This set is useless, even in a early stage of game:
(2) Set:
+250 Vitality
Increases damage against elites by 10.0%
(3) Set:
Reduces damage from elites by 10.0%
+25% Extra Gold from Monsters
(4) Set:
You are immune to Desecrator, Molten, and Plagued monster ground effects.
Maybe this set could enhance forgotten mechanics or unused items.
(2) Set:
PuR now increase range of Arcstone, Death’s Bargain,
(3) Set:
Damage reduced 15% for each team member with an Arcstone.
(4) Set:
Increased damage of Arcstone, Death’s Bargain, Fulminator, Hellfire Ring, Fire Walkers by combined base damage of team members equipped with an Arcstone.
Blackthornes is actually a decent all class budget 1-70 level up set for hardcore IMO, since you can just steamroll everything without getting vortex gibbed by the molten explosions. Throw on Julias Cameo which takes care of arcane sentries and ice climbers to take care of the ice bombs and other immobilizing effects.
Not really sure if even this is enough to make Blackthorne useful. The set however really needs some proper redesign. Right now it’s pretty much autosalvage.
The best thing they could do to Blackthorne’s, would be to move it to one of Haedrig’s craftable sets. This way, those they want to make a fun build that can’t kill anything can, and those that are tired of getting trolled for a set item they actually need will stop getting trolled.
Hopefully, the D4 dev’s will put some actual thought into the design of their items and have an actual application for items and affixes they create.
It is completely insta-salvage for HC also. AFAIK it doesn’t drop until you hit 70, even if it did, you would be level 70 before finding enough pieces to for it to be interesting. If your intent is to use it GOE’s on it for releveling or an alt, there are much more fun pieces to waste GOE’s on than Blackthornes.
I really like the idea of an entirely pointless set. But I am also entirely cool with some non-power legendaries.
To me it makes more sense realism wise (not that realism really matters). I see it as some dude who isn’t exactly a good blacksmith set out to create a set but wasn’t good enough to make it properly strong, he was able to unlock the ability for multiple pieces to provide some different bonus but not anything decent. Same with random legendaries, they were able to make a weapon that is actually really strong but not the part of enhancing something by orders of magnitude.
And just like how there is this entirely pointless set.
So many ideas were posted in the past, maybe in a future patch we’ll see notes:
IMHO, it should go the route of LoN, where it becomes a non mixable set:
2pc bonus grants 2500% damage per piece worn.
3pc bonus grants 12% damage resistance per piece worn.
4pc bonus makes you immune to Desecrator, Molten, and Plagued monster ground effects and grants 30% damage to elites as well as 30% less damage taken from elites.
LoN: 2 items for 98.5x
BT5: 5 items for 126x
BT4: 4 items for 101x
Which skills is this good for?
Rapid Fire
Blessed Shield
Bombardment
Darts
etc
Since BT is compatible with RoRG, the player decides if they need to sacrifice a ring slot or 5th BT set piece to wear key items like Depth Diggers, or a belt with legendary effect.
Compared to LoD, an extra legendary gem is gained, but illusory boots is lost. In general BT is less tanky than LoD since no free Aquilas. BT also doesn’t fit as much elemental damage % / attack speed. Damage wise, it is probably balanced with LoD/LoN.
The set would not work with F&R, Endless Walk, Capt Crimson, Aughild, etc.
This approach would offer another layer of build diversity, a big step forward compared to what exists now.
I agree with you that releveling with a class specific backup set is the better/more fun way to go. However, if one intends to play multiple classes in Hardcore and like to play solo, building a Gem of Eased Blackthornes set is decent budget option to get a jumpstart on starting a different class. Yes one could build up the mats needed to craft up items for starting a different class, but that can get expensive.
Protection from those darned molten explosions is nice especially when trying to get a toon up to 70 in HC… We’ve all been blasted by them from time to time.
Proposed ideas like this many times. Unfortunately, the sad fact is D3 seems unwilling to deviate too much from the plan of the original D3 ROS designers. This is the kindest way I can put it.
I have 6 Primals and about 10 really well rolled Ancients just incase Blizz does decide to do something with set (since the changes will be retroactive).
That used to be a neutral set just like Blackthorne’s. While that was made into a Crusader Thorns set, Blackthorne’s is let untouched. If either of the two needed to be made into a class set, it should have been Blackthorne’s.
Yes, it should have been made into a thorns set for the Barbarian. I have suggested that many times, even when the Invoker’s was still a classless set.
Another suggestion would be to put Blackthorne’s in the craftable table at the blacksmith. The only issue there is the amulet. Blizz could take that out of the game, yes. Either swap it for another item, say shoulders maybe, or just make it a set with one less item. Of course it would be easier just to take the item out of the game. Or keep it in the game as a random drop and the rest of the set is put Blackthorne’s in the craftable table at the blacksmith.
There are many different ways to deal with the Blackthorne’s set.
It could be semi-useful if they allowed it to be used with LoD and LoN with the increases in weaponry now. As it sits as a standalone set it is as someone said, pretty much instant salvage.