Need help choosing which armor for ENIGMA!

[Stebok]

Im a hammerdin (at the moment, wearing nothing, no stats points used, lvl84).

Mage Plate = 55 strg
Dusk Shroud = 77 strg

If theres other choices, let me know... but I'm pretty sure those are the lowest strg required armors with 3os.

This is the gear I'm aiming for.

Shako
Maras
Hoto
Enigma (Obviously)
HOZ
Magefist
2x SOJ
Arach
SS Treks (Eth if I get find)

CTA/Low Paly Spirit Shield

Anni/Torch

I want to put ZERO hard points in strength... I can probably wear the MP with simply the stats bonus from anni/torch (and shako+maras)...

or I can have the anni/torch bonus and wear 2 x strength rings to put Enigma then replace the rings back to SOJ since ENigma gives a HUGE strength bonus to wear the rest of my gear (HOZ).

Any advice?

[Darkoooo]

Actually, Breast Plate is the lowest strength required armor (30 Str required) able to get 3 sockets. Bad sides are the low defense (65-68) and crappy look. There's also Light Plate, who has the Mage Plate and Archon Plate look, but a somewhat higher Str requirement (41 Str required), low defense still remains (90-107).

I'd use Mage Plate since you can get enough Strength to wear it from Anni+Torch.

[Niklet]

You don't want to strength bug if possible. Go with the highest defense armor you can after strength from charms and base ONLY.

If the only stat boosters you have are anni and torch, I would second Darkoooo with an enigma in a MP.

[Stebok]

Thanks for replies.

I think I'm gonna go with MP then, forgot to mention the one I have is 3os Superior MP 5% ED.. 275 Def total. Not perfect, but I think it's worth it, right?

[Relativity]

Superior will cost considerably more to repair, even if it's just ed% and not increased durability.

Edit: So if you go with superior, it's best you find a 14-15% ed one to make the extra defence a little more worth it.

[Niklet]

You can use rals to repair armor without too much cost (NL: 10-1 HR), eliminating the need for gold in that respect. If you're on ladder, run the countess a couple times and one should pop up.

[KremBanan]

I always go with Light Plate or Mage Plate. And only 15ed armors if you are rolling it yourself. This is because of the resalevalue if you are gonna sell it sometime in the future, a 5ed armor is hard to get a decent price for. Imo, you should either trade for a low Enigma or make it in a 15ed armor.

[krischan]

If the only stat boosters you have are anni and torch, I would second Darkoooo with an enigma in a MP.
Mara's: +5 all
Shako: +2 all
HoZ: +20 str, vit (but you probably want to meet its str req of 89 with the str bonus from Enigma)

[ironpaw]

I don't understand...why not invest in strength? What build would use 0 strength?

[KremBanan]

The point is that you dont spend points in strenght. You only have enough total(str from enigma, torch, anni and ther items) to wear your heaviest equipment. This way you can put all your points in vitality and dexterity(for maximum block)

[Alash]

I don't understand...why not invest in strength? What build would use 0 strength?

The Hammerdin, for one, gains absolutely nothing from attribute points invested in Strength. All he ever needs is enough to wear his equipment, and for that Enigma is pretty much it.

In regards to OP, I'd always advice to go for an Enigma that doesn't require any points invested in Strength. Even in a Breast Plate you'd have on average a 829 defense Enigma, which compared to the absolute top, a 15ed Archon Plate, is 550 armor short. 550 - that's a lot! Well, not if you think it through. To wear an Archon Plate, assuming you have a perfect Torch and Annihilus, you need 41 points into Strength. Those 41 points could have been used on Vitality, which would then buff your Life by 82 (which is over 100 when using CTA). As a Hammerdin, depending on your merc, you'll have upwards of 15k armor, and with diminishing returns the AP would decrease damage taken by max 1%. So, 1% DR or more than 100 Life? Life that just by the way also helps against elemental damage?

I'd opt for the Breast Plate.

[zerth]

Taking into account def/str AND looks, in SP, where there is no torch+anni I would go for something like this:

Superior Light Plate
Defense: 124
Durability: 43 of 60
Required Strength: 41
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0xd63ed9c9
+15% Enhanced Defense
Socketed (3: 0 used)

In Bnet, I think that a good 3os Mage Plate will do.

[anonymite]

Bottom line is: unless it costs you absolutely nothing in terms of end/game stats to do so, go with the best armor that you can wear without str-bugging. I'd go with the Mage Plate, unless you're absurdly rich.

25 Base Str + 7 from Shako/Mara + 40 from Perf Anni/PTorch (Good luck with that) = 72

That leaves you 5 points from equipping a Dusk Enigma cold. What I would do is find a 15 All Res / +9 Str Jewel (good luck with that, too) to stick in the Shako. That will give you 81 "base" strength to work with, which, incidently is also enough for Eth Treks.

Another thing I don't get about BNET (#4259): Why focus so much on little differences in defense, but then opt for Magefist over Trang Gloves, which have better defense even over upped magefists?

[Dodgydave]

Another thing I don't get about BNET (#4259): Why focus so much on little differences in defense, but then opt for Magefist over Trang Gloves, which have better defense even over upped magefists?

Maybe the player prefers extra mana regeneration over added cold resist/def. :shrug:

[sequoia]

Splint Mail.
Low req, Low defense, but looks gorgeous on a paladin.

[Darkoooo]

Splint Mail.
Low req, Low defense, but looks gorgeous on a paladin.

And has 2 sockets maximum.

[mainaman]

I don't understand...why not invest in strength? What build would use 0 strength?No need of str to gear hammerdin if you do it right, more pts in vita+more life, which is most important

[Neuuubeh]

Mara's: +5 all
Shako: +2 all
HoZ: +20 str, vit (but you probably want to meet its str req of 89 with the str bonus from Enigma)

+10-15 str from Sandstorm Treks.

Ditch the Str rings (i dont remember fcr bps on paladins :p)

[krischan]

+10-15 str from Sandstorm Treks.
Correct, but you probably want to meet its reqs with the bonus from Enigma as well, as with the HoZ, so it won't help with respect to meeting the reqs of Enigma itself.