D4 Arrows and ranged classes 🏹

General Discussion
77

But it isn’t the same thing. In D3 we have a skill, and the skill has different runes that give different effects to the same skill. This idea is similar to that but being able to switch between the effects in combat.

For example, you can have a rain of arrows skill that shoots normal arrows. Now, if you use explosive arrows, you would get a rain of explosive arrows, and if you use poison arrows, you can create a poison cloud.

Ofc, this could be done with legendary affixes too, but it wouldn’t be as flexible. The idea is to be able to quickly change between effects: even if can’t switch between them with a key or effect, change an arrow should be easier than find more than one item with a legendary affix and switch them in combat (plus, that is something i don’t really like: if the game was intended to change between items then we should have a key to do it, like with the switch weapons).

78

Actually it does because switching sets also switches attack skills in use. At least that is what it did in D2 and developers have said skill will switch with weapon sets in D4.

79

Yes, doing it with skills is more limited. However, skills do not require inventory space.

80

Again this wouldn’t requiere inventory space, there would be special slots for it, the same as the barb has special slots for extra weapons.

81

In D2, all characters could throw a consumable object with either hand. Barbs and Amazons had throwing skills. In D3, Barb, Crusader, Demon Hunter, Witch Doctor and Druid had throwing skills. I expect some classes in D4 will have throwing skills but hopefully not requiring consumables.

82

I would like both, but i would like those builds to be viable. I think that the consumables (make them infinite if you want) give a versatility that a skill won’t give. With a consumable bomb (for example) you have different classes that could use them in different ways, and maybe in combination with other skills they have.

A mage, for example, has magic, sure, but if they could, they would also carry bombs, scrolls and what ever they can to use and don’t exhaust their power. I remember in the hellfire expansion of D1, they had traps, which could be used in tactical ways in combinations with other skills.

(Edited)

An idea to implement them as skills could be to have them as D4 Shared Skills all classes could use.

83

Barb has all weapons on all the time
Not like weapon set 1 and 2
He has 4 weapons on and has their stats? Affixes at least

84

I think you misconstrued my post. I said I wanted a throwing CLASS.
That is a CLASS - meaning I want a whole character CLASS dedicated to different types of throwing SKILLS. There are no throwing skills in D2 outside of Barbarian Mastery, only regular throwable items that anyone can throw.

*edit:
Yes Amazons had a type of throw skill but is was specific to javelins.
Also Javazons are actually awesome in D2.

85

Amazon had spear skills and a bunch of those like plague javelin were throwing skills. So you want a class that only has throwing skills? An Amazon in D2 that used only bow skills or only throwing skills had a lot of trouble getting pass the last monster in Act 2 and the Ancients. As I remember, the only character class in D3 without a throwing skill was Wizard and why would a Wizard ever need a throwing skill when most magic skills are ranged. A class with no melee skills and no melee weapons mostly gets killed when surrounded.

86

A well thought out idea that I like, if it is balanced right it could work. Especially the part about having multiple slots for quivers.

1 Like
87

Why stop at arrows? Let’s go full Monster Hunter and add in sharpening stones so that melee weapons dull constantly and have to be resharpened mid-battle.

88

Would be in favor of this idea as long as quivers adopted powers like Javelins from Diablo 2.

Replenishes Quantity [X in X sec.]
Increased Stack Size [XX]

1 Like
89

With one exception, Daggers they still need to have more options for the shadow set. 1 of the 2 daggers never get used, No depth.

When go with the endless Quiver with 3 slot types, like the Barb Armory but you unlock them as you level, if it so happen that there are 10 total Arrow / Bolt options. It’s something to consider as you plan an attack on a Key Dungeon.

Really like the way this could play, but with the limited slots it’s not to out of balance with other classes.

90

Don’t know if they will add it or not but in previous games we alredy need to repair the items. Repair the arrows to isn’t too far away from that.

If we have to repair items then have something like that stone isn’t a bad idea. The warrior had that in D1.

91

Ranged Class Full Concept

Here’s a full concept expanding on my previous post. I initially intended for each arrow to be locked on the skill but I adjusted it as Lolli42 and Dunstan suggested. I also added some stuff so that we’re not only using this system on arrows. It’s a long read.

Range Class

They are versatile fighters that utilizes a variety of tools to eliminate their enemies. Using a combination of fast, explosive attacks and incredible mobility, they can dance around their targets avoiding attacks while slowly whittling their targets down.

Weapon Types

Main Hand

Long Bow – Slow Attack Speed, High Damage

Short Bow – Fast Attack Speed, Low Damage

Cross Bow – Medium Attack Speed, Medium Damage

Hand Cross Bow – Medium Attack Speed, Low Damage, One handed.

Off Hand

Quiver – Allows Use of Different Arrow Type

Pouch – Allows Use of Different Throwable Type

Sheath – Allows Use of Different High Speed Melee Weapon in addition to Ranged Attacks

Arrow & Throwable Mechanic - Each Arrow/Throwable type will be bound to a key. To use a skill in conjunction with the arrow/throwable, you need to hold the key and press the skill. If a skill cannot be used with an arrow/throwable, the skill will be used as is. You can only have 3 arrow/throwable bound.

Arrow Types

Explosive Arrows – Explode on impact dealing damage in a large AoE around the target. High AoE Damage, Low Maximum Charge, Slow Recharge Rate.

