Restatting.

Cheski - Sanctuary
Cheski - Sanctuary Posts: 17 Arc User
edited December 2010 in Venomancer
I'm thinking about restatting. I'm not sure if I should go heavy/robe, LA or not change at all.

I'm currently robe w/ vitality, level 86 and very very squishy when it comes to physical attacks. I don't PvP so that's not an issue although I would like to win at least one duel (Damn assassin husband who kills me in 5 seconds lol) Really I just want to survive those physical AoE's and maybe finish off a mob by myself if I do something stupid and end up with a dead pet.

So; do I restat or just invest in more garnets?
Post edited by Cheski - Sanctuary on

Comments

  • Eoria - Harshlands
    Eoria - Harshlands Posts: 6,118 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Big question:

    Do you use fox form at all beyond the usual amp/purge?

    If the answer is no, please post up your build/equipment for critiquing.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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  • SeaStorm - Heavens Tear
    SeaStorm - Heavens Tear Posts: 315 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Cheski,

    I'm a robe with vit (hybrid). I run + pdef ornaments and can swap out to channeling ornaments if need calls for it. I'm a sage (at your lvl I'm not sure which way you're planning to go). I also run full garnet shards in everything but my helm. Currently (unbuffed) in mage I have just over 4,000 pdef, in fox just over 8,900 pdef. When buffed (sage buffs - barb, bm, cleric) in mage I (haven't looked in awhile) probably about 8,900 pdef, in fox I run 12,000 - 13,000 pdef (slightly less if I have only lvl 10 BM or demon BM buff). My mdef when buffed is about 11,000 - 12,000 and when unbuffed is about 8,000 - 9,000. My buffed HP runs about 8,900. I use fox form for more than amp/purge as well. If I don't want to steal aggro off the herc or squad I'll run in fox. Do enjoy playing in fox as well as mage.

    Haven't dueled a sin in a while but last time I did had my nix set for stun (auto-def) Hit a vacuity powder just after the count ended, as soon as sin appeared and got nix stunned moved away hit lucky scarab for more stun. Then nuked them :) Also if you have time and chi, hit vacuity powder then feral concentration gives you full immunity to stuns and damage but if u hit the vacuity before casting you can still move and attack. At 89 you'd be able to set off feral concentration, then bramble hood if you wanted as well if you have all 3 sparks.

    Personally I don't want to run a AA/HA or an LA and have found I rarely have an issue at all with survivability with the phy AOEs and when I steal aggro (regularly) I can take the direct hits and stay alive long enough for the cleric to get me, pot, or charm.

    Personal preference and personal build but I love it :)
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Cheski - Sanctuary
    Cheski - Sanctuary Posts: 17 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Eoria; I rarely use fox for anything other than amp etc. I read your reply to another post and I have decided that I will stick with the hybrid build. I just really need to work on my armour. Thing is I'm not worrying about TT gear until 90 so it's not so great- with few sockets for garnets.

    Just to clarify: armour is arcane but all ornaments should be pdef?

    I want to go sage.

    I have another question: is it better to go with strength (Which increases physical defence) or vitality (Just HP)? I currently have more strength than is required for equipment. Should I move that into vitality?
  • Vitenka - Dreamweaver
    Vitenka - Dreamweaver Posts: 4,125 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    There's a thread somewhere that compares the utility of pdef to hitpoints. You get 12hp per vitality as a veno - only you can known whether or not strength is better for you. Personally, I would doubt it makes much difference unless you have 100s more points of strength than you need.

    Personally I've not put all that much into vitality either.

    And yes - everyone, regardless of class, should have both pdef and mdef ornaments, and use whichever is appropriate for their situation.
  • Aijou - Harshlands
    Aijou - Harshlands Posts: 280 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I'm an 86 veno who's also going through the same issue.
    My current build is full magic, so my hits are pretty good, but my HP and physical defense are on the lower side.

    I really need a new build that will give me good survivability, but also decent damage in human form. Originally I was going to restat HA/caster, but I'm having second thoughts now.

    LA? Vit? Someone explain Q_Q

    I play on a PVP server, and the current power right now are sins. I've seen how well HA venos can survive and kill them, and I don't mind sitting in foxform and letting nix do it's job.

