[X] My Assistant

The new difficulty bonus to loot only applies to item quality, not to item type. If you want to start getting more equipment drops, you'll have to start working on Scavenger and Quartermaster.

As for making a monster, it's up to you. We don't really know if it's worth it yet because we don't know how many materials will be needed in order to get significant results out of the equipment forge. As with everything else in the game, you'll probably have to buy large quantities of materials from other players in order to get anywhere, though. Anyway, at the very minimum, the only thing you lose out on by making a monster are the Credits you could have earned by selling your crystals to other players. On the other hand, it's possible to get a monster to a respectable PL with crystals just from drops and artifacts alone; mine is approaching PL170. You want to aim for PL250 or higher, but you'll probably have to buy crystals to reach it.

How goes Spark of Life for Innate Arcana, is there a gap where it's not up after it triggers where there's a chance to get killed?

No gap.
And Cloak of the Fallen won't let you die on the same turn SoL triggers, so technically you're immortal.

6 6 You gain the effect Spark of Life.
6 5 Evil crits you for 1668 slashing damage.
6 4 You gain the effect Cloak of the Fallen.
6 3 Your Spark of Life restores you from the brink of defeat.
6 2 Sosuke Aizen hits you for 638 slashing damage.
6 1 You gain the effect Focusing.
I wonder if I should switch from Haste+Shadow Veil to Haste+Spark of Life.

No gap.
And Cloak of the Fallen won't let you die on the same turn SoL triggers, so technically you're immortal.

Assuming you still have sufficient SP, yeah. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I'm almost lv100. I heard there's a drastic change in difficulty after lv100 and 200. Does this still hold true? What should I expect/do in preparation?

Also, should I still balance my stats completely? I know there's an advantage in doing this when you're just starting, but does it still apply now that I'm almost lv100?

It might help to mention your equipment set/play style.

Not too much of a difference in difficulty until you hit 200 imo. Because that's when you meet all the monsters that have decent stats

Assuming you still have sufficient SP, yeah. (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

And mana. Damn Spirit Shield + Haste + Spark eats up mana like there's no tomorrow. At least in difficulties where you'd have any use for IA Spark. I don't think I'll find a use for it. Assuming I never get IA 4 and 5. But I'm not complaining, it'll be nice for those who don't have Spirit Shield yet.

I'm not really sure if the Protection spell is doing anything for me (mage). If my calculations are correct (probably not), it's giving me a +1% mitigation boost (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) +5% if my armor was all 10% mitigation.

Total Physical Mitigation = 1- ( (1-GreenAura) * (1-(STR*0.0004)) * (1-(END*0.0002)) * (1-Item1*(1+ProtectionSpell)) * (1-Item2*(1+ProtectionSpell)) ... )

It might help to mention your equipment set/play style.

[imgur.com] http://imgur.com/a/kq3v7 <- Abilities and Character panels

Fine Mace of Slaughter
Average Power Helmet of Balance
Average Power Armor of Protection
Fine Power Gauntlets of Protection
Average Power Leggings of the Ox
Average Power Boots of Warding

I do the arenas and grindfest on normal difficulty with ease. I usually don't have to use any consumables (not including gems) for the arenas. I might use 1 to 3 lesser healing potions if I don't think I have enough mana for the last rounds Power Flux and Killzone arenas. That's usually because I was unlucky enough to not find any mana gems. I use 7 lesser healing potions in grindfest and can get to round 50-70 before I call it quits.

I have Protection on at all times. I'll Cure when I have <1400HP. I usually use channeling to restart Protection if it's <10 turns before running out. I don't think I ever use my Spirit Attack. It just doesn't seem worth it to lose the overcharge damage bonus. Most things are 1-hit except giants, uncommons, and a few non-giant commons.

I find that I'll miss 2 or 3 times in a row a lot and some monsters' specials can really dish out the hurt (400-1200 dmg).

I'm not really sure if the Protection spell is doing anything for me (mage). If my calculations are correct (probably not), it's giving me a +1% mitigation boost (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) +5% if my armor was all 10% mitigation.

