I'll start with saying I am still very much enjoying the game and this isn't going to make me suddenly drop it, just wondering if others are feeling the same. I am only part way though Act III (WT2) and I am playing co-op with my partner so that might have an impact and I'm sure after the campaign once we do raise the difficultly things will ramp up and be more challenging but I really wished you could raise the difficultly prior to finishing the campaign.
You only get to experience it fresh once and in particular boss fights in the campaign are a major let down in terms of difficultly for me. Story/writing wise there are these great build ups to bosses/events, all this hype/backstory/lore gets built up over time about some some super powerful terrifying lore central enemy but then the actual fight is a walk in the park. For most of them you can just stand and man fight the bosses with minimal dodging and potion use.
I don't even care about extra loot/gold/XP I just want to actually feel challenged like I'm fighting a much more powerful foe and the fight isn't a forgone conclusion right from the start.
After the final big fight of Act II I discussed this with my partner who isn't really hardcore gamer and bar Nintendo games with the kids the last major time spent gaming was probably Diablo 3 a good few years back and they felt the same. The story, gameplay(mostly) are spot on, and the cinematics are great.
We are really invested into finishing the campaign first and are mostly only sticking to main quests, no running around exploring and only do nearby side quests or events we never go out of our way to grind gear or level up.

Hey guys. I played maybe 20hours of the game but I know a lot of the endgame.
Yesterday I was watching asmongold react to some YouTube called Dm Diablo 4. Or something like that. He is a hardcore player (in all senses) who plays the game for long sessions. Min/maxer etc etc. He as giving some insights of what he thought of the tame after reaching level 82 and pretty much did everything the gane has to offer right now.
He gave a lot of goods and bads but there is one thing he said as a hardcore 1% of the playerbase who pretty much play all day long that now makes sense. This game was pretty much focused on the players who don't have that time for play. Who has like me only one day of the week to play all day long and maybe 2hours top in every other day players of quoting him "life happened" or have families and stuff.
For me it makes total sense. Those 20hours of playing is on a Necro and a rogue. I'm gonna drop Necro and go druid or sorcerer because I like magic and shapeshifting. But I played 4hours maybe less yesterday and got to level 20 pretty much with no problems. 4 HOURS TOP.
I think the game really resonate with people that don't have much time because I was leveling and gaining skills right away and that felt really good even better because I'm probably gonna hit lvl 60 and maybe play torment 4 or some nightmare dungeons mid tier and stay there until seasons. Get a really comfortable build running and that's it. The game is way more approachable then d3 (I have more then 700h on D3 pretty much playing monk and hunter).
What's ur thoughts on that topic. U guys are players like me who are happy with the tame being more "simple" then 3 or u don't feel that the game is like that.
Cheers. Sorry about my english, not my native language

"Certainly! How about a class called the "Lorekeeper"?
The Lorekeeper in Diablo 4 would be a master of ancient knowledge and mystical arts, specializing in unraveling the secrets of the world and harnessing their power in battle. This class would provide a unique and intriguing gameplay experience. Here's an overview of the Lorekeeper class:

1. Lore-based Abilities: The Lorekeeper would have a range of abilities inspired by ancient myths, legends, and arcane texts. They would be able to cast spells that manipulate elements, summon ethereal beings, and tap into forgotten rituals. Their powers would be focused on control and utility, with abilities such as enchanting weapons, creating protective barriers, and unraveling enemy defenses.
   
2. Relic Mastery: Lorekeepers would wield relics, artifacts imbued with ancient power, as their primary weapons. These relics could include enchanted scrolls, ancient tomes, or mystical amulets. Each relic would grant unique bonuses and abilities, allowing players to customize their playstyle based on their preferred relics.
   
3. Knowledge Tree: The Lorekeeper class would have a distinct skill tree called the "Knowledge Tree." It would feature branches representing different aspects of ancient wisdom, such as Elemental Lore, Divine Lore, Arcane Lore, and Forbidden Lore. Players could choose which branches to invest in, unlocking new abilities and passive bonuses as they progress.
   
4. Ritualistic Summons: Lorekeepers would have the ability to summon ethereal allies to aid them in battle. These could include spectral guardians, arcane constructs, or mythical creatures. Players would have control over these summons, strategically positioning them on the battlefield and utilizing their unique abilities to complement their playstyle.
   
5. Supportive Role: While the Lorekeeper would possess offensive capabilities, they would shine in a supportive role, providing buffs, debuffs, and crowd control effects. Their knowledge of ancient lore would enable them to bolster their allies, weaken foes, and manipulate the battlefield in their favor.
   
6. Versatility: Lorekeepers would have the flexibility to adapt to various playstyles, allowing players to focus on offensive spellcasting, defensive tactics, or a balanced combination of both. This versatility would make them suitable for both solo play and group dynamics.
   

