Curse

Francis Crawford · Jan 07, 2006, 03:59 PM // 15:59

Hi!

Both rangers and elementalists can buy armor that has bonus protection against their choice of one of the four elements. Is there a consensus -- or a detailed debate in another place -- about which is the most expedient to choose?

Well, I get the sense that fire protection is the consensus choice for elementalists, but I'm not sure whether that's for functional reasons or because people think it looks the best.

Obviously, different elements are more likely to be encountered in different places -- fire and earth in the desert, cold in the Shiverpeaks, and so on. How does it wind up balancing out?

I'm thinking PvE here, and assuming that a ranger doesn't always want to run Winter.

Former Ruling · Jan 07, 2006, 04:05 PM // 16:05

99% of rangers wear Druids...not their +15 to ele armor. Druids is about 1000x more helpful and works everywhere.

In PvE I would definately lead you away from wearing it - as theres different elements everywhere. In PvP I /Guess/ You could go Studded, to sort of do alittle better vs Air Spikers.

Talin Verderben · Jan 07, 2006, 04:09 PM // 16:09

I wear 15k Drakescale with 15k Druids leggings. I wear it mainly for looks. I am thinking of running a build based on Winter and using Frostbound armor though.

LifeInfusion · Jan 07, 2006, 05:02 PM // 17:02

I'd say fire, not because it is most widely used, but it has the most damage of all the elements.

Alternatively, you could get air protection since air penetrates 25% of armor.

Water won't hurt as much, the main "hurt" is the hexes/slowdowns.

Never get anti earth because earth usually ignores armor.

Cjlr · Jan 07, 2006, 11:58 PM // 23:58

For rangers, it's usually never worth the extra protection because ALL the ranger armours have a built-in +30 vs Elemental Damage, and the difference between 100 AL and 115 AL against a certain element isn't as good as the extra energy that is provided by druid's armour.

For elementalists, it's kind of a toss-up. Fire is probably the most important, though (at least in PvE) because its more widespread (and it's what you'll want when you get to the ring of fire). Air would be good to have if expect to be going against air spiking in PvP, but there's not many monsters that use air... Hydromancer is a little better in the Shiverpeaks, but you're not there long and the difference is still not great.

To summarize: Rangers should probably go with druid's. Extra energy > slightly better armour. Elementalists, is a toss up - choose based on what you can afford and where you'll be using it.

chris_nin00 · Jan 08, 2006, 12:02 AM // 00:02

15k druids for female rangers are my favorite

.

*ahem*

Back on topic.
Fire is the most widely used element in the PvE world.
Your decision should be based on style intead. The fur looks nice

Markaedw · Jan 08, 2006, 12:45 AM // 00:45

I have one of each, and I wear which ever one I am fighting, when I farmed garg for candy canes, I wear the studded leather, when I was working ring of fire I wore fire, when I'm in droks it was the frost, and for everything else I still use my desrt collector armor. I don't like the druid lack of protection, altough she does look hot in the grotto armor, but a corpse is still a corpse.

I also now have a storage problem, all my storage is her armor.

Rajamic · Jan 08, 2006, 01:29 AM // 01:29

While fire is the most common in PvE, I don't really see it as a threat. The enemies aren't smart enough to use them properly, and most of the time they are AoEs you can walk out of, like Lava Font.

I always go Druids (Go go gadget energy!) for Ranger. And Aeromancer for Eles, since the +15 AL pretty much exactly counters the 25% AP most of the air spells have (and is much more of a threat in PvP).

Francis Crawford · Jan 08, 2006, 05:49 AM // 05:49

Got it. Druids' for Rangers, obviating the question.

Aeromancer for elementalists in PvP

Pyromancer for elementalists in PvE.

Override any of the above if you have an aesthetic preference.

Thanks!!

Juicey Shake · Jan 08, 2006, 07:00 AM // 07:00

I wore 15k drakes for effectiveness.

Taking <10 damage from most AoE fire skills = love.

I remade my ranger now, and went with druids for energy effectivity, and the boost in energy is quite nice ^^..

Maxiemonster · Jan 08, 2006, 10:02 AM // 10:02

I disagree on buying fire as the element you should protect always.

I'd always choose water above fire when I'd get to buy my 1.5K/15K when I had a PVE Character that will farm alot. Farming IDS? Water. Farming greens? Water. Though, if you're not a farmer, and you fight every place in Tyria just as much, jep, Fire would indeed be great, but I still think it doesn't matter what armor you choose, just go for the looks, unless you're farming specific places.

(If I'd ever make an Elementalist I would go for the Geomancer armor too, since it doesn't matter enough, and 15K Geomancer is hot!)

LifeInfusion · Jan 08, 2006, 02:40 PM // 14:40

He asked which element to protect against, not which one is best.

Or I would've said Druid's because 15AL vs. elemental when you have 100AL already... isn't making much a difference (especially when you are ranged and can RUN).

Markaedw · Jan 08, 2006, 04:39 PM // 16:39

I was reading about the warrior knights armor giving full benifitd even one if only one peice was worn, does any one know if this applies to all other armor ie range 70 + 15 vs ele X or the elemental what ever (I don't have an ele in droks yet).

If so the druids, frost gloves, drakescale pants ans studed leather boots gives total coverage

Lady Lozza · Jan 08, 2006, 05:13 PM // 17:13

IMHO hydro and pyro are the most useful. Fire eles and air eles are the most popular in game however many rangers use winter. My ele (who is a ranger 2ndary) had taken to using it too now in areas that do not do cold dmg.
To the best of my knowledge ele armour does NOT work the same way, but I really do not know.

Markaedw · Jan 08, 2006, 05:42 PM // 17:42

I'm at work now, but I may have to test out the ranger armor when I get home.

LifeInfusion · Jan 08, 2006, 05:44 PM // 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markaedw

I was reading about the warrior knights armor giving full benifitd even one if only one peice was worn, does any one know if this applies to all other armor ie range 70 + 15 vs ele X or the elemental what ever (I don't have an ele in droks yet).

If so the druids, frost gloves, drakescale pants ans studed leather boots gives total coverage

No. It doesn't workfor the ranger armors. Why? Absorption not same as +AL. Anet probably did the absorption forumlas wrong.

Thank goodness for that. Or I'd have a fit on how eangers can have 115AL vs. all elemental stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Lozza

IMHO hydro and pyro are the most useful. Fire eles and air eles are the most popular in game however many rangers use winter. My ele (who is a ranger 2ndary) had taken to using it too now in areas that do not do cold dmg.
To the best of my knowledge ele armour does NOT work the same way, but I really do not know.

Winter is mostly seen in the Ring of Fire missions due to the usefulness of added damage to fire based monsters that have resistant to the ever-so-popular "nukes".
I have rarely seen winter used unless people are wearing frostbound sets. (Elementalists don't use Ranger subclass usually.)