Positional Defense, Typed Defense, and Stacking
By
Chaos Creator,
Posted on: 2010-08-11 18:09 in Archetypes and Powers General Discussion
Correct defense checks take the highest value not the total.
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Originally Posted by Direwolf21
25% Smashing/Lethal
30% Melee 5% Range, AOE Also, I guess theres no difference in enhancement choices, because +defense buffs everything (Positional vs. Typed) the same. |
depends on what you are referring to by enhancement choices. something like a steadfast +3% defense would enhance positional and typed equally. if you are looking at +def buffs from things like IO bonuses, then you really want to pick one or the other.
in your example, I wouldn't generally look at getting two IO set bonuses where one raises melee by 3.5% and the other raises s/l by 3.5%. I would look at getting two bonuses that would raise one or the other by 7%
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There are exceptions to this strategy though.|
Originally Posted by kendo
in your example, I wouldn't generally look at getting two IO set bonuses where one raises melee by 3.5% and the other raises s/l by 3.5%. I would look at getting two bonuses that would raise one or the other by 7%
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Sometimes you're better going with the Touch of Death over Kinetic combat for your build because the actual benefit to your attack from KC sucks (especially the accuracy bit), and therefore getting 1.5% S/L might be a better choice than 3%. Similarly with PBAoEs and Oblivion.
This is especially true for builds that have a lot of one type of defense already, much less true for blasters and others who have to build the defense from zero.
In the end, look at your options, try to follow Kendo's advice where possible, but also, pay attention to your final powers, don't weaken something critical just to chase a set bonus.
Every now and again you see someone slot knockout blow with a full set of Stupefy or Absolute Amazement. Sure they have nice set bonuses, but there's no damage in those sets!
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That's why you don't stop at just slotting 4 Kinetic Combat. You can easily add a slot or two from another set so you get the bonus and a fully slotted attack. For a armor set that has typed defense already, that's almost always a better choice than Touch of Death. (Presuming you an afford the KCs; if not, Smashing Haymaker gives as much defense as ToD at a fraction of the cost.)|
Originally Posted by GavinRuneblade
There are exceptions to this strategy though.
Sometimes you're better going with the Touch of Death over Kinetic combat for your build because the actual benefit to your attack from KC sucks (especially the accuracy bit), and therefore getting 1.5% S/L might be a better choice than 3%. Similarly with PBAoEs and Oblivion. |
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| This is especially true for builds that have a lot of one type of defense already, much less true for blasters and others who have to build the defense from zero. |
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In the end, look at your options, try to follow Kendo's advice where possible, but also, pay attention to your final powers, don't weaken something critical just to chase a set bonus. Every now and again you see someone slot knockout blow with a full set of Stupefy or Absolute Amazement. Sure they have nice set bonuses, but there's no damage in those sets! |
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I've met someone who explained this choice by saying that Knockout Blow is nice, but it isn't available often enough to suit him, so he turned it into a set mule. "Yeah," I pointed out, "Now it's never available."
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Originally Posted by GavinRuneblade
Every now and again you see someone slot knockout blow with a full set of Stupefy or Absolute Amazement. Sure they have nice set bonuses, but there's no damage in those sets!
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A stealth power will reduce your over all threat thus it'll be tougher to tank for you.
second defense doesn't stack type-wise.
So 25% melee does NOT add with 15% lethal from a lethal, melee attack. It will be the highest value, thus 25%.
As an ice tanker, I suggest focusing on +Regen. Getting typed defense is tougher than getting positional.
I'm not a major expert on ice armor but +Regen is a same bet. As your enemies are not going to hit you often and are rarely even going to get the chance due to all the -recharge.
Also, isn't a stealth power's AoE defense reduced if your in combat?
Whining about everything since 2006.
Ammo switching for Dual Pistols was my idea:
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=135484
Sorry, hes an Ice Defense Defender 
. I'm more focused on the +Def i'll be giving out to my team, than the +def i'm getting.
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Then don't worry about set bonuses. Those only affect you and not your teammates when you shield them.
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Originally Posted by Direwolf21
Sorry, hes an Ice Defense Defender
. I'm more focused on the +Def i'll be giving out to my team, than the +def i'm getting. |
Ok, I read this first, but I'm still not totally clear, and I think I just needed to write all this out, because after I did, it started making sense.
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http://paragonwiki.com/wiki/Defense
So I have a brandy dandy new Ice Defense, and his single target buffs are Defense against S/L/Melee, then E/N/Rng/AOE.
His AoE buff is a stealth + Melee/Rng/AOE defense.
So lets say, for arguement sake, that I'm buffing someone with 25% S/L/Melee from his single target, and 5% Melee/Range/AOE from my AOE buff.
So his totals are:
25% Smashing/Lethal
30% Melee
5% Range, AOE
Correct?
Now, someone punches him. Thats tagged with a smashing damage type, and melee positional type. His 'Defense' will be calculated as 30%, since it uses the highest one. It will NOT be 55%, because the 'Smashing' and 'Melee' two don't stack.
Right?
Also, I guess theres no difference in enhancement choices, because +defense buffs everything (Positional vs. Typed) the same.