13 réponses à ce sujet

[nicethugbert]

I keep hearing about mage tanking with rock armor.  How is it possible?  It's just +25% armor.

[Pi2r Epsilon]

My level 20 Hawke Mage (Force/Spirit Healer/Primal) with Champion gauntles/robes and valiance/protection/protection runes has 58% armour damage reduction versus bosses and 78% versus normals. She gets Arcane Shielded by Anders.

This is only on the Hard difficulty, not Nightmare, but she can absorb an absurd amount of punishment when she draws aggro on most things with her Tempest or Chain Lightning, and if there are TOO many mobs surrounding her she just drops a Gravictic Ring at her own feet, take a few steps to the side to avoid most of the attacks, and starts blasting again. Regenerating a bit of health and mana from every mob that falls due to Spirit Syphon, she is a very durable mage-tank even with only 37 constitution. (10 points invested, 10 from Spirit Healer, 7 from Valiance).

It probably requires more work on Nightmare difficulty, but the principle appears sound.

[AsaTJ]

Better yet- go Blood Mage and then you can put all of those willpower points into Constitution. I had Merrill off-tank a lot of fights this way (armor rune + rock armor + arcane shield, use Ensnare as an aggro-grabber.)

[SlamminHams]

nicethugbert wrote...

I keep hearing about mage tanking with rock armor.  How is it possible?  It's just +25% armor.

+25% Armor isn't a 25% increase in a Mage's paltry armor stat.  It's literally +25% damage reduction against physical damage.  My Merrill goes from 31% Physical DR to 62% with Rock Armor on (Galvanism increases it to 31.25%).

[Trapslick]

yeah, its not really a good tank for nightmare, but is fun on any other mode.

that and she natrually will have like 45% magic resistance by end game

[AsaTJ]

Merrill's just as durable as my 2H Hawke tank on nightmare. I don't know how she'd fare on her own, but the only reason I can think of why she *wouldn't* make a good main tank on Nightmare is that she has to drop Blood of the First to receive healing, and then has a cooldown period during which she can't really cast anything (since I keep her Willpower at default value and have most of it reserved.)

[blueyedsoul]

Actually I think she gets healed by Wrath of the Elvahn (sp?) with the upgrade, even through Blood of the First.  Granted, it's not burst healing, and may not be enough to counteract incoming damage, but it is there.

Modifié par blueyedsoul, 17 mars 2011 - 09:26 .

[nicethugbert]

OK, let's say a mage has 75% damage reduction with maxed rock armor, which is a lot of damage reduction from what I have seen. Isn't a mob or boss going to chew him up anyway? Won't he constantly get interrupted nonetheless?

Modifié par nicethugbert, 17 mars 2011 - 10:39 .

[Tomark]

Being interrupted depends on the damage you take compared to the HP, and then you have a fortitude save (i think).

If you take less damage, you get interrupted less. However, most non-blood mage would still get interrupted.. if they didn't take the fortitude talent in the force tree.

Any Hawk mage should take that talent.

[MColes]

nicethugbert wrote...

OK, let's say a mage has 75% damage reduction with maxed rock armor, which is a lot of damage reduction from what I have seen. Isn't a mob or boss going to chew him up anyway? Won't he constantly get interrupted nonetheless?

Not with the force mage's Unshakeable talent.  And you'd be surprised how many bosses are weak against mages too.  Arishok 1v1.. ugh, not even a challenge.

[nicethugbert]

If a mage needs Unshakable in order to tank then I don't see how Rock Armor is as great as people rave about. Sounds to me like Rock Armor is hyped.

[AsaTJ]

blueyedsoul wrote...

Actually I think she gets healed by Wrath of the Elvahn (sp?) with the upgrade, even through Blood of the First.  Granted, it's not burst healing, and may not be enough to counteract incoming damage, but it is there.

It's enough when there are adds around, but when it comes down to just you and the big boss, she needs outside healing- even if it's just a potion.

[Whitestrake]

MColes wrote...

Not with the force mage's Unshakeable talent.  And you'd be surprised how many bosses are weak against mages too.  Arishok 1v1.. ugh, not even a challenge.

Unless you're a spirit healer, who uses only the creation, & entropy trees.
Then the Arishok will destroy you.

[LocutusX]

SlamminHams wrote...

nicethugbert wrote...

I keep hearing about mage tanking with rock armor.  How is it possible?  It's just +25% armor.

+25% Armor isn't a 25% increase in a Mage's paltry armor stat.  It's literally +25% damage reduction against physical damage.  My Merrill goes from 31% Physical DR to 62% with Rock Armor on (Galvanism increases it to 31.25%).

Err, what?

I just tried this... my Merill has Rock Armor + Galvanism

Before casting spell, she is: Armor 21%, Damage Resistance (in the Resistances menu) 0%
After casting spell, she is: Armor 52%, Damage Resistance 0%

So doesn't seem to have any impact on DR for me.