06-19-2004, 08:19 AM
When you really think about it, it all comes down to play style. Some people prefer more life, less block, while I will always remain the advocate of the max block approach.
I have one word to the no-blockers: skeleton archers. (Well. It's actually two words, which imply a lot more: spear cats, thorn beasts and so on.)
If you're comfortable with a no-block approach; if you do not keep dieing from ranged (or, for that matter, melee physical damage), playing with no-block has it's advantages. You have more life, thus you (potentially) get into hit recovery from damage less frequently.
Another issue addressed here was the block speed. While paladins have the insane, and otherwise unattainable 2 frame block with HS, it can be advantageous for other classes to have block as well. The slow block can save you if you use it to avoid stray hits; tanking monsters with it can be dangerous, however.
About the other question: which character can go no block: even I have a no-block chracter, the barbarian MeisterSaenger. He is a dual-wiz cry baba (two wizes cost me 20 pgs. Damn I love HotO!) with 2.8k life and 2.1k mana. He has max BO, war cry, taunt and am currently working on battle cry. Az level 59 (1700 life, 1000 mana) he was able to solo nm baal packs; and he was absolutelly viable throughout nightmare playing alone. In larger games he has problems with damage (at level 74 he does like 650 max damage at 8 frames), but has hardly any problems defense-wise.
I have one word to the no-blockers: skeleton archers. (Well. It's actually two words, which imply a lot more: spear cats, thorn beasts and so on.)
If you're comfortable with a no-block approach; if you do not keep dieing from ranged (or, for that matter, melee physical damage), playing with no-block has it's advantages. You have more life, thus you (potentially) get into hit recovery from damage less frequently.
Another issue addressed here was the block speed. While paladins have the insane, and otherwise unattainable 2 frame block with HS, it can be advantageous for other classes to have block as well. The slow block can save you if you use it to avoid stray hits; tanking monsters with it can be dangerous, however.
About the other question: which character can go no block: even I have a no-block chracter, the barbarian MeisterSaenger. He is a dual-wiz cry baba (two wizes cost me 20 pgs. Damn I love HotO!) with 2.8k life and 2.1k mana. He has max BO, war cry, taunt and am currently working on battle cry. Az level 59 (1700 life, 1000 mana) he was able to solo nm baal packs; and he was absolutelly viable throughout nightmare playing alone. In larger games he has problems with damage (at level 74 he does like 650 max damage at 8 frames), but has hardly any problems defense-wise.