Defensive Enchants for Combat HR

ashwilliowbrook

So I have just upgraded my offensive slots to brutal 13s and some azures, and now I am wondering what to do with the defensive slots.

I am currently running all darks r10. My life steal is at 20% which I feel is a good number but I could be wrong. I’m not using the life steal feat, mainly because I have yet to have a double offensive ring drop so I have life steal on my companion.

I was thinking to upgrade to savages to maintain the life steal and have the extra HP to boost damage from the Pallys AoC. Or maybe draconics. What do you guys think? What are you currently running in the defensive slots?

Thanks

I’m on Xbox btw

dairyzeus

The answer really depends on how much lifesteal you feel comfortable with, and that typically depends on the quality of tanks and clerics you run with.

You've got the right idea though that if you're comfortable dropping lifesteal for more HP you'll be more resistant to 1 shots and have higher damage through AoC.

All I can say is that as a CW I'm now sitting at a measly 2% lifesteal (radiants and only 2 lifesteal boons) and feeling fine in group content.

jonkoca

I only have 4 defensive slots atm. Think they have deflect in them but some of them are junk rnk7s because I've swapped my 12s onto my pvp build. 20% lifesteal with bondings. T.Bark. Have the 8k SH defence boon on too. About 140k HP. Don't really die except from lag.

Short answer: don't think it's all that important. If there were armor, trousers and waists with offence slots I'd use them without even thinking twice.

wdj40

Of course Defensive slots are important lol... It makes the difference being able to solo some of the hardest content in the game or carry lesser players.

Anyhoo most of mine are Savage... good HP and Lifesteal boosts... Vicious are also a good choice. Also 1 really high level Radiant can be quite good, dont forget ALL your HP increase Boons etc add to every piece of equipment/enchant you have.

I find a good rule of thumb is have a Companion with 1 Defence Enchant Slot... OR a piece of equipment with a double Defence Slot. Personally I have a Shadow Demon equipped with 3 R13 Bonding Stones, a +4 double Offence Sword Knot, a +4 double Offence Belt (edited, see below) and a Double Defence slot Necklace.

This way he sends over a lot of offence but also some Defence/Deflect/Life Steal too whilst being able to take a few more hits himself. I stick all Brutals and Vicious on my Companion.

Edit... actually I just double checked lol. My Shadow Demon has a double Offence Belt and Sword Knot... It is just the Necklace that is purely Defensive. It has the 2 double defence slots for the Enchants.

jonkoca

What hardest content isn't soloable..? I think the only thing I've ever had to grab some help for was that miniboss in the river district with the anvil chains etc. Beyond that, the game is a ginormous faceroll.

I couldn't solo fbi or msp etc. but why would I want too lol.

I have a tiger with 2x loyal avenger, 1 bronzewood ring, 3x rnk 13 bondings, stacked with 4x azure 12s and 2 dark 12s. 3 orange pets for the extra 28%.

In pve our job is to bring the pain, not to withstand it ☺.

thatsmeaswell

I have giant and wicked ones in my defensive slots

wdj40

jonkoca said:

What hardest content isn't soloable..? I think the only thing I've ever had to grab some help for was that miniboss in the river district with the anvil chains etc. Beyond that, the game is a ginormous faceroll.

I couldn't solo fbi or msp etc. but why would I want too lol.

I have a tiger with 2x loyal avenger, 1 bronzewood ring, 3x rnk 13 bondings, stacked with 4x azure 12s and 2 dark 12s. 3 orange pets for the extra 28%.

In pve our job is to bring the pain, not to withstand it ☺.

To be honest our job in the game is to whatever that player feels like doing, its not for me or you or anyone else to tell people how to play the class

But anyhoo people enjoy different things, some people like to see how good their build is by soloing places like ECC and CN etc... I myself like to solo these dungeons and others from time to time. Another thing is running PUG's all the time, like I like to, you get a lot of players getting themselves killed etc, being able to solo most things doesn't drag you down with them.

You go all out attack and this will pretty much never happen without dying a lot, which is lame.

I am too much into PvP at the moment and not even ran MSP or ToNG as of yet lol... I will get around to it at some point.

I have seen some top class HR's, with big names and Ego's, become utter trash without a semi-decent group. Cant see the enjoyment in that at all, I can run with just about any 4 players... smash out the damage, buff the party and survive if I need to all with 1 Loadout.

ashwilliowbrook

Thanks for the responses, some interesting thoughts. I’m definitely not in a position to disregard Defense entirely as I still die quite a lot, although I have noticed having a good high end Pally makes a massive difference. However If/when I get some double offensive rings I won’t hesitate to put them on my companion for extra damage. Right now I’m running Serpents Weave over Bloodletting so it’s good to know that I can switch back for the added life steal.

I have gone for savages on me and viscous on my companion, it seems to be working well and the extra HP helps with damage from AoC.

dragonsbane3

@ashwilliowbrook#2249 Hands down. The best. Defensive enchant for us in PvE is black ice. Put them on your companion if you have a def slot as well on your toon. Make sure to take assassin's covenant mount insignia with it.

ashwilliowbrook

Well I wish you would have told me this before I bought all my savage/vicious Enchants lol!

I am running Assassins Covenant, is the boost from having black ice that big? I assumed it would be fairly trivial but would be happy to be wrong about that.

dragonsbane3

ashwilliowbrook#2249 said:

Well I wish you would have told me this before I bought all my savage/vicious Enchants lol!



I am running Assassins Covenant, is the boost from having black ice that big? I assumed it would be fairly trivial but would be happy to be wrong about that.

Well look at it this way. If you are lucky enough to get/have Loyal Avenger gear. Black Ice R14 gives 700 defense 350 deflect 350 life steal each. Totals 2100 Def, 1050 Defl, 1050 Lifesteal. With bondings you get 4746 def, 2373 defl, 2373 ls. Even if you didn't get the conversion from Assassin's Covenant that is a HAMSTER ton of Survival stats. AC will net you 949 extra power from it. Not huge but a nice bonus.

You will get to a point where if something doesn't 1 hit you then you are immortal. I also do not run Wilds Medicine, it is a waste tbh you are better off taking Warden's Courage.

Solo I set at 66% dmg reduction 43% chance to Deflect and 17% life steal. With 62k power, 100% crit and arpen. Once you are able to hit the crit/arpen caps the only stats you have to really work on is raw power and survival stats.