Latest gear projections for AC tank

[emptysands]

Are the top figures all my set-up?

Yeah, although it looks like I took your unbuffed AC.

Do you have a breakdown listed somewhere?

[sephiroth1084]

Yeah, although it looks like I took your unbuffed AC.

Do you have a breakdown listed somewhere?

No, but off the top of my head:

10 base
27 Embrace of the Spider Queen
4 Dex
1 alchemical armor ritual
16 +6 Heavy Celestial Shield
1 alchemical shield ritual
4 Insight
2 ToD set
6 Protection
5 Sacred Natural Armor
3 Abishai set
3 PDK set
10 Hardened III
3 ship buffs
____
95
8 +50% shield AC, Shield Prowess III
17 +40% Defender III stance; is this (armor+shield)*1.4? Do the alchemical rituals get added in? Does this stack additively with Shield Prowess (take the two multiplied bonuses and add together)?
___
130
+10% Combat Expertise
___
143 This looks low...when I swapped over to US the other night, my standing AC was definitely over 150, and I don't think I had any buffs running. I recall thinking that, with buffs, I would definitely be over 160, and was thinking I could possibly hit 170, so I don't know what, if anything, I left out. Maybe I lost some points with the % increase calculations?


Right now, my plan is to try and twist Haste Boost, Improved Combat Expertise, and one of Improved Power Attack, Extra Action Boost or Hail of Blows, as I don't feel like I really need to twist in more defense once I go back to US, though the 'no fail on 1' saves abilities look pretty nice, as there aren't many things I'm failing on anything but a 1 currently, and with an additional +6, that's even less likely to occur.


If I end up ditching the Envenomed Cloak I'll be left without a Resistance item. My plan was to just self-cast Resistance for +3 to saves, but it would be nice to get +4, 5 or 6 worked into the gear somehow. Not sure what worthwhile prefixes can be found on random loot with a Resistance suffix.


I'd love a Major Luck item bundled with a good prefix in the neck slot, but that isn't something I can work towards, and I don't know if I'd want it as a permanent neck slot item instead of greensteel. I suppose it could be a swap, based on whether I need +5 to saves, or +41 HP more.

[emptysands]

I was thinking about a basic analysis.

Your heavy armour build is: 150 AC, 4% Dodge, 150 PRR (50.61% reduction).
My light armour build is 128 AC, 17% Dodge, 123 PRR (46.12%) reduction.

So against 100, 150, 200 tohit we have 67.5%, 52.8%, and 38% miss chance against 170AC and 55%, 34.8% and 14% against 128AC.

Assuming 170 dmg per swing and 1000 swings, that means:

• 368, 535 and 702 hits after AC - 353, 514, 674 hits after dodge - 29639, 43157 and 56591 dmg after PRR
• 449, 652 and 856 hits after AC - 373, 541, 710 hits after dodge - 34165, 49553 and 65033 dmg after PRR

I forgot to account for the fact that tohit rounds to the nearest 5%. So:

• 350, 550 and 700 hits after AC - 336, 528, 672 hits after dodge - 28214, 44336 and 56428 dmg after PRR
• 450, 650 and 800 hits after AC - 374, 540, 664 hits after dodge - 34258, 49463 and 60822 dmg after PRR

Further trying to get a handle on the difference between dodge and AC. At 100 to hit.

15%/{135-145}AC is the same as 3%/{150-170}AC - 34% chance of hit.
15%/{110-115}AC is the same as 6%/{125-130}AC = 42% chance of hit

At 150 tohit and 2%/90AC hit chance is 88%, 20%/90AC is 72% and 2%/110 is 74%.
At 75 tohit and 2%/90AC hit chance is 49%, 20%/90AC is 40% and 2%/105 is 40%.
At 50 tohit and 2%/90AC hit chance is 34%, 20%/90AC is 28% and 2%/110 is 30%.

