Nymeros wrote:The most complex melee class I saw today is the solo-master Motaro using Charge to run away from a RR4 Friar. ^^

Amadeth wrote:

Hobbes wrote:If its wrong, can u state what VW actually has?

many players have already stated what VW has, I won't go into that or argue VW's utility, damage or place in a group.

34% absorb is not simply 34% absorb. it highly depends on AF, which VW is seriously lacking. absorb is not resistance, and is calculated differently.

Nymeros wrote:The most complex melee class I saw today is the solo-master Motaro using Charge to run away from a RR4 Friar. ^^

Glacius wrote:You ppl are fantastic, if the caster has a self buff that has 34% abs, why u keep talking about his AF? cloth has 0% abs, leather has 10% ,studded/reinf 19% and so on, well VW AF has nothing to do with his absorb, he just simply absorbs 34% of the inc dmg then his AF adds up more VS dmg calculations, plus the fact that he is neutral to all types of dmg is great, i bet that from Slash atackers he takes less dmg then hero, from thrust atackers he takes less dmg then wariors ,and even from crush atackers he takes lower dmg then arms.

Glacius wrote:We will meet again dont worry , and the fact that u are rr4 and i m rr7 aint helping me so much having det and charge2 among other RA s while u got pasives and that static tempest makes us even.

Glacius wrote:he just simply absorbs 34% of the inc dmg

As most of you that play the Valewalker class know, we wear cloth with our own AF and absorb buff. Our natural AF is one of the lowest in the game (cloth is 51 AF per piece and all other types are 102 AF, at there highest LvL), and even with the 250AF buff still limits us to an overall 500AF (I should note that Hybirnian support class AF buffs do not stack on Valewalker self AF buffs, but rumor has it that Cleric Spec AF buffs will. This of course this is only useful on the PvP or co-op servers).

The 33% absorb buff is the best of its type in game. However after much reading and debate the only thing I can tell you, without rampant speculation, is that the combination of AF and absorb is good, but unlike the 33% absorb might suggest our ability to take damage is not what the 33% absorb might suggest. My best guess is that we are close to scale in terms of our ability to absorb damage overall, possibly a little less (subject, of course, to the rampant speculation I was just taking about).

Our barely adequate armor configuration is further hindered by the fact that Valewalkers are on a fairly low HP table. With my experience as a Ranger it looks like I'm on par to have about the same amount of HP (possibly a little more than my Ranger as con is a tertiary stat for the Vale) as my Ranger at LvL 50, or about 1200 +/- 150 or so based on equipment, stats taken, and racial choice at conception.

If one factors in the useful but unreliable proc'ing defensive buff (at its best the proc will absorb 25% of hits taken up to 130 for 1 min @ LvL50 Arb) I would simply say that, at least in melee, there are times that that proc will be the difference between winning and loosing. Its just really hard to put substantive value on an ability that you have no control over and may proc 3 times in a fight or not at all. Seems like this "ability" leaves the average Valewalker consistently unsure of his chances in a combat situation.

Here is more comparative info on armor factor.

Max AF formula. For cloth, leather and chain

(1 + Absorb) x level x 10. = your capped AF.


For a 50 VW
1.00 x 50 x 10 = 500
for realm rank 5, just use 51 as level.
1.00 x 51 x 10 = 505
(plus 33% abs)

For a 50 Friar
1.10 x 50 x 10 = 550
for realm rank 5
1.10 x 51 x 10 = 561
(plus 15% abs)

For a 50 Thane
1.27 x 50 x 10 = 635
for realm rank 5
1.27 x 51 x 10 = 647


Also, absorb buffs are not part of the AF formula, they simply absorb a portion of the melee damage.

Your total AF means nothing really, its just a number to show your relative armor factor. In terms of combat, where your hit and the effective AF of the piece where your hit, condition, quality and bonus mean more than overall AF.

AF determines whether we are hit or not (we have the same AF as casters).

Then I believe that AF also is factored in to help determine damage. Thus lower AF means we would take more damage than a scale wearer with equivalent equipment. Factor in our self AF and absorb buff and the damage taken comes more in line with someone who wears scale, but is not better than scale, as the 33% absorb buff might suggest.

One other fact, when getting hit with spells, we get hit just as hard as casters as our abs does not work against spells. Combine that with our low HP and I would say that we are pretty weak to casters. Thus resists should be a priority to any Valewalker in RvR combat.

Glacius wrote:If you think a fully bufed friar with max weapon dmg having dext/quic and base dext VS an zerker with a str/con buff of 30 stats is a fair duel , you are wrong, having also another 2 albs around him "just in case" , makes me laugh when i see the sentence during loading" If u see and albion more likely others are around him" ).
We will meet again dont worry , and the fact that u are rr4 and i m rr7 aint helping me so much having det and charge2 among other RA s while u got pasives and that static tempest makes us even .