The bait and switch D3 seasonal build model is getting old. Its been a year and balancing seems to still be an issue.
They spoke of the baseline but there doesnt seem to be one. Its just an overshot build or subpar one. They need to figure this out because we should be able to play older builds but they get decimated by the nerf hammer.
I get that they shift the meta constantly and really like it. Keeps the class experience fresh imo. The power creep on the other hand should be addressed and dialled back. But I think thats what they are going for with season 5 and hopefully beyond.
Nerfs are warranted in some cases. What I don’t like is this emphasis on boosting a particular playstyle so that it outperform all other builds. For that single season. Looking at you Charge 900%.
On a related note. If the old build still viable, no one seems to want to try out the new stuff. So can’t blame blizzard entirely.
I dont think the boosting by that much is intended. But given the community, there is no way to address it. Usually the outlier happen either due to bugs or lack of data. But once the kids had their grubby little claws on it, there is no way they can take the toy away from them and not ending up with death threats directed at them… So here we are.
Its not even about the meta and yes metas will exist. Quite frankly idk about the meta ive always done my own thing. Yes power creep is an issue but not nearly as bad as D3 yet. Having that baseline should mean the nerf hammer doesnt shatters builds into a million different pieces.
I get wanting to keep things fresh but currently its more of limited choice. If I wana play with a new shinny thing great but I should still be able to pickup something old.
I think the problem is that each team is running different baselines and they don’t coordinate or plan together.
This is further compounded by the liklihood that each time is using different monster toughness baseline of the code, as in literally Even Team uses the toughness after the last patch with -30% HP and Odd Team us using the original toughness before the patch.
This could be but it feels like D3 sets are in D4 because with each season it gets a bit worse and more visible of the here we want you to play this.
I do agree things shouldnt be “fixed” half way through a season but if something pops up hotfix it right away.
I’m thinking that balance will probably be an issue for another year or three, and then screwy in punctuated fashion so long as they continue to release expansions that have new classes. I don’t really mind it myself so long as they’re getting towards a goal, but I would prefer that they didn’t make such massive changes to builds, positive or negative, when they’re not out of line compared to others. If you have to nerf something that’s making a class 10x stronger than another, go for it, but if a build is overperforming by 50% next to another, nuking it into the ground isn’t very prudent. 
Yes balancing isnt simple and it will be a thing but it feels like they gave up.
And this is exactly what happens which is why that “baseline” isnt visible. I dont know how they fix this but they are doing a good job going down the wrong road.
This is clearly the case based on the number of times they tried to buff Flamescar (still not useable) and (Gloves of Illuminator). They clearly wanted the fireball build to be meta by design on paper.
To Ferly, I feel intuitively that they actually might be misreading the data. Bear with me here. The Sorcerer class player base I think is unique in the sense that many players just want to play the class and will play it (if they play the game) regardless of the problems of the class.
Barbarian class has those players too, but then it also gets the inflow of players who are class agnostic and just want power with fast looting.
The net result when you look at the player engagement metrics would look as if there are no problems with Sorcerer class because there are plenty of play hours for the class, and that the team should buff barbs because everytime they buff barbs while rotating meta builds per Lazyloaf’s critique they get even more play hours.
Reading the data and engagement metrics that way would be misleading and a poor use of data, but is probably how it is being currently interpreted based on the results we get from balancing attempts.
Some of it has been annoying at times, though I usually do my own thing at least until endgame which makes it not a big deal for me, but I think that even if there’s some associated pain it’ll be alright long-term if they can avoid doing D3 style sets. I’ve gotten a little worried at times when seeing aspects or uniques that make a skill do the D3 standard “300% increased damage” or similar, but as long as we can keep away from the “6pc bonus: X skill does 120,000% increased damage” garbage, we can get through these trying times. 
You make a big assumption the whole dev team look through the data instead of forcing a part time intern with week long workload the sole person for analyzing player data.
The problem with sets beyond the power creep was that flavor of the month approach. With or without sets the practices is the same.
