Gear Assistance

Ive been doing some research for my end game gear. I'm lvl 50 now and I have all my AF and what not, a Sibold's Reach. My primary stats are:

STR - 259
VIT - 290

It's my understand that STR caps at 350 and around 300 for VIT.

That being said, I'm wondering what my best gear progression would be. Naturally, I need the Ifrit Axe. While I'm waiting for that, what else should I be focusing on? x2 or x3 Meld gear? If thats the case where should I start. I'm completely overwhelmed with all the options and I'm not even certain on the caps due to how old all information is for this game.

I've seen end game gear people with like triple meld gloves with +50 some odd STR etc. I would just like some help with gear direction.

At the moment I figure I would buy a +1 Electrum Ring for the (18) Accuracy. Should I get a +18 STR ring? or more accuracy? Should I wait for trip meld stuff to go on the AH for my boots/gloves/belt or just settle with double meld? halp. thanks guys!

If you're gearing to tank, you're probably not going to reach the stat caps. If you're gearing purely for DD, then yeah you'll probably need some multi-melds.

I'll neglect to answer your accessories question because I'm no math nut.

Why wouldn't I reach the stat caps as a tank? Is there a way I'm supposed to spec? I'm assuming you're talking about an enmity belt or whatever? So..if I did want to go pure tank then what would be my options?

As a tank, you will want to hit the accuracy cap as missing combos will definitly scew you up. Then, I think electrum rings (+1) is a very good options for rings. I don't know about the explorer's choker, as it's pretty expensive but it gives a huge accuracy boost.

Try to hit also your VIT cap, which shouldn't be to hard considering what your stats are right now.

Finally, there's a few key pieces for tanking as war. I'm thinking about Sentinel's Sabaton melded with HP x2 or x3 and the cobalt plate belt with enemity materia.

As for DD, I'm also very clueless.

Tanks generally meld HP on their gear, so that's why you probably won't hit your stat caps.

You would wanna go for the Mog Axe starting out, it's loads better than Ifrit's. Later on you wanna move onto Garuda's Axe and then even more down the line a Relic.
As far as tanking, as Raldo said tanks meld HP to most of their gear so it's harder to reach your cap. Alternatively you could double meld some STR on your gauntlets since more DPS = more enmity. VIT also helps with this.

I use Mog Axe, double melded STR on gauntlets, double melded HP pants, double melded HP sabatons, double melded enmity cobalt plate belt, AF body and head, 1 STR ring, 1 ACC ring, +enmity earrings, +enmity wrists, and since I'm Gridanian I got the +attack and +crit attack necklace.

Alright. So..atm on my server there are some double meld STR gloves..they give +33 STR for Cobalts gloves, they're about 1mil. Enmity belts are like 5-7mil for double melt enmity so that will have to wait. I'll do an Electrum +1, STR+1 Ring and shoot for a Mog Axe then but still not neglect Ifrit for farming/ off chance I get to DPS. The +5 Accry/+30 Enmity necklace or whatever is like 10 mil so thats out of the question and I dont even understand or know how to get it from Hamlet...lol Alright. Thanks for the suggestions. Anyone else have any opinions? I'd love to hear a lot more. Are my STR / VIT caps correct as 350/ 300-310(secondary)?

I'm just regurgitating what I see on the BG forums:

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ballpark number is 330/300 for primary/secondary.

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The exact amount you need varies by the DPS of the weapon you're using (higher DPS = higher stat caps), but the 330/300 number was for Primal weapons (probably done with Ifrit weapons).

From my experience, I've noticed the HP melds don't really do you much good as a tank, at least small ones, but I suppose body/feet gear can be used for that. I'm using AF body and Explorer's Moccasins since I haven't got around to gearing my war specifically yet.

My way of doing WAR is simply damage, although the gear is mostly from lancer. Mog Axe, Triple meld STR mitt gauntlets (+43 total), double meld str/vit Felt Trousers (+20/+22 in total), explorer's bandana for acc or AF for more stats, Explorer's Belt, Electrum Gorget+1, Coral Armillae, and depending on situation, either str+acc rings or both str.

