New Currency - Reforge Hammer and Ascendancy Orb

It can sometimes prove difficult to find an item better than what you've discovered, and sometimes you find something midlevel that's just so good that you wish you'd never out grow it. As well, sometimes you find a unique drop only to discover it'd be useful in Cruel or Normal rather than end game. I propose two new currencies that should help with the leveling process and help situate for end game better. I believe these would only help to improve players' enjoyment and make gear grinding a touch less tedious.

Reforge Hammer - Reforge a weapon or armor into another of the same type and tier.

Let's say you've got an Awl claw weapon. It has really nice stats, but you're out growing it. Ideally, you'd like a Fright Claw or Sparkling Claw instead for better base stats and innate. You use a Reforge Hammer and randomly reforge the Awl into any one of the normal difficulty claws (sans Nailed Fist or any other "trash" item). You might get a Fright, you might get a Cat's Paw, or a Blinder, and so on. You'd reforge and hope for the preferred base type and keep going if you don't get what you wanted. I'd picture these slightly more common than Chaos Orbs. You cannot use a Reforge Hammer on a Unique.

Ascendancy Orb - Promote a weapon or armor to the next tier.

You've got your Awl weapon. The base stats are still quite good despite the ilvl and you've been unable to find a decent replacement now that you're in Cruel. You use an Ascendancy Orb and you now have a Gouger. I'd see these comparably rare to Divine or Exalted.



I can foresee no real problem with this regarding high powered rares or early/mid game uniques compared to what is used for late end game gear. I only see this adding to build diversity potential by ascending normal/cruel uniques and by helping you to maximize gear potential with a reforge or ascendancy on a good rare.

While interesting concepts. I would think the game design behind item bases wouldn't allow for base items to be reforged or upgraded to a different tier with a single orb click. I'm not a programmer but the very idea sounds like a programming nightmare. Compare it to how simply having base white items ->magic -> rares and uniques must be on the programming side where the item base stays the same.

It shouldn't be a problem to program that, D2 had it I think. However, I don't really like the idea that much. Some items don't have a clear tier AFAIK, like there is only one Sacrificial Garb. Also, I highly doubt that you would use such an orb ever to get your normal weapon to cruel, unless you are SSF, because you could sell it for a few Chaos and buy a better weapon. The use would exclusively be for end-game items that have a low or wrong base.

Thanks trade for ruining the day, btw.

I like both parts of this suggestion. It would be fun to be able to alter items this way.

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Char1983 wrote:

It shouldn't be a problem to program that, D2 had it I think. However, I don't really like the idea that much. Some items don't have a clear tier AFAIK, like there is only one Sacrificial Garb. Also, I highly doubt that you would use such an orb ever to get your normal weapon to cruel, unless you are SSF, because you could sell it for a few Chaos and buy a better weapon. The use would exclusively be for end-game items that have a low or wrong base.

Thanks trade for ruining the day, btw.

Was still working through my console days when D2 was big since I grew up on a 350kb max internet out in the country so I wouldn't have known. I was thinking in regards to implicits on weapons mostly that how well the programming can handle changing bases unless the change involves the same implicit mod and just different numbers.

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PleiadesBlackstar wrote:

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Char1983 wrote:

It shouldn't be a problem to program that, D2 had it I think. However, I don't really like the idea that much. Some items don't have a clear tier AFAIK, like there is only one Sacrificial Garb. Also, I highly doubt that you would use such an orb ever to get your normal weapon to cruel, unless you are SSF, because you could sell it for a few Chaos and buy a better weapon. The use would exclusively be for end-game items that have a low or wrong base.

Thanks trade for ruining the day, btw.

Was still working through my console days when D2 was big since I grew up on a 350kb max internet out in the country so I wouldn't have known. I was thinking in regards to implicits on weapons mostly that how well the programming can handle changing bases unless the change involves the same implicit mod and just different numbers.

The Reforge would literally just save the name and affix mods in a temporary container, the item's base type would change, and the mods and name would reapply. I'd imagine it would be a fairly simple programming feat. Now, keep in mind Rapiers would differ from Swords (implicit crit vs implicit accuracy) as would maces from scepters for example despite both being considered maces.

Also, exceptions should be obvious, such as those garb mentioned and all "trash" starter gear like the rusted sword or driftwood stuff, so certain uniques that may even hold a purpose for end game (namely magic find items) wouldn't be able to be ascended or reforged. Other than that, if I wanted to ascend an Al Dhih claw then I could, or a unique like Ashrend since it's part of a standard tier (Buckskin Tunic > Eelskin > Sharkskin), but not Bramblejack since it is its own tier (no Cruel/Merciless versions of Strapped Leather). Maraketh weapons would ascend, as well, though perhaps they can't reforge? There certainly should be some kind of limit that makes sense, especially since Maraketh implicits are generally very different from standard.