My idea is simple. A Season where new affixes are introduced that can appear on every item in the game (magic, rare, legendary, and ancient alike). This will add significantly more depth to itemization. Even with Diablo III’s small team, this is entirely possible as most of these are stats that appeared in some form on some passive or legendary in the game already, so it’s really just copying over the coding into a new place (it isn’t adding new models into the game, nor an entirely new gameplay mechanic like the Triune season had).
My idea for new enchantments to add are as follows (the letter X represents a number variable that will change depending on the item level as all affixes do):
Primary affixes
- +X% effect of defensive skills (Chestplate only)
- +X Block amount (Bracer and Shield only)
- Regain X life on critical hit
- -X% chance for your attacks to be blocked
- +X% damage on low life
- +X% dodge chance (Boots and Pants only)
- +X% damage using swords
- +X% damage using polearms
- +X% damage using axes
- +X% damage using bows
- +X% damage using crossbows
- +X% damage using daggers
- +X% damage using flails
- +X% damage using maces
- +X% damage using fist weapons
- +X% damage using scythes
- +X% damage using wands
- +X% damage using staves
- +X% damage dealt with bleeding (Ring and amulet only)
- +X% potion cooldown recovery speed (Belt only)
- +X% duration of Shrine effects
- Gain X Discipline every 10 seconds (Demon Hunter only)
- Gain X Hatred every 10 seconds (Demon Hunter only)
- Gain X Spirit every 10 seconds (Monk only)
- Gain X Wrath every 10 seconds (Crusader only)
- Gain X Fury every 10 seconds (Barbarian only)
- Gain X Mana every 10 seconds (Witch Doctor only)
- Gain X Arcane Power every 10 seconds (Wizard only)
- Gain X Essence every 10 seconds (Necromancer only)
- +X% damage dealt by your followers
- +X% resource recovery while in Hysterics
- +X% critical chance against Hexed enemies
- -X% damage taken from Intimidated enemies
- Item’s primary stats are applied to your followers
Secondary affixes
- +X% Death’s Breaths dropped from monsters
- +X% damage to structures
- +X% items from chests
- +X% Dimensional Speed duration
- +X% massacre duration
Notes about these affixes
Effect of defensive skills falls in line with all of the affixes that increase the damage of specific skills, only serving to be defensive instead of offensive. Since it can only appear one one slot, it cannot be stacked up to absurd degrees. The exact effect of this would vary on specific skill (like for the Crusader’s Iron Skin, it makes it grant more Armor).
I have found that while block chance is a balanced thing to build up, block amount is a difficult thing to get to good levels, so that’s a stat that needs more support. Since your wrists are what you block with in unarmed combat IRL, it makes sense that bracers would yield block stats.
Heal on crit is a new recovery stat that is interesting because it mechanically functions as a third critical stat, making it the favored form of recovery for crit-savvy builds.
Reduced chance for your attacks to be blocked is an offensive stat that doesn’t feature the words “increased damage” in it, which makes it more unique.
Increased damage on low life actually benefits defensive builds more as they have a far better chance at staying in combat while on low life instead of needing to run away or dying immediately. Which is a change in meta for a game where glass cannon builds dominate.
Dodge chance is a strange stat as it is mentioned by passive abilities and multiple legendaries, however to the best of my knowledge it is only granted by a single legendary gem. So it would add to the diversity of stats in the game and look nicer if it could be gotten on normal items as well, and a dodge build could actually be made by stacking it. Yes it is unreliable, but I don’t think that’s a very good argument because Diablo III is entirely predicated on luck-based item drops, and your offense is heavily luck based as well with crits. If the unreliability bothers you, then you can just reroll the stat and not build towards it, you’re not forced into it.
I believe the damage with specific weapon groups falls in line with how damage with specific skills works, and is the most interesting thing about these new enchantments (in my opinion). As it forces you to consider your other pieces of gear when debating between swapping an item out for another more, either from leaving a weapon behind because it doesn’t match the weapon category that you’ve built up weapon proficiency stats in, or not getting an armor/accessory because it’s proficiency stat doesn’t match the weapon you’re using. It adds much more depth to considering gear.
The burst of resources once every ten seconds is a new form of recovery that changes the gameplay more than other forms of recovery does. There can be fun moments of getting the burst right at an intense moment, and more skill involved as you want to be drained of that resource when the time comes around so that none of the recovery amount is wasted.
There are three enchantments that are tied to a specific followers: Hysterics is a buff granted by the Scoundrel, Hexed is a debuff inflicted by the Enchantress, and Intimidated is a debuff inflicted by the Templar. These add more to consider with which follower you chose, as a very resource dependent build might want to pick the Scoundrel to take advantage of that new enchantment, and a crit build could choose the Enchantress for that new enchantment.
Lastly, the most unique among these is “Item’s primary stats are applied to your followers”. Since it’s limited to primary stats it can’t grant them legendary affixes (that would be overpowered) but does add much more potential to followers. I don’t believe they could ever match up to the player in high Greater Rifts, but these enchantments will keep them relevant for longer and could make them a viable damage dealer as you are fighting in Act 3, 4, and maybe even 5.
