This game has been really great so far, but it has one really big issue that is a huge fly in the ointment for me.
The aspect system is such an integral part of character building in Diablo 4 that it really hurts the game that most aspects aren’t available in the codex of power, and applying an aspect to your gear is so expensive in the early game that you really can’t afford to keep the aspects that make your build applied as you keep finding better gear.
The whole codex of power system was essentially sold to us as “Don’t worry about not being able to find the perfect gear, you’ll always be able to access basic versions of the aspects you need”, and that sounds really good, but that’s not at all how it pans out in the game.
If you make a build that relies on aspects that aren’t part of the codex you’re pretty much completely at the mercy of RNG.
For example, if you want to use Wolves on your Druid you pretty much need Aspect of the Stampede and Aspect of the Alpha. The skill is absolutely pitiful without them, and doesn’t really come into its own until you add the third wolf and turn them into rabid werewolves. Even the most basic version of the aspect on any item makes all the difference.
The problem is that these two aspects are not part of the codex of power, so any druid build that wants to include wolves is completely at the mercy of RNG. You can easily go through the campaign without finding either of them. It’s not until you hit higher world tiers and start grinding that you’re getting enough legendary drops that you’ll probably have a few versions of these lying around.
Even at that point the game keeps your access to Wolves heavily restricted though, because extracting and applying aspects is expensive.
This just feels like a fundamental problem with this game. Why is it that some builds are so heavily restricted? I even understand that some skills would be a no brainer if they didn’t require aspects, because needing an aspect to really make the skill powerful creates an opportunity cost. But not being able to get the aspects, and not being able to afford to apply them completely destroys the joy of build making around skills like that.
Please just add all aspects to the codex of power, and bring the cost of applying them from the codex of power way down. It’s fine if optimizing a build completely relies on rare loot and long grinds, but aspects are so core to build making that it’s a real problem if a run of bad luck can completely sabotage your build, or stop you from upgrading your gear.