help with gear setup

[Zarvlad]

Optimal Rank gear with High defense + Optimal rank weapon

[Lienn]

Optimal Rank gear with High defense + Optimal rank weapon

This. Until r27 the best defensively talking is harness set. But if you want a more evasive armor (assuming you don't feel like tanking) then you can seek tarpper tunic set or mixing trapper tunic and harness sets.

From 27 on you're supposed to stick with haubergeons.

[Jabo]

This. Until r27 the best defensively talking is harness set. But if you want a more evasive armor (assuming you don't feel like tanking) then you can seek tarpper tunic set or mixing trapper tunic and harness sets.

From 27 on you're supposed to stick with haubergeons.

The Haubergons are also the best defensiv gear in the game. The cuirass stats are missleading and far inferior to the haubergeon stats.

@Topic
You can use the Haubergeon way before optimal rank, because it is so much better than the usual rank 20-27 gear. Dosn't hurt to use it at Rank 20. Pre 20, i would suggest the Tabarts (Rank 15)
The best gear would be the scale males, but they are very costly for the rank (Rank 14, Rank 21).
Weapons should always be optimal rank, because they lose durability way faster.

I wouldn't recommend the NM weapons. The stats are useless and the +1 versions of your usual weapon are way batter. Also they go for only 150k-250k. So you don't have to spend a fortune.