Yes, this is exactly what I’ve been thinking about as well. It would look so much cleaner, and would also be easier to expand upon without cluttering it up.
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check last epoch skill tree, its exactly like that suggestion. and its majorly fun
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Extremely well-said. If only Blizzard would acknowledge real posts like this instead of all of the stupid stuff posted on here.
Skills need to be more visually impressive and satisfying to play early in the game and less reliant on aspects. This does not mean turning them into an armageddon in late game. I tried the Sourceress in season 2 but gave up at around lvl 30 because the skills were clunky to play and boring to look at. I will give it another try in season 4.
What I want to see is that the last 2 nodes of each skill change it in a noticeable and visually distinct way. I take the rogue skill Barrage (multiple arrows with random direction) as an example:
- Node 1: Arrows will choose another target after 1 hit
- Node 2.1: Arrows no longer have random direction and instead they all shoot at once in a cone shape (similar to amazon).
- Node 2.2. Arrows shoot in one line (similar to Rapid Fire, I feel like these skills are too identical anyway)
2.1 is for multiple targets. 2.2 is for single targets. Choosing no node is still an option. This effectively doubles the number of choices. At least it feels that way. This makes aspects a lot more interesting for a single skill and the early game feels less limited in variety.
Why are you people so stubborn when it comes to skill trees though ?, they’re stiff, big, and not dynamic, and not flexible enough (and will cause a lot of redundancy with existing mechanics in game like Aspects and Temper manuals)
Did you check on the idea for a skill-socket (Orb) that adds/alternates an actively-equipped skill in some ways ?, like wouldn’t that be more fun ? 
OK, ignore the self-promotion part but fact is that SkillTrees also have a downside (especially if in order for them to work the game has to be revamped)
The part on where skill is not visually impressive.
This’s one thing I disagree with; the art direction and visual effect is one of the best part of D4, way beating out LE, which was a bit too colorful and doesn’t feel physically impactful and PoE, which is unfortunately just an older gen game (PoE2 looks pretty good too, so that could be on par with D4).
They’re also adding changes that as skill gains rank, it becomes more visually powerful.
I have recently after S3 started playing LE. The skill tree in that game is kind of cool, not really confusing and allows build diversity. I wish D4 would try that approach for skills…
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I think the devs overreact on the subject that the skill tree has to be newbie friendly. When you make it slightly more complex it’s still far far away from PoE.
We are not 4 years old. When a simple skill tree is overextending you, Diablo ist not the right game for you.
Just give us a 3rd decision for each skill (for example you could add some build changing things in that row like runes in D3) and the skill tree is still simple.
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My opinion on skill trees:
- D4 Devs get stuck on the concept of skill trees. Just release skill group instead of skill tree (floor). E.g: Basic Group, Core Group, Mastery Group, Ultimate Group, Passive Group…
- The current skill tree (floor) will result in you having to increase points for basic skills first before you can increase points for core skills. It’s a waste of skill points and it’s make no sense when player does not use basic skills.
- I think the simplicity of the current skill system is fine, there’s no need to make it more complicated. But Devs could increase the maximum skill score limit from 5 to 10 that is better.
- If the developer can allow flexible changes between elements by adding Element Group, it will be much more fun and excited. E.g: Instead of Hydra only shooting fire balls, it can be replaced with Ice balls or Lightning balls, so Ball Lightning flying around you now can become Ball Firing or Ball Icing…etc…
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I think many just use skill tree as a description for very broad concepts of picking skills/skill modifiers.
Like, as skill web is generally better than a skill tree, but I bet people will use the latter word to describe the former too.
So basically a skill tree with empty sockets in them, that you could add skill modifiers to? Also very similar to D4 glyphs?
While I think it can work, I would argue that skíll trees have some benefits over that;
- probably easier to understand for most players, since the trees are static, and not something you have to build yourself
- balancing. When the trees are static, the devs can design them in ways where you cant reach all the strongest modifiers at the same time, for example. By placing them in opposite directions and what not. Likewise you can have indirect costs, of having to pick modifier A, to reach modifier B.
