Heya, boys and gals! Merry Christmas, Median community!
I adore RPGs and love designing things, combine those two - and here we are
Over the last couple of days I made 3 custom item concepts for Median. I know, there are a lot of things that are impossible or very hard to do on the good ol' Diablo 2 engine. Understanding that, I decided not to do anything too crazy, at least for now. Having somewhat of a coder background, I see what already exists and make assumptions about how it works. I can be entirely wrong in some of those, so please correct my logic if you see flaws in it. Also, needless to say, the numbers on the items are provisional, they are just placeholders and are up for debate.
All 3 of todays items have a big upside with significant downside, those of you who plays PoE should be very familiar with that trade-off.
► 1. Battle Thirst - SSU Sash
Core concept: You get a very powerful, spammable skill, but to be able to use it you have to sacrifice the ability to drink potions.
» Hammertime is disabled if you have any potions on you (including belt, inventory and cube) or while under the effect of one.
» This skill is currently only available on
The Flying Anvil
and that is how it is balanced - being tied to a slow low level 2-handed maul. Hammertime is basically a weaker version of Broadside, but it has no cooldown. It's not that great vs huge crowds of monsters, but is excellent against smaller packs and bosses. 2 years ago t4v actually killed Samael with it as proof of concept and made a video out of it.The Flying Anvil
Great Maul (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (14 - 17) to (19 - 41)
Required Level: 11
Required Strength: 117
Item Level: 29
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
20% Attack Speed
+(1 to 20) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(24 to 43)% Enhanced Damage
+1 to Hammertime
+(16 to 25) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(11 to 15)%
(11 to 15)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (2)
Two-Hand Damage: (42 - 47) to (73 - 98)
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 168
Item Level: 40
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
40% Attack Speed
+(21 to 40) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(64 to 83)% Enhanced Damage
+(4 to 8) to Hammertime
+(36 to 45) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(16 to 20)%
(21 to 25)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (93 - 102) to (153 - 193)
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 326
Item Level: 67
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
60% Attack Speed
+(31 to 60) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(104 to 123)% Enhanced Damage
+(10 to 14) to Hammertime
+(56 to 65) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(21 to 25)%
(31 to 35)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (5)
Two-Hand Damage: (109 - 119) to (209 - 262)
Required Level: 55
Required Strength: 640
Item Level: 85
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
80% Attack Speed
+(41 to 80) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(124 to 143)% Enhanced Damage
+(15 to 20) to Hammertime
+(66 to 75) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(26 to 30)%
(36 to 40)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (6)
Great Maul (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (14 - 17) to (19 - 41)
Required Level: 11
Required Strength: 117
Item Level: 29
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
20% Attack Speed
+(1 to 20) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(24 to 43)% Enhanced Damage
+1 to Hammertime
+(16 to 25) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(11 to 15)%
(11 to 15)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (2)
Two-Hand Damage: (42 - 47) to (73 - 98)
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 168
Item Level: 40
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
40% Attack Speed
+(21 to 40) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(64 to 83)% Enhanced Damage
+(4 to 8) to Hammertime
+(36 to 45) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(16 to 20)%
(21 to 25)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (4)
Two-Hand Damage: (93 - 102) to (153 - 193)
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 326
Item Level: 67
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
60% Attack Speed
+(31 to 60) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(104 to 123)% Enhanced Damage
+(10 to 14) to Hammertime
+(56 to 65) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(21 to 25)%
(31 to 35)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (5)
Two-Hand Damage: (109 - 119) to (209 - 262)
Required Level: 55
Required Strength: 640
Item Level: 85
Strength Damage Bonus: (0.16 per Strength)%
80% Attack Speed
+(41 to 80) to Maximum Damage
+50% Damage to Undead
+(124 to 143)% Enhanced Damage
+(15 to 20) to Hammertime
+(66 to 75) to Strength
Elemental Resists +(26 to 30)%
(36 to 40)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (6)
» Since we don't want to drink potions, our sustain should come from leech (plus any passive regeneration available to our class, if any), hence big LL roll.
» Hammertime level (or the skills manacost itself) can always be adjusted - as of now it is a pretty mana-hungry ability if you spam it on a non-energy-stacking class. No mana potions allowed either, hence solid ML.
» In terms of flavor, I hope there's no need to explain the joke behind the orange text and big leeches
CODING LOGIC
» Fact #1: Existence of vessels and other containers with their syphon functionality means there is a function that scans inventory, cube and stash for items of specific ID/type. Meaning that it can be copied, modified to exclude cube and include belt, to check for potions of all types and to return true or false depending on their presence.
» Fact #2: There are a bunch of items in the game that require constant checking for specific conditions. Item with orange mod being equipped => the orange mod needs to be turned on. And after that there are constant checks - "is the item still equipped?" - If not, the mod needs to be turned off. So, there is a constant ~infinite cycle running checking all the checks for all the items and their respective conditions. Every X server ticks something is checked and the step between those checks probably varies from item to item.
» For instance, as a Summoner barb with +4 max barb spirits on my weapon and shield I can quickly weapon swap back and forth without extra spirits despawning because it is a quick enough action to fit in-between the checks. But If you try to swap and cast let's say Gift of the Wild from Berserrker, you won't make it back to main setup before the next check - and those 4 extra spirits will despawn.
» For the same cyclical reason you see some of your stats "flickering" - for instance if you have an item equipped that scales stat X off stat Y (like all IED weapons do btw) - cycle needs to check constantly if X changed to adjust Y accordingly; there might be some rounding problems from time to time and yada yada yada.
» So, now that we got all that out of the way, back to Hammertime belt:
equip belt => Hammertime is disabled by default => cycle starts scanning character for pots let's say twice a second + checks if character is under an effect of any flask => if no flask conflicts, enable Hammertime usage => keep checking to toggle it if need be.
