Why do I keep seeing...

...GLD/PAL and MRD/WAR in *scale* mail?

Am I missing something? So far as I can tell, there are no hidden stats or bonuses for wearing scale mail, and in all stats that I can see it is clearly inferior over plate mail (i.e. steel cuirass) or full plate (i.e. heavy steel armour).

So why do I keep seeing tanks running around, in some cases over 10 levels higher than me, with a worse DEF rating?
I don't get it.

1. Certain scale armors are the proper upgrade for a given level. Simply because they are scale does not mean they are worse than something which happens to be plate. Scale armor is typically X2 or X3, while plate is X0 or X5.

2. It might honestly be that some folks all but refuse to wear the "Heavy Armor" pieces. You know, the ones with the immobile helmet that make you look completely retarded... yeah those... I swear if we had the option to not show the helmet on those, we'd see a lot more people wearing them... The look okay overall... just dat helm... dat helm...

Some of those scale pieces mathematically have better stats combined than the single heavy piece.

Since Plate Mail restricts head and feet equipment, Scale Mail can overpower Plate Mail considering it has better stats. For example, the first set of Plate Mail you get at around level 25 is better than Iron Scale. But it can be beaten by a full set of level 32 Steel Scale.

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Originally Posted by Seinaru

Since Plate Mail restricts head and feet equipment, Scale Mail can overpower Plate Mail considering it has better stats. For example, the first set of Plate Mail you get at around level 25 is better than Iron Scale. But it can be beaten by a full set of level 32 Steel Scale.

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Understood, and I obviously take into account each set of armour when looking to upgrade.

What I'm not understanding is, for example, the discrepancies in-game. Eg. seeing a level 29 Marauder wearing iron scale (when the heavy iron, or company armour, is superior), or worse, a 37 Paladin still wearing level iron (not steel) scale....

Not being elitist or anything, but in my mind if my job is to take damage, one should try to obtain the best armour available for their level :/ In the same way that a dps character with a very outdated weapon is a poor dps. And maybe it's just my server, but I see a *ton* of tanks in scale. Hardly anyone uses the plate or "heavy" plate gear. Just seems odd and I was curious if I was missing something

I can see using scale pieces if they are upgrades from what you currently had and are level appropriate. But if we are seeing people in outdated inappropriate gear.... that is a completely different issue. The first makes sense, as the piece might be a best in slot at the level, or offer stats that make it more valuable (not sure if the latter would ever be the case though). People in outdated gear is just people being lazy/not caring. There are enough easy ways to get gear from vendors, quests (both side and main story), dungeons, etc. It is almost impossible to not have easy access to adequate gear. I'm not talking about spamming a dungeon for a full set at that level. I'm talking the level appropriate white gear.

What we have to remember is this is a game, and they have a right to play their way. What they in turn need to remember is that its a game, and we don't have to play with them if they make choices we don't agree with.

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Originally Posted by Aaramis

Understood, and I obviously take into account each set of armour when looking to upgrade.

What I'm not understanding is, for example, the discrepancies in-game. Eg. seeing a level 29 Marauder wearing iron scale (when the heavy iron, or company armour, is superior), or worse, a 37 Paladin still wearing level iron (not steel) scale....

Not being elitist or anything, but in my mind if my job is to take damage, one should try to obtain the best armour available for their level :/ In the same way that a dps character with a very outdated weapon is a poor dps. And maybe it's just my server, but I see a *ton* of tanks in scale. Hardly anyone uses the plate or "heavy" plate gear. Just seems odd and I was curious if I was missing something

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Questing for some reason gives very little tank suitable armor it's all mostly damage stuff. Most times when I get a new quest reward the def is much lower than a piece I got 5 or more levels ago. Any instances I've run I think three times tank stuff dropped. Quest itemisation have been poorly done.

As a tank you really should be decked out in terms of drops for dungeons. I always had gear optimal stuff 2 or 3 runs in a dungeon all the ones after that were to find a sword or a shield or rings or earrings stuff like that tanks really get handed gear tbh

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Originally Posted by whycantiusebetaforumname

As a tank you really should be decked out in terms of drops for dungeons. I always had gear optimal stuff 2 or 3 runs in a dungeon all the ones after that were to find a sword or a shield or rings or earrings stuff like that tanks really get handed gear tbh

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I don't dungeon grind. I'll do it a few times and then move on. I went from 24-32 without a single drop in a dungeon. I had to vendor buy everything. However, every run of Brayflox I've been handed at least two pieces of Cavalier set. Pieces I already have. We don't get handed gear. I've seen more caster dps gear than anything. It's a matter of RNG and perspective.

When I got to Braylox Dungeon, I kept all the pink and green gear I got out of there and still have it on at 42. The vendor plate isn't comparing to what I got out of Bray's 10 levels ago. lol

I did use the LV25 full suit and got rid of scale.... but my friend said I looked like a walking trash can...... and now I refuse to wear those full suits anymore. They are hidious to look at lol.

If those full suits had the /visor command compatible with them I'm sure many others would wear it. I only wore the level 25 set to see if it worked, and when it didn't I rushed up to 32 to get rid of the damn thing.

As many have pointed out, the "full plate" armor is not as visually appealing as "scale".

I'm not sure however that just becuase it's "full plate" means that it's the best stat wise either. Just to give an example, I just received a quest that awards:

Heavy Steel Armor
Lv. 35
Defence 120 Magic Defense 120
Str 11 Vit 10 Crt 13
4 Materia slots

Not bad, at first glance it looks better than what I have on. But comparing it to what I already have equipped:

Cavalry Mask
Lv 32
Defense 61 Magic Defense 61
Str 4 Vit 4 Pry 4 Acc 6

and

Steel Scale Male
Lv. 32
Defense 63 Magic Defense 63
Str 6 Vit 6 Acc 7
2 Materia slots

Together, that's:
124 Defense/Magic Defense
Str 10 Vit 10 Acc 13 Pry 4
2 Materia slots

So...

I'd lose 4 Defense, 13 Accuracy, and 4 Parry to gain 1 Strength, 13 Crit and 2 materia slots. I'll stick with my "scale" armor for now. Then again I have no idea if this changes at end-game.

Yesterday I did chain runs of Cutters cry, I was in a group of me (Warrior) and 3 casters, the Scale BP dropped and it was an upgrade from my lv. 31 GC chestpiece I had (F'n Braylox and Qarn never dropped anything for me). Plus I really don't like the armor sets that don't allow helms, they seem to be less in stats/defense than a combination of helm/bp.