The Lorekeeper class would add a new layer of depth and strategy to Diablo 4, appealing to players who enjoy arcane-themed characters, intricate gameplay mechanics, and a strong emphasis on lore and exploration!"
I think this is a necro wearing wizards clothes lol.
I asked for holy shield bearer class:
"I present to you the "Crusader" class, a shield-bearing holy warrior in Diablo 4. The would embody unwavering faith, divine righteousness, and stalwart defense. Here are the key features of the Crusader class:

1. Shield Mastery: Crusaders would specialize in the art of shield combat. They would wield shields as their primary weapon, utilizing them for devastating shield bashes, defensive maneuvers, and powerful area-of-effect attacks. Shields would be more than just defensive tools, becoming offensive weapons in the hands of Crusaders.
   
2. Holy Magic: Crusaders would possess a repertoire of holy spells and blessings. They would have access to abilities that heal allies, smite enemies with holy wrath, and invoke divine energy to enhance their own combat prowess. These holy spells would provide versatile options for support, damage, and utility.
   
3. Aegis System: The Crusader class would introduce a unique mechanic called the "Aegis System." Crusaders would build up Aegis charges during combat, which can be used to empower their shield-based attacks or unleash powerful holy abilities. The Aegis System would add an additional layer of tactical decision-making and resource management to the class.
   
4. Indomitable Defense: Crusaders would excel in defensive capabilities, able to withstand heavy punishment and protect their allies. They would have access to defensive auras that grant additional armor, resistances, and crowd control reduction to the Crusader and nearby allies. Crusaders would be natural tanks, drawing enemy attention and shielding their comrades.
   
5. Holy Arsenal: Crusaders would have access to a wide range of holy-themed weapons and armor. They could equip one-handed weapons and a shield, two-handed weapons for more offensive power, or even dual-wield shields for maximum defense. The class would feature unique armor sets and weapon enchantments with holy attributes, further enhancing the Crusader's abilities.
   
6. Zealotry: Crusaders would possess an innate zealotry, gaining increased power as their faith grows. They would have passive abilities that are unlocked and strengthened through gameplay progression. These passives could enhance their damage, healing, defense, or provide utility bonuses, reflecting the fervor and dedication of the Crusader.
   
7. Divine Retribution: The Crusader class would have access to powerful ultimate abilities that channel divine retribution upon their enemies. These ultimate abilities would unleash devastating holy energy, smiting foes and turning the tide of battle. Crusaders would be able to customize their ultimate abilities based on their preferred playstyle.
   

The Crusader class would provide a holy warrior fantasy, focusing on a mix of offensive and defensive capabilities. With their shields as both weapons and shields, they would excel at close-quarters combat while providing support and protection to their allies. The class would embody the essence of unwavering faith and divine justice in the war against darkness in Diablo 4."
"Holy arsenal" "double shields" ahahahah
There was another one, it basically was barbarian this one also kind of barb I think it has a few good ideas, but overall they are just mixes of already done ideas and some dnd in it. I think I love human creativity way more than ai tbh... hope it never takes away the creative people's jobs but one can only hope.

I'm starting to like this game a lot and I want to learn more about it to see if I should really commit the time to improve instead of playing casually.
For some context, I guess I'm a part of the chess boom that has been happening on Twitch and Youtube recently. I learned the pieces and rules when I was younger, but I haven't actively played in over a decade. I've been playing for about three months now (two 1510 games a day, some blitz) and have climbed from ~450 rating to ~1100 largely intuitively, which is something I'm quite proud of. I love competitive video games and I have a history of success in reaching pretty high ranks in multiple esports titles. They can provide an extremely fun and unique opportunity for practicing self-improvement if you focus on that rather than just using them as a way to distract yourself or waste time. Most of my enjoyment from gaming comes from the process of improving, not so much the actual gameplay itself. I'm recognizing a lot of similarities in chess and I'm trying to draw some parallels based on my experiences with gaming.
My usual strategy to learn and perfect a game is to "onetrick", which is basically playing only one characteplaystyle in every single match to greatly reduce the amount of variables required to learn the game. This allows me to understand my individual strengths and weaknesses, powerspikes at different stages of the game, patterns of gameplay and decision making to go for, and largely put minute "micro" decisions on autopilot so I can focus most of my active thinking on the more broad and complex "macro" aspects of whatever game I'm playing.