And that's basically it, tell me if I got anything wrong, devs)
CONCLUSION: This unique no-pots concept is totally doable, in fact I think it's relatively easy to do because it just needs some copypasting of existing code with minor changes.
» Anyway, this belt or not, it's one of those bases that doesn't have an SSU counterpart for soooo long. Seeing Sash of the Frozen Seas again and again and again is just bleh
► 2. Divinity - SSSU Throwing Spear
Core concept: Ice Lance deals absolutely massive damage, but has a cooldown and you can only damage enemies across the screen. As in, skillshotting - you need to predict enemy movements and hit your shots.
» You radiate an aura that gives all enemies in a big radius (at least a third of the screen, maybe a half even) + 1000 cold resistance, making your pierce irrelevant and cold damage to them (basically?) zero. I actually don't know if they would get a proper immunity this way or not.
» If you're familiar with Mirana's arrow from Dota or some projectile (non-hitscan) weapons in FPS games, that's kinda what this Ice Lance variation is. Hit your shots from afar, make good predictions - and you are rewarded with big damages.
» Would need a bunch of tweaks to numbers and playtesting, otherwise big stationary bosses would be too easy with this thing. Although it's an SSSU, so the power level is partially justified.
» Frostwalker reanimates are just there for flavor, and are totally not necessary. Well, they shoot Ice Lances as well... that won't damage enemies that are next to you, so you have even more reasons to stay away and snipe from afar.
» Running Ice Elementals or other minions is good because while they tank, enemies stand still. It's not really a skill to farm with though, especially considering the cooldown. Which should be somewhere between 0.5 and 0.7s I feel.
» Mega-coldres-aura can be made visible or invisible - it is a design choice. Optionally, a cube recipe can be made - you cube the Javelin by itself to toggle aura visuals on / off, would be a cool thing to have for some other items too. And for sounds, like turning off the War Cry shouting.. just an old thought
CODING LOGIC
» Not much to say here, either such an aura can be attached to your character or it cannot. Like a reverse Conviction aura from vanilla for coldres-only.
» Aura should linger for ~1.5 seconds to avoid some weapon swap shenanigans.
» Another way to look at this concept is... you turn all non-purify fights into kinda purify fights, but you have to hit the boss from further away... I bet a lot of ppl would love this
► 3. Diablos Temptation - SSU Amulet
Core concept: Mainly an amulet for those people who race to 150 at the beginning of every season. Big exp boost, but with huge risks attached - you loose all your current level exp and this amulet if you die.
» No deleveling, obviously, just exp progress you have towards next level.
» This amu would bait speedrunners again and again and create some hilarious upsets... hilarious for us that is
» Originally I wanted to put decent MF on it and rearrange stats so that Exp and MF are on the bottom like they usually are, but ditched the idea - this version looks much cleaner and straight-to-the-point.
» Alternative amulet names: Lyn's Temptation (referring to Lynderika) and Tofu's Bane
CODING LOGIC
» Would have to be reworked if negative hit recovery and negative life per level cannot be done.
» Effect should linger for ~1 second to avoid some last second amulet switch shenanigans.
» Speaking of which, I don't know if it's possible to delete the amulet someone's holding in their cursor.. mmm probably yes if we consider cursor just another equip zone of a character
► 4. Bonus
» Clasped Orb should be turned into the first energy-based IED weapon in Median, it fits thematically perfect too since both
Gravetalon
and Gravetalon
Clasped Orb (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 39 to 41
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 188
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
You Cannot Summon Ice Elementals Directly
20% Chance to cast level 35 Ice Elementals on Kill
+(5 to 6) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+25% Bonus to Poison Skill Duration
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Poison Resistance
+1 to Ice Elementals
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
33% Curse Length Reduction
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2)
Clasped Orb (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 39 to 41
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 188
Item Level: 105
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
You Cannot Summon Ice Elementals Directly
20% Chance to cast level 35 Ice Elementals on Kill
+(5 to 6) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+25% Bonus to Poison Skill Duration
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Poison Resistance
+1 to Ice Elementals
Poison Length Reduced by 50%
33% Curse Length Reduction
Cannot Be Frozen
Socketed (2)
Atanna's Key
are cold sorcs weapons with that base. Cold sorcs aren't in a good spot right now and would love such a boost - just need to stack more accuracy to consistently connect with those melee swings that trigger Glacial Torrent.Atanna's Key
Clasped Orb (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 39 to 41
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 188
Item Level: 120
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
2% Chance to cast level 1 Force Blast on Death Blow
+(6 to 7) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+(30 to 40)% to Cold Spell Damage
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
Maximum Life +3%
Maximum Cold Resist +5%
(100 to 200)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (2)
Clasped Orb (Sacred)
One-Hand Damage: 39 to 41
(Sorceress Only)
Required Level: 100
Required Dexterity: 188
Item Level: 120
Dexterity Damage Bonus: (0.11 per Dexterity)%
2% Chance to cast level 1 Force Blast on Death Blow
+(6 to 7) to Sorceress Skill Levels
+(30 to 40)% to Cold Spell Damage
-(25 to 30)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
Maximum Life +3%
Maximum Cold Resist +5%
(100 to 200)% Bonus to Defense
Socketed (2)
So, whatcha guys think? Did I do well or did I fail miserably with those concepts? I'm open to your high praises and your brutal criticism. I'll probably do more of those in the future, I feel like a bunch of existing items never sees play nowadays and needs a redesign - or some cool orange mod.
Anyway, enough, shoo, gtfo out of my thread already, Merri Christmas, Happy Holidays, stay safe and most importantly have fun
- V
