Dynamic Actions

Expanding from here. Dynamic actions are what I’m calling groups of additional actions from which you make an execution selection in combat. They contrast to traditional fixed actions that are chosen out of combat, are limited to few action slots, and are constantly used. Dynamic actions would work through button remapping, specifically of the four ability buttons that are not basic and core actions.

Dynamic Runes and Runewords

In Diablo III runes altered the form of abilities. A dynamic version of runes and runewords would represent follow-ups to ability casts. You cast a normal ability and subsequently have a few options for additional effects. I.e. you press 1 to use an ability and immediately buttons 1-4 are remapped to runes applied on the particular ability for another related action to be executed, each rune representing a different action. A second or third level of additional actions represents a runeword. A level is completed when a choice is made/a button is pressed. I’ve tried to provide an illustrative example with a Druid but I am not versed in the interactions and directions some of these abilities undergo. I’m aware some can be made spammable, especially Wrath abilities, which I intended to keep to just runes. For my ease I’ve limited the additional actions to three per group with the fourth button reserved for exiting/interrupting rune use, although another button like Space on PC and R3 on console can be used for exiting and even reentering this “system” granted there is time.

In the interest of time and as these posts are likely written in vain I decided to focus on only one ability per category.

Defensive

Earthen Bulwark Level 1 Runes

  • A “ray” of rock shrapnel flies out at rapid intervals dealing damage to the first impacted enemy.
  • The barrier is increased by 50%, which decays over the next 3 seconds.
  • The rocks impact the ground to stun surrounding enemies for 1.5 seconds.

Earthen Bulwark Level 2 Runes
These runes will follow a dependent choice concept discussed later in this post. What this means is that the selection at level 1 determines what actions will be available at level 2.
If the rock shrapnel rune is selected at level 1:

  • The “rays” of rock shrapnel pierce enemies.
  • The “rays” of rock shrapnel explode upon hitting an enemy, briefly stunning or immobilizing enemies behind in a cone.
  • Multiple “rays” are flung out simultaneously.

If the barrier rune is selected at level 1:

  • As the barrier decays gain 50% spirit. Effect cut short if no barrier remains.
  • As the barrier decays gain 10%(x) damage lasting for 3 additional seconds afterward. Damage bonus capped if no barrier remains.
  • As the barrier decays gain 30% movement speed lasting for 6 additional seconds afterward. Movement speed bonus capped if no barrier remains.

If the stun rune is selected at level 1:

  • The rocks reimpact the ground every second.
  • The rocks subsequently render any crowd controlled enemies within a larger range vulnerable for 5 seconds.
  • Gain invincibility for 1 second.
Companion

Wolves Level 1 Runes

  • Summon a third wolf.
  • Wolves become alphas that occasionally and briefly summon their own pack to attack.
  • Wolves spread poison and worsen the effects of poison.

Wolves Level 2 Runes
These runes follow a non-dependent choice concept where the availability of later level runes is not dependent on what action was executed previously although they do enhance any previous action.

  • Wolves swipe for area of effect damage.
  • Wolves have a predatory aura that reduces damage surrounding enemies deal by 15% and increases crowd control effect durations to them by 20%.
  • Wolves deal significantly more damage of all types.
Wrath

I’m aware some of these abilities can be quite spammable and that just the one level of runes may be most appropriate for abilities like Boulder and Rabies. Let’s get a little funky with Hurricane and do three different base runes with different follow-up behaviors.
Hurricane Level 1 Runes

  • Hotspots appear on the ground that when walked over and activated feed into the Hurricane.
  • Unstoppable teleport within the Hurricane with a 4-second cooldown.
  • Hurricane soaks the ground slowing down enemies by 25% and turning the ability into both a storm and an earth ability.

Hurricane Hotspots Level 2 Runes

  • Size of the Hurricane is expanded.
  • Damage of the Hurricane is increased.
  • Duration of the Hurricane is extended.

