Every time there is a whine storm around here (AI updates, warrior rune updates), I need to just remind myself that I am in fact arguing with people who use HP mods in PvE.
Clearly if armor mods are free or 1k and HP mods go for 30k (depends on weapon), PvE players use them a lot. Why are all these players buying HP mods? Did any of them ask themselves, why is HP mod the best? I'd wager no, they simply see other people buying HP mods for large sums, so it must be good, right? (and these same people rage "quit" GW when their build they copied off wiki gets a nerf bat).
Can someone please explain to me how HP mod helps you in any way in pve? From where I stand 30 extra HP doesn't make a squat of difference unless you are facing a spike, which you likely aren't in pve. When your healers run out of energy is when you're gonna die in pve and 30 HP isn't gonna matter at that point.
5 armor(8.3% damage reduction) will save you 30 HP every 361 armor affected damage you take(361 damage after being reduced by your armor). In pve there is a lot of physical and elemental damage. So I am not sure why people buy HP mod at such high prices instead of using AL mod which is also very cheap.
HP mods are overrated.
Spura
moko
so they can boost themselves with superior runes without ending at 105 health >.> rofl :|
dunno why, suppose people just dont use their brain and like the "30" better than a "5" or "7" because its higher? i dunno;
you can ask yourself the same question, just with Energy/Armor, why do people wear full energy armor? why not + armor? same reason, most of them are just noobs. :P
dunno why, suppose people just dont use their brain and like the "30" better than a "5" or "7" because its higher? i dunno;
you can ask yourself the same question, just with Energy/Armor, why do people wear full energy armor? why not + armor? same reason, most of them are just noobs. :P
stueyman2099
I use these things simply becuase my characters are set up to PvP, and I can't be bothered to setup stuff just to PvE (I find it's just not nessecary for me)
I'd note that fortitude mods are going down in price since the update that basicly makes pvp only characters on par with the PvE ones. I'd guess from that that the PvPers aren't out there driving the price up.
I'd note that fortitude mods are going down in price since the update that basicly makes pvp only characters on par with the PvE ones. I'd guess from that that the PvPers aren't out there driving the price up.
Sedgehammer
It really is to make up for all of the runes. My elementalist uses a Superior Fire and a Major Energy Storage rune, so she also has a rune of Superior Vigor and uses Koosun's Staff.
And my boyfriend chest runs, so I never pay a lot for health mods.
And now, health mods are cheaper, anyway. The prices dropped significantly with Nightfall.
And my boyfriend chest runs, so I never pay a lot for health mods.
And now, health mods are cheaper, anyway. The prices dropped significantly with Nightfall.
HawkofStorms
Eh, even so, fortitude is still useful in certain PvE areas because a lot of places have hexes and degen.
And, there are the occasion times where I only had 1-5 health remaining as the last guy left alive in the party as I booked it in high gear away.
And, there are the occasion times where I only had 1-5 health remaining as the last guy left alive in the party as I booked it in high gear away.
stueyman2099
why would you use major energy storage? get yourself a minor and then a rune of attune if you really really really need the energy that badly. 3 energy just isn't worth 35 hp
Effigy
Armor always helps, but regardless of whether you're playing PvE or PvP, much of the damage you really need to worry about is armor-ignoring. If you were going to play only PvE, then I suppose the armor mods would be better. However, I try to make most of my PvE characters ready for PvP as well, so it would be a waste of time and money to buy both. Most PvE is easy enough that it doesn't merit buying special gear for it.
Spura
Quote:
Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
Eh, even so, fortitude is still useful in certain PvE areas because a lot of places have hexes and degen.
4 reasons have been brought up.
1. Degen:
Yes there's a common misconception that degen makes extra HP useful. This is false, rarely is 30 HP something to save you from wipe, if you are that low, healers have failed anyway, and if you are wiping then you are probably doing it wrong anyway. The only difference HP mod makes in an area with lots of degen is wiping 2 sec later than usual after healers run out of energy. In 2 sec a monk might squeeze out another heal, but that is just prolonging inevitable.
2. Runes:
I don't know about you but I usually use 1 sup or 2 major runes so my HP is fine. Rarely do people need extra attributes that much to sacrifise HP. The sup fire major ES example is a nice one. Why sacrifise 35 HP to get 3 max energy when you already have around 60?
