Leather or Chain

[Galadrid]

<DIV>I'm just curious to know what most swashies use: chain or leather? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I play on a pvp server and have been using chain armor the whole time. A friend told me the other day that I should go all leather as that will increase my avoidance a lot, and that swashies are all about avoidance. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So I decided to give it a shot. However, I noticed that changing one peice of armor from chain to leather didn't really seem to make very much difference. In fact only 0.6% avoidance increase. This doesn't seem like very much and am wondering if its really worth it to change all my armor to leather? My friend was saying that my avoidance should be in the 50-60% range, and currentlly its nowhere even close (23%) at level 50. So, am I doing something wrong?   </DIV>

[Geero]

<DIV>Mit > avoidance</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thats the bottom line.  </DIV> <DIV>Oh and even on chain I can go over cap 60% avoidance with couple +parry items in defensive stands.</DIV>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><blockquote><hr>Galadrid wrote:<div>I'm just curious to know what most swashies use: chain or leather? </div> <div> </div> <div>I play on a pvp server and have been using chain armor the whole time. A friend told me the other day that I should go all leather as that will increase my avoidance a lot, and that swashies are all about avoidance. </div> <div> </div> <div>So I decided to give it a shot. However, I noticed that changing one peice of armor from chain to leather didn't really seem to make very much difference. In fact only 0.6% avoidance increase. This doesn't seem like very much and am wondering if its really worth it to change all my armor to leather? My friend was saying that my avoidance should be in the 50-60% range, and currentlly its nowhere even close (23%) at level 50. So, am I doing something wrong?   </div><hr></blockquote>If you go from generic chain to rare crafted leather and then drop to defensive stance you should see a bit more difference.. but then staying in chain and going into defensive is a big change as it is..  </div>

[the flu]

If I recall properly, not all equipment slots have the same weight on them when it comes to avoidence and mitigation. So switching out a set of bracers will not have the same effect as switching out your bp. I almost exclusivly use chain mail on my  swasy- mitagation is more reliable than avoidence for not taking damage (always on reduction vs a not always getting hit but when you do you get hit hard).The 50-60% number sounds suspect as well- unless your freind is playing in the defensive stance rather than offensive- that seems to make even less sense on a pvp server, as the interupt proc is a huge benefit. But don't tell him that- my inquisitor appreciates not being interupted.Also, check your defense and parry skill scores. You want that as close to cap as possible- too low and your avoidence suffers. <div></div>

[Krontak]

<DIV> <DIV>Keep track of the resists though.  You prob want to be carrying around various pieces of equip with certain stats on them for situational fights, ie...npc has heat damage aoe or maybe a arcane aoe where you need to just fight through it and eat the aoe.  And, you won't always find chain pieces that carry whatever resist stat it is your looking for.</DIV></DIV><p>Message Edited by Krontak on <span class=date_text>05-23-2006</span> <span class=time_text>12:29 PM</span>

[Keyh]

<div></div><div><blockquote><hr>Galadrid wrote:<div>I'm just curious to know what most swashies use: chain or leather? </div> <div> </div> <div>I play on a pvp server and have been using chain armor the whole time. A friend told me the other day that I should go all leather as that will increase my avoidance a lot, and that swashies are all about avoidance. </div> <div> </div> <div>So I decided to give it a shot. However, I noticed that changing one peice of armor from chain to leather didn't really seem to make very much difference. In fact only 0.6% avoidance increase. This doesn't seem like very much and am wondering if its really worth it to change all my armor to leather? My friend was saying that my avoidance should be in the 50-60% range, and currentlly its nowhere even close (23%) at level 50. So, am I doing something wrong?   </div><hr></blockquote>Honestly, don't listen to your friend. I went leather for T5 and I felt stupid for doing it, the added avoidance/stats aren't worth the loss in mitigation.As for the 50-60% avoidance, it all depends on what equipment/AAs you have. I was around 35% avoidance in defensive stance around that level so you're not doing anything wrong.Right now with my Swashbuckler at lvl 70, slf buffed I'm at 57.6% avoidance that's with:+16.8 def/parry from Coule (Wis 5)+8% Parrying/Riposte from Freehand Reversal (Wis 3)+4 def from my Xegonite BP, Legs, Sleeves, and Boots (+1 each)+4 def from my gloves (Tools of the Builder)+5 def from my belt (Girdle of Defense)+3 def from my neck piece (Vitae Immortalis)and finally an agi of 371That's in defensive stance adept III (+25 parry/defense). So sure, your friend is somewhat right about the 50-60%, it's possible, but only if you really shoot for it. This is all chain armor BTW and all Treasured/Legendary, no Fabled. When grouping with my troubador friend, his defense song adds 22 defense which shoots my up to 61.9%. I plan on taking Str 3 all the way for the extra 25 defense.</div><p>Message Edited by Keyh on <span class=date_text>05-23-2006</span> <span class=time_text>02:26 PM</span>