Diablo III Discussion

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

Dev Journal: Defensive Bonuses and Monster Damage

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_header/3QLKWXH94RQ21346347162726.jpg​

We're taking a close look at defensive skills vs. incoming monster damage in 1.0.5. We’re going to be changing a few defensive skills for each class, including some direct nerfs to skills like wizard Energy Armor and barbarian War Cry - Impunity. However, we're also reducing incoming damage in Inferno, so players will actually come out ahead. In short the plan is:

• Reduce the effectiveness of select defensive skills.
• Reduce monster damage by more than the mitigation lost by these skills.
• Putting both changes together, players actually take less damage than before.

Why We're Making This Change

Why are we doing this? The reason is not complicated. High incoming monster damage combined with extremely powerful defensive skills make those skills and runes feel mandatory. Our goal is that by simultaneously nerfing defensive skills and reducing incoming damage, players who choose to continue using these defensive skills will take less damage overall, and players who choose to forego these "mandatory" skills will find themselves more survivable than what you would currently experience on live. Overall, these changes result in a huge buff in the player’s favor. Just how mandatory are these skills?

As it is now, Energy Armor is used by 83% of level 60 wizards. Also, take a look at the distribution of the War Cry skill on level 60 barbarians:

*us.media4.battle.net/cms/gallery/TYMIO49ZLIVR1347503513788.jpg​

In developing Diablo III, defensive skills were made potent because we wanted to ensure they would be attractive. In some regards, we were too successful. Many players feel compelled to grab every defensive skill available to them, which can take away from some flexibility in using different build options.

This also creates problems for a class that may have less defensive skills. When one class has massive defensive buffs, abilities like Mortar, Arcane Enchanted, and Plagued can feel pretty modest, and at the same time feel overly punishing to a class without them. We’re all in favor of people being able to build their character for survivability, but there needs to be a balance.

How Much is Enough?

So the stated goal is to make sure the combination of the defensive skill nerf combined with the reduced damage from monsters still results in an overall buff to players. Let's bust out some math! As previously mentioned, Energy Armor is one of the skills being impacted. The exact change is the base armor provided by Energy Armor is being reduced from 65% to 35%, and the resistance increase provided by Prismatic Armor is being reduced from 40% to 25%.

The benefit of these skills is greater at higher levels of Armor and Resistance, so let’s assume very high numbers of each. Suppose a wizard has 6000 Armor and 800 Resist before Prismatic Armor. Assuming a level 63 enemy:

• In 1.0.4 this translates to 9900 Armor (75.86% mitigation) and 1120 Resist (78.05% mitigation) with Prismatic Armor, for a total mitigation of 94.70%.
• In 1.0.5 this will be 8100 Armor (72.00% mitigation) and 1000 Resist (76.05% mitigation) with Prismatic Armor, for a total mitigation of 93.29%.
• If a monster hits for 50,000 damage, then the damage taken by the wizard will go from 2650 damage to 3355 damage.
• This means incoming damage would have to be less than 79% of the current value (2650 /3355) in order for it to feel the same after 1.0.5.

Based on this it’s clear that in order to ensure 1.0.5 is a net buff for all wizards we’d have to reduce incoming monster damage by at least 21%. Prismatic Armor still provides a significant boost to survivability, but it should no longer feel mandatory, opening up other options such as a more offensively minded Storm Armor (which is getting buffed in 1.0.5).

Let’s do another example with the barbarian. War Cry Impunity is being reduced from 50% resistances to 20%.

• A barbarian with 800 resist before War Cry against a level 63 enemy translates to 1200 Resist (79.21% mitigation) with Impunity in 1.0.4.
• In 1.0.5 this will be 960 Resist (75.29% mitigation) with Impunity.
• If a monster hits for 20,000 damage after Armor, then the damage taken by the Barbarian will go from 4158 damage to 4942 damage.
• This means incoming damage would have to be less than 84% of the current value on live (4158/4942) in order for the game to feel the same.

As it happens, we’re going to reduce all damage in Inferno by at least 25%. Players who want to be the toughest damage mitigators in the game can continue to use defensive skills and get a sizable bonus for doing so. Players who want to use other skills can do so without sacrificing such a massive amount of survivability. Class builds that don't currently use heavy mitigation skills such as Smoke Screen-focused demon hunters or Gargantuan-tanking witch doctors will find their survivability has gone up considerably due to reduced incoming monster damage.

Class by Class

Here's a quick rundown of what's changing in terms of defensive skills in 1.0.5.

Barbarian

*us.battle.net/d3/static/images/hero/barbarian/crest.png​

• War Cry - Impunity: Bonus resistance reduced from 50% to 20%.
• Leap - Iron Impact: We’re adjusting the design of this skill. Rather than providing 300% armor for 4 seconds, it’s going to provide 100% armor per target hit for 3 seconds. So if you don't hit any targets, you won't get any armor. If you hit 5 targets, you'll actually get 500% armor. We are making this change because the intended fantasy of Iron Impact is a barbarian who leaps into the thick of battle and is super tough. The way the skill plays out on live it is essentially an Ignore Pain that can also move you. For the most part it is better than Ignore Pain, making not only Ignore Pain unattractive, but also the other Leap Attack runes. In 1.0.5, if you want a defensive cooldown - grab Ignore Pain. If you want to leap into the thick of battle and be super tough, take Iron Impact.