3. PvP:
Not much point in making pve characters for pvp with armor swapping disabled and all. And I know some enjoy pvping with their pve characters. But somehow I doubt that majority of buyers are making pvp ready characters.
4. Armor ignoring damage:
Here I once again can't see how 30 extra HP is much better than no mod at all. Better have +armor and have it work with the enemy warriors, rangers etc than to have HP mod and have it be a very slim advantage in case you run into a lot of armor ignoring damage. Armor ignoring damage is less of a threat in pve because mobs with lots of it are rare. Also enemies that are level 24 and 28 (practically all the second half of nightfall, all the hard areas) get bonus to their armor affeced damage because of level difference, while armor ignoring damage stays unaffected.
1. Degen:
Yes there's a common misconception that degen makes extra HP useful. This is false, rarely is 30 HP something to save you from wipe, if you are that low, healers have failed anyway, and if you are wiping then you are probably doing it wrong anyway. The only difference HP mod makes in an area with lots of degen is wiping 2 sec later than usual after healers run out of energy. In 2 sec a monk might squeeze out another heal, but that is just prolonging inevitable.
2. Runes:
I don't know about you but I usually use 1 sup or 2 major runes so my HP is fine. Rarely do people need extra attributes that much to sacrifise HP. The sup fire major ES example is a nice one. Why sacrifise 35 HP to get 3 max energy when you already have around 60?
3. PvP:
Not much point in making pve characters for pvp with armor swapping disabled and all. And I know some enjoy pvping with their pve characters. But somehow I doubt that majority of buyers are making pvp ready characters.
4. Armor ignoring damage:
Here I once again can't see how 30 extra HP is much better than no mod at all. Better have +armor and have it work with the enemy warriors, rangers etc than to have HP mod and have it be a very slim advantage in case you run into a lot of armor ignoring damage. Armor ignoring damage is less of a threat in pve because mobs with lots of it are rare. Also enemies that are level 24 and 28 (practically all the second half of nightfall, all the hard areas) get bonus to their armor affeced damage because of level difference, while armor ignoring damage stays unaffected.
Ensign
I switched all my weapons to +health when I was tricking out my PvE guys for PvP. Now, I'm slowly switching back to armor with little excitement. It's just a better mod in PvE, but the differences are small enough most of the time that it's hard to care.
Peace,
-CxE
Peace,
-CxE
Thom Bangalter
It helps you if you're running a superior rune and hit some DP.
Also, as effigy noted, pve is generally easy enough that it doesn't really matter.
Also, as effigy noted, pve is generally easy enough that it doesn't really matter.
martialis
Of course +30 health won't save you from a party wipe, and neither will 5 armour.
The biggest reason, I think, is that at high armour levels, +5 armour makes very little difference. For example, a warrior taking aggro under Gladiator's Defense has to take a lot of damage without healing. Assuming he takes 361 armour-adjusted damage in that time, he will have taken much more armour-ignoring damage and degen. So the +health will be better in that situation.
A character has to have a balance of armour and health to protect against different kinds of damage, so sometimes a +health mod is more versatile.
The biggest reason, I think, is that at high armour levels, +5 armour makes very little difference. For example, a warrior taking aggro under Gladiator's Defense has to take a lot of damage without healing. Assuming he takes 361 armour-adjusted damage in that time, he will have taken much more armour-ignoring damage and degen. So the +health will be better in that situation.
A character has to have a balance of armour and health to protect against different kinds of damage, so sometimes a +health mod is more versatile.
Tranquilis
I solo a LOT, and I'll tell ya, without the extra 80 HP (sup rune + max fortitude), I'd have died a LOT more than I have. Since dying on a solo is often the same as a required re-zone in the higher level zones, the HP mods have saved me many, many hours.
Also, spikes do happen in PvE, and more often that you might expect, especially in the high-level zones.
Also, spikes do happen in PvE, and more often that you might expect, especially in the high-level zones.
Jezza
Lets not forget that +health mods are unaffected by dp. Get yourself +50 from sup vig, +60 from weapon, +10-20 from vitae, +35 from armor and you have +155-165 extra health.
DP at 60% gives you 192 health at level 20. 192 + 165 = 357.
DP at 60% gives you 192 health at level 20. 192 + 165 = 357.
