CMAN, Shield, and Armor - feedback requested

[LizardClan1]

Hi! Below is my CMAN, Shield, and Armor training. Looking for feedback of any kind. Thanks! -LizardClan1

>cman info
Ulaahn, your Combat Maneuver training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Specialization I wspec1 3
Weapon Bonding bonding 5
Combat Mobility mobility 2
Surge of Strength surge 5
Parry Mastery pmastery 3
Block Mastery bmastery 3

Available Combat Maneuver Training Points: 3

>shield info
Ulaahn, your Shield Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Medium Shield Focus mfocus 3
Deflection Training dtraining 3
Spell Block spellblock 3

>armor info
Ulaahn, your Armor Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Armor Support support 5

[drauz]

Hi! Below is my CMAN, Shield, and Armor training. Looking for feedback of any kind. Thanks! -LizardClan1

>cman info
Ulaahn, your Combat Maneuver training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Specialization I wspec1 3
Weapon Bonding bonding 5
Combat Mobility mobility 2
Surge of Strength surge 5
Parry Mastery pmastery 3
Block Mastery bmastery 3

Available Combat Maneuver Training Points: 3

>shield info
Ulaahn, your Shield Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Medium Shield Focus mfocus 3
Deflection Training dtraining 3
Spell Block spellblock 3

>armor info
Ulaahn, your Armor Specialization training is as follows:

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Armor Support support 5

Do you run with strength on a lot? What race are you?

[LizardClan1]

Do you run with strength on a lot? What race are you?

I hunt with cman surge up whenever I remember to do so. :-)

I am a giant.

Thanks!
-LizardClan1

[drauz]

I hunt with cman surge up whenever I remember to do so. :-)

I am a giant.

Thanks!
-LizardClan1

Sorry, I meant 509 spell Strength.

Also, any Strength enhansives?

[beldannon5]

Lol i totally forgot about surge during duskruin and since. Thanks for the reminder about surge

[khorpulent]

Parry and block mastery are nice passive skills, but rank 3 is definitely expensive. Considering those diminishing returns, you might find a better use for those points. A few ranks of focus are nice for a warrior. I notice that you're only trained in passive skills -- you might find something active to train in for fun. I don't know anything about sword/board cmans, though -- my warrior used polearms.

I also only ever got more than rank 1 of mobility (that's the one that stands you up, right?). I found that usually when I was prone, I'd get swung at enough times for the 50% chance to kick in. But I've also met a few warriors who thought that was crazy.

I think drauz is asking about enhancives and such becuase the bonus from surge acts like any other enhancive bonus. Since you can't go past +20 bonus with enhancives, you don't need all 5 ranks if you use enough STR enhancives. That being said, STR enhancives are expensive and surge is pretty sweet, especially at rank 5 with the short cooldown.

Out of curiosity, why a medium shield? Usually warriors seem to prefer large/tower shields if they're gonna use one at all. A tower shield opens up a few maneuvers you can't get otherwise, most notably shield trample. Trample can knock down an entire room full of creatures and seems to be the most useful active shield maneuver I've seen.

I'm not really sure you need spell block either, honestly. Especially since you use a shield, I'd guess your bolt DS is high enough without having to worry about increasing your chances to block bolts.

[Aganii]

How much shield use and dodge training do you have? Personally I found spell block excessive with 3x shield and/or spells. You will already have a bonus to block DS against bolts with a shield, however, medium shields only recieve a modest boost opposed to tower shields. This might be offset by the DS you would gain from learning shield swiftness if you have alot of Dodge training. If you find that bolts are ripping you apart when you are not blocking them then keep spell block until your base DS grows.

[Archigeek]

How much shield use and dodge training do you have? Personally I found spell block excessive with 3x shield and/or spells. You will already have a bonus to block DS against bolts with a shield, however, medium shields only recieve a modest boost opposed to tower shields. This might be offset by the DS you would gain from learning shield swiftness if you have alot of Dodge training. If you find that bolts are ripping you apart when you are not blocking them then keep spell block until your base DS grows.

Agree with the comment on spell block. It becomes redundant and a waste of points.

I also would look hard at surge and your enhancives. If you're not using much for strength enhancives, 5 ranks has some strong benefits, (faster recovery, more strength, etc), but the alternative is no ranks of surge and a handful of pretty readily attainable enhancives. I've done that with Kerl, and just maintain a single rank of surge at 2 points.

If you're using a shield, you should consider trample. I keep preaching trample, because it's pretty awesome. With trample mastery it's particularly pricey, but being able to knock down 5 foes in one 5 second maneuver is pretty nice, and because you can 3x in shield use, your success chances are higher than most other knockdowns. Also worth noting that giantkin get a bonus on trample, possibly all shield maneuvers but I'm not sure, since the only one I use is trample. Roblar and I tested it out and he was getting as much bonus as I was (human) and he was using a medium shield.

