Testing - Armor of Legends

[Sarlona Raiding]

I wasn't sure if the "untyped" benefit would work on just myself or others so I tested it.

Other party members are buffed and any bonus % they have will boost the benefit of epic mage armor.

So if boosting the tank's AC is an important thing for your party, it's worth considering. I understand AC isn't relevant in some content, but other than high-end raids it seems super effective.

Macrotechnic might be worth consideration as tier 5 for some bards that want to maximize party buffs.

Thank you SSG, such a fun destiny. I like being able to help out the party and not just myself.

 

[Bjond]

AC is absolute KING in Heroic content. Mostly because down there it actually works at low levels and PRR is so small as to be meaningless.

It helps in epic, but I'd say it's more like 70/30 for PRR/AC utility. I'll aim more for PRR in epics and then simply be pleased if it comes with more AC rather than sacrifice to include more AC.

At cap, you'll need a minimum of ~250 AC to even get a teeny tiny benefit -- and that's as a Tank. Even as a tank, though, there's so much content where AC matters not at all (utterly ignored) that you might as well ignore AC. My AC tank found that the most reliable and noticeable gains were versus XP trash at cap, which is kinda "so what?" for a build goal.

 

[DBZ]

PRR useless in heroics say what

You can probably hit almost 100 prr in heroics in robes with the right setup much higher for medium armor

 

[Sarlona Raiding]

AC is absolute KING in Heroic content. Mostly because down there it actually works at low levels and PRR is so small as to be meaningless.

It helps in epic, but I'd say it's more like 70/30 for PRR/AC utility. I'll aim more for PRR in epics and then simply be pleased if it comes with more AC rather than sacrifice to include more AC.

At cap, you'll need a minimum of ~250 AC to even get a teeny tiny benefit -- and that's as a Tank. Even as a tank, though, there's so much content where AC matters not at all (utterly ignored) that you might as well ignore AC. My AC tank found that the most reliable and noticeable gains were versus XP trash at cap, which is kinda "so what?" for a build goal.

I'd say at end game a low investment tank can get 450 with this buff and a higher investment tank will get over 500. With that AC I don't get hit very much and that includes doom reapers on R10. 250 will give you some mitigation, but not enough to take alot of hits. This specific buff gives about what you get from max epic past lifes so the most significant benefit is that a very low investment tank will be able to get a workable ac for R10s - meaning a first lifer for example.

 

[Ying]

PRR useless in heroics say what

You can probably hit almost 100 prr in heroics in robes with the right setup much higher for medium armor

Pretty close.

36 Divine past lives
09 PDK past lives
04 PRR remnant tome
06 Reaper (assumes char level 10)
12 Augment (ML 8)
05 Insightful item
05 Artifact - Seasons of the Feywild 7pc set bonus
10 Profane - Dread Isle's Curse 5pc
--
87 at level 10 without accounting for mythic/reaper bonuses, inherent bonuses from light/medium/heavy armor, or class enhancements

 

[Bjond]

PRR useless in heroics say what

Yep. Heroic AC is so very nice that I'd trade ALL my heroic PRR for AC, but then I'd also trade all my heroic AC for strong cheap ranged AE with nice stiff single DPS. I generally don't start caring about defense until epics, but when I want it in heroic, it's AC.

87 at level 10 without accounting for mythic/reaper bonuses, inherent bonuses from light/medium/heavy armor, or class enhancements

My point wasn't that you can't do it, but that it's easier and more effective to increase AC in Heroics. This is a very important point to make for new players, who are highly likely to think PRR is the one true god of defense the way we all yammer on and on about it due to our hyper-focus on end-game.

And, for veterans, that focus makes sense. I bet you could solo a full DPS first-life no-tome zero defense character on R1 from L1 to L20 and not die more than once or twice. It probably won't even be exciting enough to prevent yawning.

Yet, elite and r1 might be a struggle for a newbie. Are you going to tell him to "get more PRR"? Uh, how? There isn't enough to matter for a first life character. But there is a way and that's with AC. It actually works in heroics and it's easy to get.

 

[Sarlona Raiding]

This is a tier 5 ED ability so to the extent it's used to buff other party members it primarily benefits the tank and/or a tanky character that already has an ac of around 300. I'll probably cast it on all party members anyhow.