Spura
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ensign
I switched all my weapons to +health when I was tricking out my PvE guys for PvP. Now, I'm slowly switching back to armor with little excitement. It's just a better mod in PvE, but the differences are small enough most of the time that it's hard to care.
Peace,
-CxE The difference in effect is small, but the difference in price isn't small.
Or at least wasn't.
Peace,
-CxE The difference in effect is small, but the difference in price isn't small.
Or at least wasn't.
Spura
Quote:
Originally Posted by martialis
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Originally Posted by martialis
he will have taken much more armour-ignoring damage and degen. So the +health will be better in that situation.
A character has to have a balance of armour and health to protect against different kinds of damage, so sometimes a +health mod is more versatile. This is false. The +health mod does NOT protect you against damage of any kind. How does extra health reduce the damage you are taking and thus the damage that needs to be healed? It doesn't. All the talk about runes an such. I this it is very easy to have enough health that even with some DP you still have over 400 HP, which is enough to get through those semi-spikes in pve. Also, a single axe attacker deals out 1500 armor affected damage per minute, even more if it is a lvl 24 or 28 mob. So in any longer fight with some warrior, ranger, eles etc, your team will likely take several thousand armor affected damage which saves you tons of HP if you use armor mods. What does HP mod save you? Nothing.
Sir Mad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spura
1. Degen: Yes there's a common misconception that degen makes extra HP useful. This is false, rarely is 30 HP something to save you from wipe, if you are that low, healers have failed anyway, and if you are wiping then you are probably doing it wrong anyway. The only difference HP mod makes in an area with lots of degen is wiping 2 sec later than usual after healers run out of energy. In 2 sec a monk might squeeze out another heal, but that is just prolonging inevitable. |
Quote: Originally Posted by Spura 2. Runes:
I don't know about you but I usually use 1 sup or 2 major runes so my HP is fine. Rarely do people need extra attributes that much to sacrifise HP. The sup fire major ES example is a nice one. Why sacrifise 35 HP to get 3 max energy when you already have around 60? With 1 sup rune and 1 sup vigor (why do I doubt you have one?
) and no fortitude mod, you have 455hp. Yes that's fine. But if you compare HP only, 485 is better than 455. Quote:
3. PvP:
Not much point in making pve characters for pvp with armor swapping disabled and all. And I know some enjoy pvping with their pve characters. But somehow I doubt that majority of buyers are making pvp ready characters. That would be a valid argument against fortitude mods if defense mods were better in PvE, indeed. But they're not (I'm going to explain after).
This is false. The +health mod does NOT protect you against damage of any kind. How does extra health reduce the damage you are taking and thus the damage that needs to be healed?
Quote:
Quote:
Not much point in making pve characters for pvp with armor swapping disabled and all. And I know some enjoy pvping with their pve characters. But somehow I doubt that majority of buyers are making pvp ready characters. That would be a valid argument against fortitude mods if defense mods were better in PvE, indeed. But they're not (I'm going to explain after).
Quote:
Quote:|
Originally Posted by Spura
4. Armor ignoring damage:
Here I once again can't see how 30 extra HP is much better than no mod at all. Better have +armor and have it work with the enemy warriors, rangers etc than to have HP mod and have it be a very slim advantage in case you run into a lot of armor ignoring damage. Armor ignoring damage is less of a threat in pve because mobs with lots of it are rare. Also enemies that are level 24 and 28 (practically all the second half of nightfall, all the hard areas) get bonus to their armor affeced damage because of level difference, while armor ignoring damage stays unaffected. See the comments about degen, as it's actually the same thing. ----------------------------- Alright now Fortitude vs Defense mods: When Factions came out I bought a +5e sword for my monk and wanted to know which mod was the best. So I went to the Isles of the Nameless, and compared how much damage I was taking from the obelisk (which deals constant damage) I was taling with and without a +5AL mod, with a 70AL armor (+10 while enchanted), and how many stikes till I die. I don't have the numbers, but the conclusion was with 70 AL the fortitude mod was slightly better (+5Al appeared as the equivalent of a +29.xxx hp mod in this case). So from this point of view we can say there is no real difference. Yes but: as said above, the +30hp are unconditional, which means the more DP you have the best it is compared to a defense mod. See Jezza's post for numbers. And again, it helps against degen and unconditional damage: defense mods don't. Having a fortitude mod is not a requirement in PvE, and you can do very well with a defense mod too, and save your plats for something else. However, it's still better. Spura
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Mad
I don't have the numbers, but the conclusion was with 70 AL the fortitude mod was slightly better (+5Al appeared as the equivalent of a +29.xxx hp mod in this case). So from this point of view we can say there is no real difference.