[emptysands]

No, but off the top of my head:

10 base
27 Embrace of the Spider Queen
4 Dex
1 alchemical armor ritual
16 +6 Heavy Celestial Shield
1 alchemical shield ritual
4 Insight
2 ToD set
6 Protection
5 Sacred Natural Armor
3 Abishai set
3 PDK set
10 Hardened III
3 ship buffs
____
95
8 +50% shield AC, Shield Prowess III
17 +40% Defender III stance; is this (armor+shield)*1.4? Do the alchemical rituals get added in? Does this stack additively with Shield Prowess (take the two multiplied bonuses and add together)?
___
130
+10% Combat Expertise
___
143 This looks low...when I swapped over to US the other night, my standing AC was definitely over 150, and I don't think I had any buffs running. I recall thinking that, with buffs, I would definitely be over 160, and was thinking I could possibly hit 170, so I don't know what, if anything, I left out. Maybe I lost some points with the % increase calculations?

Did you have:
05 Natural (sacred) US1/Unbreakable
or your Aura?
01 Aura of Good
04 Paladin Bulwark of Good IV
01 DOS III

Buffs would be:
05 Natural (spell/item)
01 Haste
03 Sigil of warding

DOSIII Stance is 40% on base shield+armor contribution. Not sure if Shield Prowess stacks. ie ShieldAC*1.4*1.5 or ShieldAC*(1 + .4 + .5). Probably easy to check.

Right now, my plan is to try and twist Haste Boost, Improved Combat Expertise, and one of Improved Power Attack, Extra Action Boost or Hail of Blows, as I don't feel like I really need to twist in more defense once I go back to US, though the 'no fail on 1' saves abilities look pretty nice, as there aren't many things I'm failing on anything but a 1 currently, and with an additional +6, that's even less likely to occur.

There is some suggestion that Sense Weakness is better twist than Haste Boost. Havent run the numbers myself, and that's a tier 4 vs tier 3. Unearthly reactions with it's phase-out tumble and +6 reflex could be useful.

Does Hail of Blows work if you are uncentered?

I've seen some mention that reflex saves in the 65+ range are needed in EE.

If I end up ditching the Envenomed Cloak I'll be left without a Resistance item. My plan was to just self-cast Resistance for +3 to saves, but it would be nice to get +4, 5 or 6 worked into the gear somehow. Not sure what worthwhile prefixes can be found on random loot with a Resistance suffix.

There is always a YELLOW slot for a +4.

[sephiroth1084]

Did you have:
05 Natural (sacred) US1/Unbreakable
or your Aura?
01 Aura of Good
04 Paladin Bulwark of Good IV
01 DOS III

Have +5 Sacred NA listed, but forgot about my aura, so numbers should start at 6 higher than they are, but still seems low...maybe I had a Yugo Wis pot running? I don't think I did, but maybe.

Buffs would be:
05 Natural (spell/item)
01 Haste
03 Sigil of warding

+2 Recitation (can wand-whip if I'm feeling desperate), +1 Enchant Armor, +1 Enchant Weapon (shield), for a possible +11 more, and I still feel like something(s) missing.

DOSIII Stance is 40% on base shield+armor contribution. Not sure if Shield Prowess stacks. ie ShieldAC*1.4*1.5 or ShieldAC*(1 + .4 + .5). Probably easy to check.

Yeah.

There is some suggestion that Sense Weakness is better twist than Haste Boost. Havent run the numbers myself, and that's a tier 4 vs tier 3. Unearthly reactions with it's phase-out tumble and +6 reflex could be useful.

Does Hail of Blows work if you are uncentered?

I've seen some mention that reflex saves in the 65+ range are needed in EE.

Sense Weakness...probably is better than Haste Boost, but hard to tell. Does it do +1d8 vs. enemies below 75%, +1d8+1d12 to enemies below 50%, and +1d8+1d12+1d20 to enemies below 25%? The extra damage vs. helpless seems likes useful to me than Haste Boost, since I can't generate the helpless state on my paladin, but it's not bad when grouped with someone who can. Don't know if I'd want to make the extra effort to go from a tier III twist to a tier IV. May depend on how well I'm able to hold aggro vs. well-geared and well-twisted DPS in serious tanking situations.


