01-07-2004, 12:35 AM
Heh, I've just did a bit of reading on Arreat Summit to see if my item restrictions were too draconian. It seems not.
Military standardisation have indeed made the selection of available equipment sorely limited, but things are not looking that bad. Unlike other variants where there are lots of restrictions on item MODS our only restrictions are on base item types.
If it's a tower shield, our boys can use it, no matter what the fine print says. Anyways I have been pleasantly suprised by the amount of uniques and set items this allowed within this variant.
Sure the only set you can complete is Death's Disguise, but many sets are still quite sexy.
The sets of interest are:
Berserker's Arsenal:
Both the helm and armour are allowed on the legionaries and it makes a pretty neat little outfit for a newbie legionary. Sure the you can't use the axe, but you aren't really missing anything. The partial bonii overshadows the full set bonus and the axe sucks anyway.
Iratha's Finery:
The godly set that the masses overlooked. Most of the items are from completely unrestricted categories and the centurion can wear crowns. The resists offered by this fine set is nigh unbelievable given that it is made up solely of normal items.
Sigon's Complete Steel:
I am inclined to call this one an immortal classic. It is again one of those sets where the full set bonus is relatively unimportant. In fact, this set is interesting simply because of it's shield. Increased block chance on set/unique tower shields is (sadly) not common and when one shows up with even the ever useful +1 to all skills what else is there to do but clap your hands? Add Sigon's Gage (the gauntlets) to the mix and you are rocking out hard! If this was great twinking excursion I would twink each legionary a Sigon's Guard and a Sigon's Gage.
The 1.10 sets are generally a bit more high-level and I doubt an experimental variant group has the time and patience to go MF'ing for anything. Yet there are a few points of interests here and there:
The Disciple:
This set is pretty much only known for one of it's items. The absurdly powerful Laying of Hands gloves. Except for the armor all items are allowed, but the partial bonii are really not that noticable.
Orphan's Call:
Again a set with only one item of real interest. The item I am talking about is Whitstans Guard. I mean, that block rate is just plain SICK! It is round, so it could be called a scutum and be placed on the centurion or standard bearer.
With regard to uniques I have only looked on the categories that has restrictions on them or the allowed weapon types, so I am not going into a discussion about boots for example. I have disregarded all ladder only items. I know all elite items are probably pointless to discuss since they'll probably never show up, but I have included them anyway:
Helmets:
Coif of Glory (normal):
Hit blinds target + javelins... mmmmm...
Rockstopper (exceptional):
I would seriously consider allowing skull caps for legionaries if one of these showed up.
Stealskull (exceptional):
Good mods, including dual leech, but none of the values are astronomical.
Steelshade (elite):
Has some fire absorb, which is always nice.
Crowns:
Crown of Thieves (exceptional):
A bit of life steal, and the stats are actually quite generous.
Crown of Ages (elite):
All purpose helm with some awesome mods such as the damage reduction. It even has some holes for further customisation. Good luck finding one though.
Armors (this category seriously made me consider to include studded leathers as well, they could be some kind of bady made scale or something):
The Centurion (normal):
I know it's only a hard leather armor, but the name is just so appropriate.
Twitchthroe (normal):
One of the reasons I want to include studded leathers. It would look damn fine on one of the legionaries.
Hawkmail (normal):
The cannot be frozen mod is somewhat interesting for a legionary who must take the brunt of the enemy assault and still be standing.
Venom Ward (normal):
At least one of the officers is not going to worry about poison for a while.
Iceblink (normal):
Freezing one's targets is always good for a melee char. Any corpse requiring skills? No? Good!
Crow Caw (exceptional):
A melee fighters dream.
Duriel's Shell (exceptional):
There is going to be great argument if this one shows up. Should the centurion wear it allowing him to act more bravely in combat situations or should it be used to protect the oh so precious standard bearer.
Skullder's Ire (exceptional):
Well it got + to all skills and Magic Find... Mind you, the whole magic find deal reminds me more of a raiding party than a highly disciplined Roman legion.
