What's the point of classes if you can use any skill and weapon?

[Charlemagne]

I'm on my second character and i don't see the point of classes. Ascendancies are pretty underwhelming and i didn't even bother doing the third one. What am i missing?

Wouldn't a classless system with character customization be a better experience?

[p00se2]

what lvl are your characters ?

[wulfster42]

Classes affect your start points so have a decent affect on your first nodes and total passive skill tree, which basically makes up your character build.

Also they determine the ascension you can take, and that can make a really big difference.

Outside of that every class/start point and ascension can use any weapon or spell in the game, and sometimes you are better off with a different class/ascension then the skills associated with that weapon type state.

Also no character has to choose just 1 weapon/spell etc. You can use a 2 handed mace in one weapon setup and a quarterstaff in the other. It's often best to combo with the same base type of attack (spell/melee/ranged) just so all the nodes you take work on everything, but you don't even have to follow that rule.

A melee character (say a 2 handed mace user) can work just fine with a bow or xbow in the other weapon slot. In fact, 2 handed maces are not great at freezing stuff. Bows are GREAT at freezing stuff, and both get boosted by attack damage nodes. So focus on attack speed, attack damage, critical hit etc and you boost both your melee and ranged attacks...and have a ton of versatility. Freeze an enemy/group from a distance with ice shot and ice salvo, or freeze them all up close with ice escape....and them HULK SMASH em with leap slam and perfect strike etc after they are frozen.

Works great, I know, I've done it.

I personally prefer Mace/staff (ice strike works great and bell is amazing with mace attacks)....but hey, whatever you wanna do, go for it. You can make it work.

Mace/spell works, mace/Minion works GREAT, Bow spell also works quite well (bow minion is a bit insanely powerful)......it all works.

Your class and ascension are just part of your build, but yes, they definately make a big difference.

[Charlemagne]

Originally posted by p00se2:

what lvl are your characters ?

I'm around 70 with my Mercenary and around 20 with my Sorceress

[Charlemagne]

Originally posted by wulfster42:

Classes affect your start points so have a decent affect on your first nodes and total passive skill tree, which basically makes up your character build.

Also they determine the ascension you can take, and that can make a really big difference.

Outside of that every class/start point and ascension can use any weapon or spell in the game, and sometimes you are better off with a different class/ascension then the skills associated with that weapon type state.

Also no character has to choose just 1 weapon/spell etc. You can use a 2 handed mace in one weapon setup and a quarterstaff in the other. It's often best to combo with the same base type of attack (spell/melee/ranged) just so all the nodes you take work on everything, but you don't even have to follow that rule.

A melee character (say a 2 handed mace user) can work just fine with a bow or xbow in the other weapon slot. In fact, 2 handed maces are not great at freezing stuff. Bows are GREAT at freezing stuff, and both get boosted by attack damage nodes. So focus on attack speed, attack damage, critical hit etc and you boost both your melee and ranged attacks...and have a ton of versatility. Freeze an enemy/group from a distance with ice shot and ice salvo, or freeze them all up close with ice escape....and them HULK SMASH em with leap slam and perfect strike etc after they are frozen.

Works great, I know, I've done it.

I personally prefer Mace/staff (ice strike works great and bell is amazing with mace attacks)....but hey, whatever you wanna do, go for it. You can make it work.

Mace/spell works, mace/Minion works GREAT, Bow spell also works quite well (bow minion is a bit insanely powerful)......it all works.

Your class and ascension are just part of your build, but yes, they definately make a big difference.

I feel like playing as a witch and using a mace, for example, feels really wrong and breaks immersion, but in a classless system you wouldn't feel like you need to roleplay your class

[wulfster42]

I mean a blood mage mace using crit focuses witch would work pretty freaking well, and I mean, maces create ALOT of blood, so it's kinda in theme:)

Not like you couldn't/wouldn't use minions along with it......and very effectively. The theme is what you make it:)

You can make anything work with enough imagination:)

I have a minion focused titan lol.....why not a mace focused witch?

Honestly blood mage is one of the best options for defense with melee weapons. 410 a pop blood orbs that drop at least every 2 seconds...and double your maximum health...works GREAT with melee:)

Works great with everything...but def works great with melee. One of the easist setups to face tank with:)

[DM]

Originally posted by Charlemagne:

I'm on my second character and i don't see the point of classes. Ascendancies are pretty underwhelming and i didn't even bother doing the third one. What am i missing?

Wouldn't a classless system with character customization be a better experience?

The classes start at different parts of the passive tree. Thats always been the point in PoE games, and the classes have Ascendencies. Pick the wrong class for your playstyle and it will fail in the late game. Pick the correct one though, and they will be even more powerful when you Ascend.

[wulfster42]

Originally posted by Powerwank3000:

Originally posted by Charlemagne:

I'm on my second character and i don't see the point of classes. Ascendancies are pretty underwhelming and i didn't even bother doing the third one. What am i missing?

Wouldn't a classless system with character customization be a better experience?

The classes start at different parts of the passive tree. Thats always been the point in PoE games, and the classes have Ascendencies. Pick the wrong class for your playstyle and it will fail in the late game. Pick the correct one though, and they will be even more powerful when you Ascend.

I'm not sure why, but I feel like you are trying to temp us to the dark side for some reason.

More powerful then you can imagine!! Muahahahha (you run a lightning/shock build don't you?)