‘Diablo 3′ Trades Skill Runes for Skillstones; Feature Detailed

May 26, 2011 by  

Diablo 3 Skillstone Feature Detailed

Often times, when a feature is first detailed for a game, it receives a certain amount of backlash from its fan base and, as result, the developer decides to make significant tweaks. With other self-critical developers like Blizzard, the company unveils a feature for their upcoming game and, instead of fine-tuning it, completely revamps its usefulness.

A similar Blizzard-esque situation has occurred with Diablo 3’s skill rune system, which can now add a wide variety of secondary effects to a large number of skills in the game.

With five different colors of runes, and more skills than you can shake a stick at, Diablo 3 now offers players the ability to take the role-playing in the game to the next level. Runestones, while originally thought to imbue all skills with an equal effect, actually adapt to the skill on which they are placed.

The example given to Shack News sees the Obsidian Runestone, which is a more AOE-focused skill rune, turning the Arrow skill into a “grenade rain” skill or turning the Acid Cloud skill into one that spawns companion slimes to attack enemies. It’s the same runestone, but its secondary effect is completely different.

Dependent on both the rune, and obviously the skill, gamers will be able to further reinforce the type of Diablo 3 player they wish to be. But taking those skill runes and reallocating them won’t simply add the same effect to different skills – it will oftentimes alter the skill completely.

It seems like Blizzard, with their protracted development cycles, isn’t going to let Diablo 3 spend the next year or so in the fine tuning stage – but instead the team plans to make the entire experience better. Sure, getting our hands on the game sooner rather than later (and hopefully on a console) is the best situation, but improved features are always a worthwhile consolation.

What do you think of the new and improved skill rune system in Diablo 3? Which of the features detailed so far get you the most excited to play this game?

Source: Shack News

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7 Comments

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  1. Pfffffffffffffttttttttttt……….. blizzard doesnt do consoles….

  2. I can wait… I’ve got StarCraft! -Stark

  3. “Pfffffffffffffttttttttttt……….. blizzard doesnt do consoles….”

    (From wikipedia:)
    “The Lost Vikings is a side-scrolling puzzle/platform video game series which was developed by Silicon & Synapse (later Blizzard Entertainment). The first game, The Lost Vikings, was released in 1992 by publisher Interplay Entertainment for DOS, Amiga, Sega Mega Drive and SNES among others. The sequel, The Lost Vikings II, was developed by Blizzard and released in 1995 by Interplay for the SNES.”

    So, they released the original for multi-platform WAY ahead of its time, no one else did this. But Blizzard doesn’t release games for consoles…

    I love these noobs that don’t know gaming history past 2001.
    lol.

  4. Oh and Starcraft 2 has the replayability of RedAlert 2. The support for custom games is their but the in-game of custom games is so laggy,buggy and such a long load you would rather not bother.

    I don’t care about all the nostalgic gamer’s SC2 pleased, after buying the game the week of its release and playing the ladder all the way to #4 in my diamond league (as zerg no less). I can say the game isn’t balanced like its predecessor and worse still it isn’t primarily about having fun, but competing in a repetitive fashion like a Korean spartan gamer. Sorry, my wrists can only take so much just like my brain can only take so much repetition.

    Can’t wait for D3, it is repetitive in the way you kill things but what isn’t repetitive is the loot you find and the people you meet while doing it. Can’t wait.

  5. Really your gonna use “The Lost Vikings” as your argument that Blizzard does consoles? Really? :-) Those of us non-noobs that even remember that game wouldnt really put that forth as an example.

    • Also a better example would be original diablo for the original playstation. That at least is on topic and in the realm of making your point more valid.

  6. Sorry my example was lacking.

    If you agree with me why are you arguing with me?

    I like referencing the history of great gaming companies, most noobs don’t know about it and it feels good to educate them.

    TBH you are wasting your time arguing with me.

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