can be one of the best early to mid game whirlwind weapons. Not to mention an ilvl 99 magic thunder maul should always be crafted.

Further, the best non-unique javelins I’ve ever seen was on jsp and they were crafted.

933

Great. Made that quick change, updated OP.

The only issue I see is that the OP is close to the character limit and we can only add small additions. Changes to the prefix and sulfix tables may require a whole separate thread. If we can create a small summary, I can definitely include under General Changes.

3 Likes
934

Would it be too much to ask that you organize the new topic? As soon as you open it, I’ll make the second post. Maybe take the crafts and runewords discussions there?

2 Likes
935

I have moved all the runeword changes from the OP to a supplemental post (see link below). We should have sufficient space now to add a short summary to the OP for changes to the prefix and sulfix tables.

For a supplemental discussion on revamping runewords, please see REVAMP RUNEWORDS

Below was a proposed change a while back and was removed. If people think this would be a good change to improve crafting, we can always add it back to the OP?..

New Crafting Themes
As there are seven types of gems (Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, and Skull) and only four crafting themes (Blood, Caster, Hitpower, and Safety), the developers should consider adding additional themes to the game (few examples):

  • Fighter - Diamond. New theme around crafting for IAS, AR, FRW, etc.
  • Treasure - Topaz. New theme around crafting for Magic Find, Gold Find, etc.

Agreed. Updated OP with the following under Improve Crafting section:

Relax Item Restrictions
The developers should relax item restrictions on crafting as it’s too detrimental to the overall experience. For example, crafted weapon restrictions could take the form:

  • Blood: all bladed weapons
  • Caster: staves, wands, orbs
  • Hitpower: all blunt weapons
  • Safety: polearms, spears, bows, xbows, throwing weapons

As a select few recipes are worthwhile, this change would be of minimal impact.

Agreed. Updated OP with the following under General Changes section:

Melee Range
Improve the reach for large melee weapons as shown below:

Melee Range Current Improved
Great Sword (normal) 2 4
Executioner Sword (exceptional) 2 4
Colossus Blade (elite) 2 4
Great Axe (normal) 2 4
Gothic Axe (exceptional) 2 4
Champion Axe (elite) 2 4
Great Maul (normal) 2 4
Martel de Fer (exceptional) 2 4
Thunder Maul (elite) 2 4
Voulge (normal) 2 4
Bill (exceptional) 2 4
Colossus Voulge (elite) 2 4
Bardiche (normal) 2 4
Lochaber Axe (exceptional) 2 4
Ogre Axe (elite) 2 4

Note: Other two-handed melee weapons with a range of 0-2 (except staves) increased to 3

1 Like
936

I’ve moved over to the no changes camp. I don’t want the company that made D4 to do anything to D2.

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937

yeah my first response to this thread was:

and I thought I was being an a**hole by saying that, now I realize it was actually spot on. The devs and Blizzard as a whole have no idea what the hell Diablo is even about.

I guess the no change guys were the right in the end :pensive:

1 Like
938

I can understand the hesitancy for the developers to make any changes to D2R given the current state of D4, but its a completely different game with a different intended audience. I fully support the premise that the developers should shy away from making any fundamental changes to the core game mechanics of D2R.

With that said, I still think improvements can be made to D2R, such as buffing nostalgic uniques, improving base weapon damage, and making 2H-weapons more competitive to name a few. These changes have garnered alot of support and have been refined by many members of the community.

At the very least, the developers could take a few proposed changes presented in the OP and test in the PTR. If well received by the community, they could roll out in a future Season. If not, no harm done.

3 Likes
939

It would be fine if they took proposed changes word for word from the community here, but they wouldn’t do that. They would do their own version of it and it would be bad. That’s why I’m against this stuff now. If they said “CharlesJT is going to designed some new uniques”, that would be fine. Because you know what you’re doing. They don’t, and won’t listen to the community word for word. Not even close, unfortunately.

2 Likes
940

It’s kind of weird that they refused to listen to this thread for like 3 dull seasons in a row.

Don’t they understand that simply buffing the top 10 Elite uniques would build massive excitement and hype for years to come?

Imagine if Tyrael’s and a two handed staff like Mang Songs’ was BIS. People would MF for them all season, and even the botters would have something new to sell, so more money for Blizzard. It’s a win win for everyone. Literally the easiest patch of all time.

