LLD Uniques For Balancing

I am getting really hyped for PvP tournaments set up by GGG. I saw that they might add uniques to balance builds out. Adding uniques that can be used to counter different builds (but not outright counter) is like having a sideboard in Magic the gathering.

In the case of MTG you are limited to 15 cards that you can add in after each game to counter your opponents deck the next game. This allows for a more even match and less of a blow-out if your opponent has a deck that just so happens to be your worst nightmare.

In POE you are limited to inventory size and your weapon swap (if it is not already in use). Having these "sideboard Uniques" allows for a more even gameplay between players. An example of this is a Low-life LLD player vs a poison arrow (or viper strike) build. Normally if the low-life character were not allowed to change gear, they would get destroyed by the poison arrow player. In order to counter the Poison arrow player, the low life player would need to swap off their boots and equip Dusktoe Leatherscale boots for that 50% chaos resistance while using potions. (side note: this is why I love LLD; I would have never thought to use Dusktoe boots when they were released, i thought they were pretty crappy.)

The fact that GGG sees that specific uniques need to be designed in order to balance out the meta shows that they know what they are doing. Its a much better idea than to just outright nerf a particular build (via nerfing a unique or skill). Adding in "sideboard uniques" is a better way to balance. Its a more passive way of evening the playing field. By doing this there becomes a less of linear build ladder. For an example, "Puncture is #1, dual ungil's is #2, sword/shield is #3" etc... If builds were nerfed directly (rather than indirectly) then one build drops in ladder and another takes its place, and you still have a linear ladder.

By Indirectly nerfing builds, it creates more of a rock-paper-scissors effect; circular. By doing this, it allows for all build to be able to compete, and the meta becomes less Gear oriented, and more about being smart about how you choose to build your "sideboard".

Here are some examples of Unique items that may or may not work. Testing would be needed. Feel free to tweak/discuss/dismiss or add to the list. Some might be overpowered, but that's what testing is for.

Helmet- allows to see enemy traps.
Boots- Take half damage from bleeding DoT
Sword- Each time you hit an enemy remove chill status from you and your opponent
Amulet- Elemental damage penetrates 5%, 5% of elemental damage is reflected back to you
Mid-pDps(150) 2H Axe- 40% of enemies block chance is reduced.
Gloves- Gems are supported by level 1 Spell echo

I agree with your post.. but spell echo gloves.. wahhh!?

As the news post mentioned, there are some pvp focused uniques coming out as well as other cool craftable mods for rares. I do understand that they also plan on adding more vaal corrupted mods in the future too. I can't wait for you guys to see what we've worked on.

I will also be allowed to reveal the item you win from winning pvp events soon!

All we have to do is SHOW INTEREST IN THE PVP LEAGUES (or whatever is coming) and I'm sure GGG will supply us with all kinds of neat stuff.

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GreenDude wrote:

I will also be allowed to reveal the item you win from winning pvp events soon!

Ermagerd

there is so much hype in the air

Can you smell it?


ps. Hey GD you are now alpha too, grats. :) I though that place was more dead than a graveyard but seems like they want to actually use it to get some real feedback for a change :P

I disagree with a spell echo glove unless they were to implement the spell echo gem itself into PvP and balance out the cast rate of gems themselves, causing problems in the PvE and high level PvP community.

As I have already pointed out, any addition of these restricted gems (at the moment) will encourage the player to restrict his gem usage to the skill spell echo is attached to. This reduces diversity, making gameplay more boring. I'm on board for a lot of your ideas, but it's just this one touchy point I would like to make sure is well understood before any such thing is implemented.

I also dislike creating uniques specifically to counter certain builds. Similar to the role of Abyssus, a unique that counters traps, bleeding, and other specific builds would encourage having more items in the inventory when there really should simply be balance. I have mentioned this before, but something like bleed DoT not benefiting from % Increased Physical Damage would be a good nerf to puncture. This would also be somewhat intuitive since bleeding associating with a specific damage type seems like a curious interaction when bleeding is an action of the victim.

Implementing unique items with game changing abilities like "seeing traps" in the form of a helmet among your other ideas. Is totally possible for LLD but really sucks for us in HLD. You guys can swap almost all of your items to low end uniques without suffering much at all. I feel traps should be a bit easier to recognize though especially with how strong they have become. I don't have all the answers but I know one thing, low end uniques with must have unique mods to deal with match ups in HLD is ass. I appreciate swapping gear but its just not easy to do to that extreme when you're HLDing. This is harder to do for melee then it is for casters or other ranged types as well. Playing many other games like this one I know gear swapping is a must have concept but those games had better options and your build wasn't so heavily dependent on your gear. Diablo2 for example was closer to how LLD works now. You swap your Storm Shield for a 160cold resist shield or something else and it really didn't hurt you whats so ever. You swap your boots to Hotspurs or your ring to Raven frost/Wisp/Dwarf. You really weren't fazed much. Unlike HLD in PoE, where your items are a lot more important and actually determine if you can or cannot play your game.

Nice post. I don't dislike the idea of spell echo gloves,as much, as most have mentioned. The fact that you chose gloves is a good choice of item in my opinion. I will take away a couple powerful LLD items to be able to use them (asenath's,maligaro's). However there would need to be a pretty severe penalty I would think,because a free 5-l is too good. Casters definitely needs a bit of love,some way or another. SEASON HYPE!!!

I would be very careful with any caster uniques on a base which can be corrupted to +1 level of gems. I don't like the helmet idea either.

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dzordzo wrote:

I would be very careful with any caster uniques on a base which can be corrupted to +1 level of gems. I don't like the helmet idea either.

im more ok with echo on helmet since then you cant use goldrim either and capping res will be a bit harder, plus you cant get +1 gems