The Gladiator's Bane (elite):
The second reason I want to include studded leathers. The armor even has a roman-themed name.
Arkaine's Valor (elite):
What's to say. It's Arkaine's Valor. Not that we are ever going to find one...
Shields:
Umbral Disk (normal):
Too bad you can't give it to the legionaries, with it's hit blinds target and all.
Stormguild (normal):
Darn nifty for being but a normal quality item. This is probably a better size for a scutum.
Bverrit Keep (normal):
A tower shield with a block increase, but I still bet you can get better stuff on the Rares market.
Moser's Blessed Circle (exceptional):
A neat little high-block shield for the centurion. Even comes with a few spaces for modification.
Stormchaser (exceptional):
The first item I refer to as a scutum that is actually called a scutum ingame. I don't really know what to say about it's mods though.
Gerke's Sanctuary (exceptional):
Wow, a highblock tower shield, how infinetely nice! The other mods aren't shabby either. Kinda weird you never hear about this item. It's almost like a poor man's Stormshield.
Blackoak Shield (elite):
Cool litte thing. Why is it that it is the small shields that get all the cool mods?
Javelins:
There are only elite unique javelins (which we'll never find). Demon's Arch is pretty darn scary though.
Gladii:
Rixot's Keen (normal):
Has crushing blow, but crap damage.
Culwen's Point (normal):
One of the best normal quality unique swords out there. Still it's damage is insufficient in the long run. Give it to the centurion.
Bloodletter (exceptional):
Too bad Whirlwind is among the prohibited skills. The rest could be useful on a legionary though.
The Atlantean (exceptional):
+ 2 paladin skill levels and the damage isn't shabby either. Great sword for the centurion.
Staves:
Serpent Lord (normal):
The standard bearer could use it to leech back a bit of mana, but isn't it a bit rude to beat people over the head with the Standard of the Roman Empire.
The Salamander (normal):
The + 2 to fire skills actually work on druid fire skills too. Perfect!
Ribcracker (exceptional):
Again I find it highly awkward to use the battle standard as an actual melee weapon.
Skull collector (exceptional):
All the mods are useful for any spellcaster, regardless of class. The skills and increas maximum mana are awesome, and the MF is quite wicked too.
Ondal's Wisdom (elite):
Not that we are ever going to find one, but it would be kinda neat as the centurion's ceremonial staff.
Military standardisation have indeed made the selection of available equipment sorely limited, but things are not looking that bad. Unlike other variants where there are lots of restrictions on item MODS our only restrictions are on base item types.
If it's a tower shield, our boys can use it, no matter what the fine print says. Anyways I have been pleasantly suprised by the amount of uniques and set items this allowed within this variant.
Sure the only set you can complete is Death's Disguise, but many sets are still quite sexy.
The sets of interest are:
Berserker's Arsenal:
Both the helm and armour are allowed on the legionaries and it makes a pretty neat little outfit for a newbie legionary. Sure the you can't use the axe, but you aren't really missing anything. The partial bonii overshadows the full set bonus and the axe sucks anyway.
Iratha's Finery:
The godly set that the masses overlooked. Most of the items are from completely unrestricted categories and the centurion can wear crowns. The resists offered by this fine set is nigh unbelievable given that it is made up solely of normal items.
Sigon's Complete Steel:
I am inclined to call this one an immortal classic. It is again one of those sets where the full set bonus is relatively unimportant. In fact, this set is interesting simply because of it's shield. Increased block chance on set/unique tower shields is (sadly) not common and when one shows up with even the ever useful +1 to all skills what else is there to do but clap your hands? Add Sigon's Gage (the gauntlets) to the mix and you are rocking out hard! If this was great twinking excursion I would twink each legionary a Sigon's Guard and a Sigon's Gage.
The 1.10 sets are generally a bit more high-level and I doubt an experimental variant group has the time and patience to go MF'ing for anything. Yet there are a few points of interests here and there:
The Disciple:
This set is pretty much only known for one of it's items. The absurdly powerful Laying of Hands gloves. Except for the armor all items are allowed, but the partial bonii are really not that noticable.
