Not so epic items

[b3h0ld3r]

I am aware that you have much better things to do than revise the items you already have, but ...

Any idea why epic bramble-casters (desert) is more or less the same the non-epic version than the epic?

Non Epic - (Gloves) Greater Spearblock, Thorn Guard
Epic - (Gloves) Greater Spearblock, Greater Thorn Guard, Empty Yellow Augment Slot

The only difference is the thorn guard (uuuh, 1d6 extra of damage, real useful for epic monsters), and the yellow slot ...

What an epic item!!!

What about, at least, raise that greater spearblock to a "superior" spearblock? Or a special ability to entangle monsters on bushes ... or any kind of guard ...

Have in mind we are talking here of a Raid item, and, these gloves are not easy to get. Do you think anyone would like to farm the items he needs to make it epic? Dont think so ...

Didn't read the definitive list before crafting it ... but so dissapointed after that.

Please, tweak them a little bit more !!!!!

[TheDearLeader]

I think the problem is that they're already a pretty spiffy item. Notice that all the old raid loot like DQ, VON, and Titan are all pretty spectacular, especially at their given minimum levels.

What you're asking for is almost ranged weapon immunity.

If I were to recommend any "tweak" to them, it would be to also add a colorless augment slot - still allows the customization that comes with epic. Or maybe upgrade the Yellow slot to a Green, for more variety.

[b3h0ld3r]

I think the problem is that they're already a pretty spiffy item. Notice that all the old raid loot like DQ, VON, and Titan are all pretty spectacular, especially at their given minimum levels.

What you're asking for is almost ranged weapon immunity.

If I were to recommend any "tweak" to them, it would be to also add a colorless augment slot - still allows the customization that comes with epic. Or maybe upgrade the Yellow slot to a Green, for more variety.

Could be a solution.
For me yellow is the most useless slot. With blue you can get better things (luck, toughness etc).

Dont think changing DR10 for piercing to DR15 is going to change much in hits of 50-60 damage @ epic content. Warforged has docent of defiance (at level 11?) ...

But I agree with you that this item is real nice at level 11 ... but, as far as i know, are not easy to get them.

[Krag]

I think the problem is that they're already a pretty spiffy item. Notice that all the old raid loot like DQ, VON, and Titan are all pretty spectacular, especially at their given minimum levels.

What you're asking for is almost ranged weapon immunity.

If I were to recommend any "tweak" to them, it would be to also add a colorless augment slot - still allows the customization that comes with epic. Or maybe upgrade the Yellow slot to a Green, for more variety.

Minimum level of epic version is 20. 10/slashing, bludgeon was awesome 10 levels back but is nowhere around 'spiffy' at cap.

Crafting epic version means trading great reincarnation item for a mediocre lvl20 gear.

[TheDearLeader]

I've not owned the item - I just know someone who did.

From what I understood, they (as a WF Sorc) used these, and an Epic Ward of Undeath. Blue Slot on the Shield was slotted so it had no ASF.

In quests like Epic OoB, he's cast his firewalls, and turtle up with these two items. Or, would intimitank Orthons in VoD/ToD. Using the ranged attacks, he was able to make more SP than he lost with Concordant Opposition and a bit of Quickened Self-repairing. More than one time, I saw him refill his SP bar doing this sort of thing.

So, that's with them as they currently are, paired with one Shroud Crafted item, and one easy to make, normally undesirable Epic Shield.

I think the problem here is that, from what I recall of him doing this (he's quit playing), the Spearblock abilities of the gloves were stacking with his shield blocking DR - he had some DR 30... I think 34? Something like that against incoming missiles, no stoneskin or anything like that.

[b3h0ld3r]

I've not owned the item - I just know someone who did.

From what I understood, they (as a WF Sorc) used these, and an Epic Ward of Undeath. Blue Slot on the Shield was slotted so it had no ASF.

In quests like Epic OoB, he's cast his firewalls, and turtle up with these two items. Or, would intimitank Orthons in VoD/ToD. Using the ranged attacks, he was able to make more SP than he lost with Concordant Opposition and a bit of Quickened Self-repairing. More than one time, I saw him refill his SP bar doing this sort of thing.

So, that's with them as they currently are, paired with one Shroud Crafted item, and one easy to make, normally undesirable Epic Shield.

I think the problem here is that, from what I recall of him doing this (he's quit playing), the Spearblock abilities of the gloves were stacking with his shield blocking DR - he had some DR 30... I think 34? Something like that against incoming missiles, no stoneskin or anything like that.

So, the argument here is ... 'well, it is an epic **** item because if we do it better, we would overpower the builds based in torc/concordant' ?

I can't see a few points more of DR could make THAT difference, but, if you feel so, and still want to think this is more unbalancing than, for example, a defiance docent ... Im still open minded to do other twinking on the item, but, for god's sake, doing something to it.

Examples:
* Instead of DR 10 vs piercing ... a full DR10, like a constant stoneskin (like the blurry cloaks do). Just a bit of help in epic content, but a nice upgrade. You don't reduce overall more damage from arrows to get sps from it.
* Adding a guard to it. Some kind of a useful nature guard. Vambraces has radiance guard.
* Adding more augment slots to make it a bit customizable.
* Natural Armor Bonus.

etc

[MarkusWolfe]

I have similar issues with Epic Golden Greeves.....the 4/- DR would come in really handy, but 20% striding is makes it useless to me. Bump striding up to 30%, make the yellow slot green......then we can call it epic.

[TheDearLeader]

Examples:
* Instead of DR 10 vs piercing ... a full DR10, like a constant stoneskin (like the blurry cloaks do). Just a bit of help in epic content, but a nice upgrade. You don't reduce overall more damage from arrows to get sps from it.
* Adding a guard to it. Some kind of a useful nature guard. Vambraces has radiance guard.
* Adding more augment slots to make it a bit customizable.
* Natural Armor Bonus.
etc

• I do not support the DR 10/- This makes a simple glove more overpowered than every Epic armor in game.
• A new guard would be fancy - but again, we're talking about gloves, not armor. Armor requires proficiencies, therefore require feats. When talking about magical item creation, the more requirements put on an item to actually use it tend to become a factor when determining its abilities.
• That.. and it already has a Guard. Greater Thorn Guard. Are you suggesting a second guard, or just didn't notice the first? Not being snippy, just asking for clarification.
• More/different Augment slots I think are a great idea for this piece, as I've suggested previously in this thread. Good stuff.
• Natural Armor Bonus - this I could get behind. We've already seen it on other accessories (the Helm from Sentinels comes to mind), and it would be thematic with the Nature/Protection thing that this item has going on.

I have similar issues with Epic Golden Greeves.....the 4/- DR would come in really handy, but 20% striding is makes it useless to me. Bump striding up to 30%, make the yellow slot green......then we can call it epic.

Admittedly true. These should be 30 Striders at least, and an augment slot "upgrade" shouldn't be out of the question.

I had made similar comments in the past about Upgrading the Epic Adherent's Pendant - can't find the post, so maybe it got deleted or something. It didn't get a lot of action. The Sands changes were nice, but only on the items actually affected. Some are still woefully underpowered.