Decisions, decisions, decisions. Ugh.

[NeutronStar]

Ok, I'm in a bit of a quandry and I could use a little help please.

I'm trying to decide what effect to put on my Band of Siberys ToD ring.

Background:

I'm playing a human Paladin 20 with all three levels of the Defender of Siberys PrE.

I'm going for a tanking toon with a lot of AC, Hate generation, and a high Intimidate skill.

My standing stats with items (but with no buffs (ship or otherwise), potions, stances, spells, etc.) are:

STR: 30
DEX: 18
CON: 24
INT: 14
WIS: 20
CHA: 26

Standing AC is 65 (no stances, buffs, pots, spells, etc.)
Standing HPs are 567 (no stances, buffs, pots, spells, etc.)
Standing SPs are 417 (I do not have a GS Spell Point/CHA skills item yet)



Here are my choices and what I'm wondering about or considering after each one:

Exceptional STR +2 - +1 to Hit and Damage is always good
Exceptional DEX +2 - Won't help AC cuz of Shield and Armor but +1 Relfex Save is ok
Exceptional CON +2 - +20 HPs is nice, +1 Fort Save is ok
Exceptional INT +2 - Won't really help me
Exceptional WIS +2 - Would give me a few more SPs
Exceptional CHA +2 - Would increase all my Saves by +1, the +1 to Intimidate, Diplomacy, Haggle, and UMD skills are always nice

Heightened Awareness 2 - An additional +2 to AC is appealing. I do not have a source of Heightened Awareness to AC from anything else except from the +3 I get from the Levik's set. Is it possible to get Heightened Awareness 4 from anything else besides a Weapon or Dragontouched Armor? Would the +2, +3, and +4 all stack or would only the highest one count?

15% Electrical Absorption - Does this stack with Ring of the Djinn?
15% Fire Absorption - Does this stack with the 33% Absorption from a crafted trinket or the Fire Absorption boots (I forget the name)?
15% Acid Absorption
15% Cold Absorbtion

20% Negative Energy Absorption - No
20% Healing Amplification - I wear Levik's Bracers so I'm guessing this isn't really an option.



What do you guys think? What should I put on my ToD ring and why?

Thanks for your time.

[Arctik]

Not sure if it helps but heightened awareness is on one of the ToD amrath belts, I don't remember which one but it is there.

[redraider]

Heightened does not stack. Only the +3 from Levik's would apply (over the +2 Tod). I would do +2 str. Every bit of DPS counts on a hate tank.

[stainer]

If that is the ring you will always have on, put something that isn't situational on it, like +2 con (more con is always good). Put the other things on rings you can swap in and out.

[ArloOne]

I would also vote for the CON.

IMO Makes the most sense!

Good Luck!

[Malison]

The most common answers are typically +2 exc strength, +2 exc constitution, and 20% healing amp.
The second most common answers will be it depends on what else you're wearing.

My paladin is looking to have Xstr and heal amp on his two tod rings, with Xcon on the epic claw bracers. OTOH, Levik's bracers do nicely for you, especially if you're relying on the set bonus for +hate. As a side note, the +3 insight bonus from the Levik's set will override the +2 insight from heightened awareness on a ring.

For your toon, I would recommend exceptional constitution. Strength is nice, but it is, after all, only 1 more to hit and damage. 20 HP, on the other hand, could mean the difference in surviving a Horoth disintegrate. With your AC as listed, none of the other raid bosses (on normal at least) should cause any trouble with minimal buffs (barkskin pot, stance, etc).

[augie]

My personal preference is to keep the same stats on the same rings. So if that ring is your only +6 STR item, then I would personally put +2 Exceptional STR on it and have that as your one-slot, super-STR item.

However I would still find a way to get +2 Exceptional CON as well, whether it be on another ring or by some other means. HP's are king.

[NeutronStar]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

It's kinda winding down the way that I thought it would - +2 STR vs +2 CON.

I'm leaning toward +2 CON right now but I haven't completely made up my mind.

I'll wait until tomorrow for more responses. I'll make my mind up then.

[NeutronStar]

Not sure if it helps but heightened awareness is on one of the ToD amrath belts, I don't remember which one but it is there.

Thanks Arctik but the belt I will be wearing will be the Defender of Siberys belt for the set bonuses.

[Claymorep]

Exceptional CHA +2 - Would increase all my Saves by +1, the +1 to Intimidate, Diplomacy, Haggle, and UMD skills are always nice

Didn't read carefully your build to give You a suggestion, but don't forget that charisma adds to bonus to hit with smites and exalted (not of great use as I don't think anyone will miss anyway), but a major bonus is the improvment in heal when using lay on hands...

Just for completion

[joaofalcao]

Heightened awareness is an Insight bonus. And insight bonuses dont stack.

Superior parrying gives you +4 insight bonus. Such a trait can be found on the epic swashbuckler, dunno if hes avaiable to you.

You slot +7 on its blue slot and it will have the same AC ac your levik shield have. No DEX impairing on the buckler tough. Its my first choice for when my AC matters more than my DR.

Also, you might have an epic vulkoor bracer with +2 exceptional CON. Pallys have bad to-hit bonuses as far as I know, but if you can afford those bracers, CON is already set there.

Personally, given my planned slots, I would go with 20% healling amplification. Good for solooing too. Dunno if thats benefitial to a paladin, since you did not consider it.

[NeutronStar]

Personally, given my planned slots, I would go with 20% healling amplification. Good for solooing too. Dunno if thats benefitial to a paladin, since you did not consider it.

Actually I did consider it briefly. I get the same bonus from Levik's Bracers, however.

I am not willing to give up the Levik's set as there's a TON of good stuff about it, especially for my Pally build.


I think I've pretty much decided on adding +2 Con to the ring. That way, if I ever get a +4 Con tome, I'll be sitting at 607 Hitpoints with no buffs of any kind. With buffs (ship, pots, etc.) I could get to over 667 HPs. That combined with what will be my AC and Hate generation, I should be able to tank anything well.

Thanks all.

[elraido]

New epic chimeras fang will give you +8 insight bonus to AC. Personally, I put ex. char on mine.