Unearthly Reactions isn't bad, though the Dodge probably won't be meaningful. The ability to tumble through enemies can be useful, but as a tank I find that I rarely need to...generally, if I'm hedged in, I'm shielding blocking, and probably trying to give the party some exposed backs to beat on. I'll have to take a look at the saves next time I'm in an EE run, but 65+ is pretty ridiculous. Could swap this in for those runs if needed, though Lithe looks better to me.


As far as I can tell, Hail of Blows does work while uncentered. It doesn't have a note in its description about having to be centered, and while selected, the double-strike mouse-over on the character sheet was counting it when I was making my way through GMoF.

[/quote]
There is always a YELLOW slot for a +4. [/QUOTE]
Ugh. Yeah. Doubt I'd bother for just +1 to saves over casting Resistance on myself.

[emptysands]

Here is an idea:

HEAD: Purple Dragon Helm - CON+7, +2STR, Intimidate +15
NECK: CHA+7 and NAC+6
EYES: GS Air/Air/Air - +6 CHA Skills, Wiz VI, +150 SP
HAND: Purple Dragon Gauntlets - STR+7, +2CON, Heal Amp 30%, 
BACK: Adamantine Cloak of the Bear - Sheltering+9, Protection+7, ECMastery +6, Incite +20%
TRIN: Planar Focus of Prowess CON+8, +4 To Hit, +4 Damage, +15 Physical Resistance
ARMS: Heal Amp 20% of Superior Parrying
BELT: GS minII or Epic Spare Hand w/HF,WIS+6. Maybe C/O belt if Embrace with HF.
BOOT: FREE
BODY: Hide of the Goristro - AC14, MDB:14, +3DEX, Toughness,Rough Hide (+3AC), Alacrity 10%, Vertigo +10
RING: Tier 3 Epic Ring of the Stalker - ESneak +3, Seeker +6, Manslayer, Ghostly,COLOURLESS (+1DEX), YELLOW (GFL)
RING: Seal of House Dun'Robar - Dodge 4%, +7DEX, Stunning +10 

MAIN: Balizarde, Protector of the King - +7 Rapier: 2.5[1d8], 15-20x3 (Including Keen), Hemorrhaging, Superior Parrying, Dodge 4%, Good Luck +2
OFFW: +6 Celestial Heavy of Alertness (+4 Insight AC, 3% Dodge)

OTHER:
Shield: Omniscience: Dodge Bonus 4%, Heightened Awareness 5

Focused on my light armour build, but you could switch the Hide for an Embrace. The above would give me: 43/34/34/15/20/28. Natural AC +6, Protection +7, Parrying +4 and Insight +4. PRR +24. Lose the +3 NAC/STR from eChrono.

Note: I've got the necklace above, plus I've also got a CHA+8 Helm. The above is really a trash/hate tank non-DR mode. For DR you'd need banes and lose the Conflux and in Intimidate mode you'd need Claw and Brawns - probably better to switch back to eChrono in that case.

[sephiroth1084]

Heightened Awareness and Superior Parrying both grant Insight bonuses to AC and don't stack. I believe the difference is that one of them also grants a bonus to saves.

Not seeing how this would be a significant improvement over my current set-up.

[emptysands]

Heightened Awareness and Superior Parrying both grant Insight bonuses to AC and don't stack. I believe the difference is that one of them also grants a bonus to saves.

Not seeing how this would be a significant improvement over my current set-up.

At the moment, just trying to throw around ideas using the new gear. I actually haven't seen an Alertness or Omniscience shield yet. So Alchemical may still be most practical option.

If I was going to modify the above for your gear:

HEAD: Purple Dragon Helm - CON+7, +2STR, Intimidate +15
NECK: CHA+7 and NAC+6
EYES: Conc Opp w/ +10 HP, +150 SP, +5 Cha skills, +6 WIS
HAND: Purple Dragon Gauntlets - STR+7, +2CON, Heal Amp 30%, 
BACK: Adamantine Cloak of the Bear - Sheltering+9, Protection+7, ECMastery +6, Incite +20%
TRIN: Planar Focus of Prowess CON+8, +4 To Hit, +4 Damage, +15 Physical Resistance
ARMS: FREE
BELT: Defender of Siberys - CON+6, GFL
BOOT: FREE
BODY: Embrace of the Spider Queen w/ +3 Con, Toughness, HF, DR5/-, +10%Fort, KL Set.
RING:  Defender of Siberys w/ +20% Healing Amp
RING:  FREE

