As you level up is there a reason to go back?

[Ophian]

I'm no newcomer but this question deserves to be in this section.


Pick any class, I'll pick the Wizard class as an example:

As I start my Wizard at level 1 I have Magic Missile as my primary skill and by level 15 Electrocute. Is there any reason that I would want to ever use Magic Missile again as I level up and unlock new Skills? Same question with the Skill Runes - as I level up, any reason I would want to use a lower level Skill Rune?

Or is that the brilliance of the skill system - that one can use any skill and skill rune in conjunction with one another to create different builds?

[RAMailley]

I'm no newcomer but this question deserves to be in this section.


Pick any class, I'll pick the Wizard class as an example:

As I start my Wizard at level 1 I have Magic Missile as my primary skill and by level 15 Electrocute. Is there any reason that I would want to ever use Magic Missile again as I level up and unlock new Skills? Same question with the Skill Runes - as I level up, any reason I would want to use a lower level Skill Rune?

Or is that the brilliance of the skill system - that one can use any skill and skill rune in conjunction with one another to create different builds?

Yes to the latter. There are no 'lower level skills' per se. They do unlock at different levels, but magic missile is not worse than electrocute, and electrocute is not worse than blizzard (I don't know the order in which they actually unlock). It's going to be up to you to decide what you want to keep for your build. You only have a limited number of slots, so stacking all 'basic' damage spells doesn't really make sense. You're going to want some spells for damage, some for control, some for defence. And you're going to want to rune them appropriately, without regard for what order they were unlocked in.

[snowieken]

Indeed, mainly because skill DPS is directly based on weapon DPS, every skill is in theory viable to use in end-game. Same with runes, while they are unlocked at set levels, a new rune does not mean that it is necessarily better than the previous one. It's just a different choice, and you can base your choice on the gear you have, the combination with the other skills you are using, and basically your own flavour.

[Neinball]

As the others have said all skills will have the potential to fit into your build. There are some considerations though.
Even though all skills can be useful they are by no means equal. Arcane Orbs is far superior to Magic Missile in almost every regard, dmg, aoe, etc. but Missile costs nothing and can actually be runed to give back arcane power. The proper layout of your skills is going to look for combos that compliment on another. A build that focuses heavily on big spenders like Arcane Orb is most likely going to want a signature spell to quickily recharge their AP to continue killing as opposed to loading up other high costs skills.

Also, going back to your original question, the only thing I can see that you'll never go back to is the unruned versions of skills or your basic attack. Those you'll most likely never use once you level up (if you ever used your basic attack at all)

[MaStAViC]

This thread and the replies posted here are very useful for new players. I was going to ask this very question myself.

Thanks!
Masta Vic

[Felix]

It is part of Blizzards attempt to open up a plethora (+1 for saying plethora) of different builds. So if you in endgame feel like your build could use a single target long range attack then you pick magic missile, and a rune you feel is the right one for the job.

[The Rockman]

^ you will want to go back to earlier skills this is seen by lvl 6 as you start out with 1 basic attack skill, that cost nothing or next to nothing.
Then at lvl 3 you get your next basic attack skill so your likely to switch to this. Then at lvl 6 you get your first rune upgrade for your first skill and so your switch back to first skill with the rune added. <- Depending on class and your play style you might not like unrune lvl 3 skill so you would switch back after trying it out for a few secs.

Any way no skill will be massively more powerful than an other in the same grouping due to damage being a % of your weapon damage.
Note CC skills tend to do less overall damage or cost more resources than pure damage skills. AOE will have either a CD or higher cost then a similar non AOE skill.