What's Better?

[Callisto]

Just curious, how would Ice Shield rate vs. NQ Koenig for bloodtanking? 3 less VIT but 1 more DEF, and from what I understand a relatively potent spikes para. Would it be worth picking one up if I can actually find it on AH?

[jimbobsonofgod]

What's the hierarchy for end game Blu weapons? A friend of mine is telling me that an Erlking's Sword is better than the slayer-type weapons to offhand until you can get a Concordia. Will the Concordia be better than the Perdu Hanger to main? Would I be better off getting a weapon with spell stat modifiers instead of something like Dmg 3 Acc 3 M.Acc 3 on an Erlking's Sword?

No matter what weapon you are Mainhanding, the best offhand weapon is Koggelmander.
Unless you are main handing a Koggel

I'd say on the whole:

Tizona/Koggel-So I can Justify my existance
Perdu/Koggel -
Erkling's Blade(+5Damage+5acc min)/Koggel
Concordia/Koggel -
Shiva Shotel/Koggel-
if you don't have a Koggle then go Erkling's blade/Perdu.
If you don't have perdu nor koggle go Erlking's bladex2 and start working on perdu+koggel.

[Lone]

This might be a retarded question, but Balhrans ring vs 5 int ring for nuking on red mage?

Fairly new to red mage.

edit: I will have no room for elemental merits if that makes a difference.

[jimbobsonofgod]

This might be a retarded question, but Balhrans ring vs 5 int ring for nuking on red mage?

Fairly new to red mage.

edit: I will have no room for elemental merits if that makes a difference.

I'll say that anything over EP i'd go Balrahn's Ring.
Anything under go 5 int.

[jimbobsonofgod]

Just curious, how would Ice Shield rate vs. NQ Koenig for bloodtanking? 3 less VIT but 1 more DEF, and from what I understand a relatively potent spikes para. Would it be worth picking one up if I can actually find it on AH?

what are you tanking that you don't have a RDM present?

[Cooleko]

Going to probably sound retarded asking this (help me out Vegetto?!), but simply: Capped accuracy on Monk, 1 STR or 4 ATK? Salvage particularly pretty much.

Astrolabe vs Black Tathlum in other words, and since myself I'm not too familiar with fSTR for lower DMG weapons (or hand-to-hand base damage on that note); my bet's on tathlum though.

Black Tathlum for mnk for sure, no questions asked.

[Callisto]

This might be a retarded question, but Balhrans ring vs 5 int ring for nuking on red mage?

Fairly new to red mage.

edit: I will have no room for elemental merits if that makes a difference.

Highly dependant on the rest of your stuff, what's your nuking set look like?

what are you tanking that you don't have a RDM present?

Not so much for the para, that's just a bonus, just curious on 3 VIT vs. 1 DEF for damage reduction I suppose.

[Darlantan]

Not so much for the para, that's just a bonus, just curious on 3 VIT vs. 1 DEF for damage reduction I suppose.

Well, the 3 VIT on the Koenig gives more than 1 DEF by itself :3

[Nevex]

This might be a retarded question, but Balhrans ring vs 5 int ring for nuking on red mage?

Fairly new to red mage.

edit: I will have no room for elemental merits if that makes a difference.

Without elemental merits you're better off with balrhan's on anything that matters that you'll be nuking (ENMs etc.).

[Meat]

Does anyone have any good excal vs other relic hnm parses? I'm trying to see if there's something I'd excal that i can't apoc.

[Callisto]

Well, the 3 VIT on the Koenig gives more than 1 DEF by itself :3

Yeah but DEF from VIT and straight DEF on a shield are two different things when it comes to damage reduction from shield blocks, hence the question.

[Gosyac]

Not so much for the para, that's just a bonus, just curious on 3 VIT vs. 1 DEF for damage reduction I suppose.

Well, the 1def on the shield will give you an extra -.5% pdt on shield blocks. Whereas, 3 VIT will be relatively useless against anything not {Too weak}. Really, I'd choose based on the other stats of the 2 shields. No one around to paralyze the mob or solo? Use ice shield. Doing actual tanking? Use Koenig for enmity/beast killer (protip: works on kirin and byakko).

[Darlantan]

Yeah but DEF from VIT and straight DEF on a shield are two different things when it comes to damage reduction from shield blocks, hence the question.

Yeah, but even considering that, if all you are worried is about the dmg reduction from each shield and not other factors (hp, enm, %haste, etc), there are other cheaper and better options (even a Palmerin's Shield, 3 less defense but the 2% damage taken on it is slightly better than that of the extra defense given by Ice Shield, I think).

As said above, I suppose if there is no one able to land a decent paralyze, Ice Shield may have its scenarios to play around.

[Yugl]

I'll say that anything over EP i'd go Balrahn's Ring.
Anything under go 5 int.

Not this. Until dINT=10, INT provides about the same magic ACC as magic ACC gear and skill gear (It was either 0.9% or 1% while skill/magic ACC provide 1%). This means it depends on what your current INT is before you apply the ring. In most cases, mobs have roughly 75-95INT. As a general case set, I would aim for roughly 100-105 INT before changing to skill/magic ACC gear. For Wyrms, they're said to have 120 INT, so that's why you get the 320/120 formula. For sky NMs, I believe I saw some reports of 126-130 INT for certain NMs (I think Suzaku?).

[BerenTebogo]

Yeah but DEF from VIT and straight DEF on a shield are two different things when it comes to damage reduction from shield blocks, hence the question.

Go augment some palmerins

[Callisto]

Assuming 256 skill for both, Joyeuse vs. M.Kris for COR? I think M.Kris is faster TP, but does it lose a lot of DoT vs. Joy from the low D?

[Jak]

Assuming 256 skill for both, Joyeuse vs. M.Kris for COR? I think M.Kris is faster TP, but does it lose a lot of DoT vs. Joy from the low D?

Don't remember which board/post I saw it on but iirc Joyeuse parsed just a smidgen bit higher than M.Kris on birds. I don't think it was enough to matter but maybe worth looking more into.

On any other merit mob or instance where you melee for TP on Cor I'd go Joyeuse.

[Callisto]

Go augment some palmerins

Spoiler: show

http://slashangry.net/callisto/palmerin.png

good for voke

[Dathus]

Thinking of RDM Meleeing in Campaign has me thinking of making a Death Blossom WS Set. Curious as to what to use.

Joytoy/Genbu's/X/Elvaan RSE satchet
Zenith Crown?/WS Gorget/Communion/Triumph
Royal Redingote?/?/Rajas/Flame
Forager's/Penitent's Rope/?/Mahatma Pigaches

Assuming pre Morrigans in all areas(waiting on my turn for'em to drop), what would be good for the WS set? Never really thought about using them on RDM til I considered wanting to get the best bang for my buck out of Campaign EXP, and maybe soloing FoV or other NMs melee-style.

[Nevex]

RNG/NIN vs RNG/WAR vs RNG/SAM in exp party in ToaU areas.

Which SJ is overall the best in your standard pickup party setup at level 55-70ish (something like: PLD RDM BRD melee x3)?