+ 5 armor or 30 health - Guild Wars Forums

Elrond Afil · Mar 21, 2006, 06:20 AM // 06:20

hey all

i have a warrior with major vigor, so my health is 446 with superior rune

should i use a +30 health or 5 armor haft? this is for pvp by the way

thanks

Numa Pompilius · Mar 21, 2006, 06:26 AM // 06:26

In theory +5 armor protects you a lot better than +30 health does.
In practice a warrior in PvP doesn't take all that much physical damage, but gets degened constantly, so my personal recommendation would be +30 health.

Silent Kitty · Mar 21, 2006, 06:37 AM // 06:37

+30 health doesn't protect you much, but it helps a bit agains everything. +5 armour only protects against physical attacks. I would personally go for +5 elemental protection, but that was not the question

Elrond Afil · Mar 21, 2006, 06:44 AM // 06:44

or should i have +5 armor, and +30 and just switch them around?

Vaga · Mar 21, 2006, 06:47 AM // 06:47

You should use +30 health because as a warrior you are worried more about armour ignoring damage.

curious george · Mar 21, 2006, 07:13 AM // 07:13

yeah +30 the way to go

Batou of Nine · Mar 21, 2006, 07:27 AM // 07:27

isnt the +5 armor vs all dmg? like regular armor. Not like the +7 vs physical dmg... it is the +5 AL, which is vs all dmg types...?

since it doesnt give specific dmg type, it is vs all right? like armor? hmm. then if thats the case, the armor and hp mods would both have even strengths and weaknesses... ya?

enjoy.

kvndoom · Mar 21, 2006, 07:32 AM // 07:32

PVE: Armor is god. No more than 1 superior rune (pref. weapon), and a +45 enchanted or stance shield. (I have some places I solo farm with a Sup Strength as well as weapon, but I won't team up with other people if I'm only sporting 380 health)

PVP / GVG: Health is god. STILL no more than 1 Sup. rune, a + health always shield if you can, and a fortitude weapon. Your monk will thank you.

(By Superior I mean -75 health runes, not vigor or absorb)

Savio · Mar 21, 2006, 07:43 AM // 07:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent Kitty

+30 health doesn't protect you much, but it helps a bit agains everything. +5 armour only protects against physical attacks. I would personally go for +5 elemental protection, but that was not the question

Wrong.
Defense: +armor vs everything, max value +5
Shelter: +armor vs physical, max value +7
Warding: +armor vs elemental, max value +7

ophidian409 · Mar 21, 2006, 07:43 AM // 07:43

warrior with no shield should take +5 armor for higher protection, warrior with shield should take +30 since he already has 80-100 armor +16 armor from shield so he needs more hp and +5 armor won't do much difference

JR · Mar 21, 2006, 12:47 PM // 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by ophidian409

warrior with no shield should take +5 armor for higher protection, warrior with shield should take +30 since he already has 80-100 armor +16 armor from shield so he needs more hp and +5 armor won't do much difference

There is no logic behind that statement at all. If one is better than the other, that is the one you should go with, quite simply.

If we are talking PvP:
In the current metagame, spike is making a bit of a come back. In this case you want as high HP as you can reasonably get. I would definately advise having a minor to swap for your superior. The extra 75 health can make the difference between that infuse catching you or not. On the same note, take weapons/off hands that give you a decent health bonus all of the time (not just enchanted or stance).

Degen is also still fairly common, and against that armor does nothing.

Rajamic · Mar 21, 2006, 01:56 PM // 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

There is no logic behind that statement at all. If one is better than the other, that is the one you should go with, quite simply.

There is some valid logic there, though the way they said it, I don't think it was actually what was running through their heads.

Since all +AL ever does is reduce damage by a percentage. Thus, at some certain point, the diminishing returns on armor start to creep in, to where a +5 AL will not be noticed against the size of hits your opponents can possibly dish out. I don't think such values are really attainable in the game, though.

fiery · Mar 21, 2006, 02:34 PM // 14:34

Sup vigor, than Sup axe/hammer/sword Minor tactic/strentgh, whatever floats your boat seeing may have diffrent rune equips. I rather have 30 HP shield and a Zealous/fortitude weapon.

