Sharding type and level

Triage_ - Archosaur

So I stopped playing awhile ago....after getting cleric to L100 and I had used a bunch of game money and real to buy rep about a year ago:) I decided I like cleric, so used the rep badges on her:)

With my archer....I know I was supposed to use HP shards but that was cause it had a better return and I think cause the armor is sorta equal on physical and magic defense....What is generally considered best for robes.....specifically cleric? Is hp still the general thinking?

I was also wondering if there was a diminished return vs cost using higher shards.....I know that all gems or whatever would be better....but cost wise do most people just go immac or perfect? I was also curious what I should shoot for in my weapon....if anyone wants to donate shards....look me up on arch:) Good night all:) I look forward to reading your advice over coffee:)b:laugh

Elanxu - Dreamweaver

aside from JoSD, citrines give you the greatest amount of survivability. garnets give slightly higher defense at the cost of total magic defense. you basically give up all magic survivability from shards in exchange for an extra 20% phys survivability. if you plan on pking, this might be a good choice for you, because theres a ton of phys damage in pk. sharding garnets also depends on ur current gear, the higher ur hp, and the lower your defense, the more garnets u should use. but in pve, my opinion is that even a mixture of garnet and citrines is not worth it, pretty much at all, since phys mobs dont outnumber magic mobs much.

u can really do watever the hell u want, and i accept pve clerics who go garnet sharding, while some clerics criticise me for using citrines. i even have 3 DoTs in my armor, very unconventional, but im a primarily DDing cleric who NEVER PVPs, so imo theres a point where survivability just doesnt matter anymore, cuz u dont die, and healing power has reached its maximum. damage, on the other hand, can always be improved.

i like to put SoS into my weapon at endgame, cuz it helps stop a lot of channeling interrupts when im pulling. its also unconventional, and hard to calculate whether u should use SoS or sapphires. generally, sapphire straight up does more raw damage, but calculating the intterupts is where it gets tricky. overall im satisfied with my gear and thats my opinion/thats how i roll

Triage_ - Archosaur

lol....I was pulling out lost memories to understand your post because SoS (Stone of Savant?) Its been a year since I played:) I understand you though, and it gives me the information I was thinking about...thank you:)

I was just looking at shards and the gems go for 9 mil, while immacs are only 1.5 or so....I need to play with a calculator and see if the benefit of higher level shards gets multiplied to determine damage.

Decus - Dreamweaver

Triage_ - Archosaur wrote: »

I was also wondering if there was a diminished return vs cost using higher shards.....

This is a misnomer created by people that don't really understand numbers well (that's not a slight at you, but at all the people on the forum that run around saying things that are incorrect). Defensive shards are really only 'diminishing' in the sense that you're comparing a constant increase to an ever-increasing base. By that logic, HP is just as 'diminishing.' See here, here, and here.

I'd suggest you use the socket calculator here if you want a decent metric for picking shards.

Also, I agree with Elan concerning Savants in a weapon. Naturally, though, your weapon has to be pretty damn endgame-y to put Savants in as you won't need that much more mattk vs the more tangible -chan.

thumbs

Elanxu - Dreamweaver wrote: »

aside from JoSD, citrines give you the greatest amount of survivability.

Can't take anyone that posts something like this seriously. Maybe if healers and pots restored full HP for every tick. Maybe if it weren't for the multitude of toons with citrine shards dying so easy on the BH bosses.

There's just too much of this going on:

Decus wrote:

misnomer created by people that don't really understand numbers well

Nowitsawn - Heavens Tear

I prefer citrines for PvE myself. Most of the damage taken seems to be magical at endgame, and for the few exceptions there are still:

-Plume Shell
-Sage Vanguard/Demon SoR
-Defense Charms
-Purify+expel combo (requires timing, but works really well)

If those aren't enough to save you from the few physical hits you take in PvE, then I doubt Garnet shards will either.

