+3 energy vs +30 armor

+3 energy from 3 extra Radiants & a minor rune on the head piece
or +30 armor from specific insignias & a superior rune.

Which do you prefer? Which scenerio would stay alive longer?

I set up my heroes with 3 +10 armor & 2 radiants.
The necro MM has only 2 but they are +15, because of blood stained
getting thrown in, so that works. The only problem is enchantment
stripping from using blessed.

Armor insignias don't stack. It's location specific, when you get hit one of those five pieces gets hit alone.

Survivor imo.

On pretty much everything.

What he said. With exception of stonefist/bloodstrained where applicable.

Radiant is (epic) waste of insignia slot, but if you really want armor vs. energy, go full +armor.

What class are you? If you're a caster, or a ranger, there's not that much need for extra armour so long as you can kite, and don't hang off the back of your melee. Course, the energy isn't that important if you have some e-management.

So I'd go neither. Get survivor's instead. If you mess up, it'll mean you're not as likely to be one hitted and die in a humiliating fashion

Armour insignia don't stack.

And radiants are epic bad unless you're a shockaxe.

While on the subject can anyone help me with a question? Do you need a full set of stonefist insignias to gain the bonus of the 1 sec KD increase, or can you get away with only 1 (e.g on helm)? Cheers.

You only need one. I put it on the gloves for that RP value, yo.

Radiant is decent if you run a bar with exhaustion skills like Shock/Gale.

Thanks JR .

RAR! I am SHOXO CHOLO!

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(',') (',')

Radiant works if you have all radiants. 8 extra energy on a monk will give a hero a little extra longevity in battles. They drain enough energy as it is. i think its always best to give them as much energy as possible.

I use survivors on all my characters, even my casters.

I put radiants on my chest and leggings then survivor on everything else with runes of vitae thrown in too.

4 Strength 4 Stam Leather Belt?


Hp / Armor >> Energy.

Hp>>Armor>>>Energy

Especially in HM, HP becomes quite important. Energy not so much as you should be able to e-manage your energy no problem hopefully.

Maximum energy is not energy management.

Health is the most needed i think, then armor, energy should be last as its easy to manage unless your stupid.

Since there are so many armor penetrating spells/skills the armor buff isn't that great, but, it is still much better than the 3 energy. On the other hand though like I use for my monks is stance armor (+10 while in stance) and shield with installed incriptions of +10 vs slashing or +10 vs blunt or +10 vs piercing or +10 vs fire (depending on what we'll face most in the encounters). I don't see that many stance breaking encounters as I do disenchanting mobs so I went stance and use mantra of resolve so my monk doesn't suffer those unlimited interupts and still can get heals off. This is why I can do a lot of areas with just 3 heroes and myself in hard mode. So my monks are running around with 40 energy and 88AL most of the time, throw in a guardian and/or other protective spells and they are hard to take down by the enemy AI.

There are other ways to toss up armor on your casters though like from the mesmer line the mantra of persistance? the one that gives +40 armor vs melee at a reduction of armor vs elemental or vicey versa with +40 armor vs elemental at a reduction of armor vs melee. Then you have the earth line elemental armors (lord knows we see the likes of these all the time in FA Obsidian armor) Back in the day when we could stack armors you could make practically invincible characters. <grin> Anet have nerfed most everything in the armor buff catagory though now. Watch Yourself used to be an excellent armor buff, but, it's been ground into the dirt.

But, anyways back to OP's question, go with the armor if you're going to go with anything and perhaps put Survivor in foot slot as that is what I do along with superior vigors.

On the other hand if you want to make a superior ele with a huge energy bank put energy into every slot available except of course your main skill attribute and getcha one of those +15 -1e recovery wands and a +15 -1e recovery focus item and you'll have a huge energy bank to begin with, but, once used up you'll be nothing more than a depleted warrior after sex. <grin>

Radiant insignias = epic phail

I go full survivor for PvP. Same can be said for PvE especially in HM unless you are trying some very special builds that require high base energy (e.g FoC spike)