Lightning Arrows – Shocks on impact dealing lightning damage to nearby enemies. Medium AoE Damage, High Maximum Charge, Medium Recharge Rate.

Barbed Arrows - Reduce targets armor on hit. Stackable. High Single Target Damage, High Maximum Charge, Fast Recharge Rate.

Frost Arrow - Slows enemies hit and reduce their lightning resistance. Medium Damage, Medium Maximum Charge, High Recharge Rate

Throwable Types

Shrapnel Grenade - Shatters on hit sending piercing projectiles that cause bleeding in an AoE. Low Damage, Medium Damage over-time, Medium Maximum Charge, Medium Recharge Rate.

Caltrop - Leave multiple caltrops on the ground dealing slowing and dealing damage to enemies that pass over them. Medium Damage, Medium Crowd Control, Low Maximum Charge, Fast Recharge Rate.

Poisoned Dart - Poisons enemies on hit slowing them and dealing damage over time. Low Damage, Medium Damage over-time, Medium Crowd Control, Medium Maximum Charge, Medium Recharge Rate.

Bear Trap - Clamps on enemies that passes on top of it. High Single Target Damage, High Crowd Control, Low Maximum Charge, Medium Recharge Rate.

Melee Weapon Mechanic - In addition to specific effects on range, these weapons will change mode when targets are within melee range. (I think using the mouse cursor on PC to determine the range of your attacks would allow for better control, but I don’t know how console players will control this. Tap to change mode?) Each melee weapon will increase resource cos. Skills will have a relatively similar effect during melee mode.

Melee Weapons Types

Chakram-[Ranged] Deals Multiple Damage to enemies hit. [Melee] Hit’s multiple times to a single target per attack. Medium Additional Resource, Medium Damage.

Rope Dagger - [Ranged] Gradually pull enemies towards you on Hit. [Melee] Pulls targets together. Medium Additional Resource Cost, Medium Damage, Medium Crowd Control.

Throwing Axe - [Ranged] Stagger on Hit. (Stagger cancels, attack/skill animation) [Melee] Stagger on hit. High Additional Resource Cost, High Damage, Low Crowd Control

Javelin-[Ranged] Knock back on hit. [Melee]Increase melee range, knock back on hit. Medium Additional Resource Cost, Medium Damage, Medium Crowd Control.

To make sure this is viable I’ll list some skills. However I’m going to try and limit this to 10 skills but I think there is room for a lot more.

Skills

Volley – Shoots 5 Projectiles in a cone in front of you. [Melee] Deal Melee effect in a cone in front of you.

Rapid strike - Rapidly shoot 5 projectiles at your target. [Melee] Deal 5 consecutive melee attacks.

Ricochet - Attacks bounce to nearby enemies. [Melee] Trigger Ranged attack behind the enemy hit.

Pierce-Projectiles pierce through enemies. [Melee] Attacks hit enemies behind the first target hit.

Charged Attack - Channel attack to increase its damage.

Sentry - Drop a sentry that attacks the closest target. [Melee] Deal melee effect in an AoE around it.

Rain of Vengeance - Continuously deal damage on an AoE for a short period of time. [Melee] Deal Melee effect around you for a short period of time.

Evasive Attack - Jump backwards when attacking. [Melee] Jump sideways while attacking. (Keeping the enemy within melee range.)

Onslaught - Channeling. Use the available charges of your projectiles at a rapid rate. [Melee] Deal random melee attack around you. Melee attack trigger range attack behind the enemy hit.

Reactive Stance - Fire a projectile when hit to attacker for a certain duration. [Melee] Can react with ranged or melee attack.

Almost done. It could also be applied so that you have three additional inventory socket which are linked to the hot keys. A quiver, pouch, and sheath can be placed on each slot. But if this was the case, quivers, pouches and sheaths roll with random type. Eg. Bladed Arrow Quiver, Shrapnel Grenade Pouch. This way, you’re not locked into using arrows only or throwables only.

Lastly, is throwables an actual word? Couldn’t think of an alternative word.

2 Likes
92

I’m advocating for this idea but I guess they can make an arrow only inventory for range classes.

93

I’m alright with that idea, only with this mechanic for melee classes: Every hit with melee weapon or ability, has a solid chance to make your weapon more blunt, lowering it’s damage a little bit. More you hit the enemies, more blunt your melee weapon become, until it’s completely blunt, dealing 1-2 weapon damage.

You are the realism guy, huh? Casters should have something too then. Everyone should.

94

Some great ideas! :slight_smile:

Could add a poison one too.

I remember the chakram of Nox (game), it was a great weapon. Could make it bounce on walls and if make it bounce in the right angle (walls but enemies too) the weapon came back to your hands. Was specially deadly in corridors, if you make them bounce in the right angle, the weapon could hit the enemy a huge amount of times.

95

Casters can use the Vancian casting system.

96

I placed in Thorwables as Poisoned Dart. I didn’t want to have similar effects on the different types.

This was it’s first effect when I was writing this, but when I got to writing the skills, I couldn’t think of a good way to have the bounce and return balance with all of the skills. Pierce for example is useless with this effect since chakram would already pierce through enemies. Or Ricochet, if the skill already bounces against walls. Basically anything I added in the skills, I didn’t want the item types to have so that you can use all types with all skills.

1 Like