16 replies to this topic

[greenlocus]

I am getting close to 80 and already have my AS up to 380.  I am looking at the available insignia recipes to purchase for crafting an exotic set and wanted to ask the Guardian community what they found most useful for chain running Exp Mode Dungeons at 80.

The contenders look like:

• Cleric (Pwr, Toughness, +Healing Power)

• Rampager (Pwr, Precision, Cond, Dmg.)

• Knight (Pwr, Toughness, Precision)

If I am missing a set you guys like, by all means let me know.  I have enjoyed the toughness set quite a bit for survivability but am by no means an expert on chaining the dungeons on explorable mode.  Particular Rune or Crest you like ask well?

So, you Guardians that are successfully doing this at 80, your input would be invaluable.
Also, curious what weapon setup you are using?  Mace/Focus or Scepter/Focus, etc.

Thx!

(*Worth noting, I didn't include my build bc I feel that it is easier modified than crafting a new set of exotic gear.  If you want to suggest what build lines you follow with a specific set of gear, feel free.)

[Branwulf]

I've been using Knight, but if you want to be support then go cleric, I use that with Grove runes as they aren't too expensive.

[ShocknAwe]

I mostly run a DPS build, so I have Rampager atm.  I would rather use power/tough/vit with a tank build but farming enough honor tokens/karma/HotW tokens is taking a while.  Also I find most things don't really require a tank build, at least PvE-wise.

Currently Sword/Torch with GS.

I plan to run Rune of the Soldier in tank gear, but currently have 4x Major Rune of Strength and 2x Rune of Balthazaar in DPS gear.

[conebone69]

healing power stinks so much. +500 healing power only adds 60 more hp. go rampagers and knight only

[Red Omen]

I wish Knight boosted Vitality instead of Toughness as it does with PvP amulets and jewels. As it stands, it's extremely hard to spec into Precision and Vitality without boosting Condition Damage more than I'd like or Healing Power at all. I spent hours plugging things into an Excel spreadsheet to get the numbers close to Knight's Amulet + Rampager's Jewel to no avail.

Does Vitality trump Toughness as overtly in PvE as it does in PvP? I feel so fragile running around with something like 13k HP.

[greenlocus]

Red Omen, on 25 September 2012 - 02:33 AM, said:

I wish Knight boosted Vitality instead of Toughness as it does with PvP amulets and jewels. As it stands, it's extremely hard to spec into Precision and Vitality without boosting Condition Damage more than I'd like or Healing Power at all. I spent hours plugging things into an Excel spreadsheet to get the numbers close to Knight's Amulet + Rampager's Jewel to no avail.

Does Vitality trump Toughness as overtly in PvE as it does in PvP? I feel so fragile running around with something like 13k HP.

I know while lvling PVE, toughness made things much much easier, regular mobs in bulk barely dent me.  I first started heavy vitality but ended up preferring toughness in the end.  I wouldn't mind a set that was Pwr/Toughness/Vit but didn't see that as a craftable insignia unless I missed something.

[Elcee]

greenlocus, on 25 September 2012 - 11:26 AM, said:

I know while lvling PVE, toughness made things much much easier, regular mobs in bulk barely dent me.  I first started heavy vitality but ended up preferring toughness in the end.  I wouldn't mind a set that was Pwr/Toughness/Vit but didn't see that as a craftable insignia unless I missed something.

It's available from the Orr karma vendors for 42k apiece, certain NPCs have different stats on some pieces. A few dungeons have it too iirc.

Which begs the question, why not let us just craft armor with any 3 different stats?

[ShocknAwe]

AC now has level 80 Power/Tough/Vit armor available.  And you get 60 tokens for the first run of each EM.  Since all 3 of AC's EMs are pretty easy, that's 180 tokens a day just in first completions.  Shouldn't be hard to get that set for anyone who's looking for power/tough/vit armor.

You can also get power/tough/vit jewelry and weapons from honor tokens.

Edited by ShocknAwe, 25 September 2012 - 03:10 PM.

[PBS]

greenlocus, on 25 September 2012 - 11:26 AM, said:

I wouldn't mind a set that was Pwr/Toughness/Vit but didn't see that as a craftable insignia unless I missed something.

The armour set from the Vigil gives Power/Toughness/Vitality, it also looks pretty nice too.  Not sure about the armour from the other orders though.  I'm using full Vigil armour with 2x Earth, 2x Grove and 2x Monk.  It gives a really nice uptime on protection, and I have nice control with GS/Hammer.

[greenlocus]

Those are good options, thanks for the input.  Now what to do with this 400 armorsmithing....

[Aetou]

Personally I mix Nightmare (TA Exp reward for the looks, Pre/Tough/Con) with Valkyrie (Pow/Vit/Crit Dmg.)  Pre/Crit are both needed to get good direct damage while you need both Toughness and Vitality to not die (you want 17-21k health in my opinion.)  Mixing two sets to cover both bases is better than wearing all the same and if I was just wearing crafted stuff it would definitely be a mix of Knight and Valkyrie.

[Red Omen]

That's what I was looking at, actually - Knight armor with Beryl (Valkyrie) rings and accessories. Rampager weapons and Ruby (Berserker) amulet, too. They have the added benefit of being craftable.

Thanks for the advice.

[greenlocus]

So, for update - doing karma farm for 5 pcs. of the exotic Power / Toughness / Vitality gear.

Helm I can get from AC vendor, same stats.

Weapons from Kodan vendor, same stats.

This leaves me at Trinkets - the only power, toughness, vitality ones I have found are WvWvW... and that would be ALOT of farming.

So couple questions:

1) Do I even want Power / Toughness / Vitality trinkets since ALL my other gear are those stats?

2) Recommendations on exotic trinkets?

Edited by greenlocus, 29 September 2012 - 02:37 PM.

[Aetou]

If you are running Power/Tough/Vit in every other slot just buy either Valkyrie or Berserker exotic trinkets.

[CandyPanda]

Running Knights set w/o Helm and Soldier Runes, works fine so far

and yeah, you just adjust your trinkets to the stats you need

Edited by CandyPanda, 29 September 2012 - 05:39 PM.

[greenlocus]

Any thoughts on:

Power / Precision / Crit Dmg    vs.    Power / Precision / Toughness?

Those are the two combos that are looking appealing if everything else is Power / Toughness / Vitality

[jpg1]

greenlocus, on 29 September 2012 - 11:52 PM, said:

Any thoughts on:

Power / Precision / Crit Dmg vs. Power / Precision / Toughness?

Those are the two combos that are looking appealing if everything else is Power / Toughness / Vitality

If you've achieved 3000+ Armor already, go for the Critical Damage.