Encountering re-spec the first time in D2:R after having played the original back when.
(I did not play on later patches which might have introduced this problem already as I am aware of)
Giving the player the ability to re-spec even once throughout his journey (and we know it is going to be unlimited re-specs) is breaking probably the core risk and reward systems in the game.
The way stats and in particular skills have been implemented in the original D2, explain why they were never intended to work together with a re-spec feature.
Lets compare game defining differences between D2 with re-spec vs D2 without re-spec:
D2 without re-spec
As a hypothetical, if I wanted to save up points to only spec into e.g. bear as druid in D2, I had to counter that decision by making it harder to run through the early levels with eventually no other skills up until that point.
If I wasn’t sure where to put all my stat points due to not knowing upcoming gear requirement or similar, I used to hold on to stats without spending them until necessary.
D2 with re-spec
It does not really matter what I skill early on and there is no trade-off if I want to go for an optimized distribution of points in my thought out build.
I can put stat points very arbitrarily and basically (for both stats and skills) need never to hold off spending any points. Having this makes D2:R a completely different game than the original D2 for me.
I believe that re-spec is not a QoL feature but changing/trivializing one core system of the game and removing any of its risk-reward aspects.
In case some people want to play D2 in easy mode, I have no problem with providing an (alternative) easy mode or easy ladder but -in my mind- it should not replace any core design philosophy behind some of D2’s original integral systems.
I did enjoy D2 without respec quite heavily. Back before respec was added, though, was before the experience penalty, and you could hit 99 in a matter of hours, not weeks.
I think it’s best left untouched now, as the experience penalty introduced after 1.09 has created a system in which having zero respecs would be far, far more punishing than back when we played in those far-ago times.
I miss those days, but their time has come to an end.
There were no re-specs in the D2 disk version I played. Its not preserved in that case and introducing “QoL” features that might have had been against the original design philosophy (as they differ clearly so greatly of what was intended) aren’t really preserving anything, are they?
The only way you can play that version (1.00) is to time travel in oldschool. It is fun, so if you haven’t, I recommend it. That being said, this was advertised as a remaster of 1.14, so you will not get 1.00, 1.07, 1.09, or any of the other popular patches.
I do get this point, but I wonder if then also that introducing that experience penalty was the right choice if it got rid of such an integral system in the original D2?
Before 1.10, respec was not necessary. You had plenty of skillpoints and it was hard to brick a build. After 1.10, with synergies taking up a good portion of skillpoints, way easier to brick a build, or play a build that is garbage compared to pre-1.10. Respec is fine as is. Hell, there are complete metas now with it, and playstyles. Skimmed through a bit of Llama speedrunning a challenge of using respec each difficulty without overlapping skills between respecs. Was kind of interesting.
I always played the original disk version on LANs, even in “recent” years, so this is really the first time I hear of re-spec in D2 and its very mind boggling as that risk-reward system was one of the main drivers and fun parts of the game I played.
Patch 1.13c was released for Diablo II March 23, 2010. It was a player’s choice patch, where the classic games dev team asked D2 players for features to add. Respec, removal of Iron Maiden from Oblivion Knights, increase drop rates of high runes. D3 launched in 2012.
I don’t see no-respecs as a risk-reward system more of just a punishment system for having to make a new char every time I find something that would allow me to reallocate my stats better. Lucky enough to get an anni, great… now I have to make a new char cause that’s 15 less points I have to put into str
I use one respec with my sorc. I start out with firebolt/fireball. Once I hit level 26 I’m usually starting act 4, I start the prereqs for Blizzard. With the Izzy +2 skill quest, once I reach 30, I’ll have 1 to Frozen Orb and one to Cold Mastery. I’ll cruise through the rest of normal and nightmare ticking FO 2 times to CM 1.
Once I reach Hell, I run the Den of Evil, then respec to Blizzard with glacial spike to freeze groups of enemies.