Quote Originally Posted by Wooba View Post
And that is the issue. This game is about Class Customization. Where is the customization with GLA? Putting on different taunts? GLA has 1 role and 1 role only, while MRD and PGL have two roles, DD and Tank.

Here are the HP values from a R50 MRD in my Linkshell with 174 vit Base: 2383 (2595) Second number is obviously with gear. My base HP with 174 Vit at R49 is 2119. At R50 I'll probably get close to 2200 HP base. Even in full Plate, my HP will likely still be only close to the Base HP of a R50 MRD with capped Vit.

The only area a GLA is better than a MRD is in Defense. As far as I know Shield stats only come into effect if you are guarding, as when you equip a Shield your stats don't change. This means if you keep your shield up constantly, you will take less damage than a MRD.
That's not entirely true, though. Gladiators get access to great utility from sentinel like shield bash (damage + stun). They also have huge amounts of clickie defensive abilities to mitigate damage. Now add in the amazing synergy between Rage of Halone, Cadence and Still Precision/other defense lowering abilities. Lower your defense as much as possible, load up cadence and other AP boosts and drop a rage of halone.

Further, as far as the hp vs defense issue, defense is far more effective than hp in almost every case. Reason being is exactly what you noted - shield blocks reduce damage by a crazy amount. Using a scutum, with a 99% block chance, and using the glad ability to double the length of guard, you reduce damage by a percentile many times greater than the hp delta between glad and maruder.