Yes the 120000% was ridiculous 
but they are doing the same thing with smaller numbers
I’m being patient since so few of their devs seem to have come from the old stock, making them learn the lessons of yesteryear as though they don’t have a decade of research to draw on, but I hope they get it sorted out. 
the problem was in season 1 they nerfed everything into the ground and the exploits were still there!
and then now loot reborn mainly tempering just made items more OP than they should be!
loot reborn reset the whole game completely with no testing of any builds and exploits! like who is play testing these builds!
they add more aspects and more Unique’s to the game when they should be focused on actual skills and innovations to make skills more fluid
like basic attack x2 and then a meaty core skill
but what we got is just spam basic skills
as for sets! i really hope they make set gems? instead
where if you have these 2 types of gems you get this bonus
I strongly disagree.
I am a Human Being and I like to CHOOSE for myself what I want to do.
I don’t need some Dev overlords dictating and mandating “Metas”.
Take D2 for example - I’ll quote myself from another thread:
IF you had all those options and they were ALL relatively viable but differed in Playstyle to a degree, had some strengths wand weaknesses(build multiple Sorcs for example).
How is it that one would choose a roller-coaster “Devs shaking and changing up teh Meta” over Devs designing ITEMS around the Skills that are balanced and Work
vs
Devs constantly changing Skills and the very core of Classes to force them into Items…
I know which I would prefer and frankly, as @LazyLoaf said - I am and I see many others who are also Tired. Of. The. Bait. & Switch.
It’s convuleted and arbitrary.
Build a Solid Foundation 1st.
Get your ducks in a row and ensure Classes and Skills have IDENTITY and can function and perform in a wide range of content.
Add items with Playstyle altering or enhancing, engaging, build-defining etc. But make sure the CLASS is still playable outside of the “special items” - said items should ideally be optional within a standard set of generic items Players can always rely upon to be there to use.
Finally - worry about “Content” Last. I don’t mean to be insulting but it’s true and it’s part;y the communities fault - The Devs seem to be suffering from Content Neurosis.
I’d love for that to stop.
Give me a boring game with diverse Characters that WORK WELL and many builds and I will play that game because I enjoy it and have fun with it while I EAGERLY await new Content.
Currently I dread new content because every single GD TIME it’s change this alter that No Sorry that skill is now TRASH - if you liked the Playstyle it sucks to be you - see you in 6-12 MONTHS when that Skill/Build is graced by the hand of God and put to the Top of the Meta once again!
that’s a load of horse 
p.s.
This game Plays smooth af for me. I ENJOY it. Stop telling me what to Play or gatekeeping Builds because they’re not part of some Meta Spreadhseet.
I’m not saying every single skill should “Shine”.
But if I throw on some aspects and 925 GA Gear - NO UNQIUES /Build “Defining Items” Any class should have ALL CORE SKILLS and Certainly “Mastery”(where applicable) Functioning at a high level vs most all content.
The issue is that various builds, that are thoughtfully planned out, with GG gear, should be +/- 10% of one another.
Right now it’s like 80% between the FOTM builds and others.
I actually have a hypothesis about the massive flush of new aspects and uniques for S5. I think they’re trying to get as much on the table as possible so that they can try to balance things to the maximal extent possible for the VoH launch. Who knows if they’ll achieve anything during those two months, but I think that’s the gambit. 
I sincerely think a large part of this are tied to Tempers. The builds that excel currently and into S5 (PTR) have Temper support. The skills that don’t lack Tempers.
Tempers feel rushed; it seems like we got 1/2 a system that was really designed for VoH.
Instead of focusing on Uniques, devs need to focus on Tempers as they are more widely accessible. Uniques can’t even get a Temper, and some of the builds need a Unique just to get going.
charge wasnt even that good
and i run shaco + charge pants
it was hota that was overpawered
anyways back to a point.
blizzard devs made these 2 both doodoo this season
am i playing some f&*()__+ league of legends meta LCS or what ?
i understand fixing skills but gutting them its a clown behavbiour