Basic Math - The Failure of Diablo Melee

[FoxBat]

Here's Jay from 2009:

We changed the health model, so that players don't rely on potions. Instead they can pick up health power-ups from enemies. It doesn't change the basic way the game plays, but it gives it a little bit more depth. You don't have one answer to healing in combat – "I'm in trouble, I hit a potion." Instead, "I'm in trouble, there's a health globe over there, and there's a 20-foot demon standing between me and it." That's a really interesting situation for the player, but it works with the same complexity of interface and gameplay that we had.


...We did put health potions back in, but they play a very different role. You can't spam them like you used to, you can only use them about once a map. The purpose of those is to take the edge off the loss of health. "I don't have health, or I've got half health, do I want to use a health potion, or do I want to risk it? Ooh, I've got 10% health, it's not even a decision." That's a really interesting decision, and it makes potion use a fun part of the game.

I don't think that's quite as true as he stated given the power of some melee heal skill options, but that's the general theory. Orbs are the primary heal, potions are the emergency backup. That's why they have a 30s cooldown and running around on it kinda sucks, they aren't intended to be your main healing source.

I could swear that whites only drop pots when they actually die, in which case kill rate definitely helps. Not sure on bosses, they might have a chance to drop whenever the health falls below certain % thresholds as mentioned.