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Diablo 3 getting a huge overhaul of the companion system
Iselin
Member LegendaryPosts: 18,719
With all the buzz around D2 Resurrected and D4, Diablo 3 is making some noise of its own with the upcoming thorough overhaul of the companion system now in testing on the PTR and scheduled for release on the base patch accompanying Season 23.
First of all they will now be able to equip gear in all 13 slots (14 counting their special Relic) instead of just their current weapon (weapon and shield for the Paladin) 2 rings and 1 amulet. Additionally some of the legendary items they can wear in their new slots will act on both, the companion and the player the same as as if the player was using it equipped or in Kanai's Cube. They can even wear some crafted sets such as the Sage's that doubles the number of Death Breath drops.
Many of the skills have been reworked to give a bonus to the player that is variable depending on the companion's core stat on their gear and some skills are dumped and new ones are added. Most notable of the additions is that all 3 companions now have an ability that confers a "cheat death" on the player similar to the skill all classes already have. You can either have 2 cheat deaths with this (both on a timer) or better yet, drop the cheat death you currently use and replace it with a better passive.
You can read all the details on the PTR patch notes or watch Rhyker's video below for a run down of the new features:
First of all they will now be able to equip gear in all 13 slots (14 counting their special Relic) instead of just their current weapon (weapon and shield for the Paladin) 2 rings and 1 amulet. Additionally some of the legendary items they can wear in their new slots will act on both, the companion and the player the same as as if the player was using it equipped or in Kanai's Cube. They can even wear some crafted sets such as the Sage's that doubles the number of Death Breath drops.
Many of the skills have been reworked to give a bonus to the player that is variable depending on the companion's core stat on their gear and some skills are dumped and new ones are added. Most notable of the additions is that all 3 companions now have an ability that confers a "cheat death" on the player similar to the skill all classes already have. You can either have 2 cheat deaths with this (both on a timer) or better yet, drop the cheat death you currently use and replace it with a better passive.
You can read all the details on the PTR patch notes or watch Rhyker's video below for a run down of the new features:
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“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
Comments
With D2R releasing the incentive to return to D3 will be even lower.
og you can bet they will botch it anyway
/Cheers,
Lahnmir
Kyleran on yours sincerely
'But there are many. You can play them entirely solo, and even offline. Also, you are wrong by default.'
Ikcin in response to yours sincerely debating whether or not single-player offline MMOs exist...
'This does not apply just to ED but SC or any other game. What they will get is Rebirth/X4, likely prettier but equally underwhelming and pointless.
It is incredibly difficult to design some meaningfull leg content that would fit a space ship game - simply because it is not a leg game.
It is just huge resource waste....'
Gdemami absolutely not being an armchair developer
Interesting changes though.
While doing that you just always have a companion (outfitted with their immortality relic since before this revamp they're not viable after torment 6 or so without it.) Their use is some of the skills they use on timers that buff things like your crit chance, resource regen, heal you, etc. They are just a part of the D3 ARPG system even if other ARPGs (except torchlight and maybe others, I forget) didn't copy that part of it. Diablo 2 also has them called "hirelings" there.
There are even a couple of items they can use currently that help you. There's the Unity ring that as long as both you and him have one equipped you get 50% less damage from all sources and another ring that can proc a brief circle on the ground that gives you +85% damage dealt if you stand in it.
They also have some CC skills they can do although many players turn off those abilities if they're min-maxing their build and want to proc their own CC at the exact best time for sometimes huge damage spikes. They don't want the companion proccing theirs at the wrong time because of the CC immunity that can give the mobs, making your own CC when you want it less effective or not at all.
So yeah, even at the hardest difficulties they are a part of every solo build. It's not a matter of having robofriend help you do what you couldn't do without him. They're treated like part of your own build even if their help is currently small.
The correct way to look at them for end game purposes with this overhaul is that they're essentially becoming walking, additional, limited item pool, cube slots beyond the 3 Kanai cube slot max limit.
That's what people who currently push solo well past GR 100 are excited about with this change. It's not just a boost for noobs (although it'll be useful for them too) but more so for the top GR pushers who are min-maxing the crap out of everything.
A couple of the items they will now be able to equip and work just like if you equipped them, the Nemesis bracers that spawn an elite pack every time you activate a shrine or pylon, and the Flavor of Time necklace that doubles the time for pylon buffs are items that top players currently use for speed runs (the bracers) or for GR pushing (the necklace) when they're pushing GRs in the 130 or 140+ range.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
It really does need a true solo leaderboard.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
I'll happily keep messing around with Last Epoch until then
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
The original Diablo didn't as far as I can remember.
I doubt Last Epoch will do a full release this year although it is currently very robust and bug free. They have 12 of the 15 advanced classes done and the final act of the campaign is not currently available.
But it's one of the few early access / beta games I have ever played that is very polished at this stage with many QOL features already in (best customizable loot filter I have ever seen, great and very functional stash system, etc.) Having a blast playing it right now.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
That all changed with the Reaper of Souls expansion when they got rid of the AH, improved drop rates and added a legit end game which although simple, works well enough for retention. It's also supported well enough with regular updates, additions to the item pool, etc.
It's not a bad game at all and a lot of people still play it.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
That's not really a sound strategy. Forum complaints are often relentless and exaggerated, with many clinging to issues long past such as their long abandoned auction house which have nothing to do with the game today.
I personally think the main issue people have with D3 is that it is more casual than previous games in the series which some find greatly distasteful.
Default difficulty is much easier. Stats can't be customized and there are no ability trees to progress though. Character abilities and slots open up as you level, as well as modifiers for them. Character passives and slots do as well. With no prerequisites other than that players can cherry pick whatever they like from those available, and also change those choices at their whim with no associated cost.
Many feel the above is all bad and what D2 has is all good.
But, in my view it is just different. Though D3 is much easier at default it can be optionally be made much more difficult so there is more challenge there for those that seek it. D3 is more streamlined and makes broken builds impossible. where D2 is a bit more complex and lets you break your build as badly as you want. However, D2 allows more nuance in character design than D3 due to more build factors being involved.
I've played both and find each good in their own way.
Shout out to other great ARPGS:
Magic & Mayhem 1 & 2
Titan Quest
Fate by Wild Tangent