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

Posted 2022/11/06 at 12:30 PM by 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.

Experimentation is encouraged at lower levels by having low re-spec costs.

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Comment by bluebird91we're discussing RPGsespeciallyComment by AzraelUltimaDid you just miss modern WoW existance?
"they win nothing by letting you reroll a lot."
They will make leveling painful and then do this:
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-service-character-boost?p=302925
"They win nothing"
You need glasses to treat that shortsightnessComment by AzraelUltimaNo they don't. Repeating something doesn't make it true, and the meaning of choices doesn't require persistence in the slightest.Comment by onefishbluefishwe're discussing RPGsespeciallyComment by onefishbluefishNo they don't. Repeating something doesn't make it true, and the meaning of choices doesn't require persistence in the slightest.Comment by DLChaosSo how long before the team removes the gold price to respec and make it free? It should of been free in the first place.Comment by bluebird91No they don't. Repeating something doesn't make it true, and the meaning of choices doesn't require persistence in the slightest.Comment by Iceveiled"That permanence and attachment should encourage you to make a new character of the same class if you want to play a different build."

Cringe. My attachment to my character should be born out of my ability to play and customize the way I want. Transacting to respec is not going to foster any sense of attachment to that character, quite the opposite actually.

What's the REAL reason for this choice? The quote above is a lazy cop-out. Frankly, it's insulting that they assume their fans don't see right through generic, boilerplate phrases like this.

Non free-to-play games that force you to spend the game's currency to respec is, to me, an annoying decision and kind of an FU to your playership. Why give us agency over our characters at all, if you're going to penalize us for exploring the freedom to experiment with that same agency?Comment by dalaraz2the fact that you wont be able to switch builds freely its kinda concerning,imagine you want to try endgame builds at max levels depending on items you drop etc, only possible once per X time cause you need to farm X currency to change said build.

then if oyu dont like the new one you have to refarm X currency only to either return to your previous build or a new one,

then repeat again and again,making you farming X respec currency than actualy enjoying the game,in the way you want.

that said i have no access to beta so i dont know how hard it is/will be to respec but then again,why even have to pay to respec,its 2022,people will just quit over being annoyed.

the "level another toon of the same class" meme,to try a different build,if ever comes true,its a disaster of a desing

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