4 Likes
941

They’ve also been ignoring even more basic quality of life requests, like options to display area levels and item levels.
Altering uniques is a can of worms they may simply not want to open.
Especially, “buffing the top 10 Elite uniques” is typically what they shouldn’t do. They should be looking into pinpoint buffs with a specific intent in mind, not buffs to items that are already good enough.

942

In offline The Grandfather is good enough to beat the campaign, but you will never ever find one before you complete it. And I’m 90% sure a Black mace runeword is better than that and is easy to make.

In online, The Grandfather is worthless. It’s charsi food. The only reason someone would ever want one is for nostalgia. Why would someone grind and MF for one? They wouldn’t, so there’s less incentive to find one. That’s taking away from “end game” of online mode.

The state of uniques right now is just the way things happend to fall into place as Blizzard North crumbled.

If any designer ever intentionally made the top 10 most rarest items in the game less than mid tier items, then they are insantly a hack of a designer.

For example, in D4, their rarest items are actually good: Shako, Grandfather, etc. But they don’t know how to make good itemization in the first place, so their efforts are for nothing.

2 Likes
943

Completely agree! The developers would be wise to buff the top 10 elite uniques that represent lore, nostalgia, and rarity for an upcoming Season. This would breathe new life into the item hunt. Below is my top 10 list, curious what other people’s top 10 list is?..

1. Tyrael’s Might
Rarest item in D2. It’s a sacred armor with a TC 87 and named after the Archangel of Justice. Tyrael, who is found in-game and is part of the Angiris Council, the ruling body of the High Heavens. It is an extremely rare item, yet so useless (primary use is a trophy item).

2. Arkaine’s Valor
Ancient hero Arkaine who turned the tide of the Sin War and drove demons back to the Burning Hells. Those who played D1 remembers this was one of the best armors the player could obtain, yet in D2, easily falls behind compared to Chains of Honor, Enigma, and Fortitude.

3. Templar’s Might
Templar’s Might is a paladin focused unique sacred armor. This armor is quite rare, with a treasure class of 87, but unfortunately not a particularly useful item.

4. Mang Songs’ Lesson
Extremely rare staff, having Asian-themed name. Unfortunately, this staff is largely invalidated by more powerful items, such as the Spirit runeword.

5. The Grandfather
Iconic sword that harkens back to good ole days of D2. Now, it’s a slow sword that is lacking useful end game attributes like Crushing Blow. It gets full style points though.

6. The Cranium Basher
Mighty thunder maul of Thor. It’s truly a shame this item is rather lackluster, especially with a slow attack speed and very high level requirement.

7. Azurewrath
Created by Tyrael and wielded by Izual during the assault on Hellforge. Also, Azurewrath has an obscene level req. at 85.

8. Schaefer’s Hammer
Rare item and named after Max and Erich Schaefer, two brothers who were critical to the development of D1 and D2.

9. Astreon’s Iron Ward
Unique scepter and one of the rarest items in the game.

10. Messerschmidt’s Reaver
Champion axe that prince Aidan used to slay Diablo in classic Diablo.

What about a short summary like this?..

Crafted Item Pre-Set Mods

A crafted item always has a set of pre-set mods that depends on the recipe used and the type of item that is crafted. The four crafting themes could use a balance pass on the pre-set mods available as shown below:

  • Blood: Vitality, Life, Life Steal, Life Per Kill, Life Regeneration, Deadly Strike, Open Wounds, Piercing. Crushing Blow does not fit the Blood theme and should be moved to Hitpower theme.

  • Caster: Energy, Mana, Mana Per Kill, Mana Regeneration, Faster Cast Rate. Mana Steal does not fit the Caster theme since casters are not hitting monsters with their weapons.

  • Hitpower: Strength, Damage, Enhanced Damage, Bonus to Attack Rating, Minus Target Defense, Minus Enemy Physical Resist, Crushing Blow, Chance To Cast Amplify Damage On Striking. Knockback does not fit the Hitpower theme and should be moved to Safety theme.

  • Safety: Dexterity, Defense, Enhanced Defense, Defence vs Missiles, All Resistances, Increased Chance of Blocking, Faster Block Rate, Faster Hit Recovery, Physical Damage Reduction, Chance To Cast Frost Nova When Hit, Half Freeze Duration, Knockback.

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