Making Rare and Magic Items useful in D4

[clueso-2790]

@GeminiEclips-1766

@clueso-2790

You need various kinds of systems and not every single one of them should be massively changing the way your character works.

And the ones that are based on base stats are BORING. D2 BORING. D3 BORING. POE BORING. Grim Dawn BORING.

For you.

It still involves making meaningful choices, whether they are about making the choice between a simple defensive or a simple offensive upgrade, but it is still a meaning full choice that stacks up in the end.

If every choice is like “Do you want to deal 30% increased Fire Damage after you stood still for 3 seconds” or do you want your Fire Skills to no longer deal their damage instantly, but instead deal 130% of their initial damage over 6 seconds?", then that just changes your build to much with every choice you have to make.

I even would say that having only access to such choices that only change mechanics and the way your character plays and no more “genetric” ones is a terrible design philosophy, because in the end every character will have an altered playstyle.

So what you call “boring choices” is by default not a bad thing, especially when you might them together with other systems in which you have a choice between more “boring generic” options and more “interesting mechanical altering” options.

@GeminiEclips-1766

Generic stats are boring. I’m tired of them. I don’t need to choose to gain a generic 1-5% damage increase or 10-50 health per level to feel progression. It’s the most boring of choices.

But they are not the only choices you have.

A level up would give you Attribute Points, Passive Skill Points and Skill Points.
You Attribute Points would be more genetic, but your Passive and Active Skill Points could be spend into more “interesting” stuff as you call it.

@GeminiEclips-1766

D2 was a good game, but hit recovery as a stat is not a good system. You’re arbitrarily held back just because you have to gain the stat to feel like you don’t just get stun locked into oblivion.

The only reason for why I put Hit Recovery in there is because I otherwise would have put something called “x% increased maximum Stagger” in its place, but then I had to explain what I actually mean with that, which is basically this here:

Character Stagger Mechanic

@GeminiEclips-1766

The various kinds of systems need to work together. Stats are essentially just a separate system that doesn’t influence gameplay outside of cooldown reduction and resource cost reduction.

With Movement Speed you can kite enemies better and escape better.
With more Defense you can hold on longer in a fight.
With more CC Resistance you remain CC’ed less intensely and for a shorter duration.
With more Offense, well you kill faster.
Stagger allows you to take a lot more damage before you get microstunned.
Stamina allows you to move out of dangerous zones or heavy incoming hits more often.

@GeminiEclips-1766

It’s just bland boring I do more damage or I take less damage or I move slightly faster.

I disagree with that statement.
Bland does neither mean boring, nor usless, nor does it mean that it can not have a noticeable impact on gameplay.