I really don't follow how Paragon levels makes levelling a secondary or tertiary character feel prohibitive. In fact, if you actually consider the benefits stemming from Paragon levels, the difference between a 60 (0) and a 60 (100) character is hardly game-breaking, in my opinion. We're talking 300 main-stat, 200 vitality and 100 to secondary stats - the equivalent to roughly one gear slot. Of course there's the fact that being Paragon level 100 with 5 stacks of Nephalem Valor renders Magic Find and Gold Find on your gear obsolete, but reaching Paragon level 50 has you at a 150% passive, meaning you can cover 150% from gear and be maxxed with 5 stacks of Nephalem Valor, and Paragon level 50 is less than a quarter of the total grind to 100. That 150% from gear is, in my experience, really not that hard to cover between your character and a follower playing the part of an MF mule.
I'm only Paragon level 80 at the moment, which puts me about halfway to 100. I've never once felt like the game would be over once I reached 100, or that my character will unlock it's potential once that happens (and only then!) - rather, I like having something that I'm passively working towards, while slaughtering masses of demons hoping against all odds that I'll hit the virtual jackpot. I can finish a session not really having found any amazing loot, but still feeling like I've progressed some, and for that reason alone I think the Paragon system is a good addition to the game. Meanwhile, I'm considering rolling some of the other classes (I've only ever played the Monk), not necessarily a reroll but more to see what they're like. That was never even on my radar until they implemented Monster Power and what they're doing to significantly increase the appeal from levelling on the higher MP levels in terms of XP gain in patch 1.0.7; prior to this I dreaded the thought of having to slog through the bullshit Normal->Hell difficulties in their original state and pace.
I loved D2, but I for one hated having my time invested into a character be rendered null and void, simply because I misspent a skillpoint or two along the way. I much prefer being able to change my skills on the fly in D3, however I wouldn't mind being presented with a few choices along the way that stuck with the character and perhaps specialized it slightly - just as long as those choices are not the difference between my character being facemeltingly amazing or complete dogshit and destined for a reroll. I get that some enjoy planning their character as many steps ahead as possible, but a system that means you're more or less perpetually screwed unless you employ spreadsheets or research your shit before even logging into the game, when you'd rather just jump in and kill shit, is a flawed system to me.
I'm only Paragon level 80 at the moment, which puts me about halfway to 100. I've never once felt like the game would be over once I reached 100, or that my character will unlock it's potential once that happens (and only then!) - rather, I like having something that I'm passively working towards, while slaughtering masses of demons hoping against all odds that I'll hit the virtual jackpot. I can finish a session not really having found any amazing loot, but still feeling like I've progressed some, and for that reason alone I think the Paragon system is a good addition to the game. Meanwhile, I'm considering rolling some of the other classes (I've only ever played the Monk), not necessarily a reroll but more to see what they're like. That was never even on my radar until they implemented Monster Power and what they're doing to significantly increase the appeal from levelling on the higher MP levels in terms of XP gain in patch 1.0.7; prior to this I dreaded the thought of having to slog through the bullshit Normal->Hell difficulties in their original state and pace.
I loved D2, but I for one hated having my time invested into a character be rendered null and void, simply because I misspent a skillpoint or two along the way. I much prefer being able to change my skills on the fly in D3, however I wouldn't mind being presented with a few choices along the way that stuck with the character and perhaps specialized it slightly - just as long as those choices are not the difference between my character being facemeltingly amazing or complete dogshit and destined for a reroll. I get that some enjoy planning their character as many steps ahead as possible, but a system that means you're more or less perpetually screwed unless you employ spreadsheets or research your shit before even logging into the game, when you'd rather just jump in and kill shit, is a flawed system to me.
