Which Greensteel Guard do you Recommend?

[cdemeritt]

For a fighter (not a tank) hp Item.
Normally I'd go Smoke (not a guard, but permablur), but have a different item for this now...

GS guards are notorious for low proc rates...

I'm torn between:
Radiance (decent Proc)
Freezing Ice
Earthgrab
Lightning Strike
Elemental mastery

Any thoughts about proc rates/value of guard?

[sirgog]

If in doubt, go Mineral 2, and ditch your existing heavy fort item. Works for a lot of gear setups.

As for guards - Lightning Storm does the most average damage by a long way, but a few things are immune. Disintegration is second, Corrosive Salt third, and nothing important is immune to either.

Radiance is only really useful in situations where trash attacks you during a boss fight.

[voxson5]

Sirgog knows his stuff, I wholesomely second his ideas.

In addition to the above ideas, have a look into freezing ice guard. I recently put it onto my general DT docent & it procs like crazy in the vale, somewhat in the battleground & decently in the house C quests.

[Auran82]

Earthgrab guard can be decent (and is only single shard as a bonus)

Otherwise something like Trap the Soul Guard can be nice if you don't want pure damage, or even Conc-Op for the temp hp procs.

[Enoach]

While not a top Gaurd - 3x Air is also something to consider, does knockdown (reduces incoming damage) and potentially procs 30 second haste - which is not useful if your always hasted, but for those who like their haste its just a "HIT" away.

[sirgog]

Sirgog knows his stuff, I wholesomely second his ideas.

In addition to the above ideas, have a look into freezing ice guard. I recently put it onto my general DT docent & it procs like crazy in the vale, somewhat in the battleground & decently in the house C quests.

Those 'save or be incapacitated' guards really tail off in power fast once you get into harder content. Most are 5% proc rates for DC 35 saves. That's a lot of failed saves when mobs have saves in the 20s, but very few when they have saves in the 30s.

Trap the Soul is 1%/30. Not recommended, although fun.

[DaSawks]

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=281591&highlight=guard

Best guide I have ever found for guards.

[Hafeal]

In accordance with the guide above, I went Freezing Ice guard when many were doing Lit II (pre-Epic) and I was happy then. I am happy with it now in Epic. I was going for a better proc rate at the time.

That being said, getting a feel for your character and what you like - most of them are still good and will serve you well. If you are into min/max, then check out the guide. Well, check out the guide anyway. :p

[Eladiun]

I'd advise against MinII. The Protection is useless on most builds and the Heavy Fort is slotable all over the place. IMO, it's a waste of scales and a slot. I like LitII guard on my melees.

[ChemE]

I made a Lit2 green steel helm and I am very happy with it.

[sirgog]

I'd advise against MinII. The Protection is useless on most builds and the Heavy Fort is slotable all over the place. IMO, it's a waste of scales and a slot. I like LitII guard on my melees.

Really hard, IMO, to slot Heavy Fort, Good Luck and Toughness on epic items - few gearsets have three blue slots. And even if you have three slots, you can fill the one you would have put Heavy Fort in with something else instead - perhaps +6 to Dex for Reflex saves, or a +1 exceptional stat, or something from the yellow list if it's a green slot.

[cdemeritt]

Really hard, IMO, to slot Heavy Fort, Good Luck and Toughness on epic items - few gearsets have three blue slots. And even if you have three slots, you can fill the one you would have put Heavy Fort in with something else instead - perhaps +6 to Dex for Reflex saves, or a +1 exceptional stat, or something from the yellow list if it's a green slot.

Actually, I slotted Heavy fort onto an epic Ring of the Buccaneer... (so Heavy fort, Prot +5, +2 Good luck, +7 Dex, Underwater Action) Toughness went on my armor...

So Yeah, a Min II, not needed...

Pretty much torn now between disintergrate or Lit II, most likely Disintergrate as it is untyped damage...

[sirgog]

Actually, I slotted Heavy fort onto an epic Ring of the Buccaneer... (so Heavy fort, Prot +5, +2 Good luck, +7 Dex Underwater Action) Toughness went on my armor...

So Yeah, a Min II, not needed...

Pretty much torn now between disintergrate or Lit II, most likely Disintergrate as it is untyped damage...

Are you planning on Epic Boots of Corrosion? That may impact your choice.

[cdemeritt]

Are you planning on Epic Boots of Corrosion? That may impact your choice.

Not at the moment...

Not really planning for any Epic's as there is such a low drop rate... 6 months of running them daily and yet to be able to make 1 item....

[Ravoc-DDO]

Ooze guard ! :D

[twigzz]

Sirgog is spot on. My FvS(GS *****) has trap the soul, lit2 and disintegration guards. Lit2 is by far the best IMO.

[Mellkor]

On my melee FvS I am running air guard, freezing ice guard, earthgrab guard, coc op, as well as 5 or 6 other minor guards. I find these to be very effective even in epics. When fighting 5 or 6 epic mobs at the same time, usually one or two is often affected by one of the 3 "crowd control" guards. It is awesome!

Click on the link in my sig for more detailed info.

-JR

[sirgog]

Not at the moment...

Not really planning for any Epic's as there is such a low drop rate... 6 months of running them daily and yet to be able to make 1 item....

Chrono's nothing like that. 20 runs and you'll have pretty much every shard and seal.

[WruntJunior]

Chrono's nothing like that. 20 runs and you'll have pretty much every shard and seal.

Unless you're like me and you run forever without getting the one shard or seal you need...but you get pretty much every other one. >_< Stupid boots shard never drops for me.

[JakLee7]

I have lots of guards all over my characters, my favorites though are lit2; freezing ice; and rad2; not necessarily in that order. My melee that will take damage usually have lit2 + salt & my casters that take damage have rad2 + conc opps.... my support all have rad2 + others a mish mash of others because freezing has been easy to come by on DT so its often something I will leave because it is very handy when it procs.... but for just pure usefull... its really hard to beat rad2 - you get light damage (which nothing is immune to that I know of) and sometimes blinds stuff (which is not the same as not attacking, but its better than blur). I really recommend rad2 for any build that uses guards.