In the most recent dev stream, it was mentioned there are potentially plans to add set bonuses to equipment based on using full or partial sets within the game.
Mostly just wanted to give some feedback in that regard.
Main aspects that would be interesting to see with this mechanic would be:
Bonuses for using 2/4/6 equipment from a specific set.
Bonuses that under no circumstance could be considered a negative effect (such as no board control related set bonuses)
Bonuses that stack with already existing bonuses.
While I highly doubt most of these would be implemented, I personally see the following as some potential bonuses for sets that could work for 2/4/6 same type equipment:
Guard: 10%/20%/30% block amount
Royal: Gain 5/10/15 power when matching a big gem
Savior: 5%/10%/15% chance to barrier at start of turn
Dwarven: 10%/20%/30% higher starting HP
Dragonguard: Gain 1/2/3 mastery to all colors when casting a spell of a different color than the previously casted spell
Firewalker: 10%/20%/30% fire resistance
Warlord: 5%/10%/15% crit chance
Night: 10%/20%/30% dark resistance
Serpentine: 10%/20%/30% poison resistance
Jeweled: 10%/20%/30% light resistance
Runic: Gain 3%/6%/10% more power per turn
Esgaard: 10%/20%/30% block chance
Elven: 50%/75%/100% chance a random non-full mana spell is replenished to full when killing an enemy
Bone: Give +1 to 1/2/3 random skulls at the start of each turn (can turn them big and can mutli hit same skull, does nothing if 0 skulls)
Bloodfang: 10%/20%/30% ice resistance
I highly agree that this mechanic (see Diablo III for an example on how this would likely be implemented) would be cool. This is especially since you could mix and match sets to combine different effects (four pieces of one set and four of another. There are 12 total gear sets, which ones line up).
However I have two comments to note on this:
Having builds that require multiple pieces of gear together is problematic when you consider that finding gear with suitable main color and Affixes is quite difficult, and additionally keeping large amounts of gear in your inventory to experiment with new combinations is discouraged by the current vault system.
I would greatly prefer gear sets to have unique and interesting effects over static buffs. Some of your ideas are interesting but most of the others are kind of boring (like the set of resistance ones). Additionally, there’s not much incentive to use a 6-piece set here because gains here are linear.
In particular I’d like to see set pieces that encourage you to do things in a certain way. Diablo III had a really great system, where you could use small parts of sets for little bonuses or go all in on one set for a powerful passive, that doesn’t just give you an unconditional damage boost, but warps the way you play. Here are some concepts I thought of:
Savior: 20% chance to create a Shield gem when matching a Big V+ gem
Warlord: New ability on Rage Gems: Double tap to consume it and Stun the opponent.
Dragonguard: Matching 5 different colors of gems in one turn grants 1 stack of Spell Mastery (the next damage dealing spell you cast will deal 50% more damage)
Runic: Casting 4 different colored spells in one turn will grant Barrier.
Elven: Grant 25 mana to all spells when matching gems in a plus shape.
Night: Class-restricted spells cost 15 less mana to cast.
Jeweled: Match 8 gems in a circle to upgrade the gem in the center into an X gem.
In a game with well-designed set bonuses, a full set won’t just make you more powerful. It’ll add mechanical complexity, it will change up what spells you use and what gems you match, and how, and why.
I do like the idea of set bonuses, but I would use 2/3/4 instead of 2/4/6 since this would allow greater flexibility to mix and match sets among characters to be able to get greater bonuses.
The lower bonus also means we dont have to spend so much time chasing 1 piece of equipment to get the last set bonus as well. It eases the grind and gives players the ability to get good set bonuses from the equipment they chase.
As I noted in the Stream thread, we know for a FACT that Set Bonuses are coming, and Sirrain confirmed they are coming before the full launch (to prevent too many players from salvaging gear pieces they otherwise wanted).
Given that inventory space is at a premium and items are potentially subject to change, I’m not sure how knowing for a FACT that set bonuses are coming is useful information in determining what to salvage. Can you give me an example in your view of what decisions you’ve arrived at based on that information? What gear are you now not salvaging that you would have salvaged before as a result?
I’m sorry, dear devs, but how can you talk about introducing set bonuses, with the gear slots so limited and allowed across all five heroes, where each hero benefits more from different pieces of gear? To add insult to the injury, I woke up today and saw this as an entry requirement for Elite Tourney:
Please explain how an average player, with the current gear slot limitations and the current state of the game, and your clear “no” to increasing gear slots, is expected to have all 15 types of weapons, even at uncommon, to participate in this tourney regularly? I don’t think I ever had a longsword of any kind pulled from chests ever since I started playing a week after the early release went live! In the previous elite tourneys we at least had THREE weapons to choose from. Here it’s only ONE. We need at least double space for gear to be able to participate in restricted or elite tourneys, and triple as much, to take advantage of the set bonuses, if not more. These restrictions were stupid before, but this clearly shows that this is bordering on absurd.
It’s been a while since the last time I’m posting anything here (since personally I think it’s such a waste of my time) but today I’m kinda curious about the devs’ response about this Elite Tourney requirements.
@Salty, @Cyrup, @Jeto, @OminousGMan, is it possible for you to clarify whether this “new” Elite tourney reqs where now it reverts back to one type of weapon is an intentional move by the devs, or maybe it’s just a bug?
Since in the last devs’ stream, I think we can conclude that you said “no” to players’ suggestion to expand the storage limit, deflected the actual storage issue by mentioning the idea of shifting the gear limit during the early-mid game and said “no” to expand the max storage limit, and even expressly mentioned that it’s a way for the devs to hinder/limit/control the players’ progression.
Then this week, we see that the req for elite tourney reverts back to one specific type of weapon.
Personally I want to know whether it’s an intentional action or it’s just a bug.
Hopefully you can respond.
I’m fine if there is no response too.
Cheers.
Personally I feel like an idiot because after the second week of the 3 weapon option tourney rule, I thought it was a nice change in the face of the limitations imposed and even went so far to suggest to people that they didn’t need to keep their 15 weapons anymore; I hope they didn’t listen to me.
I am keeping green weapons and scrapping most weapons that are non green as only green weapons will ascertain that I can (currently) take part in the tourneys and additional rare and epic weapons would just clog my space.
So, drawing a rare or epic weapon is a bit of a waste - doubt that was intended.
But I do still merit (massively) the Elite tourney not requiring a specific colored weapon, so the requirement is at 15 and not at 5x15 which exceeds the current inventory space in only weapons!
Every aspect of the game can be played in all green and a set bonus might allow this to be actually workable and a bit more powerful than running around all in low level common stuff. This would circumvent the inventory issues, the unequip issue and all sorts of issues, just equip every character with the same green set.
The Green wo(men)!
Finally I can just scrap all my rare, epic and legendary equipment and not worry about progression. This also solves the relic drop rate issue!
