The Power of Bone Knights!! (With Data!!)

[Donkey Hotay]

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

. . . shield AC is worth 3 or 4 times what normal AC is worth . . .

This leprechaun is dropping mad knowledge like lucky charms.
How have I never seen this.

[Donkey Hotay]

Okay, I took a quick stroll around Fora Past and found some references for this Shield AC concept.

2017: https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?t=283237
2014: https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...8&postcount=13

So in 2014 as Kunark is moving into Velious on Blue, Haynar makes a post stating the AC system uses a softcap and that adding a shield bumps your softcap to soft_cap+Shield_AC.

In the 2017 thread,

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...7&postcount=10

someone has linked to a Live dev talking about the lvl100-era and outlining how the calculations work server-side. He describes Shield AC: the raw value is added to the gear calculations toward softcap and then added back again to boost softcap.

So, if I'm reading this right, unless you are already softcapped, you will only receive the raw value of your shield's AC. If you are softcapped, the full value of the shield is used to boost the softcap higher. This is apparently where the 3-4X conception comes into play: using the referenced Live system, a caster receives 1/4 of each AC he can scrounge up after he's softcapped. If he throws on the shield, he gets 4/4 of that AC instead so hurray! 4X as much.

My body-temp IQ summary:
My 22 Necromancer would be softcapped at 157 AC. If he then tosses on the Shimmering Orb, he'd have 172 AC. If he had 142 AC and then equipped the Orb, he'd have 157 AC but now his softcap is 172 so yay! where's the Azure Sleeves.
Did I get this right?

PS: Haynar also mentions that the 2014 system had {(L*6)+25} as a softcap for "low level". He additionally mentions that warriors had a .45X multiplier for AC beyond softcap which is higher than the .35X reference for Live. Both he and Rogean describe the P99 system as differing from Live in implementation.

PPS: Thread detailing Enchanter AC parsing for Jibartik (I haven't read it yet--came up in search).
https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...d.php?t=320936

[Ivory]

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

My body-temp IQ summary:
My 22 Necromancer would be softcapped at 157 AC. If he then tosses on the Shimmering Orb, he'd have 172 AC. If he had 142 AC and then equipped the Orb, he'd have 157 AC but now his softcap is 172 so yay! where's the Azure Sleeves.
Did I get this right?

All the information on softcaps is REALLYYY fuzzy (since it's mixed with information from live and Eqemu ...which handle things differently often).

Also doesn't help that a year or two ago there was a big AC overhaul on the servers by the devs. So they messed with something "to make AC matter more"... but no one really knows what ended up happening.

I remember reading somewhere that casters actually had a higher softcap or something like that compared to melees? It was a while ago, but I remember thinking that maybe that meant casters could be great tanks if they focused enough (but that was just about AC, it wasn't counting what huge mitigation dodge and things are for tanks).

Anyhow, I just build as much AC as I can, since I don't have the exact math things are based on. All I know from parsing is that AC helps a lottt with mitigation.... and for a class that can heal itself so well... that just means way better ability to sustain damage and lower their downtime and improve performance by out-tanking the pet.

Compared to a necromancer with some armor.... the necromancer pet is actually pretty weak in terms of how much damage it can tank (at least till you get closer to 50, then the pet can hold its own pretty well... though I'm still no pushover either! The other day I ran into the widow mistress without my pet in najena... and was able to melee it down)

[Donkey Hotay]

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

Anyhow, I just build as much AC as I can, since I don't have the exact math things are based on. All I know from parsing is that AC helps a lottt with mitigation.

Yeah, I'm with you there, I was just curious about the shield specifics.
I checked my Necromancer (he's actually 21) and his AC self-buffed is 325ish, so he's already way over his softcap.
In the linked Enchanter thread, he goes from 628 to 1330 AC and reduces damage by roughly 37% (2019 on Blue). Softcap be damned, apparently.

[port9001]

Are softcap values known?

[Zipity]

On those parses are you counting just melee damage or spells too? I’d be interested to see JUST your melee damage.

[Sabin76]

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

On those parses are you counting just melee damage or spells too? I’d be interested to see JUST your melee damage.

"All of these tests was dones with melee only (alongside my trusties mr bones)"

[Ivory]

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

On those parses are you counting just melee damage or spells too? I’d be interested to see JUST your melee damage.

Was just my melee (including procs of weapons + vampiric embrace...since that's a big part o things)

[Sarkhan]

Iksar necros will reign supreme!
Sorry little gnome, you tried your best.

[Castle2.0]

Originally Posted by Sarkhan

Iksar necros will reign supreme!
Sorry little gnome, you tried your best.

Fact Check: True

Except for being able to wear Efreeti plate armor from PoSky which will be outclassed later, Iksars Necros reign supreme.