Mixed feelings about this.
IMC is trying to fight meta, but meta will always be a thing. Even with the new system, you’ll still have defacto AoE/DPS builds and support builds and people who don’t follow suit are left behind. The new system don’t really change that, since taking Wiz into mind, why pick someone with mixed classes rather than “pure” built classes?
Nothing will really change here, except things possibly not being built as much around the last circles, and people who like lower circles and them being more competitive may be a thing. But you’ll still have the meta rise and community “expectations” that follow suit, that much is certain. But for pure builds(Wiz-Ele-Warlock), now they can generally get 1 class more out of this change. Others however that only picked 1 circle of a couple, perhaps not as much, and now they’re forced to pick 3 classes that simply work the best together at their fullest. Customization thus isn’t as great as it was before.
And while IMC talks about hundreds of class combinations, but reality is that there are plenty of classes that only work in certain ways, if for weapon restrictions or other reasons. Take Featherfoot, ever since release, its always generally been paired with Linker, because its pretty garbage otherwise. With the current system no one really would go Cryo-Sorc-Featherfoot, and with the new system, that won’t change. People will still “lol” at the thought, and then pick up that juicy now with the new system, Linker-Thauma-Cryo instead that applied, or something.
But as far as my build goes, Im Wiz2-Link3-Sorc1-FF1-SM2(still screwing around with my last circle, not feeling what feels good there atm). Under the new system I’d practically be Wiz3-Link3-SM3 and then have to pick either FF3 even tho all I want is the bare minimum self-heal and curse debuff, or Sorc3, even tho the tasty cat buff and glorified offhand damage the pet is. I don’t want to commit with either since they don’t offer enough to warrant me going them. Now I simply have to pick something that gives more bang for the buck as a full class rather than a partial circle: that isn’t more class diversity/freedom, its less.
Can’t say I’m a fan of the removal of player choice for stat distribution either, nor magic now having the ability to miss and being reliant on accuracy. I rather would see them remove accuracy/evasion entirely since it have no place in an ARPG anyway which ToS practically is. When 280 was the cap, having mobs randomly resist abilities wasn’t fun, it was frustrating as hell, specially for classes that are built around setting skillchains up and are severely handicapped when that happens.
But I’ll keep an eye on developments. Worst thing that can happen is that I don’t like the way things turn out and that’s that.