Pitch: So I was thinking it’d be really freaking great to have an ability to override any types of damage conversions gained by items essentially by implementing a global toggle to turn off all of the item damage conversions that you don’t want to occur.
I think it’d be a huge net gain for the game overall in terms of increasing build diversity as it would open up a lot more viable gear combinations for people who like to experiment, or just more viable itemization in general while leveling for the casuals. Plus, I can’t imagine everyone hasn’t had the experience of “oh that’d be great for my build if it didn’t have that stupid conversion” at least once!
Balance: so I won’t pretend I’ve thought too deep about balance, but at a high level this change doesn’t seem like it’d be anything approaching game-breaking as the only thing we’re doing is preventing unfavorable item-only damage conversion(s) from happening. Seems a reasonable improvement to increase build diversity while requiring exactly zero changes to all items.
Code impact: this also seems like it’d be relatively easy to implement as a last-check over-ride for combat calcs too. Much better, at least, than messing with the code to add toggles on each item.
Lore: it could be worked in as a quest reward in FoA, or even something much earlier on to help make more items viable when leveling. Could even do potions to block a specific conversion from occurring (not biggest fan of chugging potions for this, but I’d take it over nothing).
“he” referring to someone or yourself in third person?
Then I’d think you’d be all for this as this change would increase non-standard itemization (ie not “cookie-cutter” mastery sets). Increased optionality = increased variables = more thinking, not less. That is if you care to plan your builds instead of just going with bog standard item and mastery combos.
Damage conversion is part of the game balance. Some items and skill have forced conversion to prevent them to be a too good general option for builds that would make them mandatory, basically killing diversity. So I think that being able to turn off conversions is out of the question.
i think Savage means the reverse of your equating
currently conversion = can’t use certain items without potential loss or conflicting, ie have to “think” about using said items/if using the items in setup causes more loss than gain.
If you can disable conversion, you no longer have to do that “think”, savage refers to, about using any items and can use any conversion item you please just for its stats, as there will never be a potential downside/conflict consideration
*speculating ofc
If one of Z’s recent comments is anything to go by tho, it seems like FoA might lean away from “direct” conversion conflict design tho, ie an aether item with % aethher dmg, but converts aether dmg → lightning
[quote=“Zantai, post:71, topic:144795”]
Morgoneth set’s damage conversions were a remainder of an old approach to item design which has since shifted, especially with FoA sets, where dual-damage sets feature less conversion modifiers while supporting items help fill in the gaps.
The set should be viable both in Cold builds and Vitality builds
[/quote]
how widespread that will be/if applicable outside sets we’ll have to wait and see
And it probably wont entirely satisfy what you want, since there might still be a difference vs turning conversion entirely off ofc
(like using a nightblade/Garg belt with vit->cold conversion despite the belt not directly featuring cold dmg still means wont be used for vit builds)
Ah that makes sense. I guess I was mostly looking at it from the end-game planning perspective where more viable item combinations = more variables = more thinking. But you’re right, the downsides of being constrained by damage type would be removed so I can see the argument that removing these limitations could also result in less build diversity like @toapeiron said by not having to consider associated tradeoffs.
Well this idea wouldn’t have to be an all or nothing thing either, just being able to cancel 1 damage type toggle globally, or even prevent it on 1 item per character would be a boon too. Just looking for options to keep things fresh.
No probably not, but appreciating the discussion.
Maybe. But you’d still have all of the stats, skills, +%dmg, and other item affixes that tends to funnel items toward certain builds so I’m not sold that just turning off an undesirable item damage conversion would kills all build diversity or even impact it negatively. I think the opposite, it would be exciting and interesting to see what new combinations would become viable.
How about a play-test to see how it goes, devs? (as if, I’m sure).
A lot of damage conversions are done on purpose to block off certain damage types from using the items with those conversions.
Otherwise with this suggestion you can turn off undesirable conversions and take advantage of the flat damage mods. And this sounds like a recipe for a bunch of broken builds.
(as if, I’m sure).