Any ability with a cooldown is eligible for dynamic runes and runewords (that are not greater than the sum of their parts…) enhancements, including ultimates. The word dynamic is key and means that enhancements have an on-the-fly quality in their availability and choice rather than being selected out of combat and constrained to 6 action bar slots shared with all other options. The repeatable button remapping at the heart of dynamic actions seeks to multiply the number of actions players have available and are able to execute mid-combat. The runes and runewords implementation is closely related to pre-existing abilities to make the concept presumably easier to implement. It’s also more intuitive to players.

Dynamic Skill Trees

The freest form of dynamic actions is the dynamic skill trees framework. If you go in-game and press ‘s’ the “Skill Assignment Flyout” pops up showing all the abilities available to your class ordered by category. That’s basically what a dynamic skill tree looks like too. The difference is in a traditional skill tree like the one on the ‘s’ button you pre-select skills that go on your action bar and they are all you can do. On a dynamic skill tree you can pre-select multiple abilities per level or tier of the skill tree and choose between the abilities in combat. That’s what dynamic means practically. Of course, the only way this works is through button remapping. Those four normal ability buttons get remapped each time you enter a dynamic skill tree or progress to a next level. A separate entry and exit button can be designated (space on PC and R3 on console) or a normal ability button can be reserved for this purpose. Levels are progressed through sequentially by executing one action from a preceding level.

This is an endgame system that can be delivered to players as loot, offering another avenue for progression while empowering players in a qualitatively different manner. A common complaint is that traditional items don’t change how characters play. Literal abilities should. The first dynamic choice skill trees I brainstormed were of a non-dependent choice type, meaning the abilities you execute don’t affect the abilities available to you at later levels. These trees are more straightforward, but to them I added containment structures and inter-level effects that also drop as loot. You can see examples I attempted for Rogue and Barbarian, keeping in mind the disclaimer it’s a first shot without me bothering to try and understand all options and interactions throughout different areas of the game (aspects, paragon boards, etc.).

Tree Structures

Each Tree Structure has a cooldown equal to 5*levels seconds starting from the execution of the first action, not that I necessarily know if this makes sense. Maybe it should be a little more curved or increasingly higher at later levels.

Introductory

  • 1 level, 2 special ability slots

  • 1 level, 3 special ability slots

Intermediate

  • 2 levels, 3 special ability slots [per level]

  • 2 levels, 3 special ability slots, 1 common inter-level effect

  • 3 levels, 3 special ability slots

  • 3 levels, 3 special ability slots, 1 common inter-level effect

  • 3 levels, 3 special ability slots, 2 common inter-level effects

  • 3 levels, 3 special ability slots, 1 common and 1 rare inter-level effects

  • 3 levels, 3 special ability slots, 2 rare inter-level effects

Advanced

  • 4 levels, 2 rare inter-level effects

  • 4 levels, 3 rare inter-level effects

  • 4 levels, 2 rare and 1 legendary inter-level effects

  • 4 levels, 1 rare and 2 legendary inter-level effects

  • 4 levels, 3 legendary inter-level effects

  • 4 levels, 3 legendary inter-level effects, level 1 is of level 2 special ability slots, levels 2 and 3 are of level 3 special ability slots

  • 4 levels, 3 legendary inter-level effects, level 1 is of level 2 special ability slots, level 2 is of level 3 special ability slots, levels 3 and 4 are of level 4 special ability slots

Ultimate

  • 5 levels, 3 legendary inter-level effects, variations of special ability slot levels with the last reserved for two level 5 special ability slots
Rogue Skills

Level 1

  • Only Fans - Basic marksman skills are 3 projectiles in a spread each dealing 35% of base damage for the next 4 seconds.

  • Two-timer - Basic cutthroat skills apply twice on each cast for 4 seconds.

  • Combo Master - Basic skills generate 3 combo points for the next 3 seconds.

  • Habitual Evader - Gain two charges of Evade.

  • Reposition - Gain 40% increased movement speed for 3 seconds.

  • Stun Grenades - Drop a cluster.

Level 2

  • Bonus Imbuement - Apply the imbuement of your choice for a single skill use.

  • Agile - Use any of the agility skills. (Bonus Imbuement and Agile will be configured to one selection outside of combat.)

  • Malicious Concealment - Reduce the cooldown of concealment by 4 seconds and the next time you enter it dealing damage during the first 3 seconds will not break it.