Jetdoc · Mar 21, 2006, 04:21 PM // 16:21

It's an age-old debate that the forum has had since the game came out. It all comes down to preference, IMO.

wsmcasey · Mar 21, 2006, 04:39 PM // 16:39

+5 armor > +30hp, except in the case of health degen.

OrangeArrow · Mar 21, 2006, 04:47 PM // 16:47

Ideally you should have both for PvP
The difference in 80 vs 85 Armor is about an 6% reduction in damage. Generally this is better than 30 health.
But with a large number of Armor ignoring attacks in PvP if you had to only have one for PvP I would go with fortitude.

R A C · Mar 21, 2006, 04:49 PM // 16:49

IMO +hp is better in the long run as it helps against EVERYTHING. Where as the +armor is useless against any type of degen which is quite common in pvp and pve. Armor is also useless against armor ignoring holy, chaos, shadow, life stealing, etc (obviously). And besides, uber weapon of fortitude sounds cooler than uber weapon of defense. In my opinion anyway.

ophidian409 · Mar 21, 2006, 05:55 PM // 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajamic

There is some valid logic there, though the way they said it, I don't think it was actually what was running through their heads.

Since all +AL ever does is reduce damage by a percentage. Thus, at some certain point, the diminishing returns on armor start to creep in, to where a +5 AL will not be noticed against the size of hits your opponents can possibly dish out. I don't think such values are really attainable in the game, though.

Sometimes +5 armor doesn't make any advantage for warrior with shield. Suppose a warrior hit you with 18 damage and he has 10 str, with 116 armor the damage is 8.34 which is rounded off to 8. While 121 armor gives 7.71 damage which turns out to be 8 damage.

If a monk is hit by the same warrior, monk takes 19.97 damage -->20 damage, if he has a +5 armor staff head, he will take 18.47 damge --->18

Now you get my point, high armor warrior with +5 armor doesn't make much of a difference, +5 armor is for low armor guy.

The_Janitor · Mar 21, 2006, 05:57 PM // 17:57

I never use sup runes on my warr. Only vigor and absorb.

But I believe that +30 is a bit better. +5 armor REALLY isn't much.

OrangeArrow · Mar 21, 2006, 07:25 PM // 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ophidian409

Sometimes +5 armor doesn't make any advantage for warrior with shield. Suppose a warrior hit you with 18 damage and he has 10 str, with 116 armor the damage is 8.34 which is rounded off to 8. While 121 armor gives 7.71 damage which turns out to be 8 damage.

I agree with you that armor becomes less efficent at highers level but your numbers are biased to make armor look ineffective but in the overall outlook armor still means less damage it doesnt look like much but over a long battle it will add up to more than 30 which could make it more efficent than fortitude upgrade. In perfect world you would use defensive upgrade and switch to a fortitude upgrade when you needed it best of both worlds.

Your example would only be true if all warriors attacked you from the front using an non elemental weapon which are optimal conditions to get the most armor which is not always the case.

Now if it was a warrior who attacked you from the rear with an ebon or icy weapon (Which any smart warrior will switch to attack another warrior) it becomes an 80 vs 85 armor question (85vs 90 with plate) or 96 vs 101 if you factor in a shield when attacked from the front. These are the conditions you must consider when doing your math.

PS Strength doesnt do anything for normal attacks just attack skills

Mar 21, 2006, 06:20 AM // 06:20	#1
Elrond Afil Krytan Explorer Join Date: Oct 2005 Profession: R/Me	+ 5 armor or 30 health hey all i have a warrior with major vigor, so my health is 446 with superior rune should i use a +30 health or 5 armor haft? this is for pvp by the way thanks

Mar 21, 2006, 04:47 PM // 16:47	#16
OrangeArrow Flame Bait Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mass Profession: Mo/Me	Ideally you should have both for PvP The difference in 80 vs 85 Armor is about an 6% reduction in damage. Generally this is better than 30 health. But with a large number of Armor ignoring attacks in PvP if you had to only have one for PvP I would go with fortitude. Last edited by OrangeArrow; Mar 21, 2006 at 04:50 PM // 16:50..