Demon Hunter

*us.battle.net/d3/static/images/hero/demon-hunter/crest.png​

• In the case of the demon hunter, the class is a bit too binary. If you're playing a glass cannon Smoke Screen build, then you're invulnerable most of the time, and when you make a mistake, you die instantly. If you're using Shadow Power - Gloom with a legacy Natalya's set, then you have near constant uptime of 65% damage reduction, but if you're not using the legacy Natalya's set, Shadow Power - Gloom is a luxury.
• Independent of the general defensive skill nerf, we had already decided to buff Shadow Power to last longer. The primary purpose of Shadow Power is to give you a short window of time during which you can unload some damage to recoup some Life. Unfortunately the 3-second duration makes this awkward to use. We are changing Shadow Power from 20% Life Steal for 3 seconds to 15% Life Steal for 5 seconds. This should be a modest buff to the skill as well as making it a lot more pleasant to use. All of the runes are scheduled to see similar changes, such as Blood Moon going from 30% Life Steal for 3 seconds to 25% Life Steal for 5 seconds. Each rune effect is slightly smaller, but for 5 seconds instead of 3 seconds, resulting in an overall buff over the duration of the effect.
• Taking into account the across-the-board nerf to defensive skills, Gloom will become 35% damage reduction for 5 seconds.
• This developer journal is focused primarily on defensive skill changes, but because the change to Gloom is significant, I want to mention that we are looking at concrete mechanics changes to the demon hunter to introduce new play styles. Many players have mentioned that outside of Gloom, demon hunters seem to lack defensive options. More importantly, demon hunters would like some different play styles, and we agree! Here are a few changes we are adding for demon hunters in 1.0.5 to open up new ways to play:
• We are adjusting some runes and passives to provide ways to increase survivability that scales with your Life, Armor, and resistances.
• We are changing the Spider, Boar, and Wolf companion pets to be actual pets that can tank for you like a Gargantuan or Zombie Dog.
• We are putting a short cooldown on Sentry, but you can have two out simultaneously. On top of that, the Custom Engineering passive will let you have a third Sentry turret! This opens up a whole new play style for the Demon Hunter of establishing a "nest" that you can draw enemies into.

Monk

*us.battle.net/d3/static/images/hero/monk/crest.png​

• The strongest monk defensive skill is One With Everything. We've mentioned it before and it bears repeating - this is something we would like to fix someday, but we're going to take our time. Changes to One With Everything heavily impact existing monk gear. We still plan on addressing this in the future but will do so in a way that does not invalidate the gear monks have invested in.
• Resolve: Damage reduction reduced from 25% to 20%.
• Seize the Initiative: Changed to grant 50% of your Dexterity as Armor. This will result in anywhere from 750 to 1250 armor for most monks (depending on your Dex) which is comparable to the mitigation lost by other classes. The reduction to Resolve and Seize the Initiative should mean if you want to be a “super-tanky monk” you can still take all three defensive skills, but it should be a lot easier to pick some other passives without feeling like you’re going to blow up at the first Elite pack you encounter.

Witch Doctor

*us.battle.net/d3/static/images/hero/witch-doctor/crest.png​

• Jungle Fortitude is being reduced from 20% to 15% damage reduction.

Wizard

*us.battle.net/d3/static/images/hero/wizard/crest.png​

• Energy Armor: Armor increase reduced from 65% to 35%.
• Energy Armor - Prismatic Armor: Resistance increase reduced from 40% to 25%.
• It’s worth noting that we’re going to provide additional alternative defensive options for the wizard such as adding flat melee damage reduction to Ice Armor and creating a Familiar variant that provides passive Life regeneration.

Why You Nerf Inferno?

Alright, so let's recap. Defensive skills are taking a hit in 1.0.5, but incoming damage from monsters is also being reduced. Taken together, the changes mean Inferno is going to be easier. For some of you this is totally cool; you welcome an easier Inferno because it’s about efficiency and not difficulty. For others, you may be skeptical but you're at least intrigued at the possibility that you'll be able to drop some defensive skills and discover some new builds. However, for others, Inferno is currently already too easy. Maybe you don't use any defensive skills; maybe your gear is so good you dropped War Cry - Impunity weeks ago. For this last group you may be wondering "Another Inferno nerf? But I crave more of a challenge, not less!"

For people in this last group, 1.0.5 is bringing the "Monster Power" system. The details of this system will be outlined as we get closer to 1.0.5, but in short this is a callback to the Diablo II ”players X” option, allowing you to increase the level of challenge for increased rewards. Our hope is that we can make Inferno easier while simultaneously providing new ways for top-end players to gauge their increasing power in tangible ways.

We’re going to lock comments here, and ask that you instead head to this forum thread to let us know what you think.