  • Cluster Smoke Grenade - Smoke grenade fragments on impact with secondary explosions outside the normal radius.

  • Shroud Permanence - Dark shroud protective shadows are not consumed for the next 10 seconds.

  • Poison Trapper - Your next 6 poison traps have a 25% greater area.

Level 3

  • Assassin’s Escape - Enter stealth that cannot be broken by received damage for 3 seconds, gain unstoppable for one second, pass through enemies, and recover 35% health.

  • Charade - Spawn 4 shadows that taunt enemies, exploding after 2.5 seconds for moderate damage, and applying vulnerable for 2 seconds.

  • Heavy Payload - Shoot a projectile that explodes outward in front of you dealing moderate damage and stunning enemies for 3 seconds in a large cone.

  • Recovery - Standing still without attacking generates energy, up to 100 over 3 seconds, and applies 75% damage reduction. Lasts 6 seconds, maximum energy recoverable is 150.

  • Eviscerate - Deal severe damage over time to an enemy.

  • Zipline - Climb an adjacent wall or terrain feature, shoot a connecting arrow to another wall or terrain feature within 20 meters, and zipline across dropping cluster bombs that deal moderate damage and slow enemies by 25% for 8 seconds.

Level 4

  • Vault - Evade becomes Vault, gaining an extra 200% range, unstoppable, and three charges. You deal 10%[x] more damage for 2 seconds after vaulting and drop caltrops when you vault. (Could be limited to say 20 seconds in addition to the three charges.)

  • Corral - Gain 100% movement speed and lodge a series of 5 connectedly roped daggers into enemies. If a loop is closed pull the rope to cluster all enemies caught within the perimeter, stunning them for 2 seconds and making them vulnerable. Lasts a maximum of 10 seconds.

  • Butcher - Gain 100% movement speed and lodge a series of 5 individually roped daggers into enemies. Activate to pull the daggers dealing substantial immediate as well as bleeding damage to every enemy in their paths. Multiple daggers can be used to impale a single enemy. The daggers are then flung back out and pulled back in a second time in between their previous connections. Lasts a maximum of 8 seconds.

  • Rogue Cannon - Taunt enemies from afar, become immobilized, and begin shooting individual projectiles the direction of which has to be pointed at an extremely rapid rate. Collectively the projectiles can mow down enemies and knock back within a certain range but do not pierce. Lasts 6 seconds.

  • Kinetic Momentum - Dash. Gain 40% damage on dash as well as 10% length and width. You have 3 seconds to dash again. If you kill more enemies than you did on the previous dash the bonuses are applied again. If not enter a 3-second cooldown retaining accrued bonuses. Repeats and lasts a maximum of 12 seconds.

  • Hell’s Kitchen - Cover your boots in tar, gain 50% increased movement speed, 25% damage reduction, and you can move through enemies. You have three flaming arrows to ignite contiguous areas of tar. Tar slows enemies by 50%. Ignited tar deals heavy over time damage and slows enemies by a further 15%.

Level 5

  • Strafe - Rapidly shoot at enemies (animation - this is from Valla of Heroes of the Storm) dealing devastating damage over time across much of the screen. Lasts 7 seconds.

  • Incensed - Gain full energy, reduce energy costs by 66.6%; double attacking, general skill performance, and cooldown reduction rates; increase damage by 20%[x], and increase movement speed by 40%. Lasts 7 seconds.

Barbarian Skills

Level 1

  • Arsenal Warm-up - Perform a rapid series of single-target attacks with all three weapon types.
  • Frustrated Fury - Get a free use of a core skill that deals 50% damage but gives you fury equal to 2x its fury cost.
  • Internalized Weakness - Remove debuffs from surrounding enemies, doubling the effects they would suffer from these debuffs if reapplied for the next 4 seconds.
  • Homicidal Ideation - Newly inflicted bleeding damage is increased by 66.6% over the next 4 seconds.
  • Evasion - Give Evade unstoppable for 2 seconds.
  • Amplified Shout - Extend duration of active shouts by 2 seconds.

