HiRez is taking the chance to really play with the Smite item system as the sequel ships, with nearly every aspect of the core mechanic changing—and that includes stats, with buffs and nerfs galore in the alpha.
One of the biggest changes coming in Smite 2 is that items are now using a component-based system; gone are the days of Smite when these battle upgrades were built around a tree-based layout, according to HiRez’s mile-long blog on the topic. Some items will also be marked “Unique”—these can only be bought once.
