I don’t think that Respecs are the MMO way. Respecs are the 2010s way, as opposed to the old archaic way of having to replay a character over and over if you screw up. I did that already, I don’t want to keep doing that, not when better, more modern and quite frankly, funner options are available.
I know it is a losing battle, but dang, this game doesn’t need to be so hard core that no one but the 10 percent of players who enjoy being abused over and over want to play it.
I really dont think some stat points are going to make up for anything with the exception of gear requirements. On my first character, I was putting nearly every point in Spirit, and now that I am farming in Ultimate, Physique would have helped me take more damage. I still only die if I am being careless or stupid; the extra physique points matter very little in that case.
I like it that there is at least something permanent in the game. Hell, you can respec devotions completely, and individual skill points completely. I guess it just comes down to what generation you are from. I played D2 for a very long time with no way of respecing at all, until the 1.13 patch allowed a single respec per difficulty.
After your first character, and hopefully after reading a few guides and learning, subsequent characters should have no issue with lack of complete respec.
It has nothing to do with what generation you come from. You know why I want respeccing? Because I played games like EverQuest, Diablo, etc…that didn’t let you fix anything. I’ve been there and done that. Don’t want to relive that play style again.
When a game becomes “work” I’m out of there, and GD is teetering perilously close to “work” because I have to constantly micromanage my stats because even if I play a Soft Core guy, I’m still stuck playing like it’s Hard Core because the game is that difficult and unforgiving.
I think, if anything, they should balance the stats more and make stat requirements on items not so rigid. Your build shouldn’t be so tied down to your items.
I don’t think it’d be too bad to allow, say, 10% of your total points to be reassigned.
They also need to do something about patches modifying what items you can wear. That shouldn’t happen or there should be a free partial respec.
Even in Diablo3, 1.13 patch allowed to reset skills and atributes (you have to farm for it, but it’s possible). Making player unable to reset some points from attributes or mastery is a retarded approach. Especially considering you need attrbutes to fullfill gear requirements.
I think you meant Diablo 2, but even then 1.13 was not the right D2.
The only true D2 was the version 1.01 without any expansions as Blizzard casualized the hell out of game with patches. And 1.13 is too recent for nostalgia goggles of the most GD players to kick in.
What does allowing respecs add to the game ?
Obvious answers:
And for those reasons only, I’d for a long time been a proponent of respecs.
But lately, I was more on the fence until I finally settled for the opposite opinion.
Whenever you add a feature to a game (here, respecs), it’s meant to solve a problem. But it also has side effects, and those need to be taken into account as well when evaluating said feature.
In this case, look at the builds forum.
You’ll see this in most cases: “This build is based on skills A & B. (…) For levelling, use skill C instead then respec.”
Respecs lead players to use the same “efficient” builds over and over again when playing through the game, only branching out at the very end.
They rush through the game (and find it boring since they’re playing the same thing over and over again) and then ask for endgame contents.
Respecs end up making the game poorer, and that’s why, in the final reckoning, I think they’re ultimately a bad idea.
And in all honesty, how many characters have you “ruined” through a misclick ? Out of the dozens and dozens of D2 characters I’ve played, I believe I’ve selected the wrong skill exactly once.
I’m all for upgrading the ARPG formula: I do believe designers are indeed stuck in the old ways.
Consider for instance the abomination that shops with a random inventory are. Thinking about it for 10s is enough to see how stupid that game feature is… and we’ve been stuck with it from the very beginning.
It took 20 years for game designers to realize that locked chests that you open with bought keys is idiotic (although…treasure troves, cough, ahem).
Full respecs just aren’t a good upgrade to the ARPG formula.
Now, the problems they’re meant to solve still need solving…
That’s the problem of a skill design system, not with respecs.
With respecs it’s even better as you won’t need to play 30+ hr of a left-clicking borefest just because your build relies on endgame items to roll everything over. D2 melee sorc is a prime example of this.
Yep, that can be retarded too, if abused too extensively.
The solution is kinda simple - respec should require certain cost.
Just look how Path of Exile solves such a problem. You gain some “respec points” for quests, and respecing more require certain amount of valuables. Thus, respeccing a LOT of skill has dire cost for you. (sure, cost for respec could be higher, for better results).
In GD, respec cost in kinda low even for devotions, and for skills, it’s absolutely insignificant. I will gladly see increased respec costs (to prevent abuse), but with allowance to respec attributes and mastery points too (NOT masteries themselves).
Unless you are playing in hardcore mode, there is nothing hardcore about this game. It is very forgiving.
And if you are not enjoying leveling characters, if you find it to be work, if you think of it as being abused, then you are playing the wrong game.
Frank.
Lol, case in point just now:
http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38260
That’s more of an issue with another part of the “archaic” formula: level requirements (on both items and skills), which are an incredibly poor system, but one designers seem to hold sacrosaint (or rather, it’s been so ingrained into the genre that an alternative isn’t even considered).
Trouble is, basically every resource is in infinite quantity.
POE designers, kudos to them, saw that gold just couldn’t work for that very reason and got rid of it (unfortunately, only as a currency: afaik, the game didn’t get rid of the useless underlying subsystems), but while gold is the most flagrant example, it’s the same for every resource.
An XP cost would work: would fit nicely with the idea of “unlearning”.
But any major respec should then incur actual level loss… which would turn it into a make-everyone-unhappy feature, so, nah I guess. 
Use the trainer to respec if you don’t like it Jesus. If you’re the kind of gamer who checks forums you have the ability to find the free online tools to alleviate your complaint.
But let’s say, respec will require soulbound crafting components (like Aether crystal are already used for devotions, but with higher cost that it’s now).
Want respec? Ok, you have to farm for those components and waste your time.
XP cost is also OK, as it takes some time too to get your experience back. The problem is, GD has a level cap, and it can be reached easily (which is kinda retarded for ARPG too), so how would it work for 85 level character?
Then you still lose XP? and maybe go down some levels if using a lot of XP, that makes sense to me.
Actually IF respec really IS needed, then the skill/stat you wanted to respec, should cost x-amount of XP that skill or stat have already provided you with, so if a skill have been used from lvl 10 to 85 and you wanted to change that one, you would lose a lot of lvls because of a huge cost of XP. and then it kind of forces people to think again.
So maybe its not so good.
Why not just have it all like diablo 3? like everything is done for you, top lvl within 10 minutes, all stats settled for you, and a slim choice for usage of skills.
So it really can feel like every other retarded casual game.
We need no difficulties ! we need much more less ! it i can’t powerthrough with me lvl 5 character then its too hard… GAME NEED TO BE EASIER ! ! !
… sorry for the sarcasm…
Why do these respec options (attributes, mastery points) have to be part of an official system in the game?
If you feel you need that functionality to improve your experience with the game, you can get it.
There’s no need to start a debate about a universal system when everyone is free to pursue their own, individual solutions already.
Sure, it may not be “legit”, but if that’s your main concern, then I’d wager that the reason you can’t really enjoy Grim Dawn has nothing to do with a lack of respec options in the first place.
Why should inventory be a part of an official system anyway? We know for sure every single 3rd party program adds to immersion after all.