Level 2

  • Psych-out - Give yourself berserk for 5 seconds.
  • Fortified - You are fortified for 5 seconds.
  • Overpowered - Your next three core and weapon mastery skills overpower.
  • Run - Increase movement speed by 100% for 5 seconds.
  • Self-Immolation - Set yourself on fire, damaging close enemies, leaving a trail of fire burning and lighting enemies on fire, lose 40% of your health gradually, and gain 40 fury gradually over 4 seconds. (I literally hadn’t seen Wrath of the Berserker when I wrote this, but it should still be distinct enough.)
  • Uppercut - Swing at an enemy with your two-handed bludgeoning weapon, dealing moderate damage to them and launching them backward knocking down all enemies in the flight path and at the landing location for 3 seconds.

Level 3

  • Ancient Spear - Throw out a chain spear that inflicts serious bleeding damage to all enemies it passes through and pulls you to its end-location. If it ends on an enemy inflict double the bleeding damage to it. (Does not grant unstoppable.)
  • Basic Trained - Increase the speed of your basic attacks by 40%, they gain an area of effect and deal 80% more damage for 5 seconds.
  • Chosen Warrior - Execute a normal enemy, eat its innards, and restore 80% of your maximum health.
  • Deadly Assault - Run to an enemy and pummel it with repeated blows for severe damage, fearing nearby enemies. Target is knocked down for 3 seconds.
  • Pest Controller - Slam your two-handed bludgeoning weapon around you dealing moderate damage and stunning enemies for 3 seconds.
  • Furious Shout - Channeled over a maximum of 3 seconds replenishing all fury, granting 25% damage reduction for the duration, and granting berserk after completion for the channeled period of time.

Level 4

  • Elite Charge - Become unstoppable and rush at will for 4 seconds, gaining 25% damage reduction, pushing enemies with you, damaging them, then swinging through them for double damage and knocking them back.
  • Massacre - Take wide jumps forward from side to side, swinging through enemies with your two-handed slicing weapon dealing significant immediate damage as well as heavy bleeding damage.
  • Discombobulate - Sweep/undercut enemies around you with a chain slowing them by 50% for 10 seconds, spin a second time to collect them with a chain, then scatter the clump outward with your two-handed bludgeoning weapon for moderate damage and dazing enemies for 3 seconds.
  • Barbaric Simplicity - Basic attacking a particular single enemy increases basic and core skill damage by 20% stacking up to 200%. Lasts 12 seconds.
  • Kill Zone - Taunt enemies in a sizable range, gain 60% damage reduction, and deal serious splash damage around you with repeated blows.
  • Tactical Retreat - Gain unstoppable, run back recovering 40% of your maximum life, then run forward striking the ground with your two-handed bludgeoning weapon, rupturing it, dealing moderate damage, and stunning enemies for 3 seconds.

Level 5

  • Massive Earthquake - Strike the ground twice creating a far-reaching earthquake that pulses every 3 seconds, slowing enemies by 50%, making them vulnerable, and dealing moderate damage each time.
  • Sundering - Sunder the earth in a long line, dealing heavy damage and shoving enemies to the side, stunning them for 4 seconds.
Inter-Level Effects

Common

  • Extend duration of effects of following level special abilities by 10%.
  • Reduce cooldowns by 2 seconds.
  • Deal 5% more damage for 2 seconds.
  • Gain 20 energy. (for Rogue)
  • Generate 20 fury. (for Barbarian)

Rare

  • Extend duration of effects of following level special abilities by 20% or at minimum 1 second.
  • Reduce cooldowns by 5 seconds.
  • Reduce ultimate ability cooldown by 10 seconds.
  • Deal 10% more damage for 4 seconds.
  • Gain 50 energy. (for Rogue)
  • Gain 50 fury. (for Barbarian)
  • Increase elemental damage by 20% for 4 seconds. (for Rogue)
  • Increase bleeding damage by 20% for 4 seconds. (for Barbarian)
  • Extend ranges of effect by 20% for 4 seconds.
  • Increase damage reduction by 20% for 4 seconds. (for Rogue)
  • Increase movement speed by 20% for 4 seconds. (for Barbarian)

