Armor vs. HP Mods - Guild Wars Forums

LifeInfusion · Aug 16, 2005, 03:25 AM // 03:25

I have a sword with a +4 defense sword pommel (because I am too poor to buy a +5, since people like to bump prices up so high) and one that has +6 vs physical pommel.

Does the 2 armor make such a big difference?

Would an HP +25-30 Mod be better as a PVE character's sword in areas as FoW and UW?

In short, HP or Defense? How much damage reduction is 2 defense?

Kyle · Aug 16, 2005, 03:34 AM // 03:34

somewhere around here some one calculated it all out and stuff. i Belive the armor was better. Thats what i put on all my weapons. Someone mite know where to find it.

Red Sonya · Aug 16, 2005, 03:54 AM // 03:54

I look at it like this Armor is damage reduction to an extent vs melee and elemental dmg (excluding spells) else one would be hitting at max damage every hit and +5 means up to +5 damage reduction per hit, which is basically 6 hits for 30hps. But, if you don't have that +5 armor then you're getting hit for 10pts instead of 5points per hit on a basic calculation, so cut in half to only 3 hits and that 30hps is gone. So the way I see it, the "melee/elemental" weapon using mob has to hit me 6 times to knock out 30 hit points when I'm using a +5 pommel of defense vs 3 times without pommel of defense. The other side of this arguement is spells that armor has no effect on. Here the hp's would be better than the armor. It's pretty balanced out there in the PVE and PVP game on what you will face. So both I believe are perfectly balanced for what they will do for you. Armor vs melee and arrows, Hp's vs spells.

It's pretty clear the more armor you have the better defense you have and the less damage you will take per hit in melee. Hit points are just hit points without any defensive value at all. If a critical gets through those 30hps are gone, but, if you had +5 extra armor that critical might be only 25hps, thus you live for one more strike whereas you die with just plain ole hps. I'll take defense everytime vs melee/elemental attacks. I've seen what +40 armor increase does for reducing damage vs melee/elemental or preventing it altogether with shield of regeneration.

I prefer to get the weapons with the +7 Armor added to them for each type of damage, elemental and physical. Have one of each up to (4). I even just found a +8 Armor vs Lightning on a shield I found. I'm hoping to find a +8 Armor of Defense pommel, that would be great.

Rounding it all up, it's good to have items that give a variety of everything. Say you come upon all casters, bring out your +HP gear. When you see a group of all melee then bring out your +Armor gear. When you face a balanced group then you just have to decide what you feel you will face most and take more damage from. This could lead to switching back n forth.

There is no perfect one type structure build as it should be, else everyone would be using the same thing all the time. The smartest players will have a "variety" of many things and not just one thing.

Hell Marauder · Aug 16, 2005, 04:14 AM // 04:14

For protection against direct attack, go for armor mod. To add extra cushion against condition/hex damage, hp mod is more useful. But since mesmers and necros aren't popular classes yet, for practical purpose armor mod is more useful for now. For the same reason in UW/Fissure, armor mod is more useful.

mikey · Aug 16, 2005, 07:35 AM // 07:35

Personally I will never ever use a fortitude mod over a defense mod, unless I was aiming for really high HP. The benefits of a fortitude mod aren't present until your health dips below 30hp. If you are healed from between 1-30hp, you know that mod saved your life. Also note that Protective Spirit will let 3 more damage in

.

If you decide to go with the armour mod (which I'd advise), you will be getting the benefits basically all the time. Every armour-affected attack which comes your way is being reduced. Now if you only have 480hp and will never get healed, both mods are roughly the same. In a practical situation you will be getting healed constantly, so the benefit of the armour mod will over time outweigh the benefits of the health mod.

Pretty much, if you get healed a lot, armour mod is the way to go, which is why I would never take a health mod.

LifeInfusion · Aug 16, 2005, 12:24 PM // 12:24

OKay. That's what I thought.

I always use Defense and it is cheaper than fortitude for some reason.

tlr1293 · Aug 16, 2005, 12:49 PM // 12:49

I use Defense.
- cheaper than Fortitude (Fortitude is costly because people are dumb enough to see '+29' and go gaga over it - like an extra +9 is worth 30k gold when 1 hit wipes that out)

- helps in more situations then Fortitude and Marksmanship grip is only good at +15% or better and then only for 'pulling' monsters as you may get a better hit on that first shot when pulling, before switching to your damage bow.

- oh yeah, I'm speaking in bows here

- +4, +5? Not enough of a difference to warrent the 10-20k difference in asking price. I love going to Ascalon City and buying a defense +4 for 500-1.5k gold because the seller doesn't think they will get anything for it due to it not being the 'GODLY +5 '. Perfect for me. I prefer +5, but won't pay over 5k. I've found 1, salvaged 1, and bought 2; total cost=3.5k.

