Fleshshaper's Brigandine question

[Luxx0r]

I just got the new armor from the end reward chain, and it seems as a very nice armor for my barb:

Fleshshaper's Brigandine = +5 Medium Armor: Negative Energy Absorption - 20%, Fleshmaker, Disintegration Guard, Trace of Madness, Power Drain (lol for the drawback)

The question is: How should I upgrade it?

I'm mostly doubting between Melodic guard or +10 Reflex save, but I would gladly hear any other opinion.

[lethargos]

Howabout you make it the displacement guard and give us proc stats.

[Jevern]

Well, how high is your reflex save to begin with? For a reliable reflex save, you probably want to get it to about a 28-ish. Another thing to consider, do you have evasion? Reflex saves are much more useful if you have evasion.

I think I would lean in favour of melodic guard because barbs are the type that would get hit a lot, you'll likely see the effects quite often. Not to mention that particular guard is also a form of damage mitigation - mobs can't hit you if they're dancing.

[Therigar]

I thought barbarians wanted aggro. Isn't there an upgrade the increases hate. Or are you a sissy, back-stabbing rogue wanna-be barbarian?

[Esserbe]

Well, how high is your reflex save to begin with? For a reliable reflex save, you probably want to get it to about a 28-ish. Another thing to consider, do you have evasion? Reflex saves are much more useful if you have evasion.

It's medium armour, so evasion will not function. If it was Mithral (and thus light) it'd be a bit silly, really.

Note that the docent can be upgraded with +10 reflex for evasion WF. Nice.

[Luxx0r]

Howabout you make it the displacement guard and give us proc stats.

According to the wiki, the displacement only lasts 15 seconds, so for it to be of any really use the proc should be real high (20% at least?)

Well, how high is your reflex save to begin with? For a reliable reflex save, you probably want to get it to about a 28-ish. Another thing to consider, do you have evasion? Reflex saves are much more useful if you have evasion.

Good point. I have to check this, but I have not evasion. Let's think:

Base from 20 Barb: 12
Resistance: 5
Dex: 5
Voice 1
(I know it sucks, but I have not any better trinket atm)
-----
Beholder total 23

GH 4
-----
Selfbuffed total 27

If the bonus stacks with resistance as in Lam, that would be nice 37, or a not so bad 32 if it does not

I think I would lean in favour of melodic guard because barbs are the type that would get hit a lot, you'll likely see the effects quite often. Not to mention that particular guard is also a form of damage mitigation - mobs can't hit you if they're dancing.

This was clearly my first idea, but...

I thought barbarians wanted aggro. Isn't there an upgrade the increases hate. Or are you a sissy, back-stabbing rogue wanna-be barbarian?

This would make sense, but again the proc rate seems to be the deciding factor.

I just have a 20 full-****** dwarf barb with not too much loot. Only the Antique GA (to avoid having to do a Min2), and not too much more. So, if I'm unable to hold aggro in the couple of places were it's really needed (VoD, ToD...), and it does not seem to me that I will be able to retain it with my actual setup, so the guard will not make a lot of sense.

[phillymiket]

It doesn't stack with resistance alas.

Someone told me the armors were bugged and do stack but I upgraded the Parasitic breastplate and it does not, in fact, stack.

How about Obsession. 100% extra threat for 15 seconds?

[Therigar]

It doesn't stack with resistance alas.

Someone told me the armors were bugged and do stack but I upgraded the Parasitic breastplate and it does not, in fact, stack.

How about Obsession. 100% extra threat for 15 seconds?

Nah, they're playing the sissy, wanna-be-a-backstabbing-rogue barbarian. They're worried about "proc rate."

[Namey]

It doesn't stack with resistance alas.

Someone told me the armors were bugged and do stack but I upgraded the Parasitic breastplate and it does not, in fact, stack.

It was bugged over on Lammania, but apparently that got fixed for the live release. Probably for the better, though I certainly wouldn't have minded the +10 Ref save as stacking.