This practically proves AL is better. In the process of losing all your HP, it saved you 29 HP. But you do get healed normally right? In any battle characters take several times their HP worth of damage, and if you save 29 HP each time you take equivalent of total HP worth of damage then AL mod is vastly better. n times 29 > 30.
HP mod is like energy storage. It is a front-ended one time bonus when you enter a fight. Once you fall down to 30 energy you have to live off same regen as all other casters. You get no benefit from it, once that buffer has been spent. HP mod is the same. Except ES doubles energy pool and HP mod adds less than 10%. So no matter if the battle lasts 1 minute or 10, with HP mod you can take exactly 30 damage more than without it. Armor mod is like expertise the more it is activated, the larger its effects. The longer the fight, the more damage you are able to take with it than without it. If that is a hard concept, here a fictional scenario that should show clearly. So you have 1 monk with +60 HP weapon and +35 HP armor, base HP 480, let's say mobs attack him and he's able to squeeze 2000 HP worth of healing on a short notice. So to kill him mobs need to do 2575 HP worth of damage. Now we have 1 monk with 10 AL weapon and 10 AL armor and base HP 480, same 2000 HP worth of heals. The 20 AL makes him take only 70.71% damage. So to kill him mobs need to do 3507 damage. Ok now let's say half of damage is degen or armor ignoring(and that's a stretch with all the warriors, rangers, eles, paragons, assassins, dervishes, wand attacks). So 0.5 * X + 0.5 * 0.7071 * X = 2480. Now they need to do 2906 damage, which is still 350 damage more than the HP mod one. And the longer the fight, more it goes in favor of armor mods. In short fights it doesn't matter what you run, because monks won't run out of energy if you have armor mods or HP mods. Characters are equally functional at 100 HP and at 400 HP. You just need enough HP to survive spikes. When monks start running out of energy then obviously a lot of damage has been healed and this is one of the longer fights. In logner fights, armor mods take a large lead. 2 monks should be able to output 4000 HP of healing or more, and that is thousand or more HP saved with armor mods even when half of damage isn't affected by armor. You'd need something like 90% damage be degen or armor ignoring for HP mods to be better. Do the math.
Effigy
But this whole argument assumes that PvE really requires you to use equipment that would be optimal for it. If HP mods are effective in PvP, which is actually difficult, then why wouldn't they work in PvE, which is usually not?
Like I said before, if you use a character only for PvE then armor mods are better. But if you want to use the character for PvP, then there's no need to get equipment specifically for PvE because PvP gear will work just fine. martialis
Quote:
if you are that low, healers have failed anyway, and if you are wiping then you are probably doing it wrong anyway.
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Quote:
I'll just quote my last post...|
The more HP you have, the longer you stay alive. Armor is useless against degen, HP boosts ain't. You're example is wrong: have you never been the last player alive on a map with no rez shrines, running away from monsters? I use to have a +60hp staff in my 4th slot and it saved my *** many times (and the whole team) under such circumstances.
Everyone else in this thread is actually not retarded. We know exactly what armour does and have seen calculations of its effect in many other threads. Armour and health mods do different things. I was trying to explain what health mods do, and why they are useful, which is what you asked for. You seem to be repeating the same thing over and over.
Ic Zero
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mokone
you can ask yourself the same question, just with Energy/Armor, why do people wear full energy armor? why not + armor? same reason, most of them are just noobs. :P
because it speeds things up? i don't see how that makes someone a noob
Praetor
If that +30-60HP is saving your party from a wipe, your party blew it. And blew really bad.
