Pvp and gear

[redem]

Hi.

I am a return player from a few years back and have recently been playing a bit again. I am only interested in pvp and have quite a bit of items to use given to me by various friends.


I do not have great charms or any special caster type belts/amulets/helms. It seems like most of the build now a days depend on these things. My skill charms are in general low 40 life + 1 skill(I have 5 of these) I have other +1 skills w/+ 12 fhr( 2 of these). How important is it to have great skill charms? Should i expect to have better than low 40 skill charms to compete?\

I am also having trouble rolling a decent belt/amulet which seems to be very needed to break most fcr/fhr goals. How hard are these type of items to find/get? Am I going to be playing for hours on end trying to find a +2 skills 20% FCR 2 socket circlet? Id like to eventually be able to complete in some of the more private dueling games as pub games gave me no challenge in the past.

thanks

[SeCKSEgai]

You don't need "perfect" charms to compete, as that would severely limit the competition. 40life skill charms aren't "low" at all, just 5 life away from perfect. If that small amount of life decides whether you win or lose on a regular basis, you're problem isn't the charms.

Crafted belts/ammys can be difficult to comeby as it can take quite a few crafts to get anything worthwhile, and the especially nice ones are well valued. As far as the belt, you can always go arachnid mesh for +1 all skills and 20fcr. As far as ammy, you would be restricted to the fcr required, and that can be expensive or just plain difficult to acquire.. As far as fhr, you can fill a lot of the gap with charms, but you do want to have at least some on your equipment.

As far as pubs, if you aren't finding any challenge, you're probably not going by gm and potting (rejuv or health), welling, lifetapping, or sorbing. While not every pub is "challenging", you will find competent opponents with high end gear in them. You also have to consider what build you're using. Most builds have strengths and weaknesses depending on their opponent, and while you may dominate some types, others may give you difficulty.

If you're on US West, I'd be more than happy to show you an example of what a lowly pub dueler like me is capable of =)

[redem]

This was years ago. I am on east, and I did run into decent battles in pubs, but in general is was pretty one sided and most people were nearly few hit kills. This was when sorcs were pretty much orb/es and they had a bunch of zons running all around with their piercing attacks and what not. Thing have came a long way since then it seems.


So max life on grand charms is 45 then? The main problem I am having is making up FHR due to the helm slot. It seems like if I want to keep my fcr, I either need some really nice crafted items or a + skills /20 fcr/ 2 socets helmet.


The build I have decided on is pretty restricted to that helmet unless I have some really great crafted stuff. Would it be a terrible idea to make up that 40% fhr in charms instead? is losing up to 200 base life really that big of a deal now adays?

[Uncle_Mike]

The build I have decided on is pretty restricted to that helmet unless I have some really great crafted stuff. Would it be a terrible idea to make up that 40% fhr in charms instead? is losing up to 200 base life really that big of a deal now adays?

And why is this build a 'secret'? :whistling: When you say fhr means loss of 200 base life you just mention those four 40 lifers so it could be any char that uses skillers which would rule out a BvC or a Bow ama mostly, others would be debatable or plain ruled out.

It would help if you were more specific. Also try and see if the current PvP guides sticky has some answers.

[redem]

No secrets. I have seen the guides and I am working on a bone necro.

trying to make this a bit easier...

My current gear is

Helm = Shako
shield = SS
weap = hoto and a cta
Boots = treks
Belt = anacrids
rings = 10% fcr rings
Amulet = 10% w/+2 skills fcr amulet

With those items including 2 12% fhr charms, I have 110FCR and 44 FHR.

How do you guys suggest I go about getting the usual 125fcr/86fhr break points? None of my items are soceted besides the rune words.

[wizAdept]

No secrets. I have seen the guides and I am working on a bone necro.

trying to make this a bit easier...

My current gear is

Helm = Shako
shield = SS
weap = hoto and a cta
Boots = treks
Belt = anacrids
rings = 10% fcr rings
Amulet = 10% w/+2 skills fcr amulet

With those items including 2 12% fhr charms, I have 110FCR and 44 FHR.

How do you guys suggest I go about getting the usual 125fcr/86fhr break points? None of my items are soceted besides the rune words.

don't use shako if you want to use SS.
another option is to ditch the SS, go full vita without dr/block and just attempt to not get hit by anything dealing physical damage. This opens you up to the option of using a spirit shield which will help get fcr/fhr bps and free up some of your equipment options for other choices.
Vita vs block build is up to you, both are viable just have different strengths, if you want to stay with a SS build then shako will have to go.

40+ hp life gcs are very nice btw, say ty to your friends because those are not cheap.
Your question "Am I going to be playing for hours on end trying to find a +2 skills 20% FCR 2 socket circlet?" if you are trying to selffind yes, hours, days, weeks etc, you might not even get a decent one. Try gambling circlets if you want but really the fastest way to get a good circlet is by trading.

[redem]

Shako is just what I have atm. I was kind of set on block because everything ive read lead me to believe its just better. What is the common currency for trading now adays? I am willing to consider going vita, it really does not seem like there are a ton of physical damage chars around, am I wrong here?

How much more life would I be looking at with a vita over a blocker? by using a spirit shield, it helps me free up some rings slots incase I need to use other rings which helps alot. With the block build I was attempting, I could not switch out anything without finding a good amulet/circlet.

the trading channels in the game and on this forum seem dead...

[SeCKSEgai]

Oh as far as physical damage, you'll see quite a bit in ghosts (my favorite teleporting ww sin), BvC (Barb vs Caster), Bowazons (definitely gotta love the glass cannons), Smiters and Zealers (Zealers come in sorc form too), as well as the windy and wolf druids (You'll see far more windys).

Vita still has plenty of strengths, namely in fcr options are higher total life. The nice thing about a necro is, a heavily synergized bone armor can really absorb some physical damage should you get caught in melee, although it makes it all the more helpful with max block.

If you can acquire the fcr needed and maintain max block, I'd recommend that as the extra life won't mean nearly as much against all the anti-casters. Being able to tank while you spear can easily turn the tide in your favor.

As far as trading, its pretty slow at the moment because of the upcoming reset announced.

[redem]

I am on a NL server as well. Do people not play/trade on these servers anymore?

[moneymango]

God, I wish I could have some of those "low" 40 lifers. Hell, i wish I could get any lifers

[Uncle_Mike]

I am on a NL server as well. Do people not play/trade on these servers anymore?

Yes, plenty of people play NL, there hardly is any NL trading though. Currency for NL should be hrs and various tradables. There's a reset coming up so there will be a huge influx of items into NL soon.