I've said it once and I'll said it again... - Page 3

Exactly SirBeren... It wouldn't take too much extra of anything. Not too mention, Blizzard plans on giving all classes some different sort of "mana" pool and the WD is stuck with normal Mana. If all the other classes get a different system, why should the WD not get an extra little system? It wouldn't be much, but enough to make it something new to master when you play as the WD.|||Quote:








No need for extra UI, no need for extra wasted time, nothing. Just 3-4 button assignements for the WD.






I agree that the idea might not need extra UI, that's fine .. but my concern is that selecting which summons to do which actions (when you have more than 4 or 6 summons around) is too much of hustle.

Even a pure summoner will have his hands full summoning and sacrificing minions, temp summons and using buff spells on himself and his minions (Zombie Dog, Fetish Army, Gargantuan, Hex, Corpse Spider, Zombie Charger, Plague of Toads, Pit of Fire)

My other point is that having this variety of summons who function differently (plus being able to customize them with skill runes) makes minion commands trivial and not needed.|||Maybe an addition to my proposed system would make it more useful. Perhaps having a "focus all" keystroke would eliminate the unnecessary clicks of my system. Click this button, and all your minions would be "selected." Then based on where you click (from my earlier post) they'd be given an order (basically replaces the double right clicking).

After you order all of your minions this way, if you wanted you'd be able to pull out a minion or two with the click-on-individual-minion approach and give them specific tasks, while the rest of the group continues on.

This system can be simple for those who want quick and easy or it can be complex for those who want to use a more strategic attacking approach.

Are the commands really necessary? No, not really. But having them opens up a whole new play style. A whole new strategy and micromanagement factor is thrown in there....and that's only if you want it. Nothing is taken away from attacking, except maybe the fact that you're not chuckin flamin skulls for the 2 seconds it takes you to issue an order. But in that 2 seconds you just maximized your efficiency/killing power by (for example) sending your gargantuan to tank the big strong enemy while your smaller minions clear out the archers that would have picked away at your army (making you less kill efficient and having to spend more mana resummoning) had they just rushed for the big strong enemy first.|||Quote:








But still you didn't mention how could these orders be carried out be players during the heat of battle and combat (which is very fast paced).




So you are in combat and say you press a hotkey... lets just say its "a" or whatever you want. That could be the 'heel' hotkey which brings your dogs to you.

Say you press a different hotkey, then the dogs attack the next monster you click on. It would be very simple like that, and would work with the fast pace.


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But you are forgetting that zombie dogs aren't the only summon the WD have, the WD also has Zombie Charger (could very well be an offensive themed summon), Gargantuan and Fetish Warriors (two differernt summons for them i think) and all can be customized by skill runes too.

Now each and everyone of those various can serve a differernt strategical role (offense, defense, tanking .. etc etc) so IMO making Zombie dogs more than just expendable pawns would reduce the need for the other summons greatly.




I don't see why runes would specifically make one a 'defensive' or 'offensive' pet. Maybe runes would give them more damage or life or something along those lines, but i don't see how that would give you more control over the pets. Why not get extra control, and also be able to use runes on the skills. I'm not sure what your vision for runes on pets is, but i would like to hear what you are thinking.

Also, this would make your dogs more useful for sacrificing. It's kinda hard to have a successful explosion if your dogs are attacking something you don't want them too.

Also, this wouldn't be mandatory. If you want your summons to run all over the place then don't use the hotkeys. If you want a little more control over them, then you can try and learn to use them.

I don't see how a summoner will necessarily have his "hands full." Last time i played a summoner necro i never complained about doing too much.|||this is an interesting concept. I am not sure if many of us here would like it- but I am sure I would enjoy it.|||Excellent ideia!!!

I agree with a skill that lets you learn a different strategic move each level attained.

Make sure blizzard guys see this ideia, its so simple, and yet amazing!

good job|||Maybe we should.

Flux, Mad Mantis- Any attention? Maybe throw this idea next time you're talking to Jay?

I doubt if they really implent it so deep in development (although a lot of Witch Doctor's ARE NYI), but I'd like to see what's they're thinking of it, and if they've thought about it already too.|||Ehh...

I'm undecided about this.

From a roleplaying PoV, zombies don't seem the most intelligent critters. Would they really care what the WD is telling them to do in the middle of a fight? Can't imagine it myself.

From a gameplay perspective, I don't really want a whole lot of moving things I could accidentally click on (as in Paperkut's system).

I would appreciate an ability to set 'modes', so that I could customise my army when I'm not actually fighting, and then have the effects last...

Maybe just one key for 'defensive' (also can be used to make your summons heel instead of running off after some fallen), and another key for 'aggressive'. Potentially more than that, but I don't see the need for any more personally.|||Quote:








The WD should have stratigic Minion Skills.

ala-...

Attack...

Defend...

It's VERY original, new and exciting and will shut up everyone who says the WD is a Necro 2.0 -since this is a whole different gameplay.

The only problem I see with this mechanic is the it will require more hotbar spaces but I'm sure that minor and Blizz could solve this is a sec.

What do you think?

Would you like this kind of mechanic?




A) It's not VERY original, go play a summoner class in eq2/wow... or even play EVE online and you will see the same sort of thing. It requires pure targetting though, something diablo 2 lacks. For instance, in eq2 u select something and tell ur pets to attack, in diablo, you would have to have the spell active and then right click a mob to attack it. there isn't such a thing as a 'targeted' mob so it would be a little different to what's expected.

B) Hotbar spaces can be solved easily. More Hotbars. Blizzard could put a keyboard command to change hotbars between hotbar 1/2/3/4/5 (maybe F1/F2/F3 etc), or have the hotbar open up like D2's potion slots (another good way of keeping a 'mounted' UI), or be able to just show more than 1 hotbar at a time (an unmounted method much like what you can do in EQ2).

C) What Do I think? some great ideas just not very original, I would have expected the blizzard devs/testers to pick up on it since they develop other games with these sort of mechanics.|||A) Well, nothing is very original compared to EVERYTHING. I meant original to the Diablo world. You can say the Monk's Combos aren't original since they're like Tekken etc, but it IS original for the Diablo series.

And actully, targeting isn't a problem.

What difference is there between an "Attack" skill from a Firebomb? You target an enemy (and get this ugly red line on him), click left and BAM! Minions attack.



I'm actually quite sure they've thought of this idea, but I'm curious to know why they haven't impleneted it.