Lore resist enhancements - Waste of APs?

[callmeRand]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this question, none seem like a proper fit.

I'm still a newb at this game, but while looking over my ongoing build, I'm wondering if the elemental Lore resistances are a waste.

When I started investing in them it seemed like a great idea to shrug off some fire, acid, etc damage, but now I'm feeling starved for APs and I wonder if a whopping +2, +4, or +6 resistance is worth leaving other enhancements untrained.

I'm in a guild that has resistance shrines of +30, and even with those I take a bit of damage. If I'm taking damage with a buffed resistance of 34, is the 4 actually doing anything for me when I'm not buffed? And I'm talking about traps in low-mid level dungeons, like 6 - 9.

My build goal is to get the best DPS I can from a 28 point build (and no tomes in my future unless I win the game loot-lotto and one drops on me) while still maintaining some survivability since I solo around 85% of the time (not by choice, but it's how things often work out for new players in an old game).

The toon I'm concerned with right now is an Elf Ranger/Fighter multi, character level 10 ATM.

[gloopygloop]

I love the first tier or two of Acid resistance. There are lots of spells that do just a few damage per tick for an annoying long time and that small amount of damage is enough to interrupt thigns like opening doors, opening chests, etc.

The elemental resist shrines are nice, but I dislike counting on them.

Also, lots of enemies do lots of fire damage and 32 or 34 fire resistance is a little nicer than 30 fire resistance.

It's not the end of the world to skip them, but at least the first tier can be a nice-to-have. Especially Acid.

[Splatterfart]

I would not personally recommend investing in them. They are do have some uses, but by and large these are highly specialized and extremely situational. You can easily get +30 to any resist from a simple Resist Elements spell (or perhaps from ship buffs if you're fortunate enough to belong to a higher level guild).

Favored Souls gain a stacking +10 to 3 different resistances as they level up. Higher level items (Such as Greensteel) may be obtained to add stacking bonuses to individual resistances as well.

[TheDearLeader]

The amount of elemental damage you take in quests is also affected by dungeon scaling... i.e. the dungeon likes you to take *some* damage, it seems, no matter how much resistance you have. I've gone in some dungeons where 0 resist, 2 resist, and 10 resist still netted me 2~3 points of damage.

I'd say.. they are enhancements. Play with the cheap ones maybe (the first tier), and see how it feels. Then try a week without. If you don't feel a discernible difference while questing, leave them out.

[gloopygloop]

The amount of elemental damage you take in quests is also affected by dungeon scaling... i.e. the dungeon likes you to take *some* damage, it seems, no matter how much resistance you have. I've gone in some dungeons where 0 resist, 2 resist, and 10 resist still netted me 2~3 points of damage.

That's because effects that subtract a static number from damage happen before effects that subtract a percentage from damage.

DR and elemental resistances happen first and then dungeon scaling reduce the damage by a fraction.

Example: Dungeon scaling is going to reduce your damage by 20%. You have 10 DR.
You are hit with 12 damage. Subtract 10 from 12 and then mutiply by 0.8. That leaves you with 1.5 damage (round up to 2).
If DR were taken after dungeon scaling, you would multiply 12 by 0.8 and then subtract 10 for a total damage taken of 0.

[mournbladereigns]

I've never taken them (except as a PrE req) and consider them a poor investment of AP's usually something worth more to you, or its keeping you from reaching a higher tier of something more important. IMO

[callmeRand]

I'd say.. they are enhancements. Play with the cheap ones maybe (the first tier), and see how it feels. Then try a week without. If you don't feel a discernible difference while questing, leave them out.

That's good advice, thank you.

That's because effects that subtract a static number from damage happen before effects that subtract a percentage from damage..

Are you saying that lore resistance 4 means 4 points? As in, if a trap has a base damage of 30 points heat and I have desert lore II for four points resistance then the trap damage is only reduced to 26 before other types of save rolls or mitigation are performed?