Either way, once that 30HP is gone, it's gone until you get healed. +5 armor has dmg reduction over time, thus you need less heals over that period of time. +30 HP MIGHT save you from a spike, but you deserve to die anyways because you and your team let yourself/you get spiked. I really hate how nearly every single green axe/sword/hammer/bow has +30HP. That's why Graygore's Zealous Short Bow > all. And finally, the reason we can't compare the use of HP/armor mods between PvE & PvP is that in PvP, spikes are usually coordinated and well focused. Sure there's pressure teams, but they too select certain targets for certain types of damage. In general (and really broadly), wars get degened out, squishies get spiked out.
fearian
Im sorry I have no idea what the hell your problem is? your complaining like its the worst thing in guild wars that people use HP mods!!!1!
1. so you can boost your attribs with superior runes 2. so you can tank out damage 3. because you can survive longer with more HP giving you time to retreat and recouperate but why flame at all? it dosnt affect you the slightest...
LightningHell
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ic Zero
because it speeds things up? i don't see how that makes someone a noob
+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.
Assuming you're commenting on the +Energy phrase.
Tranquilis
Quote:
Originally Posted by Praetor
If that +30-60HP is saving your party from a wipe, your party blew it. And blew really bad.
If the party is saved by the extra HP, then by definition, they've not failed. IOW, they haven't blown it. OK, so they might have been more efficient, but survival is survival, no matter how it happens.
crucifix
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mokone
so they can boost themselves with superior runes without ending at 105 health >.> rofl :|
dunno why, suppose people just dont use their brain and like the "30" better than a "5" or "7" because its higher? i dunno; you can ask yourself the same question, just with Energy/Armor, why do people wear full energy armor? why not + armor? same reason, most of them are just noobs. :P that isnt exactly the right comparison. the + ene armor is super useful on almost all classes. i woudl take ene armor over phys any day for most casters. Another spell cast or +10 extra armor, ill take the last cast.
around
Quote:
Originally Posted by crucifix
that isnt exactly the right comparison. the + ene armor is super useful on almost all classes. i woudl take ene armor over phys any day for most casters. Another spell cast or +10 extra armor, ill take the last cast.
So would you take and stick to 15/-1 weapons for that extra cast?
LightningHell
Quote:
Originally Posted by crucifix
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Quote:
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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.
CrystalMeep
+HP and +AL both have their place in battle. When faced with degen or armor ignoring damage, I want HP on my armor/weapon. When faced with something my amor can handle, I want more AL. This is why some of us have more than one set of armor. As for the bashing for +energy mods? I find those useful. I mean, for my dervish, if I wanted to be in an avatar mode that costs 25e (which is my entire energy bar if I don't have +energy mods), I want some energy on my side so that I can dish out skills.
LightningHell
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrystalMeep
+HP and +AL both have their place in battle. When faced with degen or armor ignoring damage, I want HP on my armor/weapon. When faced with something my amor can handle, I want more AL. This is why some of us have more than one set of armor. As for the bashing for +energy mods? I find those useful. I mean, for my dervish, if I wanted to be in an avatar mode that costs 25e (which is my entire energy bar if I don't have +energy mods), I want some energy on my side so that I can dish out skills.
I should include in my post that it excludes some cases such as Dervishes, Warriors.
Although +10 Phys is very useful on a 70 AL...
Jetdoc
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spura
Can someone please explain to me how HP mod helps you in any way in pve? From where I stand 30 extra HP doesn't make a squat of difference unless you are facing a spike, which you likely aren't in pve. When your healers run out of energy is when you're gonna die in pve and 30 HP isn't gonna matter at that point.
Generalizations will, more often times than not, get you in trouble.
In your post, you simply assume that you have healers in your party that will simply not let you get to the point where your 30 extra health is meaningful. Some flaws in this thinking: 1. Some players are unable to team up with either (a) enough healers or (b) competent healers. I personally would rather have that extra little health buffer when I'm playing with hero or henchmen monks, or the occasional scary PvE PuG. Just think Forrest Gump... 2. People die in PvE. I am a testament to that. That doesn't mean that your healers are terrible - it means that they are limited in what they can do. Sometimes that extra 30 health gives them that 1-2 seconds needed to save your butt from death. 3. Some players prefer to play in less than maximum-sized groups, including soloing areas and 2-3 man teams. In many of those instances, that extra health assists you in staying alive longer when facing the four damage types that are described above. I personally believe that defense mods and fortitude mods have very similar utility, for different reasons. If you're disciplined enough to carry both and can timely weapon switch, the best course is to use an armor mod for the majority of the battle and switch when your health gets low. Personally, I'm simply too lazy (and too inventory challenged) to carry both an armor and a fortitude mod, and I'd rather have the mod that provides me the most utility in all situations in fortitude. But then again, as I've said many times (and Ensign alludes to above), it's simply preference.
