eighnuss wrote on Apr 20
th, 2016 at 6:12am:
ddo loot sucks. they dropped the ball with the new (old now) augment system. Pretty much every augment sucks. theyre all way under performing compared anything else at the same level. For starters, the augments should have all mimiced loot enhancements at the same level. Diamonds of +8 stat at lvl 28 wen u can find +12 gear at lvl 28 makes no sense to me. Diamonds of +3 stat at lvl 14 when u can find or even cannith craft +6 stat items by lvl 9.
Augments were added as a way of adding underwhelming bonuses that dont really matter, aside from the UNIQUE ones that are mandatory on every toon. When you develop a system that is 80% useless and 20% mandatory, youve fucked up.
Augments and gear itself should be reconsidered. augments should have been the generic effect slots on every item. No item should come preset with generic effects. We should be allowed to build our gear.
consider encrusted ring. 2 generic effects, 2 specific effects. currently this ring is either useful for 1 level, or by now possibly completely invalidated by current RNG loot. If the generic slots were instead open rather than pigeonholed into +6/+1strength, perhaps this once sought raid item would still have use on certain builds, at any level, as long as the specific effects catered to the build.
If all the good, semi unique loot was customizable in this fashion, a lot more loot wouldnt be invalidated, the value of older quests and raids would increase, and even additional potential builds would become more viable.
Any time you look at a new piece of loot, i want you to consider just for a moment, how much better it would be if the preset generic stat bonuses on it were customizable to the specific stats you wanted to elevate, and only the loot/lore specific effects were fixed and unchangable.
I understand your point, but consider this.
Augments are intentionally less powerful, because you can customise them. I agree they're too under-powered - they should be one step back. So +11 stat at ML28 for example.
If loot were completely customisable, it would create some problems.
Firstly, D&D is premised on always having some vulnerability. Toons shouldn't be able to do everything and be invulnerable to everything.
Otherwise the threat/challenge is diminished and the enjoyment goes with it. Every player desires their toon to be as powerful as possible. Once they reach that objective they don't have as much motivation to keep playing.
Secondly, random loot would be a lot less useful. With an AH, you can just buy the equipment with the slots colours you need and your done.
Thirdly, ongoing engagement (game sub longevity). Once you had your ideal combination of items with slots (similiar to Path Of Exile system), what would be your motivation to continue seeking equipment?
The game engine could handle it as the LOTRO legendary weapons from years ago used to be like what you propose.
I also like the PoE system - but it was designed from the ground up though and would be very hard to retrospectively implement.