Thoughts on Arbiter BiS gear

adinosii

So, assuming you are an end-game character who can comfortably reach the cap of the most important stats, what are the best pieces to go for if you want maximum DPS?

Some thoughts. I am not considering the Watcher set or the IL 1000 gear from Zok, due to the low drop rate. We will have Mod 17 before we manage to collect that stuff - this is only "reasonably easy to obtain" gear.

• Head: Protegé or Restored apprentice gear with a +5% damage bonus in Undermountain.
  
• Armor: Shattered plate of the Fallen with "For every 5 seconds you are in combat, you gain 125 Power." Hag's Rags are an option (+3% to ranged damage), but as that bonus only stacks twice, you would then ideally want a second ring with a + to encounter damage and that is not yet available (I think it is coming in Mod 17, though).
  
• Arms: Jawripper Gloves +3% to Encounter damage
  
• Feet: Nothing really outstanding. With Mod 17, the successor gear that gives a CA bonus if you are 50' away might be decent.
  
• Main Hand/Offhand: Alabaster, with the goal of upgrading to the new M17 set.
  
• Neck/Belt/Artifact: Orcus/Demogorgon/Baphomet - nothing beats that for raw DPS.
  
• Rings: Ebonized rings with Sniper's Perk - +3% to ranged attacks
  
• Shirt: Ebony, with "When your Stamina is over 75%, your damage is increased by 3%.”
  
• Pants: Protegé or Spy Guild pants for the AP gain chance
  
• Primary artifact: Problematic. Sigil of the Cleric, Lantern or Envenomed Storyteller's Journal, maybe?
  
• Secondary artifacts: Trobriand's and Staff of Flowers (for the Power primarily)
  

Opinions?

aphas

Hmm if going for max DPS then I think Hag's Rags would be a better option for the armor. That way you can then replace the 2nd Ebonized ring (which would be useless since the bonus only stacks twice) for a Shadowstalker +5, thus adding an extra 2.5% instead of the bonus from the Shattered plate of the Fallen.

Another thing that could be slightly optimized would be to instead use Enduring boots and replace the shirt with Upper Primal Paints since unfortunately the "When your Stamina is over 75%, your damage is increased by 3%.” bonus only stacks once (going from memory, could be wrong about this).

As for Primary artifact, Envenomed Storyteller's Journal or Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives are the best options we have I think... Idk if clerics would benefit from Decanter of Atropal Essence (no dots) or Soul Sight Crystal (not really the most burst-y class).

As for the weapon set, I still think that the CTA weapon set, “When you score a critical hit there is a chance that you and nearby allies are granted the following: +1% Outgoing Damage; +1% Outgoing Healing; -1% Incoming Damage. This effect may stack up to 10 times.” might still be bis compared to the mod 17 set but it's in no way "reasonably easy to obtain" and it's only stacking up to 5 times instead of 10...

adinosii

aphas#9250 said:

for a Shadowstalker +5, thus adding an extra 2.5% instead of the bonus from the Shattered plate of the Fallen.

Yea, well, the problem is the requirement to be close to the target, which does not suit everyone's playstyle. Moreover, in Mod 17, the CA zone will extend further from the target, making it feasible to stay a good distance away from the target and still get CA...however, Shadowstalker is then useless.

arazith07

adinosii said:

aphas#9250 said:

for a Shadowstalker +5, thus adding an extra 2.5% instead of the bonus from the Shattered plate of the Fallen.

Yea, well, the problem is the requirement to be close to the target, which does not suit everyone's playstyle. Moreover, in Mod 17, the CA zone will extend further from the target, making it feasible to stay a good distance away from the target and still get CA...however, Shadowstalker is then useless.

You still want to be close for any area of effect buffs and so you aren't messing with the healer's resource management.

mebengalsfan

IMO if you are a cleric DPS you should use similar gear as a wizard or warlock.

Here is the gear I used when I played my cleric as a damage dealer. Now I'm building her up as a healer only.

Head: Protegé
Chest: Hag Rages
Hands: Terror Grips
Feet: Vevified Primal
Weapon: Burnish or Alabaster
Rings: Ebonized Raid Ring and Shadow Stalker +5
Set: Orcus (Apprentices spoil set)
Primary Artifact: Sigil of the Cleric (Decanter)
Shirt: Ebonized
Pants: Protege
Secondary Artifacts: Anything with power

The items in parentheses are secondary option items that are just as good as the ones I listed.

The burnish set bonus is quite easy to maintain, similar to the primal weapons of old and the set bonus will work better IMO for ToMM.

These are the same items I have for my wizard.

mebengalsfan

arazith07 said:

adinosii said:

aphas#9250 said:

for a Shadowstalker +5, thus adding an extra 2.5% instead of the bonus from the Shattered plate of the Fallen.

Yea, well, the problem is the requirement to be close to the target, which does not suit everyone's playstyle. Moreover, in Mod 17, the CA zone will extend further from the target, making it feasible to stay a good distance away from the target and still get CA...however, Shadowstalker is then useless.

You still want to be close for any area of effect buffs and so you aren't messing with the healer's resource management.

That is an issue in this game, healing has very limited range making us stack on top of each other or near the tank to ensure that a healer can heal the tank and the rest of the group. That is a very sad design IMO. None AoE healing spells should have a range of 80'; this would encourage range damage dealers to play their role at a safer distance. With that in mind long term the developer than could design the game so that damage can be adjusted based on its distance, making abilities produce more damage the closer you are making it so melee based damage dealer can do more damage but have a higher risk when up close. This is of course if the devs can start to adjust stats so that damage dealer don't need the defensive stats like a tank to play their role and range damage dealer would produce a bit less but be effective at a longer distance.

All in do time something like this will eventually happen.