Legendary

  • Extend duration of effects of following level special abilities by 30% or at minimum 1.5 seconds.
  • Reduce cooldowns by 10 seconds.
  • Reduce ultimate ability cooldown by 25 seconds.
  • Deal 15% more damage for 5 seconds.
  • Gain 100 energy. (for Rogue)
  • Generate 100 fury. (for Barbarian)
  • Increase elemental damage by 30% for 5 seconds. (for Rogue)
  • Increase bleeding damage by 30% for 5 seconds. (for Barbarian)
  • Extend ranges of effect by 30% for 5 seconds.
  • Increase damage reduction by 30% for 5 seconds. (for Rogue)
  • Increase movement speed by 30% for 5 seconds. (for Barbarian)
  • The chosen ability of the following level gains a second charge.
  • The following level requires two abilities to be used.

Lastly we have dynamic dependent choice skill trees aka combo trees where preceding actions affect the availability of subsequent actions. The logic in this type of dynamic skill tree is more complicated/conditional so I just wrote how one could look like without bothering to think how exactly the components would be delivered as loot.

Sorceress Dynamic Dependent Choice Skill Tree

LEVEL 1

  • Magic Missiles - Shoot a fan of missiles that pierces and damages enemies.
  • Wave of Force - Discharge a wave of damage to nearby enemies.
  • Mirror Image - Summon three invincible illusions of yourself that taunt nearby enemies for 3 seconds, when they expire. (They don’t do anything more, even move, aside from what is described.)

LEVEL 2
If Magic Missiles preceded.

  • Ice Missiles - Shoot a fan of missiles that pierces, chills, and deals cold damage to enemies.
  • Fire Missiles - Shoot a fan of missiles that pierces, burns, and deals fire damage to enemies.
  • Electric Missiles - Shoot a fan of missiles that pierces, static charges (might be a new status effect I just made up), and deals lightning damage to enemies.

If Wave of Force preceded.

  • Wave of Frost - Discharge a wave of cold damage to nearby enemies and coat the ground in frost chilling enemies.
  • Wave of Fire - Discharge a wave of fire damage to nearby enemies and set the ground on fire burning enemies.
  • Wave of Electricity - Discharge a wave of lightning damage to nearby enemies and electrify the ground static charging enemies.

If Mirror Image preceded.

  • Image of Health - Inhabit a random Mirror Image becoming unstoppable, invincible, rooted, losing the ability to exit the combo tree as well as any sort of recovery and use of potions. Gain 50% of your health points up to maximum.
  • Image of Casting - Inhabit a random Mirror Image becoming unstoppable, invincible, rooted, losing the ability to exit the combo tree as well as any sort of recovery and use of potions. Gain 50% of your mana up to maximum.
  • Image of Toughness - Inhabit a random Mirror Image becoming unstoppable, invincible, rooted, losing the ability to exit the combo tree as well as any sort of recovery and use of potions. Gain 25% damage reduction up to maximum possible for 5 seconds after exiting the Image.

LEVEL 3
If Ice Missiles preceded.

  • Glacial Collapse - Deal a sheet of cold damage in a large, wide rectangle in front of you.
  • Ice Pick - Shoot a large shard of ice that impacts the first enemy it hits for heavy cold damage and its immediate surroundings for moderate cold damage.
  • Snap Freeze - Freeze chilled enemies in a large cone in front of you for 3 seconds.

If Fire Missiles preceded.

  • Carpet Bombing - Rain fire in a large, wide rectangle in front of you, burning enemies.
  • Bunker Buster - Shoot a large flame ball that impacts the first enemy it hits for heavy fire damage and its immediate surroundings for moderate fire damage.
  • Thermobaric - Immobilize burning enemies in a large cone in front of you for 3 seconds.

If Electric Missiles preceded.

  • Lightning Storm - Deal lightning damage in a large, wide rectangle in front of you.
  • Smite - Shoot a large bolt of lightning that impacts the first enemy it hits for heavy lightning damage and its immediate surroundings for moderate lightning damage.
  • Short Circuit - Stun statically charged enemies in a large cone in front of you for 3 seconds.

