your opinion about guards.

[Nodoze]

We are in a static group and just finished the http://ddowiki.com/page/Harbinger_of_Madness series and are proceeding to the vale and http://ddowiki.com/page/Reign_of_Madness.

We are only just now level 16 and aren't focused on the end game yet and I am curious if any guards via the http://ddowiki.com/page/Altar_of_Insanity make sense for me (the healer).

As the cleric healer I lately have been running up front just behind the Melee (we have 2 arcane in the rear and 3 melee up front) using my Aura to keep them healed. I do get agro sometimes and a guard may be nice. I am not sure if I should bother with any of these or just go for the +10 reflex or Will saves:

- Xoriat Madness: Delirium: Displacement Guard for 15 seconds (for healer);
- Xoriat Madness: Hysteria: Curse Guard: NOT SURE EFFECT(S) NOR IF RESISTABLE...
- Xoriat Madness: Mania: Melodic Guard: 20-25% chance to proc when hit (every 2-7 hit); Resistible via will save DC 18; (don't know if I would get this as many mobs will only fail on a 1).

I figure the Melodic guard is a waste and likely also the Curse guard. If I go down the party can go down so I was thinking the Displacement Guard may be good. Any thought if the Displacement guard is useful for a Cleric or should I just go with the +10 on Reflex or Will Saves?

[FuzzyDuck81]

We are in a static group and just finished the http://ddowiki.com/page/Harbinger_of_Madness series and are proceeding to the vale and http://ddowiki.com/page/Reign_of_Madness.

We are only just now level 16 and aren't focused on the end game yet and I am curious if any guards via the http://ddowiki.com/page/Altar_of_Insanity make sense for me (the healer).

As the cleric healer I lately have been running up front just behind the Melee (we have 2 arcane in the rear and 3 melee up front) using my Aura to keep them healed. I do get agro sometimes and a guard may be nice. I am not sure if I should bother with any of these or just go for the +10 reflex or Will saves:

- Xoriat Madness: Delirium: Displacement Guard for 15 seconds (for healer);
- Xoriat Madness: Hysteria: Curse Guard: NOT SURE EFFECT(S) NOR IF RESISTABLE...
- Xoriat Madness: Mania: Melodic Guard: 20-25% chance to proc when hit (every 2-7 hit); Resistible via will save DC 18; (don't know if I would get this as many mobs will only fail on a 1).

I figure the Melodic guard is a waste and likely also the Curse guard. If I go down the party can go down so I was thinking the Displacement Guard may be good. Any thought if the Displacement guard is useful for a Cleric or should I just go with the +10 on Reflex or Will Saves?

Are you exclusively a healer or are you firing off divine punishment, blade barrier & cometfall too? If so, you might wanna look at the one that gives arcane lore too.. got it on my battlecleric & loving having my maximised BBs tick for the occasional 330+

[Enoach]

So far everyone has listed Guards that only have % chances to go off. There are gaurds that go off everytime you are hit. These come on random items such as armor and cloaks and are good to use for melee types that take hits alot. It is good to use these types of gaurds in conjunction with the stronger ones.

Example: On my second life as a cleric I walked out into Gianthold @ lvl16 to meet up with the Jaralith. I never got a chance to swing, spent the whole time tripped. But all were killed. And I left with more SP then I came with. Why?

• Air Guard (GS Googles)
• Bramble-Casters (Greater Spearblock and Thorn Guard)
• Con-Op Helm
• Con-Op Scimmy
• Enervation Guard (DT Armor)

Again Guards work best if your planning on being hit, if your not then they are secondary.

Also Guards can be broken down into two groups Damaging Guards and Defensive Guards. Using these two different types in conjunction can make a big difference.

Comment on Air Guard - The 30 second haste does not stack its speed boosts (attack speed/movement) but does stack its AC and Reflex save bonus. That +1 to AC is not big, but it does stack and can be very useful to someone that cares about their AC.

[gloopygloop]

Yeah, its not really that good. I certainly wouldn't rely on it to activate when it does, especially if im low on mana. Drink a pot, rely on echoes of power or get a spellsong vigor instead.

As for other guards...meh, its just the cherry on top of the cake, theres no one guard I find particularly useful, but most of them have their benefits.

Concordant Opposition + Torc aren't just good for when you run out of SP. They also help keep you from running out of spell points in the first place. If you're in a quest with a lot of high-volume/low damage hits (i.e. anything that isn't Epic or a Raid, especially if it has Orthons), you'll get back enormous amounts of HP in a surprisingly short time.

Concordant Opposition + Torc make Amrath and Elite Devil's Assault a breeze.

[somenewnoob]

nm, I found it