Curse

Ensign · Nov 11, 2006, 07:31 PM // 19:31

Damage is so much more predictible in PvE that I don't see the value of +HP there. You aren't opening up any more tactics or spike resistance or anything with it. There's also very little armor ignoring damage in PvE. There really isn't any benefit to +HP over +armor in PvE...outside of very low HP numbers.

Peace,
-CxE

Thom Bangalter · Nov 13, 2006, 05:25 AM // 05:25

Considering the high amount of burning-inducing characters present in Nightfall, I feel +health armor is a justifiable choice.

Off topic: I'm contemplating getting a set of prismatic armor, because lately I've been flagging with 11 water/10 air, and the armor bonus is unconditional as opposed to while enchanted or vs physical.

Ensign · Nov 13, 2006, 10:55 AM // 10:55

+health does jack and shit against degen outside of small fights without Monk support. You die when Heal Party is distracted or your Monks run out of energy, and not a moment earlier. Ok, yes, it does something if you have a lot of DP and your health total would actually be a concern from it falling too fast...but when DP is still good, the difference between 500 and 600 health against degen is nonexistant.

If you have 9+ in two attributes I think that Prismatic armor is clearly the best choice available. Unless you're doing terrible things with superior runes. Dropping below 500 health or so, even with 70 armor, is really questionable.

Peace,
-CxE

prism2525 · Nov 13, 2006, 04:40 PM // 16:40

+10AL enchanted for me... for now...

pingu666 · Nov 13, 2006, 05:20 PM // 17:20

think i have 440~ health on my ele...

Jeff Highwind · Nov 13, 2006, 05:29 PM // 17:29

16 Air and 80 Energy?

Thom Bangalter · Nov 13, 2006, 05:41 PM // 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

+health does jack and shit against degen outside of small fights without Monk support. You die when Heal Party is distracted or your Monks run out of energy, and not a moment earlier. Ok, yes, it does something if you have a lot of DP and your health total would actually be a concern from it falling too fast...but when DP is still good, the difference between 500 and 600 health against degen is nonexistant.

If you have 9+ in two attributes I think that Prismatic armor is clearly the best choice available. Unless you're doing terrible things with superior runes. Dropping below 500 health or so, even with 70 armor, is really questionable.

Peace,
-CxE

I concede. Ensign always wins. In a situation where you have support with you, +armor is probably going to have a bigger payoff.

I just like plus health armor, because I like having the buffer for DP, VOD, and skirmishes. Lord knows I've stopped degenning at 4 health before I was able to safely cast things. Additionally, while watching OUT vs Vibe last night, Out's runner died of degen on two seperate occasions. (It was also partly some poor play mistakes and build decisions, but I digress). I'm just in more situations where +health has had a bigger payoff than +armor. Floating around at 595-605 health, you start to get used to having that larger buffer, and I'm concerned as to what would occur if I switched armor now after becoming used to +health since factions came out. Prismatic armor is still so tempting though (unless, as ensign stated, you're doing weird things with superiors, something I never use in GVG and really only run when going fire).

Also, @ Jeff: I don't find the comic all that funny, because 1 of those two fictitious players is simply bad. It's not that I don't find web comics amusing, just must of them are poorly written. This one was good though: http://www.pvponline.com/images/batman/

Ensign · Nov 13, 2006, 08:00 PM // 20:00

I like +health a lot more for PvP flaggers, definitely, especially if you play them intelligently. Most of your deaths will come when you don't have Monk support, and in small fights a lot of the incoming damage will be from degen. HP buffer is really important there. It will save you when you get stacked with degen.

When you're spending more time at the stand or otherwise around Monks, take the +armor though to spare their energy when you inevitibly get your face pounded on.

Peace,
-CxE

LightningHell · Nov 14, 2006, 04:04 AM // 04:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Highwind

16 Air and 80 Energy?

As much as I like the comics, I don't think using +energy is justifiable.

Jeff Highwind · Nov 14, 2006, 04:12 AM // 04:12

It was a joke referring to stats in relation to her HP.

Thom Bangalter · Nov 14, 2006, 07:19 AM // 07:19

I don't get it, I have 520 health when running superiors. Of course, I've never found any guild wars based web comic all that funny.