The "accuracy" build there gives me a bit over 90% accuracy on Garuda as tank, or about 95% as DD going after plumes. I'm not logged in right now so can't give you exact stat numbers, but I believe I was about 300str/290vit with this build. Also, I kept hate slightly better on Garuda than HP/Enmity-melded PLD/WAR, so I can attest to that DD geared WAR makes for a good tank, even with just one enmity piece in total.

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Originally Posted by AmyNeudaiz

You would wanna go for the Mog Axe starting out, it's loads better than Ifrit's. Later on you wanna move onto Garuda's Axe and then even more down the line a Relic.
As far as tanking, as Raldo said tanks meld HP to most of their gear so it's harder to reach your cap. Alternatively you could double meld some STR on your gauntlets since more DPS = more enmity. VIT also helps with this.

I use Mog Axe, double melded STR on gauntlets, double melded HP pants, double melded HP sabatons, double melded enmity cobalt plate belt, AF body and head, 1 STR ring, 1 ACC ring, +enmity earrings, +enmity wrists, and since I'm Gridanian I got the +attack and +crit attack necklace.

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Actually warriors dont have to meld hp into thier gear thats mostly for paladins

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Originally Posted by Malix

Actually warriors dont have to meld hp into thier gear thats mostly for paladins

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lool then wtf are you gonna put on feet? EVA? lol

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Originally Posted by Shokun

From my experience, I've noticed the HP melds don't really do you much good as a tank, at least small ones, but I suppose body/feet gear can be used for that. I'm using AF body and Explorer's Moccasins since I haven't got around to gearing my war specifically yet.

My way of doing WAR is simply damage, although the gear is mostly from lancer. Mog Axe, Triple meld STR mitt gauntlets (+43 total), double meld str/vit Felt Trousers (+20/+22 in total), explorer's bandana for acc or AF for more stats, Explorer's Belt, Electrum Gorget+1, Coral Armillae, and depending on situation, either str+acc rings or both str.

The "accuracy" build there gives me a bit over 90% accuracy on Garuda as tank, or about 95% as DD going after plumes. I'm not logged in right now so can't give you exact stat numbers, but I believe I was about 300str/290vit with this build. Also, I kept hate slightly better on Garuda than HP/Enmity-melded PLD/WAR, so I can attest to that DD geared WAR makes for a good tank, even with just one enmity piece in total.

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This would be a pretty well geared WAR but I do have to say that I disagree with the which is better but seeing as I don't bother with parsing or testing nor do I swap between the two regularly I only have word of mouth but I will tell you that 1 WHM runs on Garuda are a lot safer with a PLD instead of a WAR.

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Originally Posted by AmyNeudaiz

Later on you wanna move onto Garuda's Axe, that is if you are Japanese.

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Fixed for you amy <3

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Originally Posted by AmyNeudaiz

I use Mog Axe, double melded STR on gauntlets, double melded HP pants, double melded HP sabatons, double melded enmity cobalt plate belt, AF body and head, 1 STR ring, 1 ACC ring, +enmity earrings, +enmity wrists, and since I'm Gridanian I got the +attack and +crit attack necklace.

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I was discussing yesterday about what to use on my hands with a friend. I was going for HP but my friend kept telling me It would be better if I get closer to my STR cap with melded STR gloves. All this in a strickly tank build. It got me wondering about what I'd better use on my hands because now STR doesn't seem a so bad idea.

If we're ignoring Darklight gear, it's pretty much a HP vs DPS build for tanking. If you think Darklight is out of the question for a while, look into the Militia gear as it's a good Enmity/HP set until you start getting Darklight.

For Miser and Princess, you can gear for DPS. I would still wear an Enmity Belt, Earrings and Wrist.

For Coincounter, I'd gear for HP if you plan on eating 100 Tonz, or a mix of HP/DPS if you plan on avoiding it.

For Chimera, I'd gear HP and Enmity.

