Modulur sproitz?

In ye olden days how did dinosaurs change equipment on sprites in vidya like Diablo, Baldur's etc.?

Was that done by modular spriting? Or did they use a shitload of fixed ones? Either way seems cumbersome as fuck. Is it even viable to use sprites today effortwize? Or do indie developers just use 'em to be retro?

yes

no

Modulür sploitzen fur der Aufdenwitzekompüterprogramm

%░████▀▀▒▒▒▒▒░░░░▄▄▄▄▒▒▒▀▀███████░░
%░░██▒▒▄▄▒░░░░▒▒▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▀▀██▌░
%░░█▌▄▀▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▄▄▄▄▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▐▒█▐░
%░░▀▌▒▒▒▄▄▄▒▒▒▒▒▀▄▄█▀▒▒░▒▒▒▒▒▐▒▐▒█░
%░░░▐▒▄▀██▄▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░░░░▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▌▒█░
%░░░▐▒▒▒▒▒▒▐▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▄▀█░
%░░░▐▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▒▒▒▒▀▄░░░▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▐██░
%░░░░▌▒▒▒▒▐▒▒▒▒▄▄▀░░░░▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▌▒█░
%░░░░▐▒▒▒▒▒▀▀▒▀▒▄▄▄▄░▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░███░
%░░░░░▌▒▒▒▄█▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀█▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒░▀▐██░
%░░░░░▐▒▒▒█▒▀████▀▀▒▐▌▒▒▒▒▒░▄▒▒▐░░░
%░░░░░░▐▒▒▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▐▒▒▒▒▄▒▒▒▄▐░░░
%░░░░░░▀▌▒▐▌▐▌▀▌▀▌▀▌▀▌▐▀▀▌▒▐▐▌▌▌▌░░
%░░░░░░░█▒▐▒▐▌▒▌▄▌▐▌▄▒▐▌▄▌▒█▌█▒▒▐░░
%░░░░░░░▐▌▌▒▐▌▒▌▒▒▐▌▒▄▐▌▀▄▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▀▄
%░░░░░░░░▀▒▐▀▀▒▀▒▒▀▀▀▀▒▀▒▀▀▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
%YOU'LL COWARDS DON'T EVEN SMOKE CRACK
%POST lN 3 THREADS OR YOU'LL COWARD