What named items do you design your gear around?

[Warinx]

Since bonuses are so high on random and crafted gear now it's hard to find any named items at all that are better.

Which items do you design your set around?

Do you do it to save essences or because it's BiS?

Any named items that are "good enough" for you to use during ETRs or HTRs?

I guess some post u32 items are worth it.

[Phoenicis]

I have a couple sets of the Devil's Handiwork that I use from 14 to 20 on some characters. I'm slowly building up to a third set as run thru lives and hit those quests

[EllisDee37]

Bracers of Wind (which is why I prefer bracers as my greensteel smoke item)
Cloak of Invisibility
Epic Ring of the Stalker

[Selvera]

Yes; most named loot was obsolted via random loot and crafting; but there are still a lot of very good named items useful for more then just their clickies.

Necklace of Contemplation (lvl 1-7) (Simply the best HP boost you can get at low levels that doesn't come from past lives)

Bracers of Wind (lvl 3-11) -> Greensteel smoke bracers (lvl 12 - 29) (Permanent blur does not appear on random/crafted)

Cloak of invisiblity (lvl 9-14) -> Ghost Walking Cloak (lvl 15 - 29 w/upgrades) (Ghostly is an amazing stat to have, especially for melee)

Slave Lords Items (pretty much all named and crafted slavelords items are good/BiS) (Both heroic and legendary are BiS)

Black Dragonscale Armour (lvl 15-24) -> Flawless Black Dragonscale Armour (lvl 25-29) (I like armour piercing, and I'd have to mess around with a lot of gear/options to maybe optimize a tiny bit if I tried to craft it; but likely I couldn't fit the right stats into the right slots if I tried)

Lots of different weapons; especially if they have improved critical profiles.

Quiver of Alacrity (upgraded) (lvl 1-30) (Crafting striding sucks hard, random loot is ok but unreliable. I'd rather just use this BiS named item.)

Pale Green Ioun Stone (lvl 15-22) (Best vitality you can get at this level, and it saves me from having to farm another master's gift for this set of gear)

Seal of House Avathoul (lvl 23-27) (Deception is not something you can craft, and it helps melees not die. Something they're keen on doing. Also allows sneak attack, and it gives sneak attack damage. Often I can even use the stat on this item, although that part is worse then crafted).

And I'm not listing those which I use or would be happy using at cap, since there are a lot of named items that are really great at cap.

It's also worth mentioning Litanny. I don't have it, but a lot of people swear by it.

[krolikru3]

I usually just get myself an upgraded pale lavender, a voice or cloak, some GS items, and after that, 2-3 pieces of gear for every 2-3 levels for pure damage. The rest of my slots, I fill with random loot gen that I find in quests. Unless there is a well-known item for my level and class, that makes a massive difference, I tend to not grind it. Because getting through levels are so easy, it's only helpful to me for a couple of hours of questing.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Icedtea

[Saekee]

For heroics, named gear with manslayer (at a certain level, stalker ring), ghostly (the tempest spine cloak) since it gives stacking +5 to HS/MS as well as incorp/ethereal; freezing ice items (frozen tunic); various clickies. An upgraded ToEE weapon could make a great offhand weapon for TWF & throwers since its AoE procs on mainhand too. Razorend--great crit profile, old school 1min tendon slice that works for throwers--and it looks cool. Vorpal weapons.

I will edit later with epic list.

edit: for epics, I am not endgamer--just really doing ERs after a heroic life, so I like solid level 20 names items--epic ring of stalker, eClaw set, Oathblade is very good--crit profile, high base damage etc. and a number of old SSS items like ePhiarlan cloak, eRoderick wand, eUtility Vest, eTimeblade (for FoM), eChimera Crown for dragonmarked lives, EMG for assassins and ninjas, and a few others that do not come to mind

[Ulfo]

Razorend--great crit profile, old school 1min tendon slice that works for throwers--and it looks cool.

I prefer Seal of House Dun'Robar for 10% Tendon slice because at lvl 23 anyway use Celestia for off-hand ( and lvl 7 ToEE upgraded melee weapon until lvl 23 ). 8)

[Mornyngstar]

I would also add Pansophic Circlet for any caster that uses off set spell power (i.e. for everything else you are not maximizing on spell power).

[Saekee]

I prefer Seal of House Dun'Robar for 10% Tendon slice because at lvl 23 anyway use Celestia for off-hand ( and lvl 7 ToEE upgraded melee weapon until lvl 23 ). 8)

Well, my list was heroic at time of posting so DunRobar will need to wait...that is partly why I like Razorend so much--but nice to see someone else using an upgraded heroic ToEE weapon for offhand as a sub for Celestia.

[Warinx]

edit: for epics, I am not endgamer--just really doing ERs after a heroic life, so I like solid level 20 names items--epic ring of stalker, eClaw set, Oathblade is very good--crit profile, high base damage etc. and a number of old SSS items like ePhiarlan cloak, eRoderick wand, eUtility Vest, eTimeblade (for FoM), eChimera Crown for dragonmarked lives, EMG for assassins and ninjas, and a few others that do not come to mind

Do you have a set of lvl 20 items that are crafted/random gen to fill up on stats?