For Ifrit, you can do whatever really. HP isn't exactly needed.

For Garuda, I'm not entirely sure. I've never tanked it non-burn style, but I still think HP isn't too important for her either, so I'd say DPS/Enmity.

In the end, it comes down to how good of a tank you are, and how good your WHM is. You could easily do every boss in the game w/o a HP build. However, a lot of tanks will use a HP build just for that 'safety net' of a large HP pool. Inexperienced WHM's will cure slow or not keep regen up 100%, letting you dip below half HP often. Inexperienced tanks will not be able to avoid big hit moves. Just some things you should think about IMO.

Can you give me some examples of these "big hit" moves that you're talking about? As of now I've only fought Ifrit and his stuff is very easy to avoid with the exception of some really stupid bad camera problems. Granted I didnt tank, but being as you're up against the wall I imagine the camera issues.. so what are these big swings? Most moves from monsters in the game are completely unavoidable unless its a charge ability (like the dodo). So do end game bosses do maneuvers that are dodge-able? I know this is off topic. ;p

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Originally Posted by JackDaniels

Fixed for you amy <3

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Jack, I beat Garuda post mana burn it's not too hard just takes practice. This was a NA party too.

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Originally Posted by Asgardx

Can you give me some examples of these "big hit" moves that you're talking about? As of now I've only fought Ifrit and his stuff is very easy to avoid with the exception of some really stupid bad camera problems. Granted I didnt tank, but being as you're up against the wall I imagine the camera issues.. so what are these big swings? Most moves from monsters in the game are completely unavoidable unless its a charge ability (like the dodo). So do end game bosses do maneuvers that are dodge-able? I know this is off topic. ;p

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Yes, most bosses have moves you can avoid. All of Chimera's conal breath attacks can be avoided by just running to the side or through it (although you will have to take breath hits in the last phase of the fight). You can avoid Princess's conal trap jaw attack by running to its side. I think all of Coincounter's moves can be avoided by moving at the right time. Garuda is obviously an avoidance fight overall, but when just straight tanking with your back to the wall, she does some conal moves you can avoid too (her stun move I think). They all act like your example of the Dodo. You see it charge, and just run to wherever is safe.

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Originally Posted by AmyNeudaiz

lool then wtf are you gonna put on feet? EVA? lol

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Darklight?

If you play whm and also tank you'll realize that it's not how much Max HP the tank has that keeps the tank alive, it's how fast and how long your whm can cure you without pulling enmity. Having 500 more Max HP does very little when your taking 50,000-100,000 total damage in a HNM fight. All your doing is draining the whm's mp faster, and slowing them down by making them cast more often and thus granting them more enmity.. all that to heal useless space as any amount you loose they will eventually have to replace.

A better solution than Max HP stacking is to take less damage per hit and slow down the overall damage accumulation. That includes all defense stats that mitigate damage. The exception is the single shot KO but that can also be mitigated.

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Originally Posted by Jadi

If you play whm and also tank you'll realize that it's not how much Max HP the tank has that keeps the tank alive, it's how fast and how long your whm can cure you without pulling enmity. Having 500 more Max HP does very little when your taking 50,000-100,000 total damage in a HNM fight. All your doing is draining the whm's mp faster, and slowing them down by making them cast more often and thus granting them more enmity.. all that to heal useless space as any amount you loose they will eventually have to replace.

A better solution than Max HP stacking is to take less damage per hit and slow down the overall damage accumulation. That includes all defense stats that mitigate damage. The exception is the single shot KO but that can also be mitigated.

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Problem is that adding DEF or VIT for taking less damage is barely noticable unless you're tanking a lot of mobs at once and that just doesn't really happen in this game unless you're in a SB pt and in all honesty if you need anything better than AF for a SB pt you're doing it wrong.

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Originally Posted by AmyNeudaiz

Problem is that adding DEF or VIT for taking less damage is barely noticable unless you're tanking a lot of mobs at once and that just doesn't really happen in this game unless you're in a SB pt and in all honesty if you need anything better than AF for a SB pt you're doing it wrong.

