Chain or not to chain

[vikingthug]

<div>Hola, lvl 22 Brigand Ogre here, with a hard and difficult question..Which is better, chain or leather.  These are my current stats.</div><div> </div><div>Str:93</div><div>Dex: 54</div><div>Sta: 39</div><div>Int: 25</div><div>Wis: 31</div><div>    Currently Im wearing nearly all chain except for the gloves. My mitigation is 682, while my avoidence is a whopping 2%.  I like to solo but lately Ive been grouping more and more.  My health is 1009 while my power is 697.  Im just not sure which route to take.  Mitigation or avoidence.  I dont think of myself as a fancy smancy ranger or assassin.. Just your typical run of the mill thug.  I suspect that chain is the route to go, but Id like to get some input from the rest of the community. Ive done well so far, but a much higher guildie Brigand was shocked that I was wearing all chain...I appreciate the help...Thanks a bunch.</div>

[Jida]

At 40.. i have more MIT on my brigand than tanks of the same level.. add a sheild and 1hander / defenseive stance.. i tank pretty darn well..IMHO... Chain.. legendary if possible.Johnathon Brigand of Crushbone<div></div>

[vikingthug]

<div></div>Right now Im using pristine imbued which does pretty well..I didnt know brigands even used shields...Is that a common practice?

[NemaLVey]

<div></div><p><font color="#cc99ff">Chain is great.  Your gonna get hit sometime or another cuz of the aggro we produce in group situations.  ( ie taunts resist, befuddle-line not working as intended maybe, debuff-slamming, etc. )  Avoidance is nice, and I can tell you your avoidance will go up as you level and acquire better gear, but Mit is king in this game for the most part.</font></p><p><font color="#cc99ff">If you extensively use your evade and slip lines a lot, then it doesnt matter too much in groups.  If you jus use em when you get hit.... wear chain.  2-3 aggrovated hits from a yellow heroic will make you unconscious or take a "nap" in leather armor.</font></p>

[Jida]

<div></div><div><span><blockquote><hr>vikingthug wrote:I didnt know brigands even used shields...Is that a common practice?<hr></blockquote>For me it is.. scary part is i seem to tank better than tanks.. so i bought a rubicite 1 hander and a sheild.. the one hander hits for about 150 at level 40 quite often, and i don't get hit too often.Also, there are some great roundshilds that have HIGH protection... There a legendary one usable at 46.*** STATS BELOW ***</span><span class="itemTitle">Vruxx' Obsidian Shield</span><span><font color="#eaea88"><strong>LORE ATTUNABLE</strong></font></span><font color="green"><strong>+12 </strong></font><font color="green"><strong>Strength</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+12</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> Stamina</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+50</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> health</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+40</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> power</strong></font><font color="green"><strong>+3</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> deflection</strong></font><span></span><font color="#7ed7df"><strong></strong></font>Protection:<strong>549 </strong>Level:<strong>46</strong>And the one hander i use<span class="itemTitle">Pristine Forged Rubicite War Axe</span><span><font color="#eaea88"><strong>ATTUNABLE </strong></font></span><font color="green"><strong>+13</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> Strength</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+13</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> Agility</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+2</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> Wisdom</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+10</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> Intelligence</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+47</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> health</strong></font><span></span><font color="green"><strong>+46</strong></font><font color="green"><strong> power</strong></font><span></span><font color="#7ed7df"><strong></strong></font><strong>One-Handed Slash</strong>Damage:<strong>18 - 54 (43.95 Rating)</strong>Delay:<strong>1.6 </strong>Weight:<strong>5.0</strong>Level:<strong>40</strong></div>

[The-Fourm-Pirate]

<div></div>Whatever has more STR/AGI.

[Timesquare]

<div></div>chain , even though leather does give better stats but we're not brawler class that has high avoidance with blocks parry dodge and deflection

[Kegofbud]

<div></div><div></div>I'll preface by saying that I've never used leather once chain was available to me at level 20. In your early levels though, leather isn't such a bad choice. The cost of rare pelts through T5 is incredibly low. In some tiers you can buy 7 pelts to make a full set for less then 1 rare ore. Kind of a value decision with good stats ont he rare. Ideally, chain but since you will fly through the first 50 levels anyway, it wouldn't be silly to use leather. It all depends on your funds. When you hit T6, the mobs will slap you hard in leather. We had a Swash in guild use elather all the way up through because of cost and it was hard to argue with him when Ebon was 1p each and his pelts cost 7g each. He admitted when he hti T6 that soling became rather difficult in leather and he had to move to cobalt. If you've got spare money, or you'll be taking hits - chain is your best bet. If you are not blessed with a lot of cash flow at your level, use rare leather. Nothing that bad about doing so.<p>Message Edited by Kegofbud on <span class="date_text">03-24-2006</span><span class="time_text">08:12 AM</span></p>

[Telka]

<div></div>Well so far Ive gone all chain even though the pickings have been slim sense I solo during the day ( r/l ) causes alot of afk's and at night eather single group or small duo / trio with people so I need the protection

[Lings]

<div></div>Well, to answer your first question, I prefer chain, for the higher mit... That's just me though.<blockquote><hr>vikingthug wrote:<div></div>Right now Im using pristine imbued which does pretty well..I didnt know brigands even used shields...Is that a common practice?<hr></blockquote>Well, I don't often use it but brigands can use some shields, I don't use it because my current weapons are Prismatic Swiftblade of the Scale, and Blade of Center. Maybe I'll choose the one hander from Prismatic 2.0.... One of our AA lines, Mercernary's Stamina(the center one) requires us to use a shield.

[Kegofbud]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Lingsch wrote:<div></div>Well, to answer your first question, I prefer chain, for the higher mit... That's just me though.<blockquote><hr>vikingthug wrote:<div></div>Right now Im using pristine imbued which does pretty well..I didnt know brigands even used shields...Is that a common practice?<hr></blockquote>Well, I don't often use it but brigands can use some shields, I don't use it because my current weapons are Prismatic Swiftblade of the Scale, and Blade of Center. Maybe I'll choose the one hander from Prismatic 2.0.... One of our AA lines, Mercernary's Stamina(the center one) requires us to use a shield.<hr></blockquote>I carry a sheild in my bags, just in case a spot tank is needed. There are times when our tanks are not on, or are busy questing, when we have groups of scouts/mages/healers. When that unfolds, I'm not shy about throwing on a decent round shield, a one hander, and switching to defensive stance to get the job done. Obviously we'll never be taking hits from an epic, but against heroics in your level range we do pretty well. Our defensive stance, STR/Physical Mit self buff, and a round shield really improve our skills for taking and avoiding hits for small group work. While I am not above doing this, I'd really rather not. lol