I think set items are at a low enough development that can warrant a big shift in functionality. Why go the route of most games that implement set items when it could made more unique. Literally.
My proposed solution would be the following:
1. Convert all current set items to uniques with some extra effects to warrant being an unique or outright use the set bonuses as unique effect. 2. Add a new system that can very well fit the theme of a new dungeon. The Setmaker system. A system that allows you to convert uniques of your choosing into Set Items. Up to a cap of items, perhaps 3-5. 3. Introduce Set Shards - shards that represent a specific bonus effect that can be applied to uniques in the new system. 4.Set Shards have their individual strength, a weaker effect would consume, in a range, less power, or Set Potential if you will. 5. Uniques converted into a set canāt be legendary or be used afterwards to be made legendary. 6. The amount of effects/stats you can apply per set tier(1,2,3) would be relative to the amount of uniques you convert into a set and the relative power strength of each Set Shards.
All that being said letās follow it up with an example:
Youāve found 3(or 2,4,5) uniques you wish to convert into a set, youāve found some interesting Set Shards that could fit your build. You hop into the new Setmaker Dungeon (which should probably be the place where Set Shards should drop), you defeat the boss, slap the uniques into the Set Forge, a power bar appears that shows you the amount of Set Potential you have, then start adding the Set Shards. You add first set tier of something generic, second tier something less generic, 3rd tier some strong effect. You realize you have some Set Potential left, you can apply another 2nd tier less generic effect.
The opposite scenario would be where you lose a bunch of set potential on each craft and you come out with 2 items that form a set and 1 unique left behind and you cry.
Your new set is complete, and your farm continues.
Make your own setsā¦ hmmā¦ interesting approachā¦ and sort of fits in with the make your own Legendary concept already in playā¦ I especially like the idea that you can then chose how many items you need to āsacrificeā for the setā¦ lots of buts, ifs and hows unanswered for me with this idea but its definitely a new way of looking at sets - DIY styleā¦
But I did see an odd looking Goblin skulking around Pannionās Study that one timeā¦ Seemed to keep waving at meā¦ thought he was creepy so I shifted outta thereā¦
Well the entire game is mostly about items. What else can you make really? A dungeon about enhancing your skills in some way? That would add a significant strain in balancing stuff around and would limit other designs. So I donāt know what else you could make the dungeons about if not items. A dungeon that enhances,fuses shards? That could work but again would bloat the system and make stuff harder to balance.
I donāt know.
I would like something that one of my chars can get and give to another (like the current dungeons). Youāre right, the game is mostly about items. And Iām not sure players would like a dungeon about cosmetics.
Maybe some special temporary buffs for alts? I defeat the dungeon boss and I get a huge-big-enormous bonus that I can put in the stash for a level 1 char? This way, the alt would be able to level faster? I donāt know, really.
Dungeons that grant new skills are one of the possible ways the devs can still add skills after the moveset of all classes gets completely filled.
Right now if the devs wanted to add a new voidknight skill, they probably need to remove one of the other skills.
That being said, I donāt think that this is needed right now, I just wanted to point out that there is the possibility.
The UI is not a factor why I say that they would probably need to remove a skill.
They have control over the UI, they can make a UI that can accommodate any number of skills.
The point is that having a class with too many skills is not good from a design perspective (in my opinion). I am open to have a discussion about this, but perhaps it is a bit offtopic with respect to this thread.
As a side-note, I believe the devs also stated at some point that they donāt want to have more than the current number of skills for each class, but I donāt have a source for that statement. So take this with a grain of salt.
I think this approach may run into the same kinds of problems that make strong sets unpopular in the first place.
locks the benefits of your successful craft behind using a specific combination of items afterwards
prevents the crafted items being empowered by other methods ie. those items are probably only endgame competitive if you use them as a set
ie. youāre making a significant lockin to an exact combination of items. In practice that also significantly restricts your other item choices, since the items in the set will have specific synergies and weaknesses to shore up. Every time you want to experiment or change up your build a little, you will probably be put off by the prospect of breaking the set or losing an item that has an important synergy with the set. Itās stifling, in a very similar way to the classic hand-designed sets.
Imo āturn set items into uniquesā is a complete proposition in itself - thereās no need to squeeze sets back into the game afterwards. āSetā is basically just a bad concept that reduces build diversity. As it stands, sets are in the game āfor old timesā sakeā but intentionally err on the weak side so that they donāt have that normal stifling function. I think thatās an acceptable compromise, but if you want to drop the compromise, itās best just to drop sets completely.