Source

 

[Reloaded]

Guys someone is selling diablo 3 for Rs. 353.00 could this be legit ??

*www.ebay.in/itm/DIABLO-3-/180973150771?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item2a22d72233

 

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

Guys someone is selling diablo 3 for Rs. 353.00 could this be legit ??

It could be or could not be, but I'd avoid Ebay anyway if I were you. I'll tell you what -- TL2 releases on the 20th and you can pre-order it. Its just 20 USD -- three times cheaper than D3. I think you should try that.

 

[Reloaded]

It could be or could not be, but I'd avoid Ebay anyway if I were you. I'll tell you what -- TL2 releases on the 20th and you can pre-order it. Its just 20 USD -- three times cheaper than D3. I think you should try that.

Torchlight 2 looks similar to diablo 3 a good alternative

 

[007]

Hey guys, hope you are all doing good. Its been a while since I played D3 due to work constraints. Hoping to resume soon.
Good to see Infinity and Tensor rocking the paragon levels
Thanks to Tensor for keeping the thread updated with the patches and latest info.
I've been a fan of gaming accessories in general which includes apparels as well. How would I miss D3 in that list!
Check out my D3 tee at Post your latest purchase | 007 | D3 Tee.

 

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

Hey guys, hope you are all doing good. Its been a while since I played D3 due to work constraints. Hoping to resume soon.
Good to see Infinity and Tensor rocking the paragon levels
Thanks to Tensor for keeping the thread updated with the patches and latest info.
I've been a fan of gaming accessories in general which includes apparels as well. How would I miss D3 in that list!
Check out my D3 tee at Post your latest purchase | 007 | D3 Tee.

Awesome stuff man!! And thanks!!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monster Power: More Guts, More Glory

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_header/KG57LO9LPAIS1349891172241.jpg​

The armies of the Burning Hells are about to become a lot more hellacious. In patch 1.0.5, we'll be introducing Monster Power, a new system designed to give players more control over how challenging enemies are in each difficulty setting. Similar to the "Players X" command in Diablo II, Monster Power gives Diablo III players the option to increase the health and damage of monsters according to different "power levels" -- and in return, they'll receive scaling bonuses to their adventure stats (including experience, Magic Find, and Gold Find) as well as more drops.

The option to adjust Monster Power will be available to all players starting at level 1 through the Quest Selection window, and can be adjusted separately for Normal, Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno difficulties. Here's how the system works....

Setting Your Monster Power Level

Monster Power will be disabled by default, so before you can make any adjustments, you'll first need to enable the system. To do so, open up the Game Menu, click the Options button, and then click the Gameplay tab. You'll see the Enable Monster Power Selection box on the right side of the screen -- check that, and then click Accept.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/MLT8WJLBF1ME1349907834617.jpg​

Once enabled, the option to set Monster Power will appear in the lower portion of the Quest Selection window next to the Difficulty drop-down menu. You can choose from Monster Power 1 (MP1) all the way up to Monster Power 10 (MP10), or you can opt for No Monster Power (the default setting) to play the "normal" challenge level for your chosen difficulty. Monster Power can be adjusted separately for each hero and difficulty, and can be changed at any time through the Quest Selection interface.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/XMWCGTKIEIMM1349907837050.jpg​

At the launch of patch 1.0.5, Monster Power will be available in both solo and private multiplayer games. Whenever you join a private multiplayer game, your hero will temporarily adopt the Monster Power level set by the party leader, and it will return to the previous setting you selected as soon as you leave the group.

(Please note that you will not be able to adjust Monster Power in Public Games at the feature's launch, though we're looking into the possibility of adding that ability in the future.)

More Guts, More Glory

Starting at MP1, each level of Monster Power will increase monster damage and health by a scaling amount depending on difficulty. To reward your audacity, your hero will receive a scaling bonus to experience, Magic Find, and Gold Find (which will stack above the 300% cap).

For Normal, Nightmare, and Hell, the bonuses look like this:

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/5WGM5A83VNTV1349891151325.jpg​

In Inferno, in addition to increased experience, Magic Find, and Gold Find, whenever a monster dies and drops an item normally (whether it be gold, a potion, or a piece of gear), the monster also has a chance to drop an additional bonus item. The chance to drop a bonus item will scale up with each MP level as detailed in the table below.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/UJQXWFK3N8511349891152079.jpg
For players in Inferno participating in the Infernal Machine event (we’ll provide more info on this event soon), Monster Power will also increase the drop chance for Keywarden Keys and Demonic Organ Pieces by 10% for each MP level, all the way up to 100% at MP 10.​

In Inferno at Monster Power 1 or greater, monsters in every Act will also be bumped up to level 63 and share the same high-end item drop rates. This means that no matter which act you're progressing through, the monsters in that act will all have the same shot at dropping items level 61-63, including crafting recipes, Legendary items, and set items.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/IIAVTSB7JEVY1349891152054.jpg
With the change that allows item affixes to roll at the monster's level instead of the item’s levels, all items in Inferno at MP 1 or greater now have the ability to roll level 63 affixes.​

While monsters in Inferno will all be level 63 at MP 1 through MP 10, their skills, abilities, and attributes will still vary from act to act. This means that certain Acts or Chapters may still be more difficult for you than others based on what monsters and Elite packs appear in each, but -- since the rewards will be identical across the entire difficulty -- where you choose to play is ultimately up to you and your personal play style.