If Wave of Frost preceded.

  • Frostbite - The frost-covered area applies cold damage over time.
  • Ice Breaker - Your weapon collects the frost and deals 3000% (or something very high) cold damage on your next basic attack.
  • Deep Freeze - Enemies are frozen in the frost-covered area for 3 seconds.

If Wave of Fire preceded.

  • Turn Up The Heat - The burning area burns harder.
  • Meteoroid - Your weapon collects the fire on the ground and deals 3000% (or something very high) fire damage on your next basic attack.
  • Fiery Torment - Enemies are immobilized in the burning area for 3 seconds.

If Wave of Electricity preceded.

  • Electric Ground - The electrified area applies lightning damage over time.
  • Shock to the System - Your weapon collects the electricity and deals 3000% (or something very high) damage on your next basic attack.
  • Taser - Enemies are stunned in the electrified area for 3 seconds.

If Image of Whatever preceded.

  • Frosty Departure - The Images cast a spell to apply cold damage at a lower intensity and freeze enemies around themselves for 3 seconds and disappear.
  • Fiery Exit - The Images cast a spell to burn at a lower intensity and immobilize enemies around themselves for 3 seconds and disappear.
  • Group Shock Therapy - The Images cast a spell to apply lightning damage at a lower intensity and stun enemies around themselves for 3 seconds and disappear.

LEVEL 4
If Magic Missiles preceded.

  • One-Two Punch - Prime Wave of Force.
  • Spread the Punishment - Prime Mirror Image, the three Images are placed and taunt nearby enemies for 3 seconds when they expire.
  • Warp - Prime Warp. (this roughly corresponds to the slow time D3 ability)

If Wave of Force preceded.

  • One-Two Punch - Prime Magic Missiles.
  • Spread the Punishment - Prime Mirror Image, the three Images are placed and taunt nearby enemies for 3 seconds when they expire.
  • Warp - Prime Warp. (this roughly corresponds to the slow time D3 ability)

If Mirror Image preceded.

  • Vector of Aggression - Prime Magic Missiles.
  • Locus of Aggression - Prime Wave of Force.
  • Warp - Prime Warp. (this roughly corresponds to the slow time D3 ability)

LEVEL 5
If Primed Magic Missiles.

  • Refer to element type used in the already executed ability, provide corresponding level 3 Magic Missiles options altered only in the removal of conditions in the crowd control option.

If Primed Wave of Force.

  • Refer to element type used in the already executed ability, provide corresponding level 3 Wave of Force options altered by combining elemental damage and ground effect in the first option, altering Wave of Force as a location targeting ability and concentrating damage at the point (not sure if this ability in general shouldn’t be location targeted rather than around the player location) in the second option, and applying crowd control effect directly in the third option.

If Primed Mirror Image.

  • Refer to element type used in the already executed ability, provide corresponding level 3 Mirror Image options.

If Primed Warp.

  • Dangerous Territory - (straight from D3 with supplementation and duration reduction) Invoke a bubble of warped time and space at your target location up to 60 yards away for 4 seconds, reducing enemy attack speed by 20% and movement speed by 60%. This bubble also slows the speed of enemy projectiles by 90%. Apply the element of the already executed ability. Freeze for 2 seconds and cold damage for duration, immobilize for 2 seconds and burn for duration, stun for 2 seconds and lightning damage for duration.
  • Friendly Territory - (straight from D3) Invoke a bubble of warped time and space at your target location up to 60 yards away for 4 seconds, reducing enemy attack speed by 20% and movement speed by 60%. This bubble also slows the speed of enemy projectiles by 90%. The player’s health and mana recovery rate is increased by 500% (or something significant) within.
  • Adverse Territory - (straight from D3) Invoke a bubble of warped time and space at your target location up to 60 yards away for 4 seconds, reducing enemy attack speed by 20% and movement speed by 60%. This bubble also slows the speed of enemy projectiles by 90%. Enemies within are vulnerable and deal 10% less damage.

LEVEL 6 (these are combinations rather than permutations - order doesn’t matter)
If Magic Missiles and Wave of Force preceded.

