Curse

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 03:43 AM // 03:43

A couple of notes on armor that I've been meaning to post for a while.

First, autohit looks like it's working its way out of the game. Skills that might have autohit at one time no longer do, and now have directional mechanics - skills like Fire Storm appear to come from above giving a good percentage of head shots, blasts off to the side hit the hands more frequently. How the percentages change, and what skills hit from what direction is unknown, but simply put the tactic of wearing a different chestpiece of a suit of armor is obsolete.

The tactic of using gloves / boots for the +energy, however, is alive and well. Once those are synched up it'll make sense to use complete sets of armor again.

Second, an update on how Ascalon armor works. Basically, each piece of armor acts as though it has a Rune of Minor Absorption in it, meaning that all damage you take is reduced by 2, regardless of hit location. These bonuses stack neither with each other, nor with Absorption runes. Practically, this means that the Ascalon and Knight's armors are completely useless. Multiple pieces of either have zero benefit, and once you have a rune of Absorption the bonus of either suit is redundant. Your best course of action? Grab a pair of Ascalon Boots early in the game for the easy damage reduction, then ignore the set entirely.

Peace,
-CxE

Auh · Apr 10, 2005, 03:52 AM // 03:52

Cool. Thanks. I like it being that way.. makes it more realistic and fun.

Ginko · Apr 10, 2005, 03:55 AM // 03:55

I found the Knight's Armor to look very stylish on my W/Mo. Now sadness has overcome me, I must retreat to the inner workings of my home so I can weep.

Thanks for the update Ensign, I found it interesting. I proclaim this to be a good source!

--Ginko

Orbit · Apr 10, 2005, 03:58 AM // 03:58

So what you are saying ascalon and knights are useless because they are AC 80 vice AC 85 like the others at the hi lvl?

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 04:06 AM // 04:06

Yep, that's exactly what I'm saying. Platemail is 80 +20 vs. Physical, Dragon is 85 +10 vs. Physical. Knight's and Ascalon are 80 +10 vs. Physical, with a 'bonus' that doesn't actually do anything if you have your Absorption Rune - and doesn't do anything beyond the first armor piece in any case. Hence both suits are strictly worse than both Platemail and Dragon armor, and should not be touched.

I'm disappointed too, as Knight's is the best looking suit of armor from where I'm sitting, and it has been changed from a Platemail clone (which is actually useful) into an Ascalon clone (which is not). Hopefully they'll tweak these armors a bit before release so that they're actually useful again.

Peace,
-CxE

Orbit · Apr 10, 2005, 04:09 AM // 04:09

Ok,thanks for the help.

Lazek Phoenix · Apr 10, 2005, 04:28 AM // 04:28

I have a question Knights armor isn't 80, +20 vs physical. I always thought it was the same as platemail because that is what all the Guild wars sites databases say.

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 04:53 AM // 04:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazek Phoenix

I have a question Knights armor isn't 80, +20 vs physical. I always thought it was the same as platemail because that is what all the Guild wars sites databases say.

It was identical to Platemail until recently (the last BWE I believe). As of then it stopped being a copy of Platemail, and started being a copy of Ascalon Armor. Knight's Armor requires Leather Squares as a rare component, instead of Steel or Pelts.

A bunch of armor sets have been switched up recently, and I don't know of any up to date sites. I guess we're just putting things off here because we're waiting for things to settle. =p

Peace,
-CxE

Lazek Phoenix · Apr 10, 2005, 05:43 AM // 05:43

Ok. Thanks. I have to tell my warrior freind that now, becasue last Beta he bought half of the Knights set becasue it looked better than the Platemail. I have to tell him to switch now.

It really isn't right that the Dragon's armor and the Platemail armor is better and cheaper than the Ascalon and Knights armor.

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 05:59 AM // 05:59

I just looked over my screenshots, and apparently the PvP Knight's Armor is identical to Platemail, while the PvE Knight's Armor is identical to Ascalon Armor.

I don't know how that's supposed to work, either.

Peace,
-CxE

Apr 10, 2005, 06:06 AM // 06:06

Dragon Armor looks better than everything else. Anyone who says it isnt is a noob!

Allmightybob · Apr 10, 2005, 06:42 AM // 06:42

So this means instead of using Ascalon Chest and Plate for everything else (except helm, and possibly gloves if we're using hammer), we will now all be swaping between Plate and Dragon (I prefer Dragon as I think I will be taking more elemental damage than physical), with a minor absorption rune in each set, and still using the +skill helms and maybe knockdown gloves?

Or using Gladiator's Armor for boots and gloves for the +1 energy from each, with the damage appropriate chest and leggings.

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 07:07 AM // 07:07

Basically, yeah. Use Plate or Dragon for everything, depending on where you want your protection - use Gladiators Gloves/Boots if you want a bit of energy at a cost of a lot of armor.

