Select Game Modes

Console Discussion
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EDIT 10/31: Turns out my stated concern is pointless. I have misunderstood the menu.

There IS no difference between standard and expansion because the choices are between standard (Normal/“Softcore”) and Hardcore, or between Expansion and Classic. You are activating the choices made that have turned from dark to light. NOT making the choice that has the white border around it.
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Just starting D2R on Switch, and have messed with 5 chars to 10-15, so not far in.

But I just can’t find out what the difference is between selecting standard or expansion, and I have totally lost track of which char is which.

Wasn’t really paying attention as to which ones are finding runes, and all characters can access the shared stash, so none seem restricted from using them, and assassin and Druid can be selected in either case.

Does standard not have act 5?
The menu layout seems to suggest that the choice is between standard and hardcore and between expansion and classic.

But in addition, if hardcore is selected, it immediately jumps to inputting a name with no opportunity to select expansion, which leads to the conclusion there is no difference between selecting standard or expansion.

I mean, surely one does not relinquish the expansion choice by choosing hardcore.

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*Standard

  • only acts 1 through 4
  • no runes / runewords
  • only normal and exceptional tier items
  • no jewels
  • no charms
  • only normal tier uniques and set items
1 Like
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And no increased or shared stash.

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Thanks for the replies, but I kinda think we are talking about two different things, here.

I am NOT referring to Classic vs Expansion. I am talking about the Switch “Select Game Mode” screen where, down the left side are “non-ladder”, “Standard”, and “Expansion”.

I guess I wasn’t clear that as an experiment, I started some of my chars by selecting “standard” and some by selecting “expansion”.

They ALL have access to shared stash. While I have lost track of which chars started as “standard”, and which started as “expantion”, I’m sure they have all picked up charms, jewels, and runes ( provided the runes from the Forgotten Tower quest count).

However, to be sure, I started a Druid (“Expansion-only” char as a bonus test) as “standard” and have found a jewel, a charm, and he shares stash with the rest of them.

I conclude in character selection, that the choice of “standard” or “expansion” is arbitrary and that “standard” in the game mode selection is only relative to “not hardcore”. In other words — otherwise known as softcore to everyone for the last 20 years except, apparently, the game developers.

But I was hoping to clarify that before getting to the end of act 4 and finding that, yes Virginia, there is no Act 5 when choosing a game mode of “Standard”.

Perhaps clarification by someone who has at least finished Normal after selecting “Standard” game mode, thereby confirming whether it is meaningless choice as I have concluded.

Thanks.

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You select all 3 options on that screen

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Well, technically, you only click on, or “choose” one and it goes to “name input” box. First, you can’t select “non-ladder”. It just IS. If you select “standard”, then ( at this time since ladders aren’t active) you are selecting both non-ladder and Standard.

And I guess by the same process, then selecting “expansion” does select all three.

The question is – is there any difference in gameplay if you just select “Standard”?

I guess I’ll find out when I finish Normal with “standard” char. But since there is no way of telling them apart after selection, I again conclude it makes no difference.