1. Are there any specific openings that you can recommend for me to "one-trick"? Up until now I've just been moving pieces to try and control the center and haven't looked at any opening prep or guides. I'm looking for something solid and stable for both White and Black that I can play basically every game in the same way which will lead to at least a workable position, even if it's theoretically worse or losing. My largest barrier of entry in this game is the huge amount of variation from even the first 2-3 moves and I'm trying to stabilize that so I can start to practice different portions of the game. I self-analyze most of games/mistakes and I'm finding it hard to implement what I learn when I'm facing wildly different positions every game.
2. Is "micro" or "macro" more important in contributing towards success in chess? Most competitive video games have a sliding scale between "mechanics" and "decision making". Extremely mechanically intensive games like first person shooters will require raw skill like reaction time, mouse accuracy for aiming, hand/eye coordination, etc. Macro based games like auto-battlers and card games test more of your decision making and ability to plan ahead or make adjustments to changing game states. I view tactics and calculation to be the "mechanics" of chess and positional/theoretical knowledge to be the "macro". If a FPS like CS:GO has (hypothetically) an 80:20 split and a game like TFT or Hearthstone has a 10:90 split, what would that split be for chess?
3. At the highest levels, is there a "momentum" in each game with respect to moves/game plan? Like any other game, as you improve drastic mistakes will start to disappear from your opponent's play the same way it does from yours. Do games shift to slowly building pressure and attacking small weaknesses long term (and occasionally that pressure waxing and waning as the opponent finds good moves)? Or are strong players simply just looking for the single best possible move on every turn?
4. How do such massive advantages come to fruition (especially between two strong players) without major material/point differentials? There are often games where I see material is physically even on the board but I hear GM commentary or see computer evals that show one side is completely dominating on the board or a position is "won" and I can't identify why sometimes. I assume this is what people mean when they reference "positional play", but it's beyond me for now.
5. Are there new ideas every single game or do openings have very common and agreed upon themes of gameplay (specific plans of attack, key squares and piece maneuvers, etc)?
6. What should your mindset be at each stage of the game?
   1. I assume openings are full of prep and exploring ideas you've absorbed from others or learned through mass repetition and pattern recognition.
   2. Is the middle game more focused on trying to slowly extend/improve that opening repetition and perhaps trying a new solution to a problem you weren't able to solve before?
   3. The endgame is extremely confusing, but also the most interesting to me by far. Is it the hardest part of the game? Trying to find any kind of advantage or even game plan here with equal material seems so far fetched for me at the moment. I really like that idea though, simplifying and grinding the game down to a few pieces until you recognize a way to reach a winning position. I remember reading this is how chess engines are trying to "solve" the game: working from the end backwards using tablebases.
7. Are there any openings or even players that are known for imbalances in pieces? Particularly being up or down a rook exchange, trading queen or rook for multiple pieces, etc. I think analyzing the play of strong players in these more "abstract" games will help me to understand specific things they value and how they maintain a position or identify and attack the opponents weaknesses.
8. How do you develop a personal style in your gameplay? There are some players (Tal, Kasparov, Morphy) who are renowned for being extremely aggressive and able to put together beautiful sequences in their games. Other players (Magnus, Petrosian, Karpov) are extremely solid and able to completely grind games, making water from stone. Does your chess style simply develop naturally over time?
9. Is there any support or content focused on more smaller stakes tournaments where I will be able to pick up on concepts and ideas at my current level? I have been watching the Norway Chess commentary and games recently - it's extremely fun to watch live but sometimes the commentary and complexities are lost to me. I watched through some of the Twitch Rivals vods from a year ago and found the commentary for these games much easier to digest. The games obviously were not the highest quality, but I was able to follow the moves and commentary for basically every game. When I watch high level games, there are some moves that I just have no idea or explanation for why they were played and it looks nothing like my games.

Feel free to leave a comment and answer one, none, or all! I'm still looking to join a chess club near me, so for now my only chess community is you guys :]

Having only gotten into the series with 3, Im not sure whats going on ? lv 30 sorc and im still in ACT 1 and ive already unlocked all my active skills. legendries are decent passives and nothing crazy. While the core combat is fun it feels like the game is driving you into specific builds from the beginning with the way skill choices work. Diablo 3 felt far differently paced. for one act 1 shouldve been over years ago. and mainly, whatever happened to skill variants ? i remember unlocking new stuff almost up to close to the end of the story and now im not even a third and each level up is just minor passive boosts. Am i missing something ? what exactly is the meat of the game. do things start varying up substantially or is it just min maxing the same core abilities. Not hating on the game or anything but right now it just feels like work.

I have see some reddit post or videos on people not liking the idea of spamming whispers of tree or same old dungeons. Many has gotten bored of the endgame cause of the repeatable dungeons/tree of whispers/ events. Or they say HATED Diablo 4 but as i always say hate is a strong word and i think it is another reason why.
I understand where you come from and i can see why.
People compare Diablo 2 or Diablo 3 but this is how i feel it is.
Diablo 2 people coming up with comparisions on doing 500 Chaos Sanctuary run. But that is where i feel like it is all about. Is this repeatable fun, Is the gameplay fun, is the class fun, is my build fun, is the map and mobs fun to farm.
Diablo 3 same there GR, Bounties and Nephalem Rift was that repeatable fun was the gameplay fun etc etc etc.
​
I think people comparing Diablo 2 Diablo 3 and maybe Diablo immortal i dont know so much about that game. More on how they feel and what they don't Feel is fun. Some people love diablo 4 some goes back to D2 or D3 cause they are not happy about those things.
​
We all know diablo is a farming game where you farm same thing over and over and over again. But what i would recommend people that still want to play Diablo 4 but feel like endgame is not that fun for you now,
Level up a new character try to switch arround a little bit doing something new. Or take a break until season is out and try it then.
Like i dont know what will come out then season is out which i am pretty excited about.