MAIN: Balizarde, Protector of the King - +7 Rapier: 2.5[1d8], 15-20x3 (Including Keen), Hemorrhaging, Superior Parrying, Dodge 4%, Good Luck +2
OFFW: +6 Celestial Heavy of Alertness (+4 Insight AC, 3% Dodge)

OTHER:
Shield: Omniscience: Dodge Bonus 4%, Heightened Awareness 5

Gain +1 NAC over barkskin, +1 Protection over Silver Concord, PRR+9, ECM+6. Lose -3STR/NAC, -1eSTR from Ring, some elemental resistance (acid/fire). Bracers, Boots and Ring2 free for something. Still need to slot Seeker, +5 Resistance item, +1CON?

You could slot Large Alchemical with Fire/Air for Seeker and Doublestrike. Also 10% Heal Amp/Superior Parrying bracers could work as an option: +4 resists and a self cast resistance bonus is overall win. I'd keep Superior Parrying on the bracers as an option if you switch to another weapon.


It's a tough call - not large increase. Bascially PRR+9 vs AC-1/-4STR. Although it does free up a few slots, and you can still potentially get +1eSTR - depends on your STR bracket. May also be possible to get a CHA+8/NAC+6 necklace - probably only during the loot bonus period.

EDIT: Stalker Ring gets you Ghostly (handy for tank), Seeker+6, Manslayer and two SLOTs. YOu could then go Air/Air Alchemical Shield if you are using Stunning Blow.

[sephiroth1084]

The shield I'm using now is a +6 Heavy Alertness I think, with +3% Dodge and Insight +4. Those exist, at least.

[emptysands]

The shield I'm using now is a +6 Heavy Alertness I think, with +3% Dodge and Insight +4. Those exist, at least.

Good to know.

I saw a CHA+8 of Protection +6 necklace on the AH. So a CHA+8/NAC+6 neck might exist as well. Probably +16 Potential - so maybe only with +4 loot boost and very rare.

[sephiroth1084]

Not sure I care that much about a +1 AC bonus. And I'm at an even Cha with a +7 item, so I'd need to move some AP into +1 Cha enhancements, or also pick up a +3 Cha item. Will +1 AC even help at all? I suppose it depends on the attack bonus of whatever I'm fighting, but it doesn't seem like it will do much...probably not even an additional 1% miss chance.

[emptysands]

Not sure I care that much about a +1 AC bonus. And I'm at an even Cha with a +7 item, so I'd need to move some AP into +1 Cha enhancements, or also pick up a +3 Cha item. Will +1 AC even help at all? I suppose it depends on the attack bonus of whatever I'm fighting, but it doesn't seem like it will do much...probably not even an additional 1% miss chance.

If it does help it will be an additional 5% miss chance.

Therein lies the pickle for AC.

[sephiroth1084]

If it does help it will be an additional 5% miss chance.<br>
<br>
Therein lies the pickle for AC.

<div>Does it in the new system? My impression was that AC wasn't being converted to a d20, so it should be incrementing, when it does at all, in 1% increases.

[emptysands]

<div>Does it in the new system? My impression was that AC wasn't being converted to a d20, so it should be incrementing, when it does at all, in 1% increases.

Went back, found and double-checked the Lamannia post [1].

Players will use the same formula, but will have a 25% bonus to hit if they are proficient with their weapon. Unlike monster attack rolls, player to hit rolls will be mapped to a d20 by rounding to the nearest 5% - if you hit on a 13, you’ll hit on a 13. Players will also graze opponents on a roll of 2 or higher on the d20 instead of a 10 or higher – if you character looks like it hit with your weapon, it should do some damage on anything but a roll of a 1.

I haven't actually read that post, was using another reference. Looks like I've been calculating it wrong. The rounding to 5% only affects players and not monsters.

This is likely a display interface issue as well. We see a dice roll, so they map the results too a dice roll. Since monster ACs are relatively static, the rounding is less of an interest for players.


[1] http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=376703