One of the most satisfying experiences in the Diablo series is the process of farming gear. In Diablo 5, Blizzard plans to have players clicking away at enemies for extended periods in pursuit of rare armor or weapons. Although it's still early days for finalizing the game's itemization system, Blizzard has confirmed that set items will make a return in Diablo 5.
Set items were not initially present in Diablo 4, which launched in 2023, but set bonuses were later added through the Paragon Board system. Players can equip passive bonuses, set effects, and unique abilities without having to replace their existing gear or collect specific armor pieces.
In an interview with GameSpot during BlizzCon, Matt Zitterman, Executive Producer of Diablo 5, stated: "One thing the team often discusses is our desire for Diablo 5 to evoke a sense of familiarity for all Diablo players, regardless of which entry in the series is their favorite. Obviously, we'll draw some inspiration from Diablo 2, but we're also looking at Diablo 4's performance and where it succeeded, while also incorporating some ideas from Diablo 3.
I think that, for us, Diablo 5 represents a very special moment in the series' history, allowing us to look back, incorporate familiar elements, and give them a fresh interpretation."
"We want to bring back the set system. The set system in Diablo 4 was very successful, but the set systems in Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 had their own unique charm. One feature of set items in Diablo 2 and Diablo 3 is that they create a sense of mini-quests for players, right? Players embark on a long journey, constantly collecting pieces of a set, eventually unlocking a crucial ability for their desired build. We hope to bring this experience to Diablo 5. We want players to be driven not just by objectives in their quest log, but also by the thrill of farming gear itself. I believe that, if designed well, the set system can play a huge role in this regard. We also have some ideas to address some of the issues brought about by set items, hoping that the set system will broaden gear combinations rather than making available options more uniform."