- I digress: Fortitude is just not my forte'

MCS · Aug 16, 2005, 01:16 PM // 13:16

Armor is FAR better than HP. The longer a fight lasts the more efficient armor become is the sense that it's less life to heal.

I swear to god though if I see another person try to use the "OMFG I'VE ESCAPED WITH LIKE 10 LIFE SO MANY TIMES" excuse I'm going to tweak.

YEAH YOU WOULD HAVE ESCAPED WITH MORE IF YOU WERE USING DEFENSIVE!

Mr Zun · Aug 16, 2005, 01:32 PM // 13:32

See the thing is it all depends on were u r using these mods, let me explain...

See if u go somewhere like UW/FOE the u really do need the defensive mod since your probly going in with a monk (trust me its prefreble u bring 2) thats going to be healing u constantly so u wont die (as easy).

But if ur like me and like just playing in the random team arenas then u never know if u r going to have a monk/healer so u would need the hp mod fo instance i like using an axe i found witch gives me +23 hp combined with a shield of wing +20 hp While enchanted and i use vital blessing at +115 and that puts me a little over 690 hp with a major vigor, major axe, and sup absorb, its really hard to the me down yet with the energy limitations if a W, 1 mes with shater enchant a necro and a W take me out in a cuple of minutes... but if there is no1 with enchant killing skills u gonna need a minimum of 3 W to bring me down.

So u see it all depends on were ur using the mods.

MCS · Aug 16, 2005, 09:25 PM // 21:25

No zun armor is just better.

Fye Duron · Aug 16, 2005, 09:42 PM // 21:42

Don't argue with the mighty MCS on this one... Armor is better for everything but hexs. And +5 to armor is the only way to go. +7 vs Ele, or +7 vs Phy are just lame. I'll take + 5 all the time vs only getting the bonus 50% of it

Aug 16, 2005, 03:25 AM // 03:25	#1
LifeInfusion Grotto Attendant Join Date: May 2005 Location: in the midline Profession: E/Mo	Armor vs. HP Mods I have a sword with a +4 defense sword pommel (because I am too poor to buy a +5, since people like to bump prices up so high) and one that has +6 vs physical pommel. Does the 2 armor make such a big difference? Would an HP +25-30 Mod be better as a PVE character's sword in areas as FoW and UW? In short, HP or Defense? How much damage reduction is 2 defense?

Aug 16, 2005, 03:34 AM // 03:34	#2
Kyle Krytan Explorer Join Date: Jun 2005 Guild: Legends Of Teh Industry [XXX]	somewhere around here some one calculated it all out and stuff. i Belive the armor was better. Thats what i put on all my weapons. Someone mite know where to find it.

Aug 16, 2005, 03:54 AM // 03:54	#3
Red Sonya Desert Nomad Join Date: Jul 2005	I look at it like this Armor is damage reduction to an extent vs melee and elemental dmg (excluding spells) else one would be hitting at max damage every hit and +5 means up to +5 damage reduction per hit, which is basically 6 hits for 30hps. But, if you don't have that +5 armor then you're getting hit for 10pts instead of 5points per hit on a basic calculation, so cut in half to only 3 hits and that 30hps is gone. So the way I see it, the "melee/elemental" weapon using mob has to hit me 6 times to knock out 30 hit points when I'm using a +5 pommel of defense vs 3 times without pommel of defense. The other side of this arguement is spells that armor has no effect on. Here the hp's would be better than the armor. It's pretty balanced out there in the PVE and PVP game on what you will face. So both I believe are perfectly balanced for what they will do for you. Armor vs melee and arrows, Hp's vs spells. It's pretty clear the more armor you have the better defense you have and the less damage you will take per hit in melee. Hit points are just hit points without any defensive value at all. If a critical gets through those 30hps are gone, but, if you had +5 extra armor that critical might be only 25hps, thus you live for one more strike whereas you die with just plain ole hps. I'll take defense everytime vs melee/elemental attacks. I've seen what +40 armor increase does for reducing damage vs melee/elemental or preventing it altogether with shield of regeneration. I prefer to get the weapons with the +7 Armor added to them for each type of damage, elemental and physical. Have one of each up to (4). I even just found a +8 Armor vs Lightning on a shield I found. I'm hoping to find a +8 Armor of Defense pommel, that would be great. Rounding it all up, it's good to have items that give a variety of everything. Say you come upon all casters, bring out your +HP gear. When you see a group of all melee then bring out your +Armor gear. When you face a balanced group then you just have to decide what you feel you will face most and take more damage from. This could lead to switching back n forth. There is no perfect one type structure build as it should be, else everyone would be using the same thing all the time. The smartest players will have a "variety" of many things and not just one thing.

