Having Shroud for breakfast, some quick question.

[Morningfrost]

This morning I joined a Shroud run. I was going to write a long post but I'll skip and just put it my questions. This was my 8th completion and was harder than the former runs.

1. I tried anarchic handwrpas for portals. I was still getting yellow numbers, so I switched back to my usual GCB, which are probably better anyway. But, doesn't anarchic bypass DR?
   
2. Some leader want melees to pull out of blades, some doesn't. But there is already another thread about it - let's skip this.
3. Weapons for the Pit Fiend. So far, my best options are:
   
   • GEOB handwraps - I have also Holy Burst of Pure Good which is still 3d6;
   • This kama combo: metalline of pure good/Holy Burst of GEOB (sweeet).

This group was really low on DPS (3 out of 4 rangers were using bows, I was surprised but there are a lot of thing I still have to learn), and I can't tell what is better.

Unarmed combat is faster, crits more often and I have the impression that it is better, at least on normal difficulty. However, the constant 5d6 of the second kama (main hand, actually) sounds better. Any advice?

[sirgog]

Answers in yellow.

This morning I joined a Shroud run. I was going to write a long post but I'll skip and just put it my questions. This was my 8th completion and was harder than the former runs.

1. I tried anarchic handwrpas for portals. I was still getting yellow numbers, so I switched back to my usual GCB, which are probably better anyway. But, doesn't anarchic bypass DR?
   
   Nothing beats Portal DR (although Anarchic deals extra damage). GCB is superior (average 14.5 damage compared to Anarchic's 7).
   
2. Some leader want melees to pull out of blades, some doesn't. But there is already another thread about it - let's skip this.
   
   Group leader's call. If completion is uncertain (due to a weak group or extreme lag), I'd say always pull out. Elite, ALWAYS pull out (the few groups that don't need to know who they are).
   
3. Weapons for the Pit Fiend. So far, my best options are:
   
   • GEOB handwraps - I have also Holy Burst of Pure Good which is still 3d6;
   • This kama combo: metalline of pure good/Holy Burst of GEOB (sweeet).

This group was really low on DPS (3 out of 4 rangers were using bows, I was surprised but there are a lot of thing I still have to learn), and I can't tell what is better.

Unarmed combat is faster, crits more often and I have the impression that it is better, at least on normal difficulty. However, the constant 5d6 of the second kama (main hand, actually) sounds better. Any advice?

Beating DR is worth 15 damage per hit (on Normal). GEOB is worth 14.5, Pure Good 3.5 and Holy Burst (on a 20/x2 crit) is worth about 7.6 (8.1 with Improved Crit).

If your GEOB wraps are +5 they may be the best option, if they are +1's then the kamas are probably ahead, a Monk expert should answer that though.