    :) I'll be lurking for answers.
  • tweakz
    tweakz Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    =S You guys are at a level where you're going to start using your equips for a while. It's worth it to start investing in some of them. 90 is just around the corner.
    Be kind: Help the GMs to depopulate the servers.
  • SeaStorm - Heavens Tear
    SeaStorm - Heavens Tear Posts: 315 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Cheski,

    To answer your question about STR. My base str is just enough for my weapons. Any adds to STR are off gear and are not planned into the build I use. Regarding the question about armor I'm assuming that was pointed at me. Yes all my armor (helm, chest, legs, boots, arms) are all arcane. I run a cape with pdef, rings with pdef, neck is currently the mold that give 5% additional HP (I'm currently working on getting the cube neck that would give me vit, pdef, 5% hp increase etc). However, I can change out my neck, belt, and rings for neg channeling as needed. (side note: I have a cleric on the same account w/a stash account so I can swap gear back and forth as needed between my arcanes - saves money that way lol). My helm is the only item that I do not shard with garnets.

    Aijou,

    As I posted above I'm a mage/vit hybrid build. I never followed any guide lines in the forums so I have no idea what my break down would be per lvl. I have tested the 101 veno's build on a PvP server and it appears to be holding up quite well. Granted I tend to keep anti stun type pots on her for use when around BMs/Sins.

    One problem that I've seen with HA venos is that they tend to have more of a barb build and then are thus weak to magic attacks.

    What I've tried to do with my build is go for magic attack but at the same time shore up my weakness (ie lower pdef) to have more survivability.

    Personally when I build my chars I try to use the ornaments to help compenstate for the area that they are weak in to provide a more "balanced" char.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Aniella - Harshlands
    Aniella - Harshlands Posts: 729 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    b:chuckle be in fox, and w u see them use spark(after that move7run) and hurry stun em xD
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    QQ If i did Crazy stone at 3x AND not 6x, i had been lvl 105 now!
    Didnt know about Bh/CrazyStone before lvl 6x LOL
  • Cheski - Sanctuary
    Cheski - Sanctuary Posts: 17 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I've thought about it and I really would like to utilize my fox skills more, but it wreaks havoc on my weapon. I'm currently using "Endless Ambiguity" +4 with 2x immaculate sapphire. What would be the best weapon for using fox skills now and in the future?

    The best strategy for sins is to stun and run? lol (Hubby is going down! No more beating on the wifey! b:sin )
  • SeaStorm - Heavens Tear
    SeaStorm - Heavens Tear Posts: 315 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I have a weapon that has a phy attack and accuracy add. I sharded it with a garnet and then put the both weapons on my hot keys so I can swap before changing to fox form w/o having to open my inventory. I used to swap out to phy attack rings but don't bother now it's enough trying to remember to hit the weapon swap before changing forms LOL. I've got all but one fox skill lvl'd and crit on her in fox between 6k - 13k depending on the mob. My normal hits tend to average about 2k...which pisses off a barb friend cause that means my fox hits harder than he does *snicker*.

    Sin wise with their stuns and aps I find it's easier to stun and hit and run - keep the distance, after all they're melee not range. The longer you can keep them at range and stunned (and you stay unstunned) the more likely you can win. At lower lvls it's survivability as my test veno isn't near the lvl or the gear my 101 has, and I live longer in fox and have a better chance. However, the lower lvls tend not to have the aps the upper lvls have. Also depends on who you're dueling/fighting and how well they know their char and how well they play.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • AnimaBlanc - Sanctuary
    AnimaBlanc - Sanctuary Posts: 555 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    tweakz wrote: »
    =S You guys are at a level where you're going to start using your equips for a while. It's worth it to start investing in some of them. 90 is just around the corner.

    I think i HAVE to agree with tweakz on this one for once.
    cause at this point it's indeed the gear that made a difference, not to much the points in itself anymore.

    When i reached 90 i was still wearing my TT80's for quite a while till i finally got all the mats i needed for the TT90. and BOY did i notice that switch.
    i -think- thats probably because i didn't use the regular TT arcane Acrobatic set but the TT Oracle's set.
    I went for this one cause it adds alot more Phys defence and a few %damage reduction here and there. which IMHO make a difference along with your sharding.
    ( props to my husband on figuring that one out! )

    My gear basically, is directed at Phys defence, except for the Necklace and headwear, cause as an AA you already have quite alot of Elemental defence. plus the fact that when you refine your ornaments they usually grant you a HP/MP or an elemental add on instead of anything else. at least so far i noticed. dont pin me down on that one tho, could be wrong on some ornaments, idk.