Hey there, fellow rejects! I understand that life can be hectic, especially for those of us with limited playtime. Whether you've taken a day off to fully immerse yourself in Diablo 4 or you're part of a party with busy schedules, it's important to set realistic expectations and make the most of your gaming sessions especially if you have kids. This post aims to shed light on what will truly matter for your characters in the long run. I wrote this in a casual group I am part of a while ago and figured I'd post it here as well. I also asked ChatGPT to "format" it and kept it that way for the cringe factor.
​
TL;DR:
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Leveling: Run mid-level dungeons back to back for the best experience gains.
Gear: Keep in mind that new updates may render your current grind obsolete, so don't get too attached. 4 new gem tiers and other stuff have already been data-mined.
Long-Term Efficiency: Focus on farming experience and leveling Glyphs, as other aspects of the game may be overshadowed soon.
​
Character Progression Today is driven by the three major types of endgame content (excluding world bosses) in Diablo 4:
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Nightmare Dungeons:
Today:
For most builds, pushing higher levels in Nightmare Dungeons isn't worth the time investment. They take too long to complete and don't provide significantly better experience or item rewards than regular dungeons. If you're after items or experience, consider running low-level Nightmare Dungeons or sticking to short regular dungeons. Only Glyphs matter here, these are Gems from Diablo 3 or Jewels from PoE.
​
Long-Term:
Nightmare Dungeons hold long-term value for your character. Glyph upgrades play a pivotal role in powering up, and with the promise of data-mined content revealing additional Gem and item tiers, we can expect significant power creep. To level Glyphs efficiently, focus on spamming mid-level dungeons that you can clear quickly. Sorting your available Sigils by location allows you to rerun the same dungeon multiple times without wasting time on unnecessary travel.
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Tree Missions (Grim Favors and Whispers of the Dead):
Today:
Tree Missions act as a stepping stone for your character's progression. Completing a few of these missions grants you items to build your basic setup and start farming Nightmare Dungeons. However, it's important to note that Helltides often overshadow Tree Missions. If you're breezing through Helltides without trouble, feel free to skip the Tree Missions altogether.
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Long-Term:
As of now, Tree Missions hold no long-term value and become obsolete once you have decent gear (Sacred or Ancestral depending on difficulty). They serve as a means to an end rather than a permanent focus.
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Helltides:
Today:
Helltides are your go-to source for Forgotten Souls and Roses, essential for upgrading Sacred and Ancestral gear. Not only do they provide excellent experience gains, but they also allow you to target farm specific item slots. Many friends have successfully obtained their desired Unique items through Helltides. Farm these until you have a decent amount of crafting materials, but be mindful not to overdo the target farming. Once you can comfortably clear Helltides, consider transitioning to regular dungeon farming for experience.
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Long-Term:
Helltides may lose their prominence in the future. Historical experience with Diablo 3 and the abundance of data-mined information suggest the introduction of more item and crafting material tiers. Use Helltides wisely to reroll stats on your gear and gather necessary materials, but don't expect everything you find there to retain its value when the first Seasonal patch arrives.
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Remember to have fun and enjoy the story, don't rush things because the endgame is out of whack at the moment.

What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.
I plan to use this machine for gaming and my goal is to be able to achieve 165 fps at 1440p on most AAA titles at high optimised settings.
Currently I play Diablo 4, WOW, apex legends, dota 2, PUBG, COD, overwatch, the cycle: frontier, destiny 2 and some others.
What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?
$800 - $1,200 AUD give or take a couple hundred bucks if the extra cost warrants a significant performance improvement
When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.
Within the next 3 weeks
What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc)
CPU, Memory, Motherboard, Storage x2, CPU cooler (maybe?)
Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?
Australia - Queensland
If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.
Monitor, keyboard Mouse, GPU – and anything else that can be salvaged from my current machine
Link to current PC for part usage - https://au.pcpartpicker.com/list/TY3Nfv
Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?
Unsure if this is required to meet my goal however if it is then yes.
Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)
Wifi capable
Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?
No real requirements
Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference? No

I haven't bought the game yet, but the build creation fan in me wants to fiddle with the build creator a bit. Since I have not played any diablo games yet, only PoE, LE and GD, I am pretty unfamiliar with Lucky Hit. So my questions are:
1) Lets say I use a skill with 25% Lucky Hit Chance and have the 8% chance to drop a meteor on hit. Does that mean I have a .25.08=2% chance for a meteor per Hit? And the 8% is the maximum i can reach? 2) If I then take a +10% Lucky Hit chance, will this increase my chance to .35.08=2.8% or .25.081.1=2.2% chance or 2%+10%=12(8)% chance? 3) If i have a AoE skill (Frozen Orb) does every hit have the 4% chance? So can it proc multiple lucky hits from 1 cast? 4) Can skills with multiple projectiles like charged bolts proc a lucky hit multiple times when hitting the same enemy? 5) Whats the Interaction of Staff of Lam Esen (Charged Bolts Piece) and Enhanced charged bolts?
I hope someone can help me with this :d

