Screw the kits. 6 things Diablo IV could learn from Diablo II
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At first glance, item kits are a great thing. They set some sort of specific goal in a game of character development and scrap collection. They make it easier to choose the direction the character is going. Sometimes, however, they make it all too easy. So much so that they are blocking the field by the fence itself. This problem has been plaguing Diablo 3 for many years now. It's hard to craft a well-functioning hero, because the strongest synergies and damage multipliers are given by the sets. This allows us to create a fiddly build and a character that goes through the toughest rifts like a firing squad (I myself am the proud owner of a crusader thorns build). The problem is... without kits, you won't go wild.
Part of the fun of building a hero in Diablo 3 was taken away by the fact that we have to look for sets, and legendary items are out of the question (although they do come in handy in Kanai's Cube, which is a great tool and mechanic). First, it requires us to assemble a few pieces of particular wearables. Second, boredom creeps into the process of developing our hero. The game imposes a few specific paths for the player – as long as you're willing to challenge yourself with high levels of anguish.
The Kanai Cube is a great tool, an extension of the Horadric Cube, both in terms of game lore and mechanics. It allows you to enhance and transform unique tools, but also – to extract unique powers inherent in some legendary items. This allows you to wield any weapon you want and use the power of your choice, which can add a lot of variety to the gameplay – and, of course, spice up your character.
In a well-balanced hack'n'slash, sets are only one option. This is exactly what happened in Diablo 2 (especially in later patches that introduced really powerful sets). Green items offered a safe option, interesting bonuses and collecting satisfaction, but we could just as well meticulously collect runic words or extremely rare unique items – sometimes even powerful magic artifacts could be surprisingly practical. This created more opportunities for those with a little persistence and imagination. Blizzard, look this way. And screw sets.
This is not, by the way, the last word about loot today. Actually, I'm just getting started.