Stacking HP is quite possibly the best thing you can do for slots that don't up your enmity in some way (STR/Enmity materia) while tanking and it also makes your Spirits Within better on PLD

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http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...jpg?1316330080

You can easily reach stat caps with melded gear for tanking. Start by melding VIT onto a Cobalt Cuirass to reach 310 VIT. From there, triple mled some STR onto some Cobalt Mitt Guantlets. If you need some more STR, add a Rubelite Ring +1. Double or triple meld some Ironman's Will onto some felt trousers after that and you should be at both caps. (use the very best tier IIs and IIIs in your triple melds or use all Tier IVs)

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Originally Posted by Kagato

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...jpg?1316330080

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MFW I remembered this was a WAR thread

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Originally Posted by Raldo

Tanks generally meld HP on their gear, so that's why you probably won't hit your stat caps.

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A good WAR tank doesn't use HP. Cap VIT, it'll give you defense and some hp, therefore you need less HP. You have no shield so you need the DEF that comes from VIT on your chest piece. The only place you have left to add HP would be your boots, you might be better off adding m.eva to those though, especially if you do skirmish a lot.

Defense and Vit are ignored by almost all bosses. dLVL pretty much nerfs your defense and vit to where you're relying on your innate damage reduction abilities and passives. Luckily, VIT is an important component of your core stats anyways, so at least you're getting somewhat of a return. It's safe to assume most bosses are 4-6 levels higher than you.

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Originally Posted by Kaeko

"This is why the naked Ifrit run works from a tanking perspective. If you go in naked, you take about 1,100 damage. If you go in fully geared on a GLA with 1,000 Defense, you'll end up taking about 650. Because we are so far from the damage floor, there is very little efficiency, even in upping our defense from 50 to 1,000! It all as to do with where our current defense is relatively the defense required to reach the damage floor. This is why defense can seem so important on R50s, but mean so little on higher end mobs. Another way we can put this is the higher damage the mob deals to you, the less efficient defense stacking will be.

Beyond this explanation of tanking naked on Ifrit, I do not wish to get into a philosophical argument as to whether or not the defense stat is broken. I only intend to illustrate WHY things work the way they work. I will leave the philosophical "should be" arguments to the official forums."

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Please see here for more info:

SCIENCE

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Originally Posted by Grimwald

Defense and Vit are ignored by almost all bosses. dLVL pretty much nerfs your defense and vit to where you're relying on your innate damage reduction abilities and passives. Luckily, VIT is an important component of your core stats anyways, so at least you're getting somewhat of a return. It's safe to assume most bosses are 4-6 levels higher than you.




Please see here for more info:

SCIENCE

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Yes, and the effect is worse for VIT than it is for DEF (because you get less def back from VIT than you do from straight DEF materia) and is exactly why I stress DEF materia over VIT for PLD.

I've been trying to figure out which build to go with myself. I'd like to tank on my WAR so I went with aiming for VIT where available. This is a summary of my gear:
Iffy Axe
AF helm
2 amber rings +1
Cobalt belt with enmity materia
Still need good earrings
Settled with Stonewall choker for now
Cuirass with HP materia
AF legs
I still need to acquire some tanking legs and might replace my Explorer's Sabatons with something else

Overall my Vit is at 330, Str is low, 261 - I keep getting different perspectives on what to stack up on. Am I on the correct course for tanking gear or should I switch to cap STR and secondary VIT? I personally feel that for tanking I should cap VIT + secondary STR and if I go DD then I can switch gear to cap STR and secondary VIT.
This being said, the gear I have means my ACC number is also low - if I can't hit anything then I can't generate hate - Is there an ACC total # I should aim for?
Any input would be appreciated!

Get sentinel's sabatons, an explorer's earring, explorer's choker, a cobalt cuirass with 25ish VIT, and some cobalt mitt gauntlets with ~50 STR, a rubelite ring +1, and an electrum ring +1