Spellsword?

[:1]Anyone think it'll be possible to make one with a wizard? Or am I the only one that likes that build :P

Imagine a Sorceress if you will, with enough power to use a sword and enough magic to deal with monsters.

Of course this would just be a PvM build.

One tactic would be to use magic while they're far off and if they keep coming you'll be able to slice some monsters down while juggling with different kinds of spells. |||Well, I assume it's possible because of the gem stat boosting system and defensive buffs, but we don't know if the Wizard will have skill support for specifically improving melee combat ala Enchant.

Things like slow time, frost nova, mirror image, various armor buffs, and the Hydra spell are conductive to a melee build, though.|||Well I'm thinking this only because we have speculation on the last class, but no for-sure ideas. So... instead of being a bulky behemoth, I'd rather be well... said build.|||Quote:








Well, I assume it's possible because of the gem stat boosting system and defensive buffs, but we don't know if the Wizard will have skill support for specifically improving melee combat ala Enchant.

Things like slow time, frost nova, mirror image, various armor buffs, and the Hydra spell are conductive to a melee build, though.




I have the feeling spectral blades were ment to replace the need for a sword, just my thought.|||Yes and yes and yes and yes and yes

This iteration of the Wizard has enough melee enhancing spells, it's like the Dev team almost wants a melee Wizard to be a possible build, especially with no stat requirements on items anymore |||There will be some interesting builds I'll tell you that, I wonder if there will be any guides? If so, I wonder how "valid" they will be, since you know... it will almost boil down to personal preferences.|||There will be plenty of "guides" such as those hosted on these forums. There will always be player guides.

Guides for D3 will be as "valid" as guides for D2, since there will no doubt be Unique items or a set of mods on a Rare that will be better than others for different classes.|||Possibly, but Blizzard has stated time and time again that they want Diablo 3 characters to be fully customizable. With that I mean Runes for the skills, weapons, items, gems whatever else they're not telling us, and artisans. There will undoubtedly be hundreds of customizations for a character, that a guide will almost be moot.

What I'm saying is, will you really need a guide if the way you feel something should go can and will go that way? Say a guide suggests that you use this rune instead of these, but you think differently so you add this rune and these gems and you get a different result, but the same damage or more possibly.

That's all I'm saying... why use a guide when there isn't exactly a "limit". Take for example the Paladin, for combat skills for PvP you either had:

Zeal

Smite

Blessed Hammer

Fist of the Heavens

Charge

That's it, Sacrifice, Conversion (doesn't even work in pvp), Vengeance (had terrible damage), and Holy Bolt (doesn't work for pvp except for healing) were bad skills. I don't know if you understand. With Diablo 3 you could for another example turn Vengeance into a Zeal attack 5 hits with elemental damage... I think I'm contradicting myself, now.

I guess all I'm saying is there will be a lot of options for one character that a guide won't necessary, because it's based off of personal preference. There I think that statement did it.|||I understand what you are trying to say, but I think you are being too generous with respect to how well Blizzard will be able to balance Diablo 3.

Typically PvM guides are already (in D2) very much a set of guidelines. They typically outline the skills with a main attack skill (or skills for a hybrid etc) then the "no brainer" passives and buffs. These guides usually offer multiple ways of doing the same thing, if you want to do this, then max this skill, if you want to do that, then max that skill etc. With regards to gear, again they typically have a wide range of gear, from lower and cheaper up through to the most expensive and best.

I find it very hard to imagine that PvM guides will change a lot in structure.

PvP guides however, WILL find the most efficient Skill / Gear combos, no matter how much "balancing" Blizzard entertainment will do.

Regarding the example you have given of Vengeance. If one rune turns it into a Zeal like attack, another gives it AoE splash damage, the third increases its damage but costs life, the fourth turns it into a Conversion like attack and the fifth adds an extra chance to Critical Hit, then it would be a rather easy choice with regards to PvP.



This will most likely be the same with all other skills. Even looking at Hyrda and how it will change element etc people will work out the most effective rune regarding damage for it.

Overall I understand what you are saying, but I believe that D3 will have guides, there will just be more of them compared to D3.|||I suppose we can agree on this. I wonder how long it will take for a guide like a "spellsword" to actually come out.