Total Physical Mitigation = 1- ( (1-GreenAura) * (1-(STR*0.0004)) * (1-(END*0.0002)) * (1-Item1*(1+ProtectionSpell)) * (1-Item2*(1+ProtectionSpell)) ... )

Protection doesn't do anything for anyone. Tenboro's example when it was still Shield/Barrier was a person with 50% mitigation. With the spell up, their mitigation would be a whopping 56% percent. To even get that base 50%, it'd have to be pretty decent Protection Plate.

On the plus side, my calculations are correct (probably)! (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I stopped 'calculating' HV stats since a couple of patch ago. The whole thing is a hopeless mess... (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

I just try to get the feels of its effect in battle nowadays, and Protection is worth casting for me if the situation is ideal.

This post has been edited by buktore: Sep 26 2011, 23:59

Protection is the difference between being slaughtered by 7+ mobs and actually manageable with Regen + a cure or two, at least for me.

The problem with Shield/Barrier has always been that its marginally useful at low levels and rubbish elsewhere since its benefits don't scale well.

Level 160ish is considered low?

(IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/anime_cry.gif)

The problem with Shield/Barrier has always been that its marginally useful at low levels and rubbish elsewhere since its benefits don't scale well.

I notice a difference at lvl 136.
Not really enough to justify the mana cost, but I do use it when I get channeling and already have regen going.

Also, I think it was useful before at lower levels since it boosted the absorption, which was much more noticeable before, but is now insignificant with the increased damage, since it is a set number of damage points removed before mitigation.

I stopped 'calculating' HV stats since a couple of patch ago. The whole thing is a hopeless mess...

Since I'm hardly ever active, I stopped caclculating too. Too many patches inbetween log ons.

I notice a difference at lvl 136.
Not really enough to justify the mana cost, but I do use it when I get channeling and already have regen going.

Also, I think it was useful before at lower levels since it boosted the absorption, which was much more noticeable before, but is now insignificant with the increased damage, since it is a set number of damage points removed before mitigation.

Absorption stat stopped being useful a long time ago.

[imgur.com] http://imgur.com/a/kq3v7 <- Abilities and Character panels

Fine Mace of Slaughter
Average Power Helmet of Balance
Average Power Armor of Protection
Fine Power Gauntlets of Protection
Average Power Leggings of the Ox
Average Power Boots of Warding

I do the arenas and grindfest on normal difficulty with ease. I usually don't have to use any consumables (not including gems) for the arenas. I might use 1 to 3 lesser healing potions if I don't think I have enough mana for the last rounds Power Flux and Killzone arenas. That's usually because I was unlucky enough to not find any mana gems. I use 7 lesser healing potions in grindfest and can get to round 50-70 before I call it quits.

I have Protection on at all times. I'll Cure when I have <1400HP. I usually use channeling to restart Protection if it's <10 turns before running out. I don't think I ever use my Spirit Attack. It just doesn't seem worth it to lose the overcharge damage bonus. Most things are 1-hit except giants, uncommons, and a few non-giant commons.

I find that I'll miss 2 or 3 times in a row a lot and some monsters' specials can really dish out the hurt (400-1200 dmg).

Damn, 79 ability boosts. Very nice.

Anyway, you shouldn't have all your stats evened out quite so much, particularly Intelligence. The others are really a matter of playstyle (if you like them balanced, leave it), but if I remember, 4 points in intelligence grants the same bonus as 1 point in Wisdom. So, you should have it so that when one point of Wisdom costs more than 4 points of Intelligence, you should get 4 points in Intelligence and then go back to Wis.

For example, I recently raised my int by 4. It's at 64. My Wisdom is at 95. But, while one point in Wisdom costs 24,233, four points in Intelligence only cost 23,641. If the old formulas still hold, then those four Intelligence points equal the bonuses given by one point in Wisdom.

Edit: I just did some tests, and with the data I can see it seems to be consistent (although it may actually be 4 and a decimal of Intelligence to equal one point of Wisdom).

Removing 4 points of Intelligence kept me at 8.8 MP Regen, and dropped me from 394 to 392 MP. Adding one point in Wisdom brought me back up to 394 MP, but also brought my MP Regen up to 8.9.

This post has been edited by Spartan0021: Sep 27 2011, 09:06