Disclaimer: I'm a filthy casual that won't like to farm levels to 100 every season and this is just my opinion and won't change anything.
In Diablo 2 (ladders) and Diablo 3 (seasons) all we had to do was level up to max and do bosses / rifts until we thought we had enough and went and try another chabuild. Reseting progress was fun because you always had the item chase and difficulty increase and that was all.
In Diablo 4 it feels like they are taking everything from you if they reset for seasons. The world is huge, there are tons of side quests, FOW to discover, renown to be earned, etc...
IMO Diablo 4 doesn't benefit from this style of seasons and would be better if there was only one realm (the eternal one) and seasons just brought more content (bosses and light story), paragon boards, dungeons and the obvious season pass...
Think of it in the style of destiny 2, you always play with your character and each season just adds to the world you're playing in.
Edit: Also like Diablo Immortal.

I am on the fence about buying the game, but I've never played a game like this so I'm not totally sure I'll like it. If it was $30 I wouldn't even be making this post, but spending $70 on a game and not liking it is kind of a big deal.
The only similar games I've played are The Binding of Isaac (which I really liked) and Hades (the combat was very stale, and the dungeons were waaay too repetitive). But I have never played this type of game, so I have some questions:

• Is it way too grindy/repetitive? I have no problem with a grind, I've played both Red Dead Online and GTA Online and liked them. It's just that the grind has to be varied and should be relatively fun. How many zones and dungeons are there? Is it just the same enemies over and over again, or does each dungeon have it's own style?
  
• What would you say the playtime (roughly) is before it starts to get way too repetitive/boring? Is there replay value, to redo dungeons and play on new characters?
  
• How does the multiplayer work? I know you have to be online to play, but do you have to queue for every dungeon, or can you do things mostly yourself (I'm just a bit afraid there'd be trolls, or longer queue times at certain times)?
  
• Does it become challenging, where you have to adapt your build, have a strategy and use certain items to complete a dungeon, or is it just casual button mashing?
  

That's about it. I understand some of these questions might look stupid to someone who's played these games, but I'm just getting into this sort of stuff. There is very few reviews that fully review the game, they all just compare it to Diablo 3, which I've never played. I do understand the game just came out so people won't have like 100h on it, but from what I've seen it's quite similar to D3 in terms of gameplay, so answer with what you already know/can assume.
Thanks in advance.

Hey mates !
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Started Diablo 4 some days ago, did the story line and a bunch of side quests, dungeons, caves... Finally, I did beat the final boss, at Lvl 49.
I did the capstone dungeon (lvl 49 too), and this was the 1st hint that something was wrong. That was incredibly harder than all the things I have done before (I am aware I was supposed to be lvl 50, but I did things with 5 more lvl and it was fine so...?). Even the final boss I could do it with closed eyes, compared to the captstone dungeon.
Then, after doing this capstone thing, I did lvl up to 50, tried to go to world tier 3... Lulz.
Can't beat a single mob pack without all the burst I have and trash mobs kill me with 2 or 3 hits.
​
So here is the question, what did I miss, or what did the game forgot to explain ?
I didn't play with a full guide, I just grabbed a build on maxroll, icyveins etc.
I even tried 3 builds now (and according to people, I'm playing Sorcerer so it's supposed to be broken).
I have no clue on how I'm supposed to git gud, cause I need Tier 3 stuff to git gud, but I need to git gud to get Tier 3 stuff.
​
Thanks for reading btw!
​
NB: I did play to D3 or PoE for thousands of hours so, it's not my first time in a Hack'n'Slash, but I'm actually lost on this one.

Look, I did not play original diablo, I'll admit it. Imagine my concern when I'm running around Sarat's Lair and some random huge enemy with a cleaver takes out 3/4ths my life in one hit.
Yes, I ran away.
Yes, the butcher followed me.
My master plan in defeating the butcher was running around an obelisk while my golem messed his world up.
It worked. That's it. No great build. Not super amazing weapons. Just sheer trickery.
Anyway, why is this super powerful rando dropping I'm messing up my day?

1. >**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.**
2. Right now I'm in a place where I can do anything given time and training. I'd like to be able to 3D model with Blender, make animations, have a space for drawing digitally/traditionally, edit videos with Davinci Resolve, Programming apps and games, playing games such as Grand Theft Auto V, Diablo IV, Cities Skylines, and other simulation games. At this time no VR though. If the internet allows streaming, that would also be on the table.
3. >**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?**
4. $3,500-4k as a soft ceiling, i would also like to get suggestions of a desk with storage and chair, sort of a everything at once deal.
5. >**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.**
6. Beyond a week or two from today, maybe in a month or so.
7. >**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)**
8. Everything listed above, 2 monitors, corner desk with storage space and ergonomic chair. I have a fairly new ssd that i would like to keep using, but it would just be for extra space. I've never had any rgb but i'm not opposed to it either.
9. >**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?**
10. Ordering by delivery within the US, no Microcenter
11. >**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.**
12. I could use my current keyboard and mouse, but i don't see why.
13. >**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?**
14. No.
15. >**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)**
16. Open to ideas based on the needs listed in the first question.
17. >**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?**
18. I like the window idea, also if the desk is coming too then both need to match.
19. >**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?**
20. Open to suggestions if I need one.
21. >**Extra info or particulars:**
22. If I'm not sleeping, eating, or adulting, I'm at my pc so it would make sense for it to be as comfortable and productive as it can be.

