The skill system is a work in progress. The December build had no level locks and only skill locks (if that).
Ahh, I had no idea that this alpha really was this early on. Fascinating.
A large number of RPG's have skills of different power that require you to increase your level before you can use them. I'd go so far as to call it the normal standard.
You're thinking of the ARPG standard (Diablo, Torchlight) where level unlocks skill tiers. DoS obviously doesn't have this, and isn't an ARPG. And before you think it: DoS doesn't have tiered skills
at all, nor does it have a D&D feat system where perks are chained to level requirements (as well as tiered skills, but let's keep this simple)*.
Basically, the skill system is horizontal, and the perk system is unconnected to skills,
which is no issue, but you're thinking about it in the wrong manner, from a balance perspective.
Which is why I referenced Risen, not a couple of other RPGs, because the skill system is comparable. I'm fairly sure a few of Larian's dev team will understand immediately.
Rough translation: I'm
very aware of the meta-mechanics of RPGs, and how DoS is doing it, and I'm
very aware that DoS is basically RPG-light at this point. I'm being
relatively polite about the lack of depth, however I'm not interested in a discussion about the meta-meta-level, just what's on the plate in front of me.
Which, at this point, is fairly unappetising, I'm sorry to say.
Lions, Tigers & Bears.
*Heck, even Exile chained perks to skill requirements, but there we go; I'm working with what is in front of me, not what could be.