The Method Behind the Monsters

Now that we've explained the mechanics, let's delve a bit deeper into the design philosophy. The intent of Monster Power is not necessarily to make the game "unbeatable," but to provide better ways for players to measure their progress as they become more powerful. We've designed the system around this idea, with two primary areas of focus:

• Monster Damage vs. Monster Health
  
  Since the goal of this system isn’t to make the game ultra-hard, with each Monster Power level there’s a heavy emphasis on increased monster health rather than monster damage. In general, it’s more fun to find ways to maximize your damage than it is to be forced into taking every available form of damage mitigation. We also didn’t want to create situations where "hard to beat" could become "impossible to beat" because players couldn't survive long enough to make any progress. In our testing, we found that while scaling up monster damage certainly made some fights more challenging, it did so in unfair ways…and also made it quite easy for heroes to be one-shot. Increasing the health of monsters, on the other hand, allowed the game to scale up in difficulty more naturally and in a way that still felt manageable.
  
  
• Efficiency
  
  By now, some players have reached a point where they can kill monsters so fast that even Inferno provides almost no challenge, and enemies die as soon as they appear on the screen. For these players, the bottleneck for efficient farming is actually the speed at which they can traverse the map rather than how well they can dispense with enemies.
  This is where Monster Power can shine. Players who can clear every Act of Inferno without much problem can increase their Monster Power for a more enjoyable and interesting challenge -- as well as better rewards -- and keep pushing their limits all the way up to Monster Power 10. Will some players be able to kill Diablo on Monster Power 10 as soon as 1.0.5 goes live? Absolutely. Will that be the most efficient Monster Power level at which to farm items? For most, probably not. Monster Power allows each individual decide what that "sweet spot" is for them.

The Power Is Yours

In Diablo III, your character's power can grow by multiple orders of magnitude, but up until now there hasn't been a way for you to truly put that potency to the test. The Monster Power system provides a new outlet for high-powered heroes to truly see how far they've come and tangibly experience just how epic the gear they've collected is.

Different players want different levels of challenge, and with Monster Power you'll be able to determine what the right level of challenge is for you. Whether you're in it for the guts, the glory, or simply the goodies, we're excited to offer players the opportunity to face the forces of evil on their own (possibly slightly insane) terms.

Source

 

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

New Event: The Infernal Machine

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_header/BDZYY9PEO3O41350355301176.jpg​

Ready for a double dose of diabolical danger? In patch 1.0.5, level 60 players will be able to forge a cursed construct called the Infernal Machine, allowing them to battle "uber" versions of some of the most malevolent mischief-makers this side of New Tristram…in pairs. While the rewards for defeating these extra-bad bosses will be great, some assembly is required.

Read on to find out how to craft the Infernal Machine, where it can be used, and what epic rewards await those brave enough to unlock its secrets.

The Components

To craft the Infernal Machine, players will first need to collect four components from powerful Keywardens in each Act of Inferno:

• The Key of Destruction will drop from Odeg the Keywarden in Act I - Fields of Misery
• The Key of Hate will drop from Sokahr the Keywarden in Act II - Dahlgur Oasis
• The Key of Terror will drop from Xah'Rith the Keywarden in Act III - Stonefort
• The Infernal Machine Blacksmithing Plan will drop from Nekarat the Keywarden in Act IV - Silver Spire Level 1

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/V265FODWXHAX1350357251188.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/ZNPZPNB8WY711350357251679.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/NAJWGXIPPF081350357251769.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/TIJI55H1UISY1350358963091.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/S87X7POJWOQA1350357251966.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/VPY3N5NZEHBB1350357253054.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/YCHAOEW6RYKJ1350357253912.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/JMLQVPWIG0XH1350357253541.jpg

Each component will be considered “Bind on Account,” meaning they can be used by any
character on your Battle.net account.​

Players will be able to encounter the Keywardens in any difficulty, but only in Inferno and with a full five stacks of Nephalem Valor will they have a chance to drop pieces of the Infernal Machine. While Monster Power is not required, each level will increase the drop rate of both the keys and the plans by 10%, all the way up to a guaranteed 100% drop chance at Monster Power 10.

The Device

After all the components have been collected, they can be assembled in town at the Blacksmith. Your Blacksmith will need to be level 10 in order to learn the Legendary plans, and he'll require 12,000 gold to forge the device in his furnaces.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/U06GZ3S8IV1T1350357252048.jpg
Once crafted, the Infernal Machine will remain in your inventory until activated.​

Once assembled, the powers of the Infernal Machine can only be unleashed in one location -- a cellar in New Tristram known simply as the Heretic's Abode. To activate the device, enter the cellar (located just behind Brother Malachi the Healer) and right-click the item in your inventory. This will summon an ominous red portal that will lead you to a demonic realm where you'll be pitted against a pair of Sanctuary's most nefarious villains.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/MVQ81WAH7FAX1350357252822.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/XWM1KP4L07FU1350357252332.jpg

In order to access the Heretic's Abode, players will need to set their quests to "Act I – Return to Tristram."​

Activating the Infernal Machine will also destroy it, so to open another portal, you must craft the device anew. This process will include recollecting each of the three wardens' keys as well paying another 12,000 gold to the Blacksmith. (Don't worry about the plans -- once you've trained your Blacksmith, they will remain available in your crafting list for use at any time.)