It results in less player freedom, but also results in more balancing opportunities, and more hard choices for players. Which is positive.
Quite similar to Unique items vs. Legendary items, where the statis nature of Unique items, means that a very powerful Unique affix can be counterbalanced by which normal affixes the item have. If you can just build your own items freely, that is lost.
I agree, but the game is too stiff (too safe, varying too little)
Codex ? - everyone will have same results after a while
Tempering manual ? - everyone will have same results after a while
Uberuniques ? - everyone will have same (or at least similar) results after a while
Especially if following a “meta” or a guide
The thing about adding another stiff (or at least “prebalanced”) mechanic like won’t move the needle as much
On the other hand I think the risk is little but the gain is right
I know balance can be an issue but don’t think such a mechanic can sway the end results too much (just the playstyle), after all its primary purpose is exactly that (make skills different, not necessarily stronger) by intent (and design)
Yeah, definitely agree with that.
I much prefer the skill tree to be simple and have the customization come from items. That is much more interesting to me and makes the item hunt much more fun. When items are more generic it just makes the item less exciting. A complicated skill tree can be fun, but when all the customization is tied up in the skill tree it makes the item hunt boring.
I have played games with both approaches and I much prefer D4’s approach. The skill tree has its place as the foundation and the items expand on it. If anything I want them to double down and continue to make more aspects, uniques, and tempering manuals that customize skills and play style.
What I want for the skill tree is just more bases to build on. Adding another skill to each category in the tree. Not changing the way it works just adding another option to chose from and then make aspects that build off those.
I don’t really think our thoughts matter that much on the topic. This is something that seems to get brought up quite a bit to them, and their answer pretty much has remained the same. We might get some tweaks here and there in the future. But I doubt drastic changes will happen to the skill tree.
I would more like to see thoughts on how to take what we would want to see in an improved skill tree and have it added in some other way. Maybe Sets/Runewords could take on these rolls. Right now the socket game is pretty weak. Gems are overall basic and everyone pretty much uses the same ones.
A set idea 
, could be to have “Socket Set items” with a max possible Set being 4 pieces. Each Set Gem within a Set can only be socketed into a specific item type. (Sword, Helm, etc.) This will transform it cosmetically into something else. Keeping the Cosmetic side of sets. As for effects, these can fill the gaps between aspects/unique and things we’d find normally in skill trees. We would avoid huge direct damage increases and focus more on altering already existing skill nodes, or adding things like +1 projectiles, that could exist inside the tree.
Overall these effects should feel like they fit that gap, things you wouldn’t wanna waste an aspect slot or unique item slot on, but will still be able to compliment your build or even change up some functionality a little.
So maybe buff up basic skill usefulness a bit using a set. For example a 2 or 3 piece hemorrhage set.
2p - When Hemorrhage spawns a blood orb you have a chance for an additional blood orb to spawn. (Not something I’d really care to use as an aspect or unique.)
3P - Enhanced Hemorrhage can stack up to 3 times, Gain 1 stack when you consume a blood orb. (Same here, not really worth using as an aspect/unique.)
Runewords could also probably fill in a similar gap somewhere. I think people get lost in the idea that if new things like these come into the game it MUST/WILL add a vast/significant amount of power. I think we can add things that simply change up playstyles and add very little power value.
Each skill should have an active tree that levels up to 10 and your own skill tree is all passives. Makes sense. Easy to do. Way funner.
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they could work on the search function in the tree for people having trouble, i can’t imagine it being that confusing though. that little white outline is not enough, thick green circle like the maxroll planner would be better.
i don’t think aspects can solve the customization part of characters adequately though.
if a player has lets say a choice of
100% aoe size in a circle
100% aoe size in a line
100% aoe size in an alternating grid
50% damage
is anyone not choosing the damage for their spender? maybe if they buffed the aoe size enough but those will always be outshined by damage in general because of single target/small groups
but if you remove the damage, it will totally open up different visual and maybe playstyles. so maybe a “morph” system that has zero damage tied to it, just affects the size/shape/etc… could be a good way to allow more customization options, even after removing an option in the form of damage.