What's the difference between Champion and Uniques?

[sicilian]

So, forgive me if I'm missing something really obvious, but I'm not really seeing a difference in the D3 beta between the champion packs (blues) and random uniques (yellow) + their minions.

The uniques have the one big guy, and his minions, all of whom have the effect of whatever mod they are spawned with (Nightmarish, Frozen, etc). The minions don't drop a lot better loot than a normal monster, and the unique himself drops a few blues and a lot of gold.

The champions are all the same, but they all have the same effect, and if there are five of them the first four drop pretty average loot, with only the LAST one killed dropping... a few blues and a lot of gold.

The only difference I can really see is that you get one super strong monster and four slightly above average ones vs. five somewhere between the two strengths. As far as reward potential, they seem identical.

In D2, the uniques acted very much the same as they do now, but the champions were all going to drop probably one blue and potions. Why not have the champion packs drop better loot individually, just not up to the level that the big unique would? Why make only the last guy drop all the goodies?

Again, I'm probably missing something, and it's not a big deal, just curious what everyone's thoughts are on it.

[Urzuxo]

I don't think you're missing anything. The point of having both uniques and champions is probably because they offer a different playstyle (1 strong with several weaker VS 4 quite strong) but you probably already figured that out. As for the last champion only dropping loot, I think it's because Blizzard wants us to view them as a pack rather than individual champions. If that's such a big deal, I don't think, but I like the D3 champions opposed to the D2 champions.

[sicilian]

I guess that's it then. It just seems odd to me because I approach both types exactly the same and get almost exactly the same reward. Seems redundant.

[Such Violent Storms]

Even D2 had the same naming, where they were called "Champion," "Rare," "Uniques," "Super Unique," "Special," and others almost interchangeably. It can get confusing.

[Naviaras]

I could imagine that they will play very differently at higher difficulties. The difference between a lv 1 monster and a lv 7 isn't that much.

[arindred]

Yes, I think it'd be a rather interesting combo at inferno difficulty the strategies going about fighting champion packs vs. uniques...the loot is the same, but the fighting style would be drastically different I'd imagine (for the unique + minions you'd probably focus down the minions first, then focus on the unique).

[sicilian]

I could imagine that they will play very differently at higher difficulties. The difference between a lv 1 monster and a lv 7 isn't that much.

Yes, I think it'd be a rather interesting combo at inferno difficulty the strategies going about fighting champion packs vs. uniques...the loot is the same, but the fighting style would be drastically different I'd imagine (for the unique + minions you'd probably focus down the minions first, then focus on the unique).

This is something I hadn't really considered. The difference in approach in the first ten levels of the game aren't really noticeable, but when you're talking level 60+ they may become more apparent.

[tvc]

What also have to be taken into consideration is that, if im not mistaken, some championpacks will have champion-only skills. The only one i know of is the "chained" one but im not sure thats the name. The thought of that one was that all the champs are connected and if you deal 400 dmg to one of them everybody will take 100 dmg each. Cant see that modification work on uniq monster with minions.

Dunno if that one is still in the game but they have been talking about it.

Also, you guys know if a rarespawn and minions can have "illusion"? It was in the early beta but i can only remember it from champs.

[Abazur]

What also have to be taken into consideration is that, if im not mistaken, some championpacks will have champion-only skills. The only one i know of is the "chained" one but im not sure thats the name. The thought of that one was that all the champs are connected and if you deal 400 dmg to one of them everybody will take 100 dmg each. Cant see that modification work on uniq monster with minions.

Dunno if that one is still in the game but they have been talking about it.

Also, you guys know if a rarespawn and minions can have "illusion"? It was in the early beta but i can only remember it from champs.

I guess you mean "linked" where the champions share a giant healthpool. Another Unique specific mod is "immortal minions" where you can't hurt the minions until the unique goes down

[tvc]

I guess you mean "linked" where the champions share a giant healthpool. Another Unique specific mod is "immortal minions" where you can't hurt the minions until the unique goes down

Cool man. Did not know that