[i]pulling into focus the depth of D2's current armor system[/i] In order from more dynamic to less: mods, the seasonal artifact, Light-Level, Energy, Perks, stat distribution, and corresponding bodypart (head/chest/arms/leg/class item) are what functionally distinguish different pieces of armor. Mods can be slotted in for stats, bodypart-specific bonuses, and location-exclusive benefits (raids/nightmare hunts/dreaming city). The seasonal artifact can offer unique mods and/or augment current mods. Although initially randomized, all armors' Light Level and Energy can be raised to the set cap/masterworked. Armor Perks can be exotic, grant additional mod slots, or amplify reputation accrual. Stat distribution/bodypart is generated upon armor drop and cannot be influenced afterwards. Running parallel to all of this is the Armor Charge system. Introducing new armor bodyparts that are highly-visible (ie: shoulders, feet, waist) is unlikely since that would place a considerable workload on the art/graphics teams in terms of separating those parts from current designs and allowing new parts to 'fit' over top of everything made prior. Something small like jewelry might work. An easy way of sidestepping that issue would be a novel upgrade/infusion/enhance/'Masterwork+' system. Provided the devs want extant armors to remain relevant, the gear our characters already own would be compatible with this upgrade process. Armor could gain experience, learn abilities from defeated foes, or inherit their traits after the guardian finishes collecting all 7 Dragonballz and performs the lengthy Wish/Worm Ritual/DNADigivolution.

Been playing tf out of eso and loving the whole bonus if you use a full set of armor class and if you use a certain number of armor you get specific set bonus’s on top of that that all stack because being powerful should feel good and the player should be rewarded for putting time into the game unlike Bungie. Granted elder scrolls online is a real mmo and doesn’t care if people melt through bosses since they will just make the next expansion boss/activity even harder unlike Bungie. Bungie will just nerf everything we do and say doing what they have done for the past 30 years is hard and jack prices up and give nothing I return and then fire a ton of people on the flip of a coin and then be a nominee for best community support because why not at this point lol 😂

It does seem like the game could go in that kind of direction. It would be really cool to lean more into synergizing things so you could get that little extra dopamine hit from what you built and could anticipate. Or be surprised by. The build crafting stuff has certainly been successful enough that people are going to be expecting it to keep evolving, even if some things might not be able to be as over the top in pvp.