I've never taken them (except as a PrE req) and consider them a poor investment of AP's usually something worth more to you, or its keeping you from reaching a higher tier of something more important. IMO

That's what I've been thinking lately. There are other enhancements I haven't invested in yet because of not having enough APs to go around while I've used 8 in these 2 and 4 point resistances, not to mention what I'm now thinking of as (also) wasted points put into "improving" trip and sunder.

[sirdanile]

on my monk/ranger multiclass I have the clever monkey path up to t-3, and then took a single tier in acid and fire, thats actually really noticeable and helpful against any damage I don't save against :P

[callmeRand]

on my monk/ranger multiclass I have the clever monkey path up to t-3, and then took a single tier in acid and fire, thats actually really noticeable and helpful against any damage I don't save against :P

Can I ask what class you advanced in when you took them, class level, race and character level? I'm curious.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

On my rogue I think I have the first tier of most of them as filler, and they help.

[Kourier]

That's good advice, thank you.



Are you saying that lore resistance 4 means 4 points? As in, if a trap has a base damage of 30 points heat and I have desert lore II for four points resistance then the trap damage is only reduced to 26 before other types of save rolls or mitigation are performed?



That's what I've been thinking lately. There are other enhancements I haven't invested in yet because of not having enough APs to go around while I've used 8 in these 2 and 4 point resistances, not to mention what I'm now thinking of as (also) wasted points put into "improving" trip and sunder.

When you run into a trap or spell, first comes the save for half. Then comes any ablative protection like protection from energy. Then comes something like resists or DR. Finally comes % absorption.

[sirgog]

Fire is quite good at endgame on characters without Evasion, or with a low enough Reflex save that they can't rely on Evasion. Meteor Swarm is cast by a lot of bosses and some trash, hurts a lot, and is really cut down by stackable resists.

[baddax]

The amount of elemental damage you take in quests is also affected by dungeon scaling... i.e. the dungeon likes you to take *some* damage, it seems, no matter how much resistance you have. I've gone in some dungeons where 0 resist, 2 resist, and 10 resist still netted me 2~3 points of damage.

.

Has this been verified?

[Maelodic]

I'd say use them if and only if you have extra AP. I reset my enhancements all the time, and usually those things are put on the backburner.

[gloopygloop]

Has this been verified?

It has been verified extensively.

[gloopygloop]

Are you saying that lore resistance 4 means 4 points? As in, if a trap has a base damage of 30 points heat and I have desert lore II for four points resistance then the trap damage is only reduced to 26 before other types of save rolls or mitigation are performed?

Saves come before resistances/protections, but otherwise, yes.

The order is
1) saves
2) elemental protections/resists
3) dungeon scaling and other % reductions like Shroud weapons and Fire Shield.

Note also that Protection from [whatever] does not stack with Resist [whatever]. DDO only takes Protection until that is used up and then uses Resist [whatever] after that. Because of that, Protection from [whatever] gets used up very quickly.

The nice thing about the AP spent on Lore resistances is that they stack with Protection/Resist.




That's what I've been thinking lately. There are other enhancements I haven't invested in yet because of not having enough APs to go around while I've used 8 in these 2 and 4 point resistances, not to mention what I'm now thinking of as (also) wasted points put into "improving" trip and sunder.[/quote]

[licho]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this question, none seem like a proper fit.

I'm still a newb at this game, but while looking over my ongoing build, I'm wondering if the elemental Lore resistances are a waste.

The toon I'm concerned with right now is an Elf Ranger/Fighter multi, character level 10 ATM.

If you has spare APs, well first should go enchantmen related with your to hit, + dmg, hp, minor buffs like speed boost, or haste boost... if you have spare after that, yes u can spend some on lore, especcially first tier since its cheaper effect/cost.

At the very first levels fire resistance can help with Kobolds' Molotov coctails, as well as acid for melfs.
After that there are some enemies who use elemental weapons like arrows with lighting or sound. If you are always buffed its not important, otherwise it can has some use.

Otherwise, the fire seems to be popular damage, you will probably have evasion, but on failed save extra points of fire res can count.

But this is only if you has all others covered.