  • Cast level 2 Wave of Force with corresponding element type with level 2 Magic Missiles with corresponding element type shooting in every direction outward from the Wave of Force edge. If I just made up the static charge status effect that’s a bit of an issue but whatever. Maybe have a second charge of this.

If Magic Missiles and Mirror Image preceded.

  • Plop the three Mirror Images taunting nearby enemies for 3 seconds, have the three level 2 Mirror Image options to select from, and shoot level 2 Magic Missiles of the corresponding element type from each Mirror Image at the point of your cursor or something (once).

If Wave of Force and Mirror Image preceded.

  • Plop the three Mirror Images taunting nearby enemies for 3 seconds, have the three level 2 Mirror Image options to select from, and each Mirror Image casts a level 2 Wave of Force of the corresponding element type.

If Magic Missiles and Warp preceded.

  • Cast the Warp you cast at level 5 with level 2 Magic Missiles of the corresponding element type shooting from its center in every direction once. There might need to be some tuning but I’ve spent long enough on this post.

If Wave of Force and Warp preceded.

  • Cast the Warp you cast at level 5 with level 2 Wave of Force of the corresponding element type inside.

If Mirror Image and Warp preceded.

  • Plop the three Mirror Images taunting nearby enemies for 3 seconds with smaller level 5 Warps around them. You can teleport to each Image mapped on a button once, in essence consuming it, until they expire.

The dynamic skill trees are meant to be supplemental to the traditional skill tree. They have a cooldown of their own for the entire structure and are entered through the use of a button. They’re more like the weird uncle of dynamic runes and runewords who can be more interesting. Also, all this stuff could be essentially modular, meaning the people who don’t want to deal with it don’t have to and can just ignore it. There are difficulty settings for controlling balance and enabling people to derp around in the environment they are comfortable.

The point is to make this damn game more interesting to play.

3 Likes

After reading this word for word I disagree.

1 Like

Well I would love to read a more elaborate reply word for word so I can see if there are any flaws or weaknesses I overlooked.

Okay thanks for the response.

1 Like

You’re welcome. :unicorn:

This is very similiar to other stuff you have posted and has the same issues. Out of combat is the only way these will ever work. You cant remap abilities waiting for inputs in combat. It is never going to work. Its hopelessly complicated. How are you ever going to program this? So I cast teleport and my buttons 1 to 4 are now remapped to some rune of teleport? So I can no longer cast whatever was on 1 to 4 before until I basically cast teleport again? Im going to be dead by then. That is abysmal design.

There is a considerable to significant degree of mental complexity but I think you underestimate how little players can handle. If World of Warcraft and StarCraft can become era defining games with immense popularity this is at most in that tradition. You think Blizzard was scared crapless back then of doing something fun? I am not sure what the programming issue you bring up is when the triggers are clearly defined. Are you concerned about latency? You never mention anything specific. Yes, you cast teleport (here we’re focusing on druid) and your buttons are remapped to teleport runes. One of the buttons is reserved for exiting the runes so you can cast another of your normal abilities on those buttons. Out of curiosity, how often are you using cooldown abilities? People usually complain about them being unavailable for too long and there not being enough to do. Alternatively that separate designated button I’ve been mentioning could be used to allay your precious normal abilities concern. Don’t have the runes automatically remap but when the designated button is pressed after using a normal ability. Better yet, provide players with the option to decide whether the remapping should be automatic or not.

Would it take getting used to? Absolutely. Hopelessly complicated and abysmal design? I think that’s more of a matter of never experiencing it before. Now how often does Blizzard provide you gameplay you haven’t experienced before these days? O, to the contrary, the financial ChatGPT-wannabe dipsticks rely on you having experienced something before so they can predict how much money they’ll get out of your pocket and what dumb thing they can do to reach deeper. But that isn’t the spirit of gaming, is it? Maybe we should be asking the new president of Blizzard Entertainment if what we’re really missing is a Cardi B dancing emote in the world of Sanctuary. Serenity now.