Aug 16, 2005, 04:14 AM // 04:14	#4
Hell Marauder Krytan Explorer Join Date: May 2005	For protection against direct attack, go for armor mod. To add extra cushion against condition/hex damage, hp mod is more useful. But since mesmers and necros aren't popular classes yet, for practical purpose armor mod is more useful for now. For the same reason in UW/Fissure, armor mod is more useful.

Aug 16, 2005, 07:35 AM // 07:35	#5
mikey Ascalonian Squire Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Rainbow Crapping Pandas	Personally I will never ever use a fortitude mod over a defense mod, unless I was aiming for really high HP. The benefits of a fortitude mod aren't present until your health dips below 30hp. If you are healed from between 1-30hp, you know that mod saved your life. Also note that Protective Spirit will let 3 more damage in . If you decide to go with the armour mod (which I'd advise), you will be getting the benefits basically all the time. Every armour-affected attack which comes your way is being reduced. Now if you only have 480hp and will never get healed, both mods are roughly the same. In a practical situation you will be getting healed constantly, so the benefit of the armour mod will over time outweigh the benefits of the health mod. Pretty much, if you get healed a lot, armour mod is the way to go, which is why I would never take a health mod.

Aug 16, 2005, 12:24 PM // 12:24	#6
LifeInfusion Grotto Attendant Join Date: May 2005 Location: in the midline Profession: E/Mo	OKay. That's what I thought. I always use Defense and it is cheaper than fortitude for some reason.

Aug 16, 2005, 12:49 PM // 12:49	#7
tlr1293 Academy Page Join Date: May 2005 Location: Louisville, KY Guild: [RoK] Riddle of Kings Profession: R/Mo	I use Defense. - cheaper than Fortitude (Fortitude is costly because people are dumb enough to see '+29' and go gaga over it - like an extra +9 is worth 30k gold when 1 hit wipes that out) - helps in more situations then Fortitude and Marksmanship grip is only good at +15% or better and then only for 'pulling' monsters as you may get a better hit on that first shot when pulling, before switching to your damage bow. - oh yeah, I'm speaking in bows here - +4, +5? Not enough of a difference to warrent the 10-20k difference in asking price. I love going to Ascalon City and buying a defense +4 for 500-1.5k gold because the seller doesn't think they will get anything for it due to it not being the 'GODLY +5 '. Perfect for me. I prefer +5, but won't pay over 5k. I've found 1, salvaged 1, and bought 2; total cost=3.5k. - I digress: Fortitude is just not my forte'

Aug 16, 2005, 01:16 PM // 13:16	#8
MCS Banned Join Date: May 2005	Armor is FAR better than HP. The longer a fight lasts the more efficient armor become is the sense that it's less life to heal. I swear to god though if I see another person try to use the "OMFG I'VE ESCAPED WITH LIKE 10 LIFE SO MANY TIMES" excuse I'm going to tweak. YEAH YOU WOULD HAVE ESCAPED WITH MORE IF YOU WERE USING DEFENSIVE!

Aug 16, 2005, 01:32 PM // 13:32	#9
Mr Zun Academy Page Join Date: Aug 2005 Guild: Twin Dragons Profession: E/N	See the thing is it all depends on were u r using these mods, let me explain... See if u go somewhere like UW/FOE the u really do need the defensive mod since your probly going in with a monk (trust me its prefreble u bring 2) thats going to be healing u constantly so u wont die (as easy). But if ur like me and like just playing in the random team arenas then u never know if u r going to have a monk/healer so u would need the hp mod fo instance i like using an axe i found witch gives me +23 hp combined with a shield of wing +20 hp While enchanted and i use vital blessing at +115 and that puts me a little over 690 hp with a major vigor, major axe, and sup absorb, its really hard to the me down yet with the energy limitations if a W, 1 mes with shater enchant a necro and a W take me out in a cuple of minutes... but if there is no1 with enchant killing skills u gonna need a minimum of 3 W to bring me down. So u see it all depends on were ur using the mods.

Aug 16, 2005, 09:25 PM // 21:25	#10
MCS Banned Join Date: May 2005	No zun armor is just better.

Aug 16, 2005, 09:42 PM // 21:42	#11
Fye Duron Wilds Pathfinder Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chico, CA, USA Guild: Dragon Fang	Don't argue with the mighty MCS on this one... Armor is better for everything but hexs. And +5 to armor is the only way to go. +7 vs Ele, or +7 vs Phy are just lame. I'll take + 5 all the time vs only getting the bonus 50% of it