Fury Incarnate
In my PvE experience, the +30 hp mod on my Drago's Flatbow has saved me more times than I can count. So has my +5 armor eternal bow. I solo-farm a lot (yes, on a ranger), especially in the FoW, and there are times when I have been reduced to literally 10 health or less, mostly through degen. Now, since FoW has the 1k entry fee, not dying is definately a good thing, and without that thirty extra health, I would be sitting back in town. Or I'll have 4 clicks of degen and 30 health, so and I need to use Troll Unguent, but I have a 37-dmg SS on me. Again, switching my Fort bow on gives me that extra second or two i need to not die. Other times, I'll be running a particular area with no degen and the +5 armor will help keep me on my feet longer than any +30 mod would. My point is that either a health or an armor mod is good, but to assume that one is better in all circumstances is ridiculous.
XvArchonvX
umm, am I the only one around here that notices that people get spiked in PvE too? Admittedly it's not always as efficient or organized, but it happens. On warriors, I don't think a +hp is needed, but softie casters benefit from havin a bit more leadway from my experience, especially if they start pickin up dp.
Darkpower Alchemist
I was spiked for -300 hp of damage today in the Sulfurous Wastes by 3 Dervish type monsters. PvE spiking happens, so throw that out the window.
My +30hp mod has saved me a number of times, but armor mods have their uses. Don't try to compare which is better, just except that they are both useful for the purposes they were intended for. red13xx
Well since I run solo and also pvp I would have to say life is more valuable..but the armor mods can be useful in certain situations as well. I have notice adding the +7 or +5 armor will make you almost invulnerable to cetain mid lvl farming...For instance 10 monsters acttacking you for 0 damage or witout the armor bonus 1 damage that is a big difference..in the end so it has its purposes
Ensign
Quote:
Originally Posted by martialis
The biggest reason, I think, is that at high armour levels, +5 armour makes very little difference.
Only because armor-ignoring damage becomes disproportionately dangerous to your character. You don't need more armor against damage that's already being heavily nullified, but more resistance to armor ignoring damage, in the form of health, is still valuable. If all damage is affected by armor, the value of additional armor does not vary with how much armor you have.
I don't think the difference is trivial at all BTW. It's a whole lot more clear in smaller scale combat, ala solo farming. There the armor is so much more valuable than the health and it smacks you in the face. You're in so much more control of the damage and healing and the difference between reduction and a bigger capacity is huge. Ditching the health parts for another 15-20 armor is a day and night difference, particularly on a caster. Forget health, give me armor. Peace, -CxE
Trakata
HP mods are overpriced.
Personally I find they amount to the same basic thing. Living longer. The difference is much more apparent in solo-farming, but for most situations the difference is trivial IMO. Carrying one of each would be good practice.
Yanman.be
In PvP? Not overrated.
In Pve? Get a green if you need health, make your own +5 AL if you want to mod a gold.
DoH
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.
Assuming you're commenting on the +Energy phrase. yes because warrior always have energy managment
LightningHell
Quote:
Originally Posted by DoH
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Originally Posted by LightningHell
I should include in my post that it excludes some cases such as Dervishes, Warriors.
It's just a few posts below my initial comment...
Maybe more than a few, but still. I understand someone not reading all of "Why Nuking Sucks", but this is just two pages. Francis Crawford
It's a little different now that we have heroes -- who can't weapon-swap anyway -- and give them tons of good-not-great stuff because that's all that happens to be in inventory at the time.
But basically in PvE I've always felt that the fraction of damage (including lifestealing and degen) that's armor-ignoring is too low to trump what is otherwise the obvious superiority of armor. Now, maybe there are specific mobs for which that's not true -- e.g., ones heavy with necros and mesmers -- but on the whole that's the way it usually works out. Warriors, paragons -- armor is clearly better against them. Rangers and assassins -- armor is almost always better against them Elementalists and ritualists -- armor is always better against them Necros, mesmers, smiting monks -- HP is usually better, but sometimes they focus so much on their physical attacks that armor is actually better even against those classes Dervishes -- I don't have the experience to judge |