My new build

[nicfer]

Hello, moving from my previous and wrongly placed post, which didn't gain too much attention, and I can't delete it for myself, because other people continued the previous discussion. Here's the old topic: http://www.andorstrail.com/viewtopic.php?p=26939#p26939

I'm starting a new character, now with a different build. My concept is to focus more points on block (and maybe some on attack chance or damage) since a lot of HP only helps in delaying your return to the tavern and requires lots of healing items to keep you full, or spending at least one point on regeneration and wait forever.

My proposed skills are:

- Increased fortitude ASAP. Regardless of what I said above, some HP is still needed. IF covers this point pretty well, specially on the long term.

- Bark skin. Damage resistance is a major requirement for low HP builds.

- Corpse eater. Gives you an excellent source of HP, with high block chance and damage reduction you'll only require potions very rarely.

- ...

Unneeded skills:

- Regeneration. As people above say, plus really slow.

- ...

As for equipment, I'm going to use stuff with AC and HP mostly, JoF and a weapon with 3-4 AP, no crit since there are lots of immune mobs and highly luck based. Maybe also a defender shield after adding some AC to balance it's penalty.

Opinions are opened from now on.

[Mino]

H
My proposed skills are:

- Increased fortitude ASAP. Regardless of what I said above, some HP is still needed. IF covers this point pretty well, specially on the long term.

- Bark skin. Damage resistance is a major requirement for low HP builds.

- Corpse eater. Gives you an excellent source of HP, with high block chance and damage reduction you'll only require potions very rarely.

- ...

Unneeded skills:

- Regeneration. As people above say, plus really slow.

- ...

As for equipment, I'm going to use stuff with AC and HP mostly, JoF and a weapon with 3-4 AP, no crit since there are lots of immune mobs and highly luck based. Maybe also a defender shield after adding some AC to balance it's penalty.

Opinions are opened from now on.

I found Regeneration to be helpful early on when you're walking around each town because you can heal while doing so. I agree that Corpse Eater is more helpful to refill HP without having to wait around, but you still have to make sure to only attack anything that you can kill in 1 turn, so they don't take more HP than you regain. But what you could do is try to get the Ring of Lesser Shadow (just one will do for this), which will give you "Shadow Regeneration", so you don't have to use up a skill point, and it stays active during combat rounds too.

If you want to focus on high AC with little or no BC reduction, you should go with Balanced Steel Sword, or the Fencing Blade, which adds a little BC.

You might also want to reconsider your stance on critical hits. So far all the monsters with more than 100 HP (that I can think of) are not immune to them and those are the ones it's the most helpful against. You can get your effective critical chance close to 25% so 1 of your 4 hits has a good chance to get the 3.0 multiplier.

[fiernaq]

Bark Skin is incredible at low level. When the monsters are doing 3-4 dmg to you, knocking off 1 dmg is a huge deal - better even than corpse eater or regeneration imho. However, Bark Skin quickly becomes less important (unless going for an all out DR build which I generally consider to be the slow way of leveling) whereas Corpse Eater becomes better and better. Regeneration is one of those middle-ish skills that is useful but not necessary. It mostly just gives you the option of sitting and waiting for HP to regen or eating food - in other words, it saves you gold. Currently, I would also consider Evasion (up to 3 points in the skill) to be extremely powerful as it ups your chances of a first hit by quite a lot and, well, he who hits first has the upper hand (pardon the pun).

[Thystonius]

Hmm, anybody wanna advise me some?

I got the following equipment right now:
- Dagger of the Shadow Priest
- Leather cap
- Hardened Leather Shirt
- JoF
- Strong wooden tower shield
- Polished ring of backstabbing (2)
- Vacor's Boots of Attack
- Troublemaker's Gloves

Currently done all quests except the Remgard ones, feel like grinding more L&E items so my character is stronger as well. I took the skill, not the helmet cuz my char is of a mostly good alignment (kept sheep alive, brought back Bjogur's dagger etc)

[Sarumar]

Hmm, anybody wanna advise me some?
I got the following equipment right now:
- Dagger of the Shadow Priest
- Leather cap
- Hardened Leather Shirt
- JoF
- Strong wooden tower shield
- Polished ring of backstabbing (2)
- Vacor's Boots of Attack
- Troublemaker's Gloves
Currently done all quests except the Remgard ones, feel like grinding more L&E items so my character is stronger as well. I took the skill, not the helmet cuz my char is of a mostly good alignment (kept sheep alive, brought back Bjogur's dagger etc)

Hmm. IMO Villain's leather armour suits you well (Crossroads) then goto Remgard for some hat, boots and shield... You can build your ECC a lot.

good hunting

[Duke]

I echo what the great Sarumar says....can get some sweet enhancements to criticals, plus equipment that blows away your current helment and boots. Oh, and the road to remgard is treacherous/challenging/fun!

[Mino]

Another +1 for the Villain's leather armor. You should also find and buy the Coward's boots. Both of these items reduce your move cost by 1 AP each, so if you need to, you can attack twice with the dagger and the try to flee (this may be helpful on the road to Remgard).

If you're willing to take the time, also try to get the extraordinary item Valugha's Shimmering Hat, which also reduces move cost by 1AP. Then you can attack 3 times with your dagger and have enough AP to flee if your enemy is still alive. There's differing opinions on this, but I think you should also consider getting a level (or 2) of cleave. There's going to be a couple spots where you're forced to fight off 2 monsters at once on the way to Remgard. But flee can be used too, so if you don't like the idea of getting cleave, consider Evasion.

[Thystonius]

Thanks for all the advice, guess I go take a look at the Villains armor. Don't remember where Coward boots are sold, hit and run tactics can be very effective... Going for Remgard so might also just go for armor and get enhanced stuff in Remgard.

Actually also bought wooden defender, can go for 23% ECC and 2 DR or 20% ECC and 4 DR... think I like the 4 DR better than a little ECC. But when getting MC and BC of course the other equipment will prevail