Rant on unique items as requested

[PrimeJunta]

^ but it lets me hold onto a weapon I like if I want to, without the fastidious feeling in the back of my head that I am not, in fact, using the most powerful weapon I could.

That's why I included option 2 in the thought experiment.

 

That way, there wouldn't be any regular/fine/exceptional/superb tiers. Unique weapons would just do different things. Some would have special Lashes, some would inflict status effects on hit or crit, siphon Endurance, Mark, Coordinate, etc. You'd still want to build your character and party around those special attributes, and you'd be upgrading them with Lashes or Slaying depending on your intentions. You'd just skip the basic progression.

 

(Full disclosure: I'm not entirely sure I'd like this myself. However, from the start the fact that you can turn a regular plain ol' half-rusty longsword into a Superb weapon hasn't sat quite right with me. Intuitively I've felt that 'quality' should be inherent to the item, not something you can upgrade, at least not without something as drastic as breaking down and reforging the weapon.)

[HawkSoft]

…the fact that you can turn a regular plain ol' half-rusty longsword into a Superb weapon hasn't sat quite right with me. Intuitively I've felt that 'quality' should be inherent to the item, not something you can upgrade, at least not without something as drastic as breaking down and reforging the weapon.

I think this relates to the old story of the *navvies* pick; 7 new handles and 5 new heads but it's still the same pick!

 

Likewise out cheap sword upgraded to superb has probably had its blade reforged twice, a new pommel and hand guard plus the handle has been rebound 3 times.

But it's still *our* sword.

 

In lore terms the *soul* (fragment?) of the sword has been preserved/enhanced.

I like the system better it you could only enchant/craft in suitable locations EG forges and laboratories.

[AndreaColombo]

I understand PrimeJunta's point, though if you think about it, it boils down to a matter of semantics. Basically, what PoE calls with fancy quality appellations (Fine, Exceptional, Superb), D&D calls with sterile numbers (+1/+2/+3). It is pretty much the same mechanism: It determines how good the basic item is; then you can have other enchantments on top of it, or not. Being used to the traditional D&D system (where a Wizard could, in fact, enchant your rusty old weapon up to +5 if they were high level enough, and you were willing to pay), this doesn't bother me too much in PoE.

 

A system without this might as well work; I don't know. I'll try pretty much anything Obsidian throws my way in the PoE franchise anyway

[Tigranes]

I'm OK with +1/+2/+3. I wouldn't want all the weapons to basically do the same damage and only differ in conditionals, for example. There just needs to be a reason to look forward to shops / loot more, rather than making a beeline for the crafting ingredients store. Maybe things like Exceptional ingredients, there's only one or two and you have to disassemble existing uniques to get more. Maybe it means you can't craft Quality and have to pick up existing Quality weapons. Or, as I say, just keep the existing system, and focus on having some more weird and wacky uniques in the world.

[paasi]

Yes! I got other all new and revolutionary design ideas for weapons you are FREE to use.

 

- A sarcastic talking sword.

- A holy avenging blade for paladins!!!!!

- A super rad ninja blade which has a chance to rain lightning on your enemies! 

- A warhammer which grants a grand boost to might and slays certain constructs on hit

Such innovation, such awesomeness!!

;D yeah, i'm no stranger to sarcasm, even if it is the least of witticisms. 

All i want from the unique items of the game is for to be actually unique, having unique enchantments that differ from spells and common enchantments, which would make finding one in the depths of Od Nua actually worth it, in stead of replacing it soon with one you made yourself.

If you have some original ideas i'd love to hear them as, how you so eloquently have observed, my own creativity in that regard is wanting.

[redneckdevil]

Tbh I like the current system but I did think of 2 things that would go a long way.....maybe.

1st is something people have already mentioned is having a place to enchant instead of on the fly. Granted enchanting anywhere has been in tabletop for many years. So either give us a place to enchant or have the enchantment take days like in tabletop depending on how great or how many the enchants are.

Also to add, if it took time not just "rest screen" and such and such amount of days has passed, but more like u enchant and u keep playing and it enchants. Think of the stronghold way of doing upgrades but apply it towards weapons. Now when u find another weapon that's better than urs currently, do I go ahead and swap out for the new one and test it out and it becomes my new bread and butter or do I stick or go back to the other one. Etc etc.

2. Let us rename equipment. From weapons to armor to belts and rings.....hell even let us name the pets we gather. That way it makes it easier for the player to perceive the weapons they are enchanting are special. We have gear that we find that we could do the same enchants with their own name and story. Why not let us be able to do the same? That way instead of just the normal name for a sword with flame lash, we could name it flamestrike or fire bringer and feel like we are leaving our mark in the world.

Edited January 27, 2016 by redneckdevil