Enhanced defense

[Panos]

1) Enhanced defense: What is that? I don't c it added anywhere. What is the deference with defense?

2) (Irrelevant with Enhanced): If u have a shield Defense 29 Chance to block 54% and another Defense 35 Chance to block 46% which one would u choose?

[Noodle]

Defense is really irrelevant unless you get it to very high levels - like well over 10,000. I'd recommend going for 75% blocking instead, and focusing on maxxing out your elemental resistances, with lightning resist being the most important, and poison resist the least. Good luck!

[Panos]

U mean that we don't care about defense? I also try to understand the difference between defense an enhanced defense.
10,000? I am in 811...

[Noodle]

I don't know where you are in the game, but generally speaking Defense is less useful than resistances. Some thoughts:

- Defense only works against physical attacks which use Attack Rating (AR). It isn't used at all against lightning, fire, cold, poison, or magical attacks. Lightning attacks in particular are some of the most dangerous in the game.

- If you are running, the entire "Chance to be hit" calculation is thrown out the window. Any attack that can hit you (ie the monster is within range) will hit you, regardless of what your defense level is.

Here's an illustration of how defense works, from the Wikia:

"

• Chance to be Hit = 100 * AR / (AR + DR) * 2 * alvl / (alvl + dlvl)

AR = Attack Rating; alvl = Level of Attacker; dlvl = Level of Defender; DR = Defense Rating
So for example, lets take a lvl 85 character and a Death Lord (mlvl 85). The character has 2000 defense, and the monster has 6134 AR (taken from arreat summit)
Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 2000) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 85) = 75%
if you double your defense (say with lvl 1 shout or armor shrine) then the % to be hit becomes: Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 4000) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 85) = 61%
As you can see double defense does not actually mean 1/2 chance to be hit.
If you level a bit more, and fight the same monster at lvl 90 with the same defense, the % to be hit becomes: Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 2000) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 90) = 73%
Now if you double you defense the % to be hit becomes: Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 4000) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 90) = 59%
So both character level, monster level, character defense, and monster's attack rating affect this chance considerably.
For the sake of argument, and because Act 2 defiance merc's are very popular let's see what that merc can do for us in the above scenario.
Act 2 defiance merc hired from Normal will give a boost of 240% (slvl 18 Defiance) at lvl 85 So the % to be hit becomes:
Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 2000*3.4) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 85) = 47% (compared to 75% in our initial example with no merc)
This essential means that the monster will hit you 1 out of 2 swings rather than 3 out of 4 swings. Chances improved by about 33% (33% of 75 is 25, and 75 - 47 = ~25)
Now to compare with the example at lvl 90 and double defense:
Chance to be Hit = 100 * 6134 / (6134 + 2000*4.4) * 2 * 85 / (85 + 90) = 40% (compared to 59% with no merc)
Chances improved by almost 33% (33% of 59 =~20, and 59 - 40 = ~20) "

So, for defense to be useful at end-game levels, you will have to focus your gear, your mercenary, and your play style on defense. This is likely to come at the expense of the amount of damage you do, how resistant you are to elemental and other non-physical sources of damage, and the speed with which you progress through the game.

[Panos]

I agree with the most, but this is where I disagree:
If Defense plays no role why is it there? I prefer great resistances (especially lightning and fire), but big differences in defense are tempting. Between a shield defense 80 with great resistances and a 180 non magical which one is better? U can get resistances in rings and amulets.

I still dont understand why better defense with less blocking is better than the opposite.

I only play this for some months and still try to figure out.

Thanx for the help anyway

[Archone]

Heres another note for ya!

Why bother with defense when youre not at your goal level? I dont bother much with gear until Im above 80/85.

You should use what you need atm, and when youve got a high level, perfect your build.



Peace