Gear on HC

[mikarddo]

How do you handle gearing on the HC server?

Do you just go with whatever you find, farm specific pieces, buy augments, craft or what is your main plan?

100% fort aug from the store at level 8 seems almost obvious for most builds - avoiding crits removes some major risk.

Ravenloft level 10 free weapon seems obvious.
FoM boots from Death House seems very nice at level 10 for anyone without FoM others.
Some other Ravenloft gear seems very good.

Slavers crafted gear seem very nice - +2 resist / +2 spell saves on 5 piece seems really good - but a bit of a grind and possibly unsafe for most builds.

Cannith Crafting gear is very versatile but also quite a bit of work for the essences and in some cases the ings. Getting insightful effects is a long way in.

[Ein]

It depends on the time you plan to spend on this server. I always have one toon that rushes to 20 and farms Ravenloft and other import gear on the way. You get a lot of platina and can look for stuff in the AH for your next toon to lvl for example favour or reaper. Slavers crafted items are good but I dont think the time you need to farm the crafting materials and the risk is worth it. I have seen a lot of toons die in Slavers due to traps and the tough fights. If you have a very good group slavers will be easy but not always you know that in advance before you go in if you go with pugs. Farming red fens items on casual is more safe for example.

[mikarddo]

It depends on the time you plan to spend on this server. I always have one toon that rushes to 20 and farms Ravenloft and other import gear on the way. You get a lot of platina and can look for stuff in the AH for your next toon to lvl for example favour or reaper. Slavers crafted items are good but I dont think the time you need to farm the crafting materials and the risk is worth it. I have seen a lot of toons die in Slavers due to traps and the tough fights. If you have a very good group slavers will be easy but not always you know that in advance before you go in if you go with pugs. Farming red fens items on casual is more safe for example.

Good points.

Wrt. Slavers I am thinking mostly in the line of a duo of level 12 ES Warlocks using the temp hp to barge through on Hard multiple times.
Not as good as farming the guide when level 8 but should be rather safe.

I did a trial run with a naked, no ship buffs, level 12 warlock on a regular server. I ran through the first quest without any real risk at a decent pace.

I admit that this wont be the case for most builds.

[Cantor]

I'm only doing one run through slavers for favor. If I get a trinket good deal, if not... oh well. If you are only planning hard runs, that really reduces the payout. Slaver's hardly sees any use, I will farm ravenloft gear though. Fens raven set for physical damage types.

Buy the fort aug.

Unlikely to do much cannith crafting. Most useful stuff is high and I'm not likely to get 60k ess to speed level it. Maybe just hit some low hanging fruit.

[fatherpirate]

a little of everything

1st I make a dedicated crafter to grind up trash loot.
Good items I sell on AH via crafter or just use.

I also check out pawn brokers and AH for deals

so a little of everything

[donblas]

I mostly just take what comes.

I do farm tapestries for a hat, take the Ravenloft weapon, and Delera's for VoM. But that's about it.

[voxson5]

I'd always try for a slavers ring (typically false life/spell power/spell focus/q.stat), as a once and done elite run. Spinnerette and executioners docent/plate are really good too.

Red fens has some good gear and almost worth easy causal farming earlier, although if you're running elite/reaper then you'd be better off focusing on RL sets such as SA & Adherants.

Kind of a big deal for the trapper gloves, the helms out of the memories quest are really good too.

The trinket from reposestion is a good lowbie caster item.

The rest is really just rando loot and AH gear tetris. Look out for lower level armour without a prefix, as this typically has a vitality modifier.

IMO, once you're able to farm RL gear, completing gearing with this will be one of the best options for the rest of leveling....but **** I find tea party scary to farm on HC if I have to go solo...