    Stats so far with gear:

    HP of 4607 ( which, off the top of my head with barb buff reaches nearly 6K )
    Vit. 90
    Str. 54
    Mag. 450
    Dex. 15 <-- that was an early morning *** up in my lvl 20's XD where i half-asleep put 10 in dex instead of mag. it's nice being able to use a bit better bow in fcc tho o.o



    Unbuffed stats

    Phys att. 1004 - 1205
    Mag att. 7876 - 9740
    Phys def. 2415
    Elemental def. ~around 8K ( they differ here and there cause of the add ons on Orn. or gear )

    Just with cleric buffs this changes to

    Mag att. 8864 - 10962
    Phys def. 3667
    and Mag def. ~around 11K

    Now, I myself am still working on adding more to Phys defence cause i'm not completely happy with the actual numbers i see on my screen when i get hit by melee mobs, but thats my own personal preferance.
    I give my stats as an example, i dont -know- or havent bothered to find comparison material, cause atm it's 4 am in the morning.

    Hope it helps a bit, if not ... oh wel! XD
    If you like this set up i dont mind sharing my gear info, just let me know
    All you need is something to believe in. -Solar_one. <-- <3 mah snoockums, mah hubby, mah eberyfing. :3

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  • Astraea - Raging Tide
    Astraea - Raging Tide Posts: 544 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    o.o...
    vit Does help a bit if u cant afford good refines or are just too lazy to do it

    LA is surprisingly squishy after 90, i see more deaths on LA users than AA and HA

    personally i capped vit at 100 instead of goin full vit build and ending with 15x ish vit unbuffed. HA i cant see working unless ur pro at building a char for which ud need a lot of + dex/str/mag to be able to use up to lv wep and HA gear

    at 100 vit with crappy refines and only G8 shards, i have almost 6k unbuffed hp

    http://pwcalc.ru/pwi/?char=8a32b0ad63b90b35

    one thing tho, as LA or HA, u would need a lot more -channeling than an AA veno would, atm i dont have much (more than in calc xD) but its more than enough to solo my TTs

    i decided to not compromise mag def and possibly hp just for a bit more p def, AA can get as much p def as an LA relatively easy,
    as for HA, eh hope u like gettin hit for 2-3k by mag mobs/bosses or other players (yes i have check and asked several HA users for the damage)
    at my current p def, most i get hit from mobs is like 1k max, which my hp can take LA would reduce it by what? -300 damage or so? idk actual number but dont see benefit of losing so much mag def for bit reduction in p def

    end of this is, AA is great and tho it may not have as much p def as HA, its more than enough to survive at 90+

    hint: a LOT of mobs hit mag after 90, and they hit hard, sometimes even 1.5k mag on me with 11k m def whereas phys doesnt hit as much b:shutup
    "Common sense isn't so common anymore." ~ Yusiong - Lost City
    b:surrender
  • tweakz
    tweakz Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    o.o...
    vit Does help a bit if u cant afford good refines or are just too lazy to do it

    Why the poor stay poor. More hits per kill = higher repairs (ongoing expense). Less dmg per hit can be compensated for with atk charms and genie skills (ongoing expense). Smaller MP pool and MP recovery can be compensated for with pots (ongoing expense). Or slower killing creates slower income (ongoing loss). Vit can be compensated for with swappable equips, shards, or refines (investments). Lazy to me also is being able to farm something in 15m that would take others 45m, or being able 1-2 shot aoe instead of dragging it out.
    personally i capped vit at 100 instead of goin full vit build and ending with 15x ish vit unbuffed.

    Equips I've been getting lately have such good survival (nirvana pants, and sleeves, warsong hat, rank 8 weapon, etc); that not only do I not need vit: I also don't need def/ hp / vit shards. I'm not the only one that's realized this either: the price and scarcity of DoT's has doubled since the rep sale.
    at 100 vit with crappy refines and only G8 shards, i have almost 6k unbuffed hp

    Same survivability against those 5k regardless of def hits, and same amount of hits to kill as my pure mag w/ 5.4k unbuffed if getting hit 2k per.
    one thing tho, as LA or HA, u would need a lot more -channeling than an AA veno would, atm i dont have much (more than in calc xD) but its more than enough to solo my TTs

    They already have gimped MP, and MP recovery. Channeling would make that deficit worse.
    hint: a LOT of mobs hit mag after 90, and they hit hard, sometimes even 1.5k mag on me with 11k m def whereas phys doesnt hit as much b:shutup

    Mag hits are also less frequent.
    Be kind: Help the GMs to depopulate the servers.