To preface I have played Diablo IV and most of my questions come from my gripes with it. I do not want this game to be just like D4, as outlined here.

1. Is there level scaling in the game? If so, to what extent?

D4 has level scaling for everything, all the zones, dungeons, and campaign, it all scales. I feel less powerful leveling up than I did when I started the game!
I am hoping the Last Epoch has limited level scaling, so that if I just want to go easy-mode and kill a bunch of mobs no problem, I can do that, without taking ages to kill a basic mob. On the flip side, when I want to challenge myself, I have the option to do so.

2. How much build diversity is there? Can I make my own build or will I have to rely on build guides and follow a meta?

One of the biggest issues with D4 for me is the lack of build diversity. Each class has around 3 endgame builds, and everything else is considered too underpowered. To progress with my sanity I feel like I am forced to follow a meta build guide.
I’ve read that LE allows for the casual player to make their own build so long as they pay attention to synergies and whatnot. Is that true? Can any well thought out build be viable instead of only a handful?

3. Is there a heavy reliance on good item drops?

If you get unlucky in D4 and are playing a class like Druid, you are basically screwed in terms of progression. Some classes rely heavily on good item drops to the point where they are severely handicapped without them.
Does LE have this problem? I want itemization and gear to matter, yes, but I don’t want to be screwed if I get unlucky.

4. How replayable is LE?

Is there a strong incentive to create alts, etc.? How diverse is each class that it encourages multiple alts of the same class? I like the fact that there are sub-classes, that tells me I’ll replay to experience each one.

5. How is LE’s endgame?

Is it still engaging? Does it strike an equal balance between grinding and progression?

6. Is there a strong sense of progression?

I hope there are no, or at most very few, times when I may feel as though I’m not progressing or even, that I’m going backwards.

7. How stable is LE? Is it too buggy to play?

I’m fine with a few bugs here and there but I’m not keen on dealing with game-breaking ones.

8. How often does LE update and have patches?

Are bugs fixed quickly? Does content get added on a regular basis?
If you have other thoughts, I welcome your input beyond these 8 questions! I’m on fence as to whether or not to try LE. I’m leaning towards buying it but I don’t want it to be just like D4. Thank you!

Hey there, I am currently a level 70 sorceress. Everything on the map is very easily cleared, dungeons, strongholds, helltide, nothing is a real challenge, and my gear is far from good. So where is my challenge? Grinding nightmare dungeons until Tier100? Fighting Uber Lillith? I feel like T4 is no challenge anymore and I already start to become bored.. I group up with friends, we clear some nightmare dungeons easily and yea thats it :D
Also I feel like there are no cool items to find - in Diablo2, there were runes, and you were so happy to find a Ber or Jah rune and maybe build an Enigma, and some really hard to find uniques or crazy magic/rare items. And here? Not even a set item. 99% of the loot I pick up is trash rares and legendaries that fill up my inventory every 5 minutes, that make me spend some time to watch through all of them only to be disappointed :D
I miss being able to drop cool uniques from Mephisto, Diablo. Or a rare rune from a random creep pack. Or trying to complete Tal-Rasha set with my sorc.
All I have is a bunch of stupid rares that I put some aspects on and T4 is so easy. =(

I'm close to level 80 on my Pulverize Druid so here are some random tidbits of information to other Bears out there. Feel free to share your own!

Solve your spirit issue

• Get an Umbral aspect on your ring (Restore [1-4] Spirit on Crowd Control). Aim to get at least 3. Note that even Slows count for Crowd Control in Diablo 4, not just hard-cc. This aspect is better than Mother's Embrace. Also, Grizzly Rage activation applies a hidden soft-cc (not mentioned in tooltip). So activating Grizzly with lots of mobs on the screen can fill your spirit!
• Assuming you are using Earthen Might; Gloves/Rings/Totem can all roll +Lucky Hit % stats. Note that these are added to the base skill multiplicatively, meaning Pulverize at 25% base Lucky Hit (after nerf, rip) will get to 27.5% Lucky Hit if you are getting +10% from gear, not 35%. However these all add up. I have max roll on gloves (I think 16%) and totem, and Earthen Might procs significantly more.
• Ancestral Guidance paragon board has a bunch of +Max Spirit, as well as Gain Spirit on Kill nodes.
• Equip a 1 hander + Totem instead of a 2 hander. Totem can roll +Lucky Hit% as mentioned above, but also CDR, Crit Chance, Attack Speed, and notably Lucky Hit: Up to a 5% Chance to Restore +[7 – 14]% Primary Resource. Since each Lucky Hit proc is calculated differently, you will have cases where this proc will go off when Earthen Might is not, giving you one or two more Pulverizes just from this stat alone. Totems also roll with innate 10% CDR.

