Elemental Type Ideas

Maybe someone has posted similar threads before…

As everyone knows, elemental types in weapons are nearly meaningless… I just hope that Diablo 3 or the upcoming Diablo 4 can make this meaningful.

The traits of these elemental types are reflected in skills runes. Overall each of these elemental types in fact has specific effects. For example, many lightning skills have stunning effect, and fire skills have larger portion of damage as well as larger radius. I actually appreciate such settings.

I just think that developers can simply make these effects inherent. Perhaps this can make the game more interesting.

My current ideas:

Fire: larger damage output than other elemental types; DOT (limited stacks)

Cold: 100% chilled; chance to freeze

Lightning: 100% stun; slightly lower damage output

Poison: slowing attack and move speed (equivalent to chilling); DOT (limited stacks)

Arcane: elemental resistance reduction (infinite stacks)

Holy: healing when hit (equivalent to weapon damage); bonus damage to undead and demon enemies

Physical (though not one of the “elemental types”): chance to stun; armor reduction (infinite stacks)

What do you think?

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You can also include weapon types which all have different effects.

For example

Bladed Weapon (Sword/Axes/Daggers): Chance to bleed.
Blunt Weapons (Maces/Mallets/Fists) : Chance to Stun.
Piercing Weapons (Bows/Javelins/Spears) : Chance to deal piercing damage(ignore defense).
Magic Weapon (Wands/Staves) : Has elemental damage.

And maybe different armor types that could negate, counter or have additional bonuses.

Heavy Armor (Plate mail/Chain mail/Barbarian Tattoo?) : Increase bleed/stun/pierce resistance.
Light Armor (Leather/Fur) : Increase dodge chance.
Magic Armor (Robes/Druid Armor) : Increase elemental resistance.

This is only useful, of course, if every class can wield any weapon and wear any armor.

If this affixes are built in to the different equipment, you can easily create a build around a specific item type without relying on the affixes. And gradually grind for similar gear with affix that match your build. Also, we will can reduce the clutter that is random chance effects in D3 gears which most,if not all), builds don’t even use.

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those “100%” concern me :smiley:
sounds a bit easy, when the enemies are perma stunned or frozen xD

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Yeah, it should be just chance since Ancestral Power increases the proc chance of on-hit effects.

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I hope those types do more than that.

Ice could be used to freeze water, fire to burn the vegetation. They could also use combinations to create different effects.

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It could be nice if any elemental bonuses on weapons affected the transmogs of those weapons, giving them an electric/fiery aura etc. The same as D3’s rare (yellow) weapons have, but affecting legendary transmogs as well.

Again, sacred is doing this since 2004 :wink:

I would rather they took the angelic/demonic/ancestral itemization and replace it with elements. Keep the stacking ideas but apply them to the elements…

Example:
10% stacked fire = more damage
25% = DOT
50% = larger radius
75% = targets enemies
Etc

They could also include defensive buffs to the above, like with enough stacked fire you gain cold resist

Yes, I think they’re doing something like this in Wolcen where lightning attacks deal more damage when enemies are chilled, frozen or standing on water. The standing on water(environmental effects) would also be an interesting addition similar to D3 traps but better.

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Well the Druid could have a Quicksand spell that is better if it’s raining or if there was a storm, Slow - AoE - add more options here.

The trouble with elemental attacks that add extra stuff there is always a big problem. The problem is that players will likely choose whichever one does the most damage or has the best utility. That is why we likely won’t get any special affects for elements unless they are added directly to the skills themselves through skill points, talents or gear.