Levelling a character is not different from this -
You’re doing the same thing, you are playing the same game you did at higher levels, except you start a new hero.
The difference between D3 and D2, is that with D2 you actually feel like building a Character.
Whereas in D3, you can augment your WW set, while continuing to play Hota and then swap over when WW is good enough.
This is not character building this is item building.
In D2, you would collect your WW set on your Hota barb. Then start a new character and build him. Then equip that loot.
In D3 levelling is pointless. They could just start you off at Lv70 and you’d be good to go. What you do prior to hitting 70 does not even matter.
D3 does not even need levelling at all. Since you only level up items and gems.
InD2, Levelling is the mode in which you play. No matter which hero you play, you are levelling. No matter when you play, you are levelling.
In D4 levelling should be part of the endgame and playing a Lv1 hero should be the endgame itself.
What if I don’t like the build after investing time into a character?
You can easily get your base build going in after several hours and if you don’t like that playstyle, you can start another.
In D3 you are bound to finding items,and your playstyle is determined by the items.
If you don’t like, you are forced into playing that playstyle until you get something better.
This is why levelling is more fun in D2, because from Lvl 1 you play the build you want. (though it can be improved in some areas, e.g. Werebear form, Throw Barb)
In D3, you level then get some random items, play the build you didn’t want to play eventually try to get the build you want.
Further the itemization, especially the emphasis on Legs/Sets, is so bad that it prevents you from running the builds you want to run. You are basically force fed into Set items, and with LoN, into Legs.
So if the build you want to play has no Legs/Sets associated with it. You are pretty much f***ed.
That’s more to do with the problems in D3’s itemization than it’s character building. But the reason why D3’s itemization has this issue is because it is missing Character Building. If D3 had character building, it would have to change how it does its itemization and would have to build items to support what the players wants to do.
D2 is far more enjoyable for this reason alone. The player is empowered with items that they can use to augment their CHOSEN playstyle.
Whereas in D3, the game shoehorns you into builds that you may not want to play by creating mandatory Legs and Sets.
And it can do this, because it knows the player has not built a Character. It can do this because it knows all “characters” in D3 are the same and so the game can then choose your playstyle for you, and outright prevent you from wandering away from that.
Case in point - Spirit Warrior , Witch Doctor - one who uses all 6 spirit spells. Since 2012 I have been wanting to play this character but the 7 years later the game still shoehorns me into Carn, Jade and Gargs.
This is ridiculous way to build items.
And the issue started when they removed the Character and the Character’s interest from the equation.
And we must keep coming back to Character Building.
This is the foundation stone of what makes an ARPG and RPG.
D3 has action but no RPG.
This is why its itemization is also terrible. This is why the levelling experience in D3 is terrible.
D2 has RPG elements like stats and skills AND an itemization designed to help you play those skills better, which make the levelling experience fun.
In D2 itemization is such that things at lower levels can be used at higher levels, which makes the levelling experience fun.
In D2, you play the same game at Level 1 than you did at Level 60, which makes the levelling experience fun.
I would say D2 the levelling is happening in the background as you play your hero. Investing stats and skills (Character building), and finding items is the core loop, and every character you play is involved in it.
There is no “your character” in D3. You just play the class and you are already the master of it.
It’s true. Your items can always be improved but hey your items can always be improved in D2 as well.
You are not forced to level a new character. If you really want to swap to WW barb from Hota, you can stay with your current character, and respec it.
Expensive respecs are for players like you who are not in the mood to play from Lvl 1.
But for the rest of us, playing from Lvl 1 only adds to the game. it does not take away from it.