The Bosses

Those brave enough to step through the Infernal Machine's ominous output will be transported to one of three randomly selected Realms of Pure Evil, where a predetermined pair of bosses awaits:

In the Realm of Discord, King Leoric and Maghda guard the Royal Crypts.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/9UNVV9Y3M8IZ1350357250543.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/4AJ4CL2P2HTQ1350357248152.jpg​

In the Realm of Chaos, Ghom and Rakanoth defend the Larder.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/HYOWBN2OGXNC1350357250914.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/AD50FJ29RDL01350357248829.jpg​

Finally, in the Realm of Turmoil, Siege Breaker and Zoltun Kulle protect the Edge of the Abyss.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/NOAKRILIIXWU1350357246188.jpg

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/7FJWUT9VHG3S1350357245281.jpg​

In terms of difficulty, the encounters will be about as challenging as the Diablo fight in Inferno, and each "uber" boss will retain their full arsenal of base spells and abilities. Many of the abilities are more powerful, and certain bosses have even come up with new tricks to test those who dare to enter their domain.

If you happen to fall while battling one these Infernal foes, don't worry -- as long as you don't leave your game session, you can release and restart the encounter at any time by clicking on the very same portal you created. Similarly, even after both bosses have been slain, your portal will remain active in the Heretic's Abode until your game session has ended, which means that if you're out of inventory space, you're welcome to leave and return without losing your loot.

(Please note that you cannot be sent to the same Realm of Pure Evil twice in a single game session. This means that if you create or have access to four or more Infernal Machine devices, in order to use all of them, you'll need to start up a brand new game once you've opened up three portals.)

The Rewards

For successfully defeating a boss pair, players will be rewarded with extra items and gold. In addition, they will also have a chance to harvest demonic organs from each of their fallen foes, which can be used to create a Legendary item of unique power: the Hellfire Ring.
Three organ pieces will be needed to forge the Hellfire Ring:

• The Writhing Spine, which drops from King Leoric or Maghda in the Realm of Discord
• The Devil's Fang, which drops from Ghom or Rakanoth in the Realm of Chaos
• The Vengeful Eye, which drops from Siegebreaker or Zoltun Kulle in the Realm of Turmoil

Similar to the wardens' keys, a full five stacks of Nephalem Valor will be required for the organ pieces to drop, and each level of Monster Power will increase their drop rate by 10%.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/6R4R1SOF3TIY1350362506905.png
Each time you wish to craft a Hellfire Ring, you will need to present all three organ pieces
as well as 15,000 gold to the Jeweler.​

Once all of the organs have been collected, they can be combined at the Jeweler using a new design available for purchase from Squirt the Peddler. This design will teach your level 10 Jeweler four variations of the ring: the Hellfire Ring of Intelligence, the Hellfire Ring of Strength, the Hellfire Ring of Dexterity, and the Hellfire Ring of Vitality. Depending on which variation you choose, your ring will be guaranteed to roll one primary stat with a set value range of 170–200.

In addition to the guaranteed primary stat, each ring will always have the following:

• +35% Experience
• +4 Random Magical Properties
• No Level Requirement
• Bind on Account
• Chance to launch an explosive Hellfire ball when you attack

The Hellfire Ring will be considered Unique-Equipped, which means that players can only wear one at a time. Your followers will be able to equip the ring, however, and given the boost to experience and absence of a level requirement, the rings make excellent heirlooms to be passed down to each of your alts. If you no longer find the need for one of your rings, simply salvage it for materials at your local Blacksmith. So create one or create more -- the choice is up to you!

Source

 

[007]

Wow! Good to see the Uber bosses back!
Has anyone already got a hellfire ring? If yes, how tough was it?
But why did they make it account bound man

 

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

But why did they make it account bound man

In order to not flood the AH with those items.

 

[007]

Blizzard posts record revenue in Q3 2012

"According to the Q3 2012 financial results released by Activision Blizzard, “the company delivered record GAAP net revenues of $841million…” compared to the $741 million which Blizzard earned for the same quarter in 2011. The news is “better than expected” and it looks like they’re positively farming gold.
.
.
.
was also boosted by its other big release of the year, Diablo III. On release Diablo III was the #1 bestselling game for the PC in the U.S and Europe, both in units sold and money earned."

 

[gameranand]

Blizzard sued
Blizzard Sued over Battle.net Authentication

 

[Gaurav Bhattacharjee]

Patch 1.0.7 Preview

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/blog_header/39P6NUWVRIQG1357944793943.jpg​

Patch 1.0.7 is currently under development and many of the changes included in that update will soon be on the PTR. Before we hit you with patch notes, though (and a new client to download), here's a preview of what's coming.

