I’m a big fan of simple solutions and I think this is about as simple as gets for a way to add some fun to the game without requiring much coding at all.
RANDOM-HARDCORE MODE:
The option unlocks after completing Ultimate on Hardcore.
When selecting this game mode that character is sent to the beginning of Ultimate (Hardcore), reverted back to level 70 with all skill/mastery/devotion pts refunded.
You are given a new class which is automatically selected, at random, & the only items available to you are the items in your Softcore bank (copied to this character).
Completing Ultimate in this mode restarts the mode, setting you back to 70 with a new random class (but not any you’ve played on that character before).
(Optional) Each completion of the game in this mode provides a unique reward & the reward increases for each subsequent completion (until first death).
What would the reward be? That I leave up for debate. It could be something as small & intangible as an achievement/title, or something as valuable as a unique item recipe (for all modes).
It may not be an overhaul or a huge patch of content like so many would like, but I think it would be an interesting game option that would make the endgame virtually ‘infinite’.
It would also provide purpose to item farming in Softcore mode; the items you accumulate in Softcore become the stash of items you start your random class with. Purpose being the key word here; a game mode like this would give a small amount of purpose to veteran players that have reached the current ‘limit’ of character creation and item farming.
I respectfully disagree. I think being assigned a random class would defeat the purpose of Grim Dawn, which is to build a character from the ground up; starting at level 70 both negates the leveling experience and effectively “kills” that character. I myself have spent close to 90 hours on a single character and would be quite peeved if the endgame meant losing that character.
IMO, grim dawn already has endgame content (albeit limited) in the form of SoT, BoC, and tomb of the watchers. I’m all for more endgame, but it should be done in the most lore friendly manner, in such a way that expands the game, not limiting or negating it.
I would rather just start a new toon, from scratch, even self-found if I feels like. On the other hand I feel your idea of NOT starting from lvl 1, obviously lvl 70 is much more fun, but then comes the random factor which could not be consider fun by a lot of peeps i guess.
So, you spend quite a lot of hours and efforts to carefully plan, develop and support a character, and at the end the game nullifies your work to provide you a random unsupported build?
maybe as a seperate game mode for those that may be interested you could do somthing like it. have it start by rng picking 1 or 2 classes and certain set of skills you have to select/can’t select or even limits/forced maxes of skill tree bars. makeing it so you have to adapt your character around those limitations i can see how some people might have fun with that. this mode could both be more challengeing potentially depending on roll and a more guided exprience for those who haven’t spent as much time sutidying the skill tree.
maybe as a separate game mode entirely somthing like this would work better. i can see how somthing like this slightly modified would be fun for some people possibly alot of people.
have it start by rng picking 1 or 2 classes and certain set of skills you have to select/can’t select or even limits/forced maxes of skill tree bars. makeing it so you have to adapt your character around those limitations. i know alot a number of people who challenges like this. this mode could both be more challengeing potentially depending on roll and a more guided exprience for those who haven’t spent as much time sutidying the skill tree.