I was trying to put my finger on why I can spend hundreds of hours in D3 or TL2, even on the same character and here not so much and the fact that I keep restarting. I think I have discovered it is most likely due to the fact that there are too many affixes in this game to keep track of.
I felt like in TL2 I can create any type of character I want, whether i wanted to focus on Crit, AS or dodging/blocking it was all there for me to and I didn’t feel limited too much. Here I feel overwhelmed, at first the game starts off fine but then you start finding items with 10+ affixes on and its just too much for me to keep track of. I know I am in the minority and those of us in the TL2 community especially all pretty much agree that this is the king of the ARPG genre, I just wish I could get into it.
Does anyone else have any issue of feeling too overwhelmed by just how much there is to keep track off in terms of affixes and any tips of overcoming it, or is it just a case of this game isn’t for me?
I got bored easily by TL2 and D3, played them through once and dropped them, so it seems we are looking for different things.
I think your problem is that you set out to build a one trick pony char and focus everything on that when you really should build a well rounded char instead (or that you realize you need a well rounded char and think it is too much to keep track of to do so).
An item can have at most two affixes, prefix and suffix, each of which can have multiple bonuses. Since you talk about ‘10+ affixes’ I think you really ask about whether there are too many bonus types and that ultimately means too many damage and resistance types.
Personally I think the number of damage types is on the high end but ok, esp. now that the distinction between flat and DoT (eg fire/burn) has been blurred by affixes buffing them both at once.
Resistances on the other hand I would like to reduce in number. To me we have too many CC resistances, not sure why we need stun, petrify, freeze, … I would make that one resistance. Fortunately they are also among the least important so by and large you ignore them / end up with whatever value the gear gives you instead of trying to improve them.
While there are many stats to keep track of, the game also gives you many ways to improve them. Your resistances e.g. come from gear, and what gaps that leaves you address with components and augments, and what gaps that leaves you can address with devotions and skills.
It also is similar for your damage and even skills (it’s just that the order is different).
So if your complaint really is ‘building a good char in GD is more complex than in TL2’ then I guess you are correct.
In normal mode all you will worry about is damage and aoe
As you reach elite you will find that it has become harder to survive and you need some resists & by ultimate you will need capped resists and fine tuned skills focusing both single target and aoe damage with some resist reduction
Not very pleased with the damage despite having +1000% or so bonuses you will wonder how to increase it further. They you will look into fine tuning resist reduction, OA and crit multipliers. Even go further with %bonus to certain races
Taking on nemesis you will learn about overcapping lightning vs valdaran, getting more DA vs Fabius , more armor, stun res etc
Even more fine tuning with MI greens (prefix suffix) is the last stage of min max
It used to be that +600% damage got you to a soft cap in terms of damage increase so that extra 400% isn’t as much as it seems. Also, keep in mind different mobs have different damage resistances so Resistance Reduction is king and if you have low to no RR then you will not be doing much damage. For example, most bosses, if not all, have an innate 25% physical resistance and have other specific resistances like Kubacabra has high cold (94%) and vitality resistances (101%) but low (18%) everything else.
Certain standard and champion mobs have their own resistances too. The different version of undead Aetherial corruptions for example. Plague Walkers have 30 or 40% (can’t remember exactly) Poison and Acid resistance, Emberguards have the same for Fire and ghosts have high bleeding resistance something like 115%.
As someone who is relatively new to this game I agree it is comlex. There are so many different mechanics and factors to consider as you try to construct an effective character. It’s like a complex jigsaw puzzle; and in some cases you have to build the pieces themselves (ie crafting recipes and components etc). So you have to learn quite a lot and spend quite a bit of time examining equipment and deciding which pieces to use or discard; and mulling over skills and devotions etc to get good results. Some people resent that time. Time not killing monsters is time wasted for them - not for me.
I have noticed people complaining about the complexity and the frustrations it causes them. They want the game simplified and streamlined in various ways, but personally I like the complexity of Grim Dawn and the puzzle and challenge the game presents and I hope the devs will not dumb it down. Imo that has not worked in other games in this genre and is not the way to go.
That said there is always room for quality of life improvements; so long as they are not just simplifications of the mechanics.