QUOTE(Arxdewn @ Dec 26 2012, 01:58)
What makes valuable mage equipment? Like, why would you want element type damage over proficiency. Would gossamer like
Magnificent Gossamer Shoes of the Demon-Fiend be worth anything? What about on staves? I find it hard to know what to keep.
Those are certainly usable, not sure if salable (4 PAB is good but the proficiency bonus is pretty bad, well below even Superior Max). I'd use them if I had them, since I have basically 0 Forbidden prof (so they would add more damage than my Fenrir shoes), but I wouldn't pay for them since it won't take long before I have plenty of Forbidden prof.
Here's the thing about mage damage vs. melee damage: melees are additive, mages are multiplicative. Melee bonuses from Power armor and prof are strictly additive, your damage is Stats + Weapon + Armor + Prof. Mage gets (Stats MDB + Staff MDB) * Prof * EDB, so having x2 for Prof and x2 for EDB is better than x3 for prof and x1 for EDB. We want to balance the bonuses from MDB, Prof and EDB as well as we can to maximize damage output (defense is mostly ignored outside AGI/Evade, cloth mitigation rounds to 0).
Since we have prof without equipment, but no EDB, we want to get EDB from our equips to get a larger total multiplier. That's why Phase is so good, it's the only source of significant EDB available. The only sources of raw MDB we have are our stats and our Staff, so Destruction with as much MDB as we can get is often favored. High INT/WIS on Phase is in demand for the same reason, it's a way to directly improve our base damage.
Gossamer is useful for when you don't have much prof. Adding 50 prof when you have 0 adds 25% damage (100% damage to 125%). Adding 50 prof when you have 200 adds 25% damage as well (200% to 225%), but since the prof already had you at +100% damage, it's only a 12.5% increase (which Phase will easily trounce). A single piece mixed with Phase can be optimal, but that single piece is going to have to be godly. Phase is better when you have plenty of prof.
Since Phase is offense-focused, EDB, INT and WIS are most important. However, since Avoidance is a mage's only defense, Evade is in demand as well (I'd place it 3rd most important, after EDB and INT). AGI improves Evade and AS, so AGI/INT/WIS phase is preferred. DEX is a bonus, nice to have (Parry is still Avoidance, I consider 2 points of DEX on Phase worth about the same as 1 point of AGI). For me to consider a piece of Phase good, it would have to have good scores in at least 3 out of 4 of INT, WIS, EDB and Evade/AGI/DEX (combined since DEX/AGI add Avoidance). Richer players will have higher standards, and standard for Elemental Phase are higher than Holy/Dark Phase (I don't even look at Superior Niflheim in shops anymore, only Exq+, but my crappy Fenrir Shoes are Average).
Regarding Staves, Redwood, Willow and Oak is worthless, outside Oak with 8+ base Holy EDB (I'd personally ignore anything that wasn't Hallowed/Demonic/Astral Oak of Heimdall, Oak's MDB is shit). Willow and Oak are almost strictly worse than Katalox for Holy/Dark mages, and Redwood is a generalist in a game that rewards heavy specialization. Ebony and Katalox (particularly Katalox) are favored. Destruction with near max MDB is always good, especially with good EDB as well (low MDB Destruction is bazaar food), as are specific element staves (like Fenrir Katalox) with good EDB and MDB rolls (it's like wearing an extra piece of Phase, kind of). Proficiency is iffy, though good examples get used regularly (the best staff for most level <100 mages is a good Ebony of the Elementalist). Focus doesn't have any damage bonuses, but if the MC is good it can be decent.
Staves are a pain in the ass to appraise if you aren't familiar with them, we seem to get a post every week or so from someone who's rescued a terrible Katalox from the Bazaar and wants to know what it's worth. The other thing is that Staves are popular Noodle rewards, so there's always a glut of random midrange Ex/Mag Staves floating around without homes. Kind of kills the market for Superior Staves.
This post has been edited by PK678353: Dec 26 2012, 09:36
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Dec 26 2012, 02:06
