Best armor for Evil barbarian?

[SixOfSpades]

The sooner you realize that Barbarians mostly get crap for armor in early SoA, the better prepared you'll be.

Chapters 1-4: Mail of the Dead+2 or Ashen Scales, but best with Shadow Dragon Scale.
Chapter 5: Drow Adamantine Chain+5 (Barbarians can't wear the Gorgon Plate anyway.)
Chapters 6-7: Crimson Chain or Human Flesh.
Chapter 8+: White Dragon Scale, Yellow Dragon Scale or Human Flesh.

[Lord Demerol]

Can Barbarians use Aeger's Hide ?

If you run into a Scroll of Protection From The Elements you can get Cromwell to improve it to +5: (Items Upgrade MOD)

Aeger's Hide +5
AC 1, Immunity to Confusion, 25% resistance to fire, cold, acid.

This is one of my favorites... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[D*Ranged]

Originally posted by Lord Demerol: Can Barbarians use Aeger's Hide ? If you run into a Scroll of Protection From The Elements you can get Cromwell to improve it to +5: (Items Upgrade MOD) Aeger's Hide +5 AC 1, Immunity to Confusion, 25% resistance to fire, cold, acid. This is one of my favorites... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Yes. I like it, but I always prefer shadow dragon scale over that... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Jim]

If you have ToB and the Ritual mod installed, then the Yellow Dragon Scale is simply awesome for a Barbarian. Base AC -1, doesn't conflict with magical rings/cloaks/amulets and provides some pretty neat physical resistances. In fact, with the right equipment, the Barbarian can become permanantly immune to missile, piercing and crushing attacks and and have 65% resistance to slashing weapons. Then, we can apply hardiness .

[Xen]

Originally posted by Jim: If you have ToB and the Ritual mod installed, then the Yellow Dragon Scale is simply awesome for a Barbarian. Base AC -1, doesn't conflict with magical rings/cloaks/amulets and provides some pretty neat physical resistances. In fact, with the right equipment, the Barbarian can become permanantly immune to missile, piercing and crushing attacks and and have 65% resistance to slashing weapons. Then, we can apply hardiness .

[Alson]

Originally posted by Jim: ... In fact, with the right equipment, the Barbarian can become permanantly immune to missile, piercing and crushing attacks and and have 65% resistance to slashing weapons.

Pre-Hardiness?! This is probably going to be one of those "Doh!" posts, but still... enlighten me, oh so Physical-Resistances-Expert one. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

ADD] Oh... DOH! On a side note, Jim (and this applies to all of us, including me)... we should think twice before "promising" these sort of things. SURE, the Barbarian can be immune to missile, piercing and crushing attacks and and have 65% resistance to slashing weapons pre-Hardiness... but for what? 1 battle? Three if you wanna be petty. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Anyway, you get my point. There's no point in recommending things that are relevant to such a short period of time - like just before the curtain falls. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 04-08-2003, 01:54 PM: Message edited by: Alson ]

[Rataxes]

Missiles I can grasp. BoIB, YDS, DoE and their natural resistance will give them 115% Resistance to Missiles. Though I don't see how they can permanently get their resistances against crushing and piercing damage up to more than 90%, which is what YDS, Roranach's Horn, DoE and natural resistances will give you.

Slashing weapons I've no clue, a hacked Barbarian/Thief with the Jansen Armor could get this, though he'd not be immune to piercing attacks in that case.

If we're counting in the Ascension bonus it would work, but what have you got left at that point in the game anyway?

[Alson]

Originally posted by Rataxes: Missiles I can grasp. BoIB, YDS, DoE and their natural resistance will give them 115% Resistance to Missiles.

Slight nitpick - the Defender does not grant Missile Resistance. Only slashing, piercing and crushing, as Jim pointed out to me... today? Or was it yesterday? [img]smile.gif[/img]

If we're counting in the Ascension bonus it would work, but what have you got left at that point in the game anyway?

Ah, great (and immodest, obviously) minds think alike. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Rataxes]

Ah that's right, 95% resistance it is then, as good as immune anyway

[Jim]

Alson wrote: Slight nitpick - the Defender does not grant Missile Resistance. Only slashing, piercing and crushing, as Jim pointed out to me... today? Or was it yesterday?

Yesterday [img]smile.gif[/img]

Let me clarify a few things (I know you 2 have already figured this out, this is for those that aren't quite so sure):

Immunity to piercing, missile and crushing damage and 65% slashing resistance is achieved as follows:

Some Major Spoilers Follow, including those for ToB and Ascension:
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Barbarian Innate resistances: 20% all round
The Defender of Easthaven +3: 20% to slashing, crushing and piercing
Ronarch's Horn: 50% crushing resistance
Yellow Dragon Armour: 50% piercing resistance, 50% missile resistance
Belt of Inertial Barrier: 25% missile resistance
Ascension Evil path for Pocket Plane challenge number 5: 25% resistance all round

Our magic numbers are therefore:
Slashing: 65%
Piercing: 115%
Crushing: 115%
Missile: 120%

Apply Hardiness and we get:
Slashing: 105%
Piercing: 127%
Crushing: 127%
Missile: 127%

Alson wrote: On a side note, Jim (and this applies to all of us, including me)... we should think twice before "promising" these sort of things. SURE, the Barbarian can be immune to missile, piercing and crushing attacks and and have 65% resistance to slashing weapons pre-Hardiness... but for what? 1 battle? Three if you wanna be petty. Anyway, you get my point. There's no point in recommending things that are relevant to such a short period of time - like just before the curtain falls.

and Rataxes wrote: If we're counting in the Ascension bonus it would work, but what have you got left at that point in the game anyway?

Excellent point both of you. Here is my closing remark; The Ascension physical resistances are gained at challenge number 5, which is indeed towards the end of the game. Now, the remaining portion of the game *is* the finalie, but this consists of about 7 battles. Also note, that last time I played through the game, I left Watchers Keep until this point (since my Barbarian was dual wielding and had no need for the Ravager ). I think it's safe to say that doing Watchers Keep and the Grand Finalie to is a pretty large overall portion of the game. Well worth having the extra 25% .