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I own the base game of Diablo 3. I didn't really like the "post-Inferno" content of the game, so I stopped playing shortly after I curb-stomped the final boss for the n-th time.

I understand now that a lot of things have changed in the base game. There's also an expansion. I don't plan to purchase the expansion, but some of these changes sound like they could make the game more fun for me.

I can guess that probably the new character and act are expansion-only content. I know I'm probably "doing it wrong", but if I go back and play now, what else will I be missing out on if I don't have the expansion?

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    Besides a ton of grinding? =p
    – Elva
    Mar 27, 2014 at 13:52
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    imo if you plan to play diablo 3 at all, then its worth getting the expansion.
    – l I
    Mar 27, 2014 at 14:08
  • I was the same, before a friend convinced me to play again. After seeing the changes that 2.0 brought to the base game, I knew I had to get the expansion.
    – Parrotmaster
    Mar 27, 2014 at 14:32

4 Answers 4

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Here are things the expansion added that you won't be able to do if you don't purchase it:

  • The Crusader class. You will be limited to the same 5 classes that originally launched.
  • Act 5. The story will end with Diablo.
  • Level 70. You will not be able to get past level 60. This means you will also not be able to get artisans higher than level 10.
  • Adventure Mode. You will be limited to the story mode. You will not be able to do bounties or Nephalem Rifts.
  • Blood Shards. You cannot collect blood shards or gamble.
  • New Gems: Imperial gems and higher can be dropped / combined only with the expansion. This also implies you can and will have to increase your Jeweler and Blacksmith artisan level to 12.
  • New Legendary items: Some new legendary items will only drop on level 70. And some even only on Torment difficulty.

Note that you will see references to all of these things in the game, but you will just not be able to select them.

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  • 8
    In regards to the Mystic, she also allows you to pick one (1) stat on an item and re-roll it within a range of possibilities. For example, "Monster Kills Grant +X Experience" can't re-roll into "Socket (1)", but can probably re-roll into "Level Requirement -X"
    – Adam Smith
    Mar 27, 2014 at 15:26
  • So basically if you don't buy the expansion then you will lose out on atleast 1 million mouse clicks extra?
    – Lyrion
    Mar 28, 2014 at 7:35
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    @Lyrion: Imagine how much mouse clicks you would lose not playing diablo at all!
    – PlasmaHH
    Mar 28, 2014 at 11:49
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To put it another way, if you come back to D3 without the expansion, these are the things that you will get:

  • The new loot system, which may or may not benefit you depending on how well-geared your existing characters are.
  • The new Paragon level system.
  • Modifications to many skills & runes, some of them substantial - but no brand new skills (they are all learnable at lvl 61).
  • A few new events, including "cursed chests".
  • A number of revised boss fights.

I don't know whether you were primarily a solo or multiplayer player, but playing multiplayer might be difficult as your companions might want to do content that you did not have access to.

Of course, since you already own the base game, the only thing that trying it out costs you is some time and disk space :-)

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  • Have an upvote for a positive answer.
    – Neon1024
    Apr 3, 2014 at 10:41
  • Realize it's been a year since this was answered but cursed chests are available in "normal" D3 (now). Saw one last week.
    – joedragons
    Sep 8, 2015 at 20:43
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Things I think about regarding to what your missing playing diablo 3 without reaper of souls

  1. Grinding for slightly better level 60 items is less rewarding too most people.
  2. You can't give items sockets to awesome legend weapons on normal.
  3. Dealing with they have better gear, crusaders you play with will have better gems as the top are freely dropped endlessly so their power level is almost always going to overpower your dps, as well as level 61-70 gear with -21 level needed it use it.
  4. The game is easier with level 70 items when doing torment, which could be blessing and more relaxing doing end game content.
  5. Missing out on new content, and maybe even more content if they do act 6, bonus end game content, or auction house rework. you will likely miss out on good updates as blizzard wants your money, and will focus more on exp pack fun and not normal diablo 3 as a stand alone.
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Think of your question like this.

"What will I miss out on if I play Diablo 2 without Lord of Destruction?"

Just as Diablo 2's expansion greatly "expanded" upon the "Diablo 2 experience" by adding new monsters, a new act, new classes, new ways to craft items.

Diablo 3's Reaper of Souls expansion is similar in this regard by greatly improving over the base Diablo 3 experience.

If you play Diablo 3 enough, then the expansion is worthwhile to get the "definitive" experience out of the game.

The higher level caps, higher artisan / crafting levels, new legendaries, The Mystic and Transmogrification, adventure mode are changes that you won't ever experience in standard Diablo 3.

Reaper of Souls is MORE then just an extra class and new act.

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