This is why it wont work and I stated why. Teleport now requires two inputs and I cant do anything else while its waiting. Im going to be dead by then. I cant believe you cant see the bad design of this. It just wont work. Out of combat is the only way this will work. If you design something based on that it has a chance. This has no chance to ever work or be made. It just doesnt. Imagine trying to code how this works with 5 skills with a cooldown and how that is going to work with aspects and uniques.

While what is waiting?

Waiting for me to choose a rune by hitting an input from 1 - 4. Ill be dead by then.

Well take the new meteor build as an example. With ice blades reducing cooldowns your system would kill this build. You would never catch up. Would require too many APMs.

I applaud the creativity and attempt and work but your system wont work. I dont say this to be mean or anything like that. I can see you are smart. I just tell the truffs as I see it.

You teleport immediately just as you do now. The runes are subsequent actions. Since you’re making a reference to teleport let’s bring up what I had before as an example.

Yes, with aspects or whatever else that makes cooldown abilities spammable there’s a conflict. Not sure what to do about that at the moment. I think that’s their attempt to maximize the excitement within these games’ constraints, which is neither here not there. Sure, it’s nice spamming abilities, but it also doesn’t make gameplay that much more interesting, just speeds it up, although that can be significantly more fun. How often do they do this and with how many abilities? Is there a video of this new meteor build? All of the things I’ve experienced and watched are so dumb, writing of abysmal design. Hell, just today I saw a youtube video about a fun build that the youtuber admitted is very simple. What about this game isn’t abysmally simple that you do on a never-ending loop?

Maybe the answer is you would have to try this concept in a seasonal setting where you can extract things that are incompatible with it and adjust the game to it. No great answer. Perhaps that is most appropriate anyway as adjustments may be extensive, but it’s a big investment ask. The first step would be to determine if it’s feasible, then test it as basically/barebones as possible internally to see how it feels.

So It waits after I teleport. That is a bit better but there are other issues with this as well in that I dont see players really using different runes in different situations. I just see players liking one and using it over and over. Everyone would actually pick wormhole in that example and at that point its just better as an out of combat ability that only remaps the same slot and not 4 slots.

I admire the attempt but it just wont work. Now if you want each ability to just remap itself like you pick something out of combat and then use it in combat I can see that with an option to use nothing as well. Sort of a combo of D3 and your system I give a :white_check_mark: But remappin 4 buttons is a hard no.

Well, if it’s actually advantageous to use different options in different situations that goes a long way. That’s where enemy encounters factor in. It can also be a matter of experiencing different gameplay. Ironically, I thought Wormhole may be the least preferable of the three.

Too dumb. You just have it be the entire ability like in D3. You are really missing the potential. I’ve written this before, I believe whoever employs a system like this first will be a trend-setter. The gaming market has been too stagnant for too long and people are hungry for more advanced gameplay. This would deliver it, dependent on execution…

I see the potential I am saying its just not realistic to remap 4 buttons for multiple inputs esp with the runewords as well. Most of this has to be automated to work.

PPL use teleport to move around quickly out of danger. Wormhole would be the most popular option by far. Other choices would have to be seriously op to counter. This is an issue with this system using it in combat. Best choices would become meta and then the dynamic part is gone. This is esp true taking your next part into play with runewords as you have more keys to hit. This has to be automatic. This is too many inputs to cast 1 skill.

Anyways I have said too much here. Good luck with more designs!

Automation would defeat the entire point. The point is for players to be empowered meaningfully, and that happens by having their play make a difference rather than simply increasing their math as a function of time. The power fantasy in this game is so nonsensical I didn’t even suspect this term as a reason why people play. The stupidity of the experience struck me as overwhelming, and that was watching PoE.

I played the swinging balls sorceress last season and used teleport offensively to move into enemies. Pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. There is a strong suggestion for the ability to be used in such a manner.

There doesn’t have to be a best choice, at least not the same one in all situations.

Each input is essentially one skill. The skills we’re discussing are just related.

Def hard no then. Dont like this. Im out. Toodles. Cya around

What don’t you like? It’s responsive.

Btw, for reentry into runes you’d probably have to use the normal ability button as there could be multiple normal abilities active…

What a great idea! :bulb:

dont lie to him, i expect better from the moosiah. this is a horrible idea

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