Then there is also the factor of overhealing, basically when an IH ticks when you're at full HP, it's a wasted heal compared to when you have a higher amount of HP. Pair that with clerics being able to heal like 5k with wellspring surge and like 8-10k with SoR with decent weaponry and it all amounts to a lot of overhealing that a lower HP pool can not make use of.

But, as was posted before, this drastically changes in PvP, but that's something I can't really relate to.

Triage_ - Archosaur

hey thank you for being so respectful but I might not have been clear as well...I was not meaning diminishing in the sense of they dont help...I was meaning more along the lines of practicality...but more is better really. I just am not sure if I can feasibly get all say citrine gems, so is it ok to use immacs.....or in my weapon should I hold out for gems..

Example...me sharded with immacs (4500 hp) or gems (4700) *numbers completely made up but for the added cost I wouldn't think 200 hp is that big a difference and a warsoul helmet might be a better investment?

What is reasonable, too cheap....do you sorta see where I am going? Also, I haven't played in a year....and just got 2 million!! dollars for a bh reward:) maybe 8 mill for a sapphire gem isn't that much....what are some other maybe hidden avenues for money and gems/stones at L100 +

Thanks guys....its amazing how much I dont know after taking a year off:)

Xx_BeLLa_xX - Harshlands

Beside immac you should use exclusive shard they are better and not really expensive.

If you plan to PvP and TW shard with garnet and get hp with your refine, if you just do PvE than you can do half garnet/cit.

For the weapon sapphire gem are good and cheap.

Welcome back.

Triage_ - Archosaur

exclusive? is that like the vitality shards and stuff? sorry...I just don't remember the term;) thank you:)

Nowitsawn - Heavens Tear

Triage_ - Archosaur wrote: »

exclusive? is that like the vitality shards and stuff? sorry...I just don't remember the term;) thank you:)

Probably because it's fairly new.

They are shards that are a few points above Perfect grade (e.g. a Perfect citrine gives 62 HP and an Exclusive citrine gives 65). They cost 2m coins and 90 Influence a piece (you'll have to read up on Morai orders for that).

Xx_BeLLa_xX - Harshlands

They are in PWI since around 7 months.

The exclusive citrine give +65 hp and cost 3.5m.

The exclusive garnet give +70 p.def and cost 1.5m.

So depend on your server economy it's can be cheapest to shard with them beside perfect.

Triage_ - Archosaur

Oh...very cool:) That saves me a ton:)

Thank you...a friend showed me the moira stuff last evening

Xx_BeLLa_xX - Harshlands

Triage_ - Archosaur wrote: »

Oh...very cool:) That saves me a ton:)

Thank you...a friend showed me the moira stuff last evening

You are welcome.

thumbs

Nowitsawn - Heavens Tear wrote: »

I prefer citrines for PvE myself. Most of the damage taken seems to be magical at endgame, and for the few exceptions there are still:

-Plume Shell
-Sage Vanguard/Demon SoR
-Defense Charms
-Purify+expel combo (requires timing, but works really well)

Those work out great for the Clerics that died on the BH SoT boss today. I'm sure I won't see hp sharded clerics keeling over in Caster Nirvana later either. Those archers taking out clerics in RB are probably using magic arrows? Hauntery Queen's bleed? -Should we go on?

If those aren't enough to save you from the few physical hits you take in PvE, then I doubt Garnet shards will either.

Couldn't that be said of AA gear, high mag stat, and mag def?

Then there is also the factor of overhealing, basically when an IH ticks when you're at full HP, it's a wasted heal compared to when you have a higher amount of HP. Pair that with clerics being able to heal like 5k with wellspring surge and like 8-10k with SoR with decent weaponry and it all amounts to a lot of overhealing that a lower HP pool can not make use of.

8-10k with SoR? -Why? IH at least for sage starts healing in almost half the time, and 2 IH's out heal 1 SoR. Physical hits aren't always slow like mag. Last thing I'd do if in trouble is start casting something that takes 3.5s to get started. Where do you find time to SoR yourself when your squad needs you?

You can get more than enough HP from refining equips, with ornaments for pdef; you're much more limited.