Mar 21, 2006, 06:26 AM // 06:26	#2
Numa Pompilius Grotto Attendant Join Date: May 2005 Location: At an Insit.. Intis... a house. Guild: Live Forever Or Die Trying [GLHF] Profession: W/Me	In theory +5 armor protects you a lot better than +30 health does. In practice a warrior in PvP doesn't take all that much physical damage, but gets degened constantly, so my personal recommendation would be +30 health.

Mar 21, 2006, 06:37 AM // 06:37	#3
Silent Kitty Desert Nomad Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Netherlands Guild: [TYW] "The Young World" Profession: A/Me	+30 health doesn't protect you much, but it helps a bit agains everything. +5 armour only protects against physical attacks. I would personally go for +5 elemental protection, but that was not the question

Mar 21, 2006, 06:44 AM // 06:44	#4
Elrond Afil Krytan Explorer Join Date: Oct 2005 Profession: R/Me	or should i have +5 armor, and +30 and just switch them around?

Mar 21, 2006, 06:47 AM // 06:47	#5
Vaga Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Dec 2005	You should use +30 health because as a warrior you are worried more about armour ignoring damage.

Mar 21, 2006, 07:13 AM // 07:13	#6
curious george Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Profession: Me/N	yeah +30 the way to go

Mar 21, 2006, 07:27 AM // 07:27	#7
Batou of Nine Desert Nomad Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: California, USA Guild: Angel Sharks [AS] (RiP [KaiZ] T__T") Profession: Mo/E	isnt the +5 armor vs all dmg? like regular armor. Not like the +7 vs physical dmg... it is the +5 AL, which is vs all dmg types...? since it doesnt give specific dmg type, it is vs all right? like armor? hmm. then if thats the case, the armor and hp mods would both have even strengths and weaknesses... ya? enjoy.

Mar 21, 2006, 07:32 AM // 07:32	#8
kvndoom Forge Runner Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Communistwealth of Virginia Guild: Uninstalled Profession: W/Mo	PVE: Armor is god. No more than 1 superior rune (pref. weapon), and a +45 enchanted or stance shield. (I have some places I solo farm with a Sup Strength as well as weapon, but I won't team up with other people if I'm only sporting 380 health) PVP / GVG: Health is god. STILL no more than 1 Sup. rune, a + health always shield if you can, and a fortitude weapon. Your monk will thank you. (By Superior I mean -75 health runes, not vigor or absorb)

Mar 21, 2006, 07:43 AM // 07:43	#10
ophidian409 Krytan Explorer Join Date: Oct 2005 Profession: W/R	warrior with no shield should take +5 armor for higher protection, warrior with shield should take +30 since he already has 80-100 armor +16 armor from shield so he needs more hp and +5 armor won't do much difference

Mar 21, 2006, 02:34 PM // 14:34	#13
fiery Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: maryland Guild: InYurFace Gaming [IYF] Profession: R/	Sup vigor, than Sup axe/hammer/sword Minor tactic/strentgh, whatever floats your boat seeing may have diffrent rune equips. I rather have 30 HP shield and a Zealous/fortitude weapon.

Mar 21, 2006, 04:21 PM // 16:21	#14
Jetdoc Hell's Protector Join Date: Jul 2005 Guild: The Eyes of Texas [BEVO] Profession: D/A	It's an age-old debate that the forum has had since the game came out. It all comes down to preference, IMO.

Mar 21, 2006, 04:39 PM // 16:39	#15
wsmcasey Jungle Guide Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Right behind you. Guild: HeRo Profession: W/Rt	+5 armor > +30hp, except in the case of health degen.

Mar 21, 2006, 04:49 PM // 16:49	#17
R A C Lion's Arch Merchant Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In my parent's basement Profession: R/Mo	IMO +hp is better in the long run as it helps against EVERYTHING. Where as the +armor is useless against any type of degen which is quite common in pvp and pve. Armor is also useless against armor ignoring holy, chaos, shadow, life stealing, etc (obviously). And besides, uber weapon of fortitude sounds cooler than uber weapon of defense. In my opinion anyway.

Mar 21, 2006, 05:57 PM // 17:57	#19
The_Janitor Frost Gate Guardian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New Jersey Guild: The Adventurer's Society [TAS] Profession: Me/N	I never use sup runes on my warr. Only vigor and absorb. But I believe that +30 is a bit better. +5 armor REALLY isn't much.