Doing these I can literally spam Pulverize and never go out of spirit. Exception is boss fights, but I have another tip for bosses below.

What about Spirit Cost Reduction?

1. If you are running 3/3 Wild Impulses (as you should), Pulverize costs 38 Spirit.
2. Ancestral Guidance gives you a 30% dmg buff after spending 75 Spirit, lasting for 5 seconds.
3. 38+38 = 76. This means with no spirit cost reduction, you will need to use Pulverize twice before you get the buff.
4. With ANY amount of spirit cost reduction, you will need to use Pulverize thrice before you get the buff.
5. Getting the buff quickereliable will be a net positive to your overall gameplay experience.

Further math

• Amulets can roll up to ~18% spirit reduction, boots and totems up to ~8%.
• Using only 8% Spirit Reduction on boots, you will lower the spirit cost from 38 to 35-36
• Using only 8% Spirit Reduction on totems, you will lower the spirit cost from 38 to 35-36
• Using only 18% Spirit Reduction on amulets, you will lower the spirit cost from 38 to 32-33.
• Amulet+boots = 29-30
• Amulet+boots+totem= 25, quite possibly (worst case scenario) 24.

If you manage to get the cost to 24, you will have to use Pulverize four times before you get the buff.
You are still generating spirit from kills/CC/procs, so while using Spirit Cost Reduction is not a bad idea, amulets/boots and totems can roll a lot of other stats that benefit you more. I would not use this stat on these items.

Two Handed Weapon is bait

At least for Druids, for PvE. 2H is probably better for PvP.
Many guides out there are listing Two Handed Weapons because you get double aspect power, plus the affixes are stronger. I was rocking a 803 Power 2H axe with +Vuln dmg%, +Crit Dmg%, +Earth Crit%, and was hitting for 150k at level 70. On paper everything is amazing. What's the issue then?
Even if you are hitting for 150k, using 3-5 Pulverizes and going completely OOM (OOS?) feels terrible. Trying to generate / fish for Earthen Might procs with Earth Spike on a slow 2H feels even worse. I then swapped to 1H+Totem, rolled a glove with lucky hit+attack speed, and got a totem with +lucky hit, CDR, attack speed, +lucky hit chance to restore spirit.
My god. My regular crits are around 50-70k, but I can spam Pulverize non-stop, and attack a lot faster. But wait, it gets better.
Since Grizzly aspect scales Crit Damage infinitely for each crit, attacking faster and non-stop means accumulating the buff even quicker. With correct timing and a little bit of luck(y hit), the 50-70k crits become 300-400k crits at the end of the grizzly timer. Which can easily 1-2 shot many bosses. Also thanks to more CDR I have almost perma Grizzly bear.
In addition, using two weapons means an extra legendary aspect. While you might get an additional +XX% damage aspect in here, allow me to introduce Aspect of the Trampled Earth. This beast of an aspect not only changes trample into Earth damage (which scales with our passives), but it summons six landslides which can all shotgun if the target hitbox is large. You know those large structures like towers you need to kill? A single crit trample can destroy it. Using it against bosses near walls will destroy their CC bar and do high amounts of damage to them. Oh and this thing can and most of the time will proc your Earthen Might.

1h axe vs 1h mace?

1h Axes have +28% Damage to Healthy Enemies, Maces have +31.5% Overpower Damage. I think both have their uses depending on the playstyle.
Healthy will work better for speedclearing content aside from bosses. For things like NM dungeons and Helltide I think axe is better. Because your overpower stacks will not accumulate fast enough if you are moving one pack to the other.
Overpower is probably better for bosses.
But then again I think the difference is minimal. I'd go with whatever weapon has rolled better.

Bosses are not Crowd Controlled until they are (?)

The way that it's worded, I think bosses are not considered crowd controlled until they are staggered (the bar below their HP is blue). So things like slow probably do not affect them outside of this window.
This means that certain aspects are less useful against bosses. Crashstone Aspect (Earth skills do [30-40%] more Crit Damage to CC'd units) would be weaker against bosses, whereas Aspect of Retaliation (Core skills do [20-40%] increased damage depending on Fortify) would work all the time.
Keep in mind that Crit damage is a separate damage multipler (different bucket), so for everything else it's superior.

Optimal Stats on gear pieces?

I'm not a theorycrafter, so people who are better than I am will solve the math for this in the future. For now below is what I'm running with. Also, I'll list more than 4 stats so you can combine it however you see fit.

