Balancing AC and HP (For Paladins/ShadowKnights)

[Danth]

It should be noted that reaching or exceeding 289 worn AC during Kunark as a Paladin or Shadow Knight is possible but not at all easy. Some high-level hybrids barely exceed 200. I focus pretty heavily on AC on my own Shadow Knight and sit at 264 worn AC, albeit I'd have somewhat more if I was either super rich (I'm not) or in a top raiding guild (I'm not). Somewhere in the 250-260 range should be sufficient to get you to 1100 displayed AC with standard buffs depending on your agility and what you consider "standard" buffs.

Danth

[Splorf22]

Did you ever try to measure the 900->1000 and 1000->1100 AC differences in a precise way?

[Danth]

I don't use log parsers if that's what you mean. I don't care enough to bother. I've done personal testing as well as tests with friends of a less precise sort but nothing I ever bothered to keep records of.

Danth

[Stinkum]

Reading the chart with the AC hard-cap by level...

If I'm understanding correctly, this means that the AC hard-cap is easily reached pre-level 50s. So, boosting AC will not matter much (in theory).

All of this confusion was summed up in Lorraines post about this whole matter being very unclear.

[Danth]

That's right, in theory. In practice I don't know if AC even works the same on eq-emulator as it does on Live. Certainly it did not when P1999 first opened since it didn't work at all back then!

As they say, it's clear as mud. In the end, all you can really do if find what works for you and stick with it.

Danth

[pasi]

For what it's worth, I wouldn't further reference that AC post outside of the Kahvok quote and the information from that famous post on TSW.

I know I'm not providing much information here, and that's largely because I don't know how AC works on this server, but that post addresses LIVE and more importantly, has many unsupported points about LIVE. The big red flag for me is that the post was from Velious-era and it was answering questions that folks on TSW and SK.org didn't know the answer to years later.

If you actually check the sources you'll see things such as

I realize I'm presenting this without any proof but I think you'll find it works.

I'm not entirely sure that all the factors I put under Mitigation belong there, but this is how it looks. It's even possible that Avoidance and Mitigation aren't truly seperate.

Now the catch is the P99 developers could have used all that unsupported information on this server. I have no idea. Personally, I think HP is King until CHeal is no longer a complete heal.

[pallius]

Originally Posted by Danth [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

If you're a Paladin or SK in the tank role for a full or near-full group, haste is effectively optional: No group is going to care how much damage you do anyway. That's not why they invited you. I never had haste on my Paladin (a character I used solely for group tanking) and it simply didn't matter. If you solo or participate in smaller groups (on my SK I mainly duo with the wife, for example), then your own damage output matters much more. As such it becomes worth sacrificing one slot for that zero AC FBSS simply because the target will die more quickly, thus saving you from additional damage intake.

If you're not sure, buy the FBSS and a cheap 8 AC Thick Leather Apron and put on the AC belt when you feel like you don't need haste. At 46 plus you can potentially head to Plane of Sky and loot a 8 AC 16% haste belt; they rot regularly due to the lack of Paladins and SK's on P1999.

I believe Warriors receive a better HP multiplier from Stamina than Paladins or Shadow Knights. My 60 SK receives 5 HP per point of stamina.

EDIT: For low-level players, just do the best you can. Hit points don't matter so much at low levels simply because they offer no real efficiency gain (no complete heal yet), though they do of course improve your time-to-death lifespan. AC helps, but it's hard to stack in sufficient values to make a good difference: AC and monster damage output have always been a little wonky on P1999 and it's particularly rough in the middle level ranges. In my opinion life is easier as a tank at 50+ than it was at 30.

Danth

I guess its not central to the overall discussion... but as a paladin, I routinely outdamage ~55 monk/rogues with my sky haste belt, epic, and 255 buffed str.

[SamwiseRed]

Originally Posted by pallius [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I guess its not central to the overall discussion... but as a paladin, I routinely outdamage ~55 monk/rogues with my sky haste belt, epic, and 255 buffed str.

im gonna call bs unless they are just terrible players or on a corpse run.

[Sazzabi]

Originally Posted by pharmakos [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

it also depends on your level

http://www.project1999.org/forums/sh...33&postcount=1



"RAW AC" is determined by adding up the AC stat on each of your pieces of armor, not by looking at AC on your inventory screen.

I am parsing this right now with 164 worn ac vs 244 worn ac at lvl 51 to see if there is a difference. Will post results.

[pallius]

Originally Posted by SamwiseRed [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

im gonna call bs unless they are just terrible players or on a corpse run.

KC groups. 4+ levels higher than a <55 char counts for something especially on low kc mobs. Higher haste than a typical 55 monk is going to have. I am talking buffed. So I am sitting at 100% haste and they are at maybe 80-90ish on a monk. An under 55 rogue isn't going to have double backstab.

I am not talking apples to apples. I am talking ~max dps 59 pally vs pick up group <55 monk/rogue.