• Dueling
• Class Updates
• Crafting Additions
• Monster Power Changes
• Monster Affix Changes
• Quality of Life Improvements

The Scorched Chapel: Dueling

As Jay discussed in his PvP update, patch 1.0.7 will introduce dueling, allowing players to test their mettle against fellow Nephalem. Here's a quick rundown of how dueling will work in Diablo III as well as some insight into our design philosophy for the system.

How it Works:

• To duel another player, you’ll need to speak with Nek the Brawler at the inn in New Tristram
• Speaking with Nek will take you and your party to the Scorched Chapel, a new zone designed specifically for player combat
• This zone has custom geometry and features four different areas: the church, the graveyard, the river, and the lake
• Dueling currently supports up to four players in a Free-For-All format, which means you can battle your friends either one-on-one, three-player FFA, or a full four-player FFA

Our intent is to provide players a safe, opt-in location where they can fight one another for bragging rights (or maybe science) without the potential for griefing as it existed in Diablo II.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/Q1DZC5JLFXM11357944655413.jpg*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/QIQBMUEZB2D91357944655217.jpg​

The game doesn't keep score and there are no objectives. We wanted dueling to be as simple and straightforward as possible, so we created a minimalist system -- we know that even without rewards and objectives, some players just want to beat each other up. Some matchups may be one-sided, and we don't expect that battles will be necessarily balanced. But that's okay, because dueling in Diablo III is more about kicking ass and taking names in a no-holds-barred sort of way, and this design certainly allows you to accomplish that.

Additional Info:

• If you die in the dueling world, you will be resurrected in the dueling zone
• Death is not permanent in the dueling zone, even for Hardcore characters
• You don't take any durability damage while in the dueling zone
• When you're done dueling you can take a portal out or use your Town Portal to return to town

Stay Classy, Sanctuary

In terms of class balance, we focused on improving the Wizard and the Monk this patch.

*media.blizzard.com/d3/icons/portraits/42/wizard_female.png Wizard

The Wizard is seeing a damage buff to skills such as Arcane Orb, Blizzard, and Shock Pulse. We're also making other small changes such as allowing Illusionist to reset the cooldown of Slow Time and increasing the slow effect of Temporal Flux from 30% for 2 seconds to 60% for 3 seconds.

*media.blizzard.com/d3/icons/portraits/42/monk_male.png Monk

The Monk is getting a big damage buff to all Spirit Spenders. One of the most common uses for Spirit is to recast Mantra of Conviction-Overawe for the 3 second bonus. While this is totally legitimate, we want to provide alternate uses for your extra Spirit. As a result, we are greatly buffing all the damage-dealing Spirit Spenders to try and provide an alternate use for your Spirit.

Although the Wizard and Monk are receiving the most changes this patch, that doesn't mean we feel the other classes are perfect. Other classes have received more substantial changes in previous patches, and we still have lots of ideas for the Barbarian, Demon Hunter, and Witch Doctor, but constantly changing class skills can often do more harm than good.

Item Hunting

One of the most common requests we get from players is that they'd like to find more items (through drops or crafting) that are as awesome as those that they can get from the Auction House. The Auction House has its advantages: you get to pick the exact stats that you want, it can be thrilling to find a bargain, and if you find a cool drop that your character can't use, the Auction House provides a way to earn gold to put toward an item you prefer. But it has some downsides. The biggest downside is that some players find it more rewarding to collect items from slain monsters or crafting.

Patch 1.0.5 and the Infernal Machine event were successful in this regard, particularly with the Hellfire Ring reward. The Hellfire Ring is account-bound, and all the reagents to make it are also account-bound. So, you can't just go to the Auction House and buy a ring that someone else had found or made—you have to farm the reagents and ultimately craft the Hellfire Ring yourself. And as you play through the event more, you have additional opportunities to roll new Hellfire Rings with potentially better stats (or stats that are more suited to your play style and needs).

*media.blizzard.com/d3/icons/portraits/42/pt_blacksmith.png New Crafting Recipes

We feel like the Hellfire Ring was a good first step and would like to introduce more items like it. So, working off this design, in 1.0.7 we're adding a new set of Rare crafting recipes that will create account-bound gloves, pants, wrists, a chest piece, and an amulet.

These new items will have six affixes and feature a primary stat (Str, Dex, Int, Vit) that extends higher than what is currently available in the respective slots. The items will also require an account-bound crafting reagent called Demonic Essence, which drops from Elite monsters in Inferno. Much like the reagents in the Infernal Machine event, the chance of getting a Demonic Essence will increase at higher Monster Power levels. Currently we are planning for a 20% chance to drop at Monster Power 0, and each Monster Power will increase the chance of Demonic Essence dropping by 15% (MP1 will be 23%, MP2 will be 26.45%, etc. up to 80.91% at MP10). These are the numbers we’ll be going to PTR with and are subject to change.

