Since we don't have a dedicated topic about this I'm creating one.
Randomization will completely obliterate item design.
You might have noticed that Larian games tend to have quite a few random items with affixes and suffixes alla ARPGs. These items also tend to scale with your level. And there begins the rollercoaster of problems. It's more of an avalanche really.
Raze pretty much confirmed we are going to get more unique items, both in the EE and 2 over at the Codex, so that's a good starting point. Unique items help with exploration a lot and they can be memorable cornerstones of your adventures if some creativity (lore, set-up, memorable boss etc.) is put into them. They can also be used to plan builds ahead of time on subsequent playthroughs when you know where you can find them. That's good. We also know we are going to get random items. Here comes the problem - the level scaling of said items. I'm going to attempt a slippery slope argument and those are tricky, so bear with me.
a) We care about exploration
b) We care about well-designed and memorable items
c) We care about character progression
d) This is a finite game (i.e. no farming)
1. Level scaling insures all items will have level requirements. This is bad because it railroads character progression and it feels contrived and gamey. They also can't stash high quality items (like Ankheg Plate) in the beginning of the game. They could, but it wouldn't matter.
2. Given enough levels, random items will trump uniques in every possible way. Low level uniques will be trivial and they will only pay lip service to exploration. If they don't have level requirements they would be designed in such a way as to not make random items pointless. I.e. weak. This is a design oxymoron that clashes very badly.
3. If uniques are level scaled then the game actively punishes you for getting them at low levels. I don't think I need to explain why this is bad design.
4. This clash between uniques and level scaled items destroys any kind of coherent itemization and plateau's item-based character progression. You just change the items you have with the "new model" every few levels. This is boring and misses the point of items. We aren't playing Barbie's Dress-up.
The main argument I can think of for pro scaling of items is that it will ensure items for every possible build you can think of. I counter this with crafting. Customizable craft items comparable to uniques can be put in to ensure crafting is not pointless, but they shouldn't be level scaled. Just comparable to uniques. They should have some restriction on the customization bit, though, to not completely nullify uniques, just complement them.
Discuss, I guess? Pick apart my arguments, convince me of my wrongness. I may have missed something and if it comes up in the discussion I'll address it.
