Say what you want about the problems D3 had, I feel the rune system in that game for skills was far better than the skill tree we have now. In D3, the runes (basically the equivalent of the branching bits of the D4 skill tree) allowed for several different types of attacks off a single skill, which became very build defining. These were then enhanced by legendaries and passives.
For example, the Crusader’s Fist of Havoc. You had the base Lightning version, but then there was Divine Well, which changed it to Holy, gave it more AoE and a DoT, Fissure which allow you to chain up to 3 FoHs and stack lines of death on the enemies, Heaven’s Tempest which turned it into a Fire skill and left behind a cloud for enemies to walk under, and Retribution which turned it into a massive bolt fired from the Crusader.
All of those skills were BASE to the character (though they did require leveling to unlock some). You chose what you wanted to play and then built around that skill with enhancements from sets (which wouldn’t work in D4 and probably for the better) and legendaries. I quite enjoyed playing a Fissure Crusader with Darklight and Khassett’s or Thundergod’s Vigor.
In D4, it’s the complete opposite. All base skills are the same outside of 2 bland choices of something like “hit an extra target” or “chance for Vulnerable” or “Take reduced damage for X seconds”, with one that is almost always preferred. You’re overly reliant on legendary aspects to even make a build in the first place. A sorcerer’s Frozen Orbit or Ball Lightning should be a base choice in the skill tree to fundamentally change up gameplay from the beginning, with Aspects serving as ways to empower those skills. Just my 2 cents.
TLDR: D4 Skill trees are bland, and they got them backward with aspects, where skills should be build-defining and boosted by legendary aspects instead of the other way around.
I’ve seen multiple people claim they preferred the D3 implementation for variation. I think if you take that concept one step further, at least with cooldown skills, you can enhance combat more fundamentally.
And yes, I’m very bored. The reality probably is the D4 developers are so conservative and unable to shake up the game that even what you’re asking, despite already having been done, is like a potential second expansion feature. lol
Yeah, and I’m not even saying bring back the rune system itself. I’m fine with a branching skill tree. The problem is, there just isn’t enough there and what is there in extremely bland. I feel there should have been like 3 options per skill, with each one providing a different gameplay experience instead of flat increases. Heck, that’s why Cyberpunk redid their entire perk system- people hated that it only gave numbers before and now the skill change the way your builds work.
I’ve been hearing things about Last Epoch and their skill system. I may look into it.
I actually think you’re going to get something along the lines of what you want eventually. They may well have planned it this way from the start. It’s just… laughable how unimaginative and unambitious these people are.
Agree that the skill tree is crap. One of the most bland and uninspired character building systems ever implemented.
It seems like they wanted to do something like the PoE skill tree but kept it class specific. There is so little ability to modify each skill, or make a choice of any kind. Feels slapped together and sloppy, needs a total revamping.
Though itemization also needs an overhaul. It’s too much work for a game that launched six months ago. I doubt it’ll change much until their first planned expansion. Which I’ll never see, so hopefully it makes the game enjoyable for y’all.
Yup not only did they up my favorite class, They arbitrarily decided to completely remove the Amazon as well as the Demon Hunter and the Rogue is a trash copy of both
up my favorite class, They arbitrarily decided to completely remove the Amazon as well as the Demon Hunter and the Rogue is a trash copy of both 
