New 50 Maelstrom Dragoon seeking Gear/Materia advice

[Kagato]

So far, this is all I know:
-350STR/310PIE
-Chest Piece melded with as much PIE as I can fit.
-Felt Bracers with as much STR as I can fit.

However, what about the rest of the gear? Can anyone give me some ideas on the gear I should get and the materia I should meld to these pieces?

Please list some general variations, both "common" items and expensive items so I can get something right away and work up to the real prizes.

[Rexus]

If you want to hit 350/310, you generally need gloves with 40+ STR, a body with 30+ PIE, legs with 20+ STR, and HQ accessories. Storm Bracelet, Earring, Legs and Weapon would be a really good set to aim for IMO, until you get higher STR legs. Other gear would be Paragons Crown, AF Feet, Veterans/Scarlet waist. You can also substitute STR legs with Militia Subligar and change your accessories accordingly. The only "expensive" piece of gear you could get is a Darksteel Haubergon, everything else is pretty cheap if you aren't counting melds.

[Kagato]

Good grief. DRG really needs that many triple-melds?

[Gidonoidon_Sur]

I keep hearing conflicting info on gearing...Apparently stat caps change depending on weapon damage or DPS. I have no idea what to gear for anymore. I use Giantsgall currently with +16 STR and hit (350 STR) with food and just shy of 310 PIE, but people telling me with Giants you don't need that high of stats....don't know what to believe anymore.

[Raubahn]

i'll tell u my gear setup for capping its easy but consumes time and patience and much more better than the ones ur seeing on the forums i believe though u will be sacrificing ACC and AP
it has two flame gear so idk how u would pass that so
Flame lit lance
Rainmakers tunic (35 pie triple tier3)
drachen armet
Felt gaskins or kecks (x2 STR/VIT 8/8 must be 8/8 both of them)
Felt bracers (34+ STR double tier4)
Veteran Belt
x2 STR rings HQ
PIE braclet HQ
Flame sergeant jackboots +10 pie
neckless and earrings is ur choice

with this kind of gear u can get 350STR 303 PIE with food 310 pie (stuffed cabbage its good)

and never in ur entire life get that armet off cuz its a nice buff for ur critcs doom spikes and chaos thrusts

[Kagato]

Well I'm not in the Flames so those PIE boots are out of the question. But getting the STR I need wont be an issue.

Thanks for giving me a gear list and recommending the helmet. I'll shoot for that kind of setup and work from there. Thanks. However, if anyone else has anything they'd like to add, I'm willing to listen!

[Silvano]

Really hate to be this guy, but the last 5 or so threads are all about gear, caps, stats, and weapons.

[Kagato]

Really hate to be this guy, but the last 5 or so threads are all about gear, caps, stats, and weapons.

I know. I read them. They didn't help.

[Kagato]

Well I managed to get 345 STR and 293 PIE with just double-melds.

This is as good as I can get without Darklight or Triple-melds.

[HiirNoivl]

That's good enough, you can eat food/potions to reach cap. Congratulations!