There has been mention of inserting caps on skills. This would greatly affect PvP and PvM alike. It would be nice to know how both types of players react to this change.

Setting caps on skills is one method of balance. Diminishing returns is also a method for balance.


Having skills cap off at a specific number causes a one build scenario: Hit the caps. Having diminishing returns causes players to find "sweet spots" where they get the majority out of a skill or they can crank it up for that extra (diminished) bonus.



Example of Diminishing Returns.


The intensity of and formula for each skills diminishing returns can be altered and refined to a desired balance.

Example #1) Every two points past 120 would be 1% less effective. For example, the first two skill points above 120 (would be your 121st and 122nd skill points) would only provide 99% of the benefits that they normally would. This would eventually reach 0% so in order to prevent that, make 50% reduction the max that a player can receive. In other words, every point past 220 would be providing the same 50% reduction no matter how high past that the skill is stacked. These are all arbitrary numbers that could/should be altered for greater or lesser diminishing intensity.

Example #2) Blocking the diminishing returns. Every point between 120 and 150 would provide 100% effectiveness from the bonuses that chosen skill provides. Every point between 150 and 200 would provide a diminished 80% effectiveness from the skill point bonuses. 200 to 250 would result in a 60%, and so on and so forth. These values could also be manipulated depending on the goal.

Each skill could have a different formula and intensity.

I think the Diminishing returns may be too complicated;  I think the basic caps would be simple.  I also think having the caps will allow for more varied play styles;  players will have more sockets to play around with and may find interesting combinations.

Sorry, I am quite new here, but please explain me your logical steps of thinking - how could limited amount of skills bring more variety (of PVM/PVP moves) than having everything? Do I miss something?

Sorry, I am quite new here, but please explain me your logical steps of thinking - how could limited amount of skills bring more variety (of PVM/PVP moves) than having everything? Do I miss something?

There's just too many unknowns for me to give an informed opinion on the topic. Will we be able to change our gear to work with the new caps? How about sockets already filled? What about the socket slot itself - will we be able to change that? For some people gear is a daunting task in every way. I just think about having to re-gear (again) and I get sick to my stomach - all the time spent farming money, socket slots, not to mention the ED's and the augments themselves. Having to redo some of the quests to get the base item. There's no way I would even consider doing it again. Uggg...Just not gonna happen. While I like the idea of more playstyles (everyone has an axe/swordsmanship or stacks evel int) how it is implemented has a much greater impact then the actual skill cap. We recently had 2 very prominet members leave the shard - not because they were bored or because they were expoiting but because of changes coming. Without the ability to alter and adapt to the new stuff that's pretty major (this would be a big one) I can say I see even more vets leaving. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

I think the Diminishing returns may be too complicated;

keep in mind though, I could be wrong.

It's not as simple as changing a value in one .cs file, nor is it just changing an entire .cs file.