The Archon Armor recipe (the chest piece) can be purchased from Squirt the Peddler for 1.5 million gold. The other plans will drop randomly in the world, but also have a 50% chance to drop off the following bosses when you have five stacks of Nephalem Valor:

• Skeleton King
• Spider Queen
• Maghda
• Zoltun Kulle
• Ghom
• Cydaea
• Rakanoth
• Izual

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/LVTQ1NQAASPH1357960063257.jpg​

*media.blizzard.com/d3/icons/portraits/42/pt_jeweler.png New Gems: The Marquise

In addition to new items, we're also adding a new tier of gems for those who really want to push their character farther. The new tier is called "Marquise" and most of its stats are in line with the current gem progression.

We also took the opportunity to modify the Ruby effect in weapons. At the moment, the Critical Hit damage bonus provided by the Emerald is a clear choice for anybody looking to do more damage with their weapon. The new tier Ruby is a significant bump up that should make it the preferred choice for those who favor attack speed over Critical Hit chance, or for those who use skills which do not benefit as much from Critical Hit such as Sentry and Hydra.

Players often ask why their Sentry or Hydra doesn't inherit their Critical Hit Chance and Critical Hit Damage. The answer is that we want players to be able to build their characters in different ways, and we would rather Critical Hit Chance and Critical Hit Damage weren’t always automatically the right answer. While this is not something that will change overnight, "different stats for different builds" is a high-level design goal and introducing a very strong Ruby is a step in the right direction.

The current design is that these gems can be combined at the Jeweler for a substantial reagent and gold cost (3 Radiant Star gems, 20 million gold, and 1 Demonic Essence), and the designs will drop randomly from level 63 monsters around the world.

Monster Power Changes

Overall, we've been very happy with Monster Power. Players are playing at a variety of Monster Power levels and upping the challenge. Different builds are of varying effectiveness at different Monster Power levels and we’re seeing a lot of build diversity there.
We do think there are two clear areas where we can improve: making Monster Power available in Public Games, and increasing the XP bonuses for players in Inferno.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/KB45Q5TBR3VE1349909630741.jpg Monster Power in Public Games

When the Monster Power system was first introduced, we were wary of making it available for Public Games for two reasons. One, we didn’t want to reduce the pool of games that players could be matched into. And two, we wanted to avoid the potential group tension that could occur if somebody joined a Public Game at a Monster Power level higher than what they’re ready for. (For example, you wouldn’t want a severely undergeared character to join your Monster Power 6 game and constantly die. That can be very hindering to an otherwise powerful group.)

What we realized is that 1) choosing a Public Game and ending up in a game by yourself, but at the Monster Power you want is still preferable than not being able to play in a Public Game at all, and 2) undergeared characters can pretty much roadblock groups in Inferno anyway (if they really want to). We feel that the damage we’re doing to public games by not supporting Monster Power is greater than the potential damage we’d be doing by increasing Public Game waiting times or exposing Monster Power groups to possible leechers.

So, in patch 1.0.7 we're going to be rolling out Monster Power support in public games. You need to have the Monster Power option enabled to use it, of course—same as for making private Monster Power games. Once the feature is enabled, you can choose a Public Game and set a desired Monster Power level from the dropdown. From there, the game will work to match you into a group with the same Monster Power level selected.

*bnetcmsus-a.akamaihd.net/cms/content_folder_media/KB45Q5TBR3VE1349909630741.jpg Experience Bonuses in Inferno

We're increasing the experience reward for playing on Monster Power levels 1-10 in 1.0.7. Before I go into what's changing, though, here’s a little note on design philosophy. . . .

People often ask what the intention of Monster Power is. Am I supposed to just turn the Monster Power up as high as I can until I die? No, not really. Just because you’re able to beat something doesn’t mean that it’s optimal. In fact, we think there’s a real risk that if the most efficient path for XP or item farming involves playing on the highest Monster Power setting available regardless of the gameplay experience, then the game might actually become a lot less fun for a lot of people.

To take an extreme example: What if we made every monster on Monster Power 10 worth 5000x more experience? In that case, killing even one monster in Monster Power 10 would be worth hours of play at Monster Power 1. But is that what’s best for the game? Players who are looking to be efficient would likely play on Monster Power 10, but they’d be forced into a smaller number of defensive builds. Many players are able to kill things on Monster Power 10 already, but it might require them to use a skill build they don’t enjoy as much and the game can start to feel extremely tedious as you spend a lot of time attacking a monster that takes forever to die. We don’t want to overly-incentivize players into that kind of play style, and making Monster Power 10 the most efficient would undoubtedly cause this to happen.

We believe that Diablo shines when you can spend the majority of your time slaughtering hordes of enemies and then having that punctuated by the occasional difficulty spike either in the form of a particularly challenging set of normal monsters (like an elite pack) or a boss. With that in mind, what we want to do with Monster Power is set the reward so that there are incentives for playing at a higher level, but not make the incentives so powerful that players feel like they need to make the game less enjoyable in order to achieve a faster reward rate.