Peace,
-CxE

Doctor · Apr 10, 2005, 08:17 AM // 08:17

I hope they make a few different armor sets equal yet different for endgame. I really like the look of the Knight's Set when I played a long time ago. Hopefully whichever set I go with will end up looking good. For me appearence in such a good looking game plays a major factor.

FluidFox · Apr 10, 2005, 08:22 AM // 08:22

Well this will definately swap things up a bit. I was wondering why the last time I played, I didn't seem to get any kind of appreciable benefit from my rune of minor absorbtion. I am a little curious about the testing methods you used to come to these conclusions. (mostly because it seems it would have taken a lot of time)

Vermilion Okeanos · Apr 10, 2005, 08:49 AM // 08:49

Any other armor updates? I only know of the elementalist's armor changes...

Master Armor = gone, at least not in ventari's dell (did they change the name again? I forgot)

Air elementalist chest part now have +15 vs air magic instead of +10 vs air magic, at ventari's dell (I still have my old +10 one T-T)

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 08:04 PM // 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by FluidFox

I am a little curious about the testing methods you used to come to these conclusions. (mostly because it seems it would have taken a lot of time)

It doesn't take a lot of time, really. Take a mixed suit of armor (I was using ringmail with ascalon gloves/boots). Get hit by a bunch of Lightning Orbs from a lowbie Flash Gargoyle. Take 4 damage per hit. Take off your gloves, and still take 4 damage per hit. Take off the boots too, and take 6 damage per hit. Take off everything and start taking naked damage. Put on gloves, take naked damage -2. Put on gloves and boots, still take naked -2.

Come back later with level 20 Knights and Ascalon crafted. Mix and match Knights with Ascalon, still just get -2 damage per hit. Toss a minor absorption rune in your leggings. Get -2 damage per hit.

I didn't cover every possible iteration, granted, but I saw enough to conclude that none of the 'reduces damage from attacks' bonuses stack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vermilion Okeanos

Any other armor updates? I only know of the elementalist's armor changes...

A ton.

Elementalists now have 5 choices for armor - the 60 AL suit, as well as Pyromancer's (60, +15 vs. Fire), Hydromancer's (60, +15 vs. Cold), Aeromancer's (60, +15 vs. Lightning), and Geomancer's (60, +15 vs. Earth).

Rangers have their basic set, along with Druid's (70, +30 vs. Elemental, +1 energy), Drakescale (70, +30 vs. Elemental, +15 vs. Fire), Studded Leather (70, +30 vs. Elemental, +15 vs. Lightning), and Frostbound (70, +30 vs. Elemental, +15 vs. Cold).

Monks have their basic set, along with Tattoos (60, +1 energy), Wanderer's (60, +5 vs. Elemental), and Judge's (60, +10 vs. Physical, -1 energy). Saintly is still craftable but is simply Wanderer's with a different graphic.

Mesmers have their basic set, plus Virtuoso (60, +15 while casting), Enchanter's (60, +1 energy), and Rogues (60, +10 vs. Physical, -1 energy). They may or may not have another craftable set that isn't available on PvP characters.

Necromancers have their basic set, plus Necrotic (70, double damage from holy), Bonelace (60, +15 vs. Piercing), and Scars (60, +1 energy). They also have a 60, +10 vs. Physical, -1 energy set, though that might have changed.

Warriors are effectively unchanged, with Platemail (80, +20 vs. Physical), Dragon (85, +10 vs. Physical), Ascalon (80, +10 vs. Physical, -2 damage), Gladiator's (80, +1 energy), and Knight's (either the same as Ascalon or Platemail, depending on the week).

I'll be bugging people in Ventari's Dell next BWE to find out exactly what's available now.

Peace,
-CxE

HotSnack · Apr 10, 2005, 08:52 PM // 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

Studded Leather (70, +30 vs. Elemental, +15 vs. Lightning)

Hmm, I hope they reduced its price in steel in accordance with this change.

Lunarhound · Apr 10, 2005, 09:19 PM // 21:19

That's really too bad about the Knight's and Ascalon sets. I wonder if allowing the bonus of these sets to stack with the Absorption Rune would be too powerful. If not, then perhaps they could be made useful again by granting the bonus only when you wear the entire set, and then letting it stack with the rune? I'm horrible with numbers, so I really don't know how that would work out in the end.

Ensign · Apr 10, 2005, 09:30 PM // 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotSnack

Hmm, I hope they reduced its price in steel in accordance with this change.

It's still 112 Hides, 28 Steel, 6000 gold for a full set as far as I know. Steel is actually pretty common, though, I wouldn't worry about acquiring it too much. Don't think about crafting it - that's a waste of money - trade for it off of people for around 30-50 gold per ingot.

All the crafting materials are fairly common now, and the only really rare ones (Linen and Silk) aren't used all that much - the armors that used to require them got taken out of the game. The gold is a much bigger deal than the materials for everything but Scars / Tattoos, and probably even then, too.

If anyone knows about any of the additional sets, particularly the Monk / Necromancer / Mesmer ones, please let us know.

Peace,
-CxE