• Helmet; N/A, running Vasily's Prayer Unique.
• Chest; N/A, running Insatiable Fury Unique.
• Gloves; Pulverize Level, Lucky Hit chance, Crit Chance, Crit Damage, Earth skill crit damage, 5% Lucky hit to restore Spirit (might be overkill)
• Pants; ‍Temerity is probably BiS but extremely rare. Otherwise Life, Damage Reduction (flat or melee, ranged. Melee is best). Possibly trample level.
• Boots; Movespeed, Movespeed after elite kill if speedfarming (amazing for dungeons and helltide), Dodge chance
• Amulet; CDR, +X% Willpower, + to useful passive ranks (be careful with Wild Impulses as it will increase cost), movespeed, damage or damage reduction
• Ring; Life, Crit chance and/or damage, Max Spirit, Lucky hit Damage to XXX
• 1h weapon; Crit damage, Earth crit damage, vulnerable damage, damage to close, damage to CC'd, core skill damage, any stat you need for glyphs
• Totem; CDR, attack speed, Lucky Hit chance, Crit Chance, 5% Lucky hit to restore Spirit, any stat you need for glyphs

Leveling tips

• If you find the shockwave for pulverize aspect while leveling, extract it and put it in a decent amulet and NOT on your weapon. You will replace your weapon soon enough, and this is the only "mandatory" aspect for this build that you can't get from a dungeon. Remember that you cannot extract and re-apply the same legendary power over and over again.

I'm level 62, and I'm still using the Chain Lightning build, mostly because it's too much of a hassle to try other things. I just think there is something not quite right with Chain Lightning, and it's not just how the skill is balanced but how it performs up to expectations.
When I think of Chain Lightning, I envision a spell that creates a bolt of lightning, hitting a bunch of weak enemies and destroying them. That's what it did in Diablo 2. Chain Lightning was the skill you used to clear out packs of weak enemies, and whenever you needed to kill an elite, champion, or boss, you used something like "Lightning," which was a single-target spell that dealt bigger damage but was a lot less efficient against packs of enemies.
The design of Chain Lightning in Diablo 4 does not fulfill this fantasy at all. Firstly, you can only cast maybe three Chain Lightnings before running out of mana. Due to the speed of the bounces, the amount of damage it does per bounce, etc., you're lucky to notice any difference in a group of enemies' health bars whenever you cast it. This feels really bad because you expect a spell that actually costs mana to have a noticeable impact, but it doesn't.
On the other hand, a spell like Arc Lash seems to hit for about the same amount of damage per hit, but it feels a lot better to use. Why is that? Firstly, it attacks faster. It's easier to attack and then, if you decide to stop attacking, it's easier to move out of the way compared to Chain Lightning. The other thing is that it has a big radius, so you can actually hit five or six enemies at the same time if they are bunched up. You don't have to wait for the bounces or anything, and this is a major reason why Chain Lightning seems to perform so poorly. It's being overshadowed by a free basic attack skill that attacks faster, costs no mana, and does more damage in AoE situations.
Realizing this, I basically use Arc Lash almost all the time. I may start a battle using Chain Lightning before I get closer to the enemies, but for the most part, it's never actually efficient to use Chain Lightning in groups despite the fact that it should bounce off multiple enemies. In fact, even when I get the unlimited mana Shrine, it's still more efficient to use Arc Lash than Chain Lightning. How does that even make sense???
So when is Chain Lightning actually good? Against single targets, which, for a Diablo 2 player, is not intuitive at all. Unlike the slow, random bounces off enemies, the bounces between you and a single target - assuming you can engineer this situation - are extremely fast. Add the skill that increases damage by 10% with every bounce between you and an enemy, as well as the Legendary Aspect that regenerates 4-6 mana per bounce off of you, and now we're looking at a pretty effective boss clearer that rivals the Ultimate skill.
Before you jump up and down for joy, though, this game loves to spawn bone walls or new monsters near bosses all the time, so it's actually not so common to use Chain Lightning this way. Even if one monster is spawned - regardless of how far away it is from you and the boss - the bonus damage and mana regeneration are completely lost. This, again, makes the skill feel bad.
Even if this was the intended design, I'm not sure why these values were assigned to a skill called "Chain Lightning." If you asked me what skill I would have wanted for a single-target boss killer that was lightning-based, I would have told you "Lightning" from Diablo 2, not Chain Lightning. But beyond that, I really don't enjoy my "boss killer" skill to be reliant on things I cannot control, like the Boss not spawning new monsters, walls, etc. that mess with its mechanics.
But even with its intended use as a single-target killer, the drawback of the bounces makes the skill feel awful to use most of the time. It's bad against AoE packs. It's even not worth using if 2-3 enemies are on the screen, as it simply costs too much mana and you are probably better off using Arc Lash anyway.
The worst thing about this whole situation is that I'm basically playing Diablo 4 using a Basic Attack almost the entire time, which feels like a slog and is a totally boring way to play a Sorc. If I wanted to play a melee character, I don't think Sorc would have been anywhere near my top 3 choices in an ARPG. Waiting every 60 seconds for my Ultimate to come online to feel any sense of power is not exactly the gameplay fantasy I was looking for to all this time.
Does Chain Lightning need a rework? Is it fine? How would you make it better?

has dropped. And I gotta say. I'm OK with that. It makes me so happy. I felt like in Diablo 3, a legendary dropped every 100 kills or so. My character was over powered too quickly in Diablo 3. Here I'm still having to strategies, make the right builds, and grind grind grind. I love it. It feels like a challenge. I hope they keep this drop rate. The reward is so much more rewarding when a legendary finally drops.