I was also looking at using my old claw set during ETRs, but they offer so little compared to crafted atm. Which is painful since it was such a grind to get it way back when.
Claw Set
6 strength (Crafted is 9/10 at 20/21)
60 HAMP (Crafted 38)
+4 artifact damage
2 Exceptional con
Heavy Fort (Blue augment so essentially free)

Do you also equip a strength item to make up for the deficit?
Example of crafted is so crazy to compare with:
bracers: 10 Strength 10 Con 18 sheltering Heavy Fortification(blue)
Gloves: 38 Healing AMP 4 Strength(ins) and 11 Doublestrike/15alacrity/10dex (augment: Deathblock/Blind Immune/30 hp/30 Striding/+2 good luck/5% xp/+6 resist/etc)

[Warinx]

I usually just get myself an upgraded pale lavender, a voice or cloak, some GS items, and after that, 2-3 pieces of gear for every 2-3 levels for pure damage. The rest of my slots, I fill with random loot gen that I find in quests. Unless there is a well-known item for my level and class, that makes a massive difference, I tend to not grind it. Because getting through levels are so easy, it's only helpful to me for a couple of hours of questing.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Icedtea

So you got some deadly of seeker and strength of insightful strength crafted items lying around for melee damage that you keep exchanging? That does sound kindof nice.

What are your highest priorities on the couple of crafted items you use?

[Warinx]

Deception is not something you can craft, and it helps melees not die.

What does it do except enable sneak attack damage and (new items)increase sneak attack damage? Descriptions on wiki for deception and bluff deosn't mention anything.

[Ulfo]

Well, my list was heroic at time of posting so DunRobar will need to wait...that is partly why I like Razorend so much--but nice to see someone else using an upgraded heroic ToEE weapon for offhand as a sub for Celestia.

For heroic I like use Wind Howler Bracers. 8)

And I like both effects from bracers and ToEE weapons not required confirmation of crit ( though in the description it's written that confirmation is required ).

[Warinx]

Slave Lords Items (pretty much all named and crafted slavelords items are good/BiS) (Both heroic and legendary are BiS)

I'm looking to fit atleast the executioner's helm until lvl 14 for the fury, and seeker will only be 2 behind at lvl 13.


Utilitarian Necklace: Sheltering +17, Constitution +7, Quality Fortification +21%, Quality Physical Sheltering +4, Green Augment Slot
It's also tempting at lvl 14, the sheltering and con is on par with crafting at level, and the quality sheltering makes it bleeding edge until lvl 17.
Crafted neck would be +18 sheltering Con +7 Ins. phys sheltering +8 so it's really only to save some crafting materials.

[Warinx]

Bracers of Wind (which is why I prefer bracers as my greensteel smoke item)
Cloak of Invisibility
Epic Ring of the Stalker

I guess aiming for abilities that give a big bonus, and can't be found anywhere else is the go to. Then maybe try to find named items that are good enough that will save you crafting mats.

For HTR:
Ghostly (Cloak w/heavy Fort) 9-20
Blurry (Bracer) 3-10 (Bracer w/45hp)11-20
Relentless Fury (Helm w seeker 5 and Blind Immunity) 8-13 (Armor w/ AP10)14-20)

[TDarkchylde]

I don't usually run max Strength builds, so from 20-23 the PDK gloves are something I build around, then Iron Mitts from 24-30. They give just enough Strength to not get rendered helpless by random stat damage, and they have healing amp that stacks with and is better than the crafted stuff.

Backstabber's Gloves also merit a mention for mid to high Heroics, as you can't craft either bonus Sneak Attack damage OR Deception.

If I don't have something better for the trinket slot, the Pale Green Ioun Stone can get me practically to endgame.

The Pansophic Circlet and its legendary counterpart are two things I will always build around for a caster set.

[Selvera]

What does it do except enable sneak attack damage and (new items)increase sneak attack damage? Descriptions on wiki for deception and bluff deosn't mention anything.

I haven't noticed it as much recently, but it certainly used to make the mobs turn around when it procc'd, meaning that's ~1 second of them not attacking you. I think that still happens, but I've been in heroics quite a bit recently so I haven't been able to dust off my seals of avathoul.

The effect is supposed to be the same as the bluff skill + abilities like sniper shot; which I know do still force the target to turn around and attack backwards.

[Saekee]

Do you have a set of lvl 20 items that are crafted/random gen to fill up on stats?

I was also looking at using my old claw set during ETRs, but they offer so little compared to crafted atm. Which is painful since it was such a grind to get it way back when.
Claw Set
6 strength (Crafted is 9/10 at 20/21)
60 HAMP (Crafted 38)
+4 artifact damage
2 Exceptional con
Heavy Fort (Blue augment so essentially free)

Do you also equip a strength item to make up for the deficit?
Example of crafted is so crazy to compare with:
bracers: 10 Strength 10 Con 18 sheltering Heavy Fortification(blue)
Gloves: 38 Healing AMP 4 Strength(ins) and 11 Doublestrike/15alacrity/10dex (augment: Deathblock/Blind Immune/30 hp/30 Striding/+2 good luck/5% xp/+6 resist/etc)

I never run Str builds--usually Dex or Int--but yeah, sometimes they just don't work. I put Doublestrike on the belt slot if I recall.

For heroic I like use Wind Howler Bracers. 8)

And I like both effects from bracers and ToEE weapons not required confirmation of crit ( though in the description it's written that confirmation is required ).

Great stuff as always Ulfo!

[goodspeed]

I would also add Pansophic Circlet for any caster that uses off set spell power (i.e. for everything else you are not maximizing on spell power).

Hell I like to use that on my ranged to. Adds to my main spell power plus offside force spell power and covers devotion while its at it. Its like 3 rings in one. With that I slap a heavy fort item in the green slot and your set.

[krolikru3]

I guess it really depends on what you like making. I'm more of a caster/ranger type guy. Not a fan of swinging weapons. So maybe tell us what build(s) you'd be planning on making, so we can narrow down our items to what you need for your specific play-style (Melee, caster, ranged, etc.)

edit: Reading back through the post.... seems you are some kind of melee??....