Some of the rewarding times was finding that armor/weapon and tweaking your future stats so you can use it knowing if you concentrate in that area you might be SOL later. I guess based on level might have a similar goal, but I'll need to wait and see.
To me the biggest change, outside of possibly paying for B-net, was the removal of the health potions. Some of the most memorable times was stocking up on potions and fighting a major boss. If they don't have potions, or belts, how do they expect people to replenish life? I'm guessing every few hits that boss will expel health?
I'm guessing to nerf it even further blizzard will respawn you in town when you die with all your equiped items. Being placed in that possition was a B*tch I agree, but after you recovered your items you couldn't help but laugh about it. I don't think I'm only one to receive a call from a few buddies in a panick because all of his crap was left in some dungeon and he couldn't get past the minions. What made it more entertaining was during your aid you die as well so it ends up some type of joint effort to lead most of the guys off while the other guys gets his stuff.
Crap.. Just read this at Shacknews. I hate being right in some cases.
http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=1024
. Gameplay
*Attributes such as Strength and Intelligence are currently leveled automatically. Blizzard hopes this will place even more of an emphasis on equipment and talents. It also frees up the developers to plan for specific class builds.
*All classes now have significant DPS capability.
*A skill respec system is planned, but has not been detailed.
*Checkpoints have been added to dungeons.
*Players that die have the option of using a Vial of Resurrection or spawning at the last checkpoint, with full gear and items, and a sliver of health. No more fighting back to your corpse.
*Killing a large number of monsters in a row can earn players extra experience bonuses.
*The waypoint system will return, and will now feature an option to teleport to any nearby player.
*A world map will be used in conjunction with the waypoint system