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[[File:Dhf_tier15.jpg|thumb|A Demon Hunter in Tier 15 Sovereign Mail.]][[Gear sets]] (or Armor Sets) is the a term the [[D3 Team]] uses Diablo 3 developers use to refer to describe the different levels tiers of armor found in the game. Unlike {{iw|Armor Diablo 2's armor}}, which repeated the same graphics three times for the Normal, Exceptional, and Elite tiers of equipment, Diablo III3 has 16 different tiers which character work through as they advance in levels, and none of which repeat. (Reaper of Souls added two more tiers at the top end.)

There Gear Sets are 16 gear sets in Diablo III. A "gear set" is not an [[Item SetSets]], a group which are multiple legendary items (usually all from the same tier of themed magical items with interrelated magical Armor Set) that grant special bonuseswhen a character wears them all at once. " Gear set" is just a term the developers use for pieces /Armor sets are distinguished chiefly by their graphic, and by their stats; higher tiers of armor have more Defense, higher tiers of weapons have more damage, etc. There's also a correlation between the possible stats on an item and the same approximate item level's tier, as [[affix]] bonuses increase with higher levels. The lowest level Level 10 monsters drop itemsof a low item tier, for each armor slotwith low stat bonuses, would make up one gear set. These items would be things like cloth armorwhile level 30 monsters drop much higher, plain leather boots and gloves, etcso on.

The quality switch from four difficulty levels to scaling difficulty made in [[D3v2]] had no effect upon Gear Sets. Items were always dropped depending on the level of items found throughout the monster dropping them, and those figures were largely unchanged between [[D3v]] and D3v2. * For all the pre-game focus on Gear Sets, they were hardly noticeable in the final game (over all 4 difficulty levels) will increase gradually, as characters upgrade their gear always used the best items they found, regardless of what tier they came from light cloth to heavy plate and beyond. All armor is themed appropriately for Furthermore, with max level characters wear legendary items, many of which have unique graphics. More [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/reaper-souls-item-sets-illustrated#comments retrospective Gear Set discussion here].  ==Gear Sets Visuals== Small images showing each classin each tier of armor found in Diablo 3 classic. (Reaper of Souls adds two more tiers at the high end, and plus hundreds of legendary items with unique graphics.)* See the [[Gear Sets Gallery]] for larger images of every piece will look different depending on which class or gender wears itand tier of armor. <gallery>File:Armor-sets-01.jpg|Tier 0: NakedFile:Armor-sets-02.jpg|Tier 0.5: Cloth TunicFile:Armor-sets-03.jpg|Tier 1: Leather DoubletFile:Armor-sets-04.jpg|Tier 2: Brigantine CoatFile:Armor-sets-05.jpg|Tier 3: Chain MailFile:Armor-sets-06.jpg|Tier 4: Split CuirassFile:Armor-sets-07.jpg|Tier 5: Plate MailFile:Armor-sets-08.jpg|Tier 6: Stygian HarnessFile:Armor-sets-09.jpg|Tier 7: Etched JacketFile:Armor-sets-10.jpg|Tier 8: Jazeraint MailFile:Armor-sets-11.jpg|Tier 9: Battle ArmorFile:Armor-sets-12.jpg|Tier 10: Boneweave HauberkFile:Armor-sets-13.jpg|Tier 11: Balor ArmorFile:Armor-sets-14.jpg|Tier 12: Astral MailFile:Armor-sets-15.jpg|Tier 13: Warlord PlateFile:Armor-sets-16.jpg|Tier 14: Doom ArmorFile:Armor-sets-17.jpg|Tier 15: Sovereign MailFile:Armor-sets-18.jpg|Tier 16: Archon Armor</gallery>

The During development, the Diablo III team has often stated their desire to avoid the mismatched, "clown suit" armor possible most characters wound up wearing in Diablo II2. They want This was caused in Diablo 2 by a lack of uniform upgrade tiers, and by the different Exceptional and Elite level of items reusing all the same graphics twice more, with a generally flat quality level on Elite gear. Thus elite leather armor was comparable in quality to mesh and blend togetherelite plate mail, while that was very much not the case at least somewhat, in Diablo IIIthe normal or Exceptional quality levels. Thus characters wound up very mismatched and wearing something like split mail chest armor and a leather cap with heavy plate mail chest and shield.

It's known that players Diablo 3 is not repeating the Exceptional/Elite tiers of armor, so characters will have generally wear gear of roughly the same tier, and by the ability to use [[armor dyesend game]] to change , almost all max level characters are in items of just the color scheme of their armorhighest 2 or 3 tiers. After months The scaling difficulty/gear and legendary item system in Diablo 3 and Reaper of confusionSouls reinforces this, since items from say, Bashiok finally confirmed[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-on-item-upgrades-tier 14 or 15 will have much lower stats than items from tier 17 and-18, thus players will almost alwyas upgrade their lower level gear-sets/] that there are indeed 18 different types of every armor item and assume a more unified Armor tier in the game, although at some point that number was reduced to 16their eventual costumes.

Wearing a full kit of matching items from a single tier will give any character * [[Armor dyes]] allow characters to change the sort color of cohesivetheir gear, themed or even make individual items not show up via [[Vanishing Dye]].* [[Transmogrification]] (added in RoS) allows players to change items to look that's seen in the various photos on this page. Wearing pieces like items of armor from different other tiers gives varying aesthetic results, or look like individual legendary items (but only those they have actually found themselves).

In Diablo III, the image seen in the [[Image:Gearicons.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Icons, and gear Paper Doll]] is exactly as the item appears on the character in-game.]]

In Diablo IIIAll classes have their own look for all armor as well, unlike Diablo II, the icons for the items so each tier of gear has a player will wear will match what they look like in-game. The image to the left shows the [[Wizard]]'s [[inventory]] pane open, unique appearance by class and then, to the sidethere are gender differences as well on some items, the actual gear displayed in the gamesuch as chest armor. The icons match up nicely with it, showing precisely what the icon says(Because boobies.)

During the weeks The height of Gear Sets promotion and attention came years before Blizzcon 2010Diablo 3's release. For instance, Blizzard previewed six gear sets, two each for the Barbarian, Witch Doctor, and Wizardin the weeks leading up to Blizzcon 2010. They didn't include much information about Fans loved the sets, but as seldom as new Diablo III visuals are released, fans were quite excited to see and many of the new sets all item looks set off passionate debates amongst the samefansite community.

Each one posted touched off extensive discussion and debate on the pros and cons of A summary, taken from the armor, and there were frequent fanminute-recolorations and modifications of the moreby-controversial aspects of the gear sets (especially the male Wizard's helm). The news posts and a few related follow ups are listed below; click through to relive the delight and argument that these images spurredminute coverage on Diablo. The images themselves are displayed below, with the male and females combined by classIncGamers.com:

In an unexpected turn of events, perhaps based upon fan-feedback, the Wizard's notorious (nefarious?) starfish hat, and his shoulder pads were revealed to have been changed over the course of development, showing that Blizzard does indeed listen to its fans.

 {{BC}}[[category:Controversy]]