Ensign · Nov 14, 2006, 09:25 AM // 09:25

I run +energy alongside Second Wind or Mind Blast. Otherwise health/armor it is.

Peace,
-CxE

Longasc · Nov 14, 2006, 12:32 PM // 12:32

The trick was to have more than 480 HP, so that mobs would rather go for Henchies than you.

Having 485 or 476 HP was a major difference for my Assassin in Cantha, he got less aggro and Talon got it instead.

The new Nightfall AI is different, so I say this "trick" is no longer valid.

Most mobs in Nightfall do EARTH damage, early scales also do WATER damage. There are spells that change all damage against you to Earth, so you might want to capitalize on that.

These Insignia are also cheap. If you want a more all around solution, take +10 while enchanted blessed armor which is not too expensive either.

kazjun · Nov 15, 2006, 04:35 AM // 04:35

My main's a warrior, and I use a necro with death or curses, so I'm pretty much new at being an ele. And I don't pve with an ele at all.

But one thing I have noticed in pve, apart from ele bosses (ele bosses with searing flames are brutal) is that I don't really take that much damage apart from air spikers, like the margonite sorcs. Against most physicals you can kite them pretty easy and they shouldn't land more than a hit or two, and most other spells are aoe you can just kite out of. You can also carry armour of earth if you want to try to tank and you're far back enough that enchant removers don't target you. Even a few left over points in earth makes a huge difference. Certainly long enough for you team to mop up and come back to finish the melee types.

Anyway, I took the aeromancer, and its working out alright so far, but there's probably better. It's cheap to change too.

Divinus Stella · Nov 16, 2006, 02:52 AM // 02:52

I use +10 while enchanted most of the time, +energy does have good uses, especially with second wind and ether prism, swapping to a +30/-2 set and having +energy armour makes a huge difference.
But if your going for a general purpose set that will serve you well in pve and pvp go for +10 while enchanted.

Theres good arguments for all sets but now armour swapping is no longer allowed in pvp theres even less justification for +health stats.

Thom Bangalter · Nov 16, 2006, 09:44 AM // 09:44

it makes a difference for me, I get spiked pretty much every single time I run up to the flagstand. Additionally, yesterday, when running flags, I got hit by a searing flames ele waiting for me in an effort to push morale. But I had +health armor and healing breeze, so I went up there with no fear.

Divinus Stella · Nov 16, 2006, 10:24 AM // 10:24

An extra 10 armour would have prevented more than 35hp worth of damage i think, i dont see how having healing breeze makes the argument for +hp armour any more valid, if anything breeze would work better with higher AL and lower HP.

LightningHell · Nov 16, 2006, 10:27 AM // 10:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divinus Stella

Theres good arguments for all sets but now armour swapping is no longer allowed in pvp theres even less justification for +health stats.

Incorrect; there is even more justification for +health stats, now that you can't swap for spikes.

Thom Bangalter · Nov 16, 2006, 10:35 AM // 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divinus Stella

An extra 10 armour would have prevented more than 35hp worth of damage i think, i dont see how having healing breeze makes the argument for +hp armour any more valid, if anything breeze would work better with higher AL and lower HP.

I wasn't taking that much damage, I was being set on fire. In that situation I was better off with +health armor. Sitting at 600 health and trying to combat -7 degen while trying to get away to cast and save myself is far easier at a higher health total.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

I like +health a lot more for PvP flaggers, definitely, especially if you play them intelligently. Most of your deaths will come when you don't have Monk support, and in small fights a lot of the incoming damage will be from degen. HP buffer is really important there. It will save you when you get stacked with degen.

When you're spending more time at the stand or otherwise around Monks, take the +armor though to spare their energy when you inevitibly get your face pounded on.

Peace,
-CxE

I should also note that besides +energy (one of the worst inscriptions for pretty much every character) Inscription prices have fallen so fast that it's easy to just get a set of inscribible armor and change based off the metagame. I could roll a pvp character, but I like my +5 energy fiery dragon sword of enchanting.

LightningHell · Nov 16, 2006, 11:10 AM // 11:10

I'll just quote myself from the other thread on the +Energy insignias.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LightningHell

+Energy will only sustain you in battle for...a tiny bit longer, and if you have energy management, you won't need the +Energy, and a +AL/+HP mod would be better.