Diablo IV Skill Trees Explained - Re-Specs, Depth of Customization, Sense of Permanence

Diablo IV Publié 06/11/2022 à 12:30 par silec

IGN published another part of their Diablo IV interview series featuring Diablo General Manager Rod Fergusson and Game Director Joe ShelyDesign Philosophy Behind Skill Trees

Players have asked for more choices and more depth. The developers want to make sure to satisfy that aspect of customization while making the system accessible to new players and having clear progression through the skill trees.

Enough customization should be available for the player so that each build feels unique, without feeling the need to look up a guide and let other people decide for you.

Skill tree progression in Diablo IV is similar to Diablo II. There is an inheritance from skill to skill, with skills gaining synergies from other nodes. Progression through the skill trees is less linear than in Diablo II.

Diablo III builds are mainly equipment-based while Diablo IV builds will be heavily intertwined with the skill tree system.

Current Iteration of Skill Trees

Skill trees have evolved drastically since the gameplay demo at BlizzCon 2019, with the system now being at its fourth iteration.

Current iteration with clusters including Skills, Skill Upgrades, and Passives — October 2022.

Keyword Search function lets you highlight certain nodes within the skill tree to assist you in finding interconnections for your build, e.g. showing you all nodes that benefit from Bleed.

You are able to spend points beginning at a skill or a passive within each cluster.

After spending one point you can immediately move on to the next node that is connected to the previous node.

Spending a certain amount of points in the skill tree will unlock the next cluster.

Spending 2 more points will unlock this cluster.Earlier iterations of the skill tree system over the last years.How Re-Specs Work in Diablo IV

You can re-spec point by point or refund all points directly within the skill tree for Gold.

Refund point by point example.

Cost to re-spec increases as you reach higher character levels to have a sense of permanence and meaning in your choices.

The build you choose should feel inherent with your character, making you feel attached to that character.

That permanence and attachment should encourage you to make a new character of the same class if you want to play a different build.