The community has been puzzled by the itemization in Diablo 4, particularly the data behind Item Power. Players have discovered that it doesn't make sense. Progressing in the game is centered around World Tiers, and completing the campaign grants access to higher difficulty levels in the endgame, which is further restricted by a Capstone Dungeon. Interestingly, the items that drop for fresh Diablo 4 characters in the endgame have the same potential for exceptional rolls as those that drop for experienced players.
Item Power determines the range of a item's base damage or armor, as well as the range of its stat rolls. It is divided into seven tiers of power, with the final tier solely increasing the base attributes. On paper, this system allows Diablo 4 to scale item strength based on the player's level, generating loot that matches their power. However, in practice, many fans of Diablo 4 have discovered numerous flaws and opportunities for exploitation within this system.
The Redditor known as internetpillows provided a detailed analysis of Item Power in Diablo 4, addressing the concerns players had about its imbalance. Currently, the level requirements for items dropped in the game are solely determined by a player's current level and are not related to their Item Power. This means that even players as low as Level 45, who have just started exploring World Tier 3 dungeons, can obtain some of the best items available in the game. Interestingly, as a character's level increases, the value of their loot decreases, making it less useful for trading or starting a new character.
To address these issues, internetpillows suggests a multi-pronged solution that targets the major flaws in the current system. By linking level requirements to specific Item Power tiers, players can experience a more satisfying and linear progression as they advance through the higher World Tiers. Introducing more granularity to the system will ensure a smoother journey for characters reaching Diablo 4's endgame. Additionally, capping the Item Power to match the level of the monster that dropped it will prevent players from bypassing equipment tiers. Lastly, the ability for Aspects to rescale to the imprinted item, regardless of whether it is a flat number or percentage-based Legendary Aspect, will bridge the gap between these two types of bonuses in Diablo 4.
Diablo 4 players have reported obtaining impressive gear early on in their endgame grind, raising concerns about the game's world scaling. Many fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the leveling system, finding it to be punishing. While Blizzard has committed to addressing these issues with priority fixes for Season 2, the community eagerly anticipates improved scaling in the future. Diablo 4 is currently playable on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.