Focus kind of depends on what you are using for equipment and spells. I find that a mere +2TD isn't enough to make a difference, but +10TD starts to mean something. Unfortunately, it falls victim to cost benefit analysis for me. I think I have just 1 rank in it, because that first rank is pretty much a gimmie.

Good luck.

[Valyss]

I also only ever got more than rank 1 of mobility (that's the one that stands you up, right?). I found that usually when I was prone, I'd get swung at enough times for the 50% chance to kick in. But I've also met a few warriors who thought that was crazy.


Rank 1 mobility has a 50% chance to stand you up, Rank 2 has 100%. Rank 1 vs. 2 is more if you want it to be guaranteed or not. Personally, I opt for rank 2. Dying to an unlucky streak of 50% chances not going your way isn't fun :)

[LizardClan1]

Sorry, I was out of town yesterday. I'll start by sharing more information, and then I'll answer your questions (above) later today. Thanks!

>skills
Ulaahn (at level 67), your current skill bonuses and ranks (including all modifiers) are:
Skill Name | Current Current
| Bonus Ranks
Armor Use..........................| 250 150
Shield Use.........................| 190 90
Combat Maneuvers...................| 238 138
Edged Weapons......................| 238 138
Two-Handed Weapons.................| 238 138
Ambush.............................| 140 40
Multi Opponent Combat..............| 160 60
Physical Fitness...................| 238 138
Dodging............................| 169 69
Arcane Symbols.....................| 90 20
Harness Power......................| 20 4
Survival...........................| 169 69
Perception.........................| 169 69
Climbing...........................| 140 40
Swimming...........................| 122 31
First Aid..........................| 169 69
(Use SKILLS BASE to display unmodified ranks and goals)

3 days remain until the annual FIXSKILLS is to be granted, on 05/20/2017.

Your 30 day migration period will begin when you choose to degrade a skill.

>info
Name: Ulaahn Akbou Race: Giantman Profession: Warrior (shown as: Officer of the House of Argent Aspis)
Gender: Male Age: 48 Expr: 4137210 Level: 67
Normal (Bonus) ... Enhanced (Bonus)
Strength (STR): 100 (40) ... 100 (40)
Constitution (CON): 93 (31) ... 93 (31)
Dexterity (DEX): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Agility (AGI): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Discipline (DIS): 100 (25) ... 100 (25)
Aura (AUR): 100 (20) ... 100 (20)
Logic (LOG): 75 (7) ... 75 (7)
Intuition (INT): 71 (10) ... 71 (10)
Wisdom (WIS): 76 (13) ... 76 (13)
Influence (INF): 62 (11) ... 62 (11)
Mana: 16 Silver: 0

[Ososis]

For me the biggest draw of rank5 surge is the 30 second cooldown, this allows it to be always on in a way that rank 4 and down don't.

[LizardClan1]

Okay!

I do run around with Strength 509 up... I don't even ask for it; wizards give it to me for free for doing simple things like Supporting their armor.

Why a medium shield you ask? I'm THW/OHE and I didn't have the training points for 3x Shield Use. I was able to afford more than 1x but less than 2x. I really wanted a veil iron buckler (small shield), but all I could find for sale was a veil iron medium shield. Ardwen recommended a veil iron shield and spellblock.

Thanks!
-LizardClan1

[Ososis]

I am pretty sure 509 is a phantom bonus and does not contribute to your max STR bonus.

[khorpulent]

Rank 1 mobility has a 50% chance to stand you up, Rank 2 has 100%. Rank 1 vs. 2 is more if you want it to be guaranteed or not. Personally, I opt for rank 2. Dying to an unlucky streak of 50% chances not going your way isn't fun :)


Yeah, I've just always found that the -50 DS penalty from being prone was significant enough for me to justify putting the extra points into rank 2. With full plate and redux melee attacks never bothered me much. And that was with a polearm warrior -- I'd imagine that the DS penalty makes even less of a difference for a warrior with a shield.

And I'm pretty sure Ososis is right about 509, too.

[Valyss]

I am pretty sure 509 is a phantom bonus and does not contribute to your max STR bonus.

This is correct-- doesn't count toward your +20 enhancive cap, but surge does

[drauz]

This is correct-- doesn't count toward your +20 enhancive cap, but surge does

Good to know, I thought it did.

[ArchSenex]

Okay!

I do run around with Strength 509 up... I don't even ask for it; wizards give it to me for free for doing simple things like Supporting their armor.

Why a medium shield you ask? I'm THW/OHE and I didn't have the training points for 3x Shield Use. I was able to afford more than 1x but less than 2x. I really wanted a veil iron buckler (small shield), but all I could find for sale was a veil iron medium shield. Ardwen recommended a veil iron shield and spellblock.

Thanks!
-LizardClan1

I believe spell block can work with any Ensorcelled shield as well. Unless you're looking for an extremely special shield you can probably find a fairly cheap ensorcel. Don't pay the super high prices (Because those sorcs are working on very hard items and you don't need that) but you can probably find a lower level Sorc who'll do it for pretty cheap.