Customizable emblem path

Considering the recent announcement on the new changes coming to emblem drops and costs, perhaps this thought that has bugged me for a while is more reasonable.

What if the emblem path was customizable as opposed to firmly set the way it is now?

In other words, besides the 5 talent nodes, what if we could pick what the next node would be?

To illustrate my point, let’s use Guardian Kong as an example:

This is a maxed and unemblemed Kong:
image

This is the barbarian emblem path:

The issue here is obviously his defense stat. Kong has great attack and health stats, his special is pretty good, even at average speed, and that dispel and family bonus are significant but almost none of them matter if you’re unable to fire him. If you take him to +19 on the current path, his defense will reach a somewhat more respectable 694 (+107) but that still on the very low side of today’s meta, and at a very high cost, or 1250 emblems for an extra 107 defense stat. That’s because you can choose the path but not the nodes in between.

But what if you could change that and choose what each node would be, outside of the set talent nodes? In other words, what if you could take Kong to +15 and 10 of those nodes were defense only? What if, for the cost of 975 emblems instead, you could add roughly 180 defense to your Kong and ultimately turn him to 786 Attack; 767 Defense; 1433 Health?

Personally, I find it a much more balanced hero for fewer emblems. Don’t like my choice? That’s perfectly fine, you can make your own and use only attack nodes to take him to a devastating 936 attack. Don’t like these extreme choices, but something in between? Go ahead, it’s your hero, you should be able to customize it to fit your needs more.

And as for the predictable reaction, what would this mean for OP or borderline OP heroes, my answer is simple. I don’t care. These rules apply to everyone and it’s up to players to take maximum advantage. If someone will use the 15 available nodes to add 180 defense and 180 HP to Telluria, for example, and take her to 1,000 Defense and 1,000 HP, which isn’t far off what she could be now anyway, I don’t see how that’s a problem when you can customize your offensive heroes to match that challenge. After all, isn’t that what this game is all about? But before we get there, let’s talk about the benefits first, and more precisely, let’s talk about how this proposal benefits you, and let’s ignore how it benefits others. Thank you.

I get what your saying maybe adjust certain parts of the talent gird so it’s benefit for a hero but not too much as it could be op on a certain path.? That correct.

Gotta say, not a fan. This sounds like munchkin logic.

  1. It seems pretty obvious to me that most of the Hero designs, especially the newer ones, explicitly include the capabilities and limitations of their Class. Kong is a fantastic example: he’s supposed to have this big weakness to direct damage. He’s intentionally in a Class that limits your ability fix that weakness. I can’t see a designer turning around and saying “but the heck with my design, do whatever you like!”. Defeats the purpose, as it were.
  2. Never mind the OP, here’s the HOMOGENITY! These Talent Grids already have a META on a per-Hero basis. If any Hero could be given any stat, it would increase the tendency of all stats towards an optimum, greatly reducing the differences between Heroes.

But if it’s any consolation, I think you might be onto something here. It sounds like a good idea. Maybe work it a bit?

:-1:

While I appreciate a patronizing as much as the next guy, I don’t really understand your non-munchkin logic here.

  1. You seem concerned about designers’ feelings at a time when buffing and nerfing is clearly \the norm.
  2. My idea literally defies homogeneity.

While currently, people can choose between three different predefined paths, in the grand scheme of things the end results are rarely significantly different from each other. Nevertheless, the new emblem changes coming tomorrow are clearly meant to make the process more fluid and less painful. Soon, stripping and straping emblems will be a great pastime. So, why not take it a step further and give them a free hand?

Also, let’s not forget that most players here don’t have every hero. Many of my friends complain they have plenty of mats but no good heroes to ascend. So why not have the option to add 10 attack nodes to Thorne and turn a +15 Thorne to a great offensive hero with 790 attack, 790 defense, and 1340 HP, if that’s what you need? Or otherwise, why not go all defense and health if you need a tank instead, and turn him to a 640 attack, 880 defense, and 1520 HP hero? How’s this homogeneity?