SC gear

[JimMorrison]

I tried a Vine SHield (after reading all the hype on the forums) on a non trampling SC, and it did absolutely jack, and ..... nothing. Even when I tried it on a trampler, I was categorically unimpressed by the performance. Maybe I did something wrong, had it in the wrong hand, held it too high, moved too fast. Was I supposed to try to clean those green things off of it? I cut them off with my sword, but they regrow so fast.....

[thejeff]

The Vine Shield is really nice on cheaper thugs. Probably less so on High end SCs.

More important for high defense thugs as well.

If you can take the hits, Charcoal Shield will kill the chaff around you. If you can't, Vine Shield will keep you alive long enough to kill them yourself.

[Ironhawk]

Yeah the value of the vine shield, beyond its defense, is that it entangles your attacker. But if you are being attacked by chaff then you dont really want to stall them for a turn you just want to slaughter them in droves.

[Taqwus]

Depends what one's up against.

Invulnerability is slightly dodgy if going up against... poison-happy people, IIRC.

The design in thread doesn't counter cold (Frozen Heart, say) or lightning. Depending on what one's up against, that might not be a problem.

Flight might be useful against death-heavy folks (combo skellispam to block you, drain life or disintegrate to kill you) but at least the sword and shield allow one to hurt multiple opponents per turn.

[Meglobob]

Try vine shield with high protection and watch them all get entangled.

Robe of shadows is a bit rubbish, especially vs other players, as it just gives ethereal and most of what you end up fighting has magic weapons or some form of magical attack. So the ethereal effect is useless.

[Lingchih]

Perhaps this is just an SP question? Dunno, but in MP, replace the shield with an Eye Shield. An eye shield makes enemies quake before you. My SCs with an Eye Shield have rarely been attacked.

[Edi]

Lingchih said:
Perhaps this is just an SP question? Dunno, but in MP, replace the shield with an Eye Shield. An eye shield makes enemies quake before you. My SCs with an Eye Shield have rarely been attacked.

I wouldn't rely too much on that. In the LeafNosedBat MP game my capital PD (EA Ulm, PD 25) hacked a Wraith Lord with an Eye Shield to death in less than three rounds of actual fighting, though it was suboptimally equipped. The eye shield is good, but it is no guarantee against anything. It might deter other SCs somewhat, but the right kind of chaff can sneak up on you if you're not set to deal with them as well.