What's Being Kept from Torment/Bloodlines?

Challenge leagues (like Torment/Bloodlines) are a great place to test out new game mechanics while receiving plenty of feedback and data about how players interact with them. When challenge leagues end, we have to choose what parts of these new features to roll into the core game. Some systems like Rogue Exiles (Anarchy) and Shrines (Domination) came from challenge leagues in this way.

The updates described in this document will not all happen as soon as the leagues end. Most of these changes will be rolled into the upcoming expansion.

Torment League
Tormented Spirits are an interesting game element to add to areas. While there’s more we can improve with their AI, the additional challenge and item drops have been popular. We’ll be rolling them into the core game, though at a lower spawn rate than they currently have.

Torment will also still be available as a Zana Map Device option. We will increase the occurrence of spirits for the Zana mod. We are looking at adding Tormented Spirits as a mod for Ambush chests, but we don't think we will add it as a mod for maps.

Bloodlines League
Bloodlines heavily followed the model of the Nemesis league. Like Nemesis mods for rare monsters, Bloodlines has proven to be a solid addition for magic packs.

Magic packs will have a chance to spawn as Bloodlines packs in the next expansion.

Bloodlines also introduced tools for us to add game elements that interact with monster packs specifically. You will see more interesting things with pack mods and behaviours in the future.

Bloodlines will still be available as a Zana Map Device option. For general map mods, we are looking at using specific bloodlines mods, rather than a general Bloodlines mod (all packs have Phylacteral Link?)

Additional content
With the all the various additional content options that have been added from leagues, the number of random special occurrences that can occur in the game has become very high. We will be rebalancing the introduction and chance of additional content like side areas, ambush chests and tormented spirits in the upcoming expansion.

Leo and PvP
The 1.3.0 patch was a continuation of Forsaken Masters. It added one new master and more PvP options.

Leo has proven popular, both for PvP players and players who want to use his tileset and decorations for their hideouts. As Leo is levelled by participation in PvP rather than in general game content, his progression curve and rewards are treated differently than other masters. The higher levels of Leo have proven too difficult for most players, especially for those playing in the temporary leagues. We will rebalance the rewards and thresholds for levelling Leo as a master.

The additional attention on PvP has successfully increased participation levels, but it hasn't had the level of popularity we were hoping for. Based on participation and feedback, we will continue to support PvP, but not at the expense of PvE content. We will look at more ways to make PvP more accessible for players in the future.

Unique Items
None of the Torment/Bloodlines-specific unique items will drop as part of normal play once these challenge leagues end. Zana's Map Device will offer some ways to obtain them. We may also use them for alternate art race/PvP rewards or in other forms in the future.

first?

brb, going to buy most of the league only items for 1 alc real quick.

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Qarl wrote:

Bloodlines will still be available as a Zana Map Device option. For general map mods, we are looking at using specific bloodlines mods, rather than a general Bloodlines mod (all packs have Phylacteral Link?)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA pls no :(

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Brotherhawk wrote:

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Qarl wrote:

Bloodlines will still be available as a Zana Map Device option. For general map mods, we are looking at using specific bloodlines mods, rather than a general Bloodlines mod (all packs have Phylacteral Link?)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA pls no :(

Good stuff! Pity about the no scold bridle though. Was hoping to finally test it out here in standard :)

Why are uniques that have no relation to the league, the reason why those uniques were separate before, aka "gives rampage mod etc", not being continued on with?

Any thoughts on rethinking the split uniques angle? I don't get why scold's bridle is something I have to play torment to experience when it does nothing specific to ghosts or anything of that ilk.

I strongly dislike the idea behind nemesis mods or bloodlines mods. Slapping random abilities onto random monsters is just RNG. It adds nothing meaningful or substantial, and is honestly one of the things I disliked most about diablo 3 rare/champion monsters.

I don't think it has any place in this game outside of a map mod or zana mod.

Always interesting to read these declarations of austerity.

Oh God