In line with all of that, we’re currently planning to increase XP bonuses for Monster Power levels to the following values:

• MP 1: 25% (up from 10%)
• MP 2: 50% (up from 20%)
• MP 3: 80% (up from 30%)
• MP 4: 120%(up from 45%)
• MP 5: 165% (up from 60%)
• MP 6: 215% (up from 75%)
• MP 7: 275% (up from 95%)
• MP 8: 340% (up from 115%)
• MP 9: 420% (up from 135%
• MP 10: 510% (up from 160%)

These numbers are still being worked on. We're going to monitor how things play out on PTR and make adjustments as necessary.

*media.blizzard.com/d3/media/screenshots/guide/global/world/monsters.jpg​

Monster Changes

And speaking of monsters, we're making some changes to a few affixes this patch:

Reflects Damage

We've adjusted the Reflects Damage mechanic. Monsters with this affix will now pulse a damage reflection shield on and off. While the shield is down, the monster does not reflect damage. When the reflect shield is on, the monster will Reflect Damage the way it does now on live. The shield has a strong visual associated with it so you’ll know it is reflecting. (We’ve also made it so that pet damage is no longer reflected back to the player.)

Molten and Plagued

We've made changes to Molten and Plagued, too. Molten often feels like one of the more threatening ground-based damage effects, and Plagued feels a bit low. So, we’re reducing the damage from Molten packs and increasing the damage from Plagued.

Quality of Life Changes

Finally, we’re making some other quality of life improvements to the game that we hope you can all appreciate.

• We're removing the incrementing resurrection timer on consecutives deaths. With the removal of enrage timers in the previous patch and the emphasis on players selecting their level of challenge via the Monster Power system, long resurrection timers no longer serve a useful purpose. It will now be a flat 5 seconds in Softcore. (The resurrection timer in Hardcore remains unchanged. )
  
• We're also increasing the base pickup radius by a small amount. The intention here is to ensure that players who are actively trying to pick up a piece of gold are able to get it. The current radius felt just slightly too small, such that even when you ran quickly past a piece of gold on purpose, you would sometimes fail to pick it up. We still want a meaningful pickup radius to be a gearing choice, so the buff to the base pickup radius is modest. Many players may not even notice. For those who are very meticulous with health globes, the new radius is still small enough that you can avoid picking up a health globe in melee range if you so choose.

PTR Coming Soon. . .

These are really just a few of the topline systems changes we’ll be making in 1.0.7, and we hope you’re looking forward to them as much as we are. This patch will be on the PTR very soon, and we encourage you to participate, test out what’s new, and let us know what you think!

--Wyatt

Source

 

[007]

Console gamerz - this is for you!

Diablo III Coming to PlayStation3 and PlayStation4

*i.imgur.com/cEKkc5j.jpg

 

[masterkd]

Just downloaded the starter edition and I should say there is a lot of improvement from the last one. But I am not liking the gameplay as there is a huge latency (I guess due to there DRM its always fetching something from the server). I am clicking something and getting the action 2-3 seconds later. So basically its getting 5/10 from me only due to crap gameplay, also had to drop my plan to buy the game. Otherwise it would have been awesome.

 

[007]

Diablo III's first expansion set, Reaper of Souls, has been unveiled!

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

Cinematic Trailer



Gameplay Teaser



Screenshots

*i.imgur.com/g9rDU4z.jpg

*i.imgur.com/yV4QHgt.jpg

*i.imgur.com/KuV9Kw1.jpg

*i.imgur.com/W5fHUlv.jpg

*i.imgur.com/KGPgERl.jpg

*i.imgur.com/uXGlwTG.jpg

Looks like Hammerdin is back

*i.imgur.com/NcLlyCJ.jpg

*i.imgur.com/hTgIvVT.jpg

*i.imgur.com/aAtHKiG.jpg

Highlights

• New class Crusader
• Act V
• Level cap to 70
• New spells and abilities for existing Barbarian, Witch Doctor, Demon Hunter, Wizard, and Monk
• Two new game modes: Loot Runs and Nephalem Trials for more replayability
• Upgrades to Paragon system

Excited!

 

[Alok]

finally baught this (flipkart).. got vodafone 3g to avoid any problem .. coooostly ...
anyway started with monk, , lvl 18 in AcT II . Game is satisfying but as per my skills its normal difficulty is seems easy... will try to get better diff asap then will paly with Barb...

yaeh about layency : i have full green bar without any kind of single lag till yet , and that drm costing about only about 10 MB per five hour...

 

[digit1191]

So 2 MB per hour is it ? That is very less!

 

[Alok]

Yes mate. Your 1 gb monthly pack won't dried out.

 

[Alok]

Before trying 3g , I also played it on college Wi-Fi with 30 kBps and it was lagging badly. But now its like playing offline. .

 

[digit1191]

@Alok, actually does online gaming usually consume less data? If so, then I'm gonna get Airtel 3g for playing BF3
By the way, I am a huge Diablo fan. Played Diablo 2 for more than 4 times. Cost is the only thing holding me back on Diablo 3.
I recently bought COD:Ghosts so no more budget till this year end