Orphan's Call:
Again a set with only one item of real interest. The item I am talking about is Whitstans Guard. I mean, that block rate is just plain SICK! It is round, so it could be called a scutum and be placed on the centurion or standard bearer.
With regard to uniques I have only looked on the categories that has restrictions on them or the allowed weapon types, so I am not going into a discussion about boots for example. I have disregarded all ladder only items. I know all elite items are probably pointless to discuss since they'll probably never show up, but I have included them anyway:
Helmets:
Coif of Glory (normal):
Hit blinds target + javelins... mmmmm...
Rockstopper (exceptional):
I would seriously consider allowing skull caps for legionaries if one of these showed up.
Stealskull (exceptional):
Good mods, including dual leech, but none of the values are astronomical.
Steelshade (elite):
Has some fire absorb, which is always nice.
Crowns:
Crown of Thieves (exceptional):
A bit of life steal, and the stats are actually quite generous.
Crown of Ages (elite):
All purpose helm with some awesome mods such as the damage reduction. It even has some holes for further customisation. Good luck finding one though.
Armors (this category seriously made me consider to include studded leathers as well, they could be some kind of bady made scale or something):
The Centurion (normal):
I know it's only a hard leather armor, but the name is just so appropriate.
Twitchthroe (normal):
One of the reasons I want to include studded leathers. It would look damn fine on one of the legionaries.
Hawkmail (normal):
The cannot be frozen mod is somewhat interesting for a legionary who must take the brunt of the enemy assault and still be standing.
Venom Ward (normal):
At least one of the officers is not going to worry about poison for a while.
Iceblink (normal):
Freezing one's targets is always good for a melee char. Any corpse requiring skills? No? Good!
Crow Caw (exceptional):
A melee fighters dream.
Duriel's Shell (exceptional):
There is going to be great argument if this one shows up. Should the centurion wear it allowing him to act more bravely in combat situations or should it be used to protect the oh so precious standard bearer.
Skullder's Ire (exceptional):
Well it got + to all skills and Magic Find... Mind you, the whole magic find deal reminds me more of a raiding party than a highly disciplined Roman legion.
The Gladiator's Bane (elite):
The second reason I want to include studded leathers. The armor even has a roman-themed name.
Arkaine's Valor (elite):
What's to say. It's Arkaine's Valor. Not that we are ever going to find one...
Shields:
Umbral Disk (normal):
Too bad you can't give it to the legionaries, with it's hit blinds target and all.
Stormguild (normal):
Darn nifty for being but a normal quality item. This is probably a better size for a scutum.
Bverrit Keep (normal):
A tower shield with a block increase, but I still bet you can get better stuff on the Rares market.
Moser's Blessed Circle (exceptional):
A neat little high-block shield for the centurion. Even comes with a few spaces for modification.
Stormchaser (exceptional):
The first item I refer to as a scutum that is actually called a scutum ingame. I don't really know what to say about it's mods though.
Gerke's Sanctuary (exceptional):
Wow, a highblock tower shield, how infinetely nice! The other mods aren't shabby either. Kinda weird you never hear about this item. It's almost like a poor man's Stormshield.
Blackoak Shield (elite):
Cool litte thing. Why is it that it is the small shields that get all the cool mods?
Javelins:
There are only elite unique javelins (which we'll never find). Demon's Arch is pretty darn scary though.
Gladii:
Rixot's Keen (normal):
Has crushing blow, but crap damage.
Culwen's Point (normal):
One of the best normal quality unique swords out there. Still it's damage is insufficient in the long run. Give it to the centurion.
Bloodletter (exceptional):
Too bad Whirlwind is among the prohibited skills. The rest could be useful on a legionary though.
The Atlantean (exceptional):
+ 2 paladin skill levels and the damage isn't shabby either. Great sword for the centurion.
Staves:
Serpent Lord (normal):
The standard bearer could use it to leech back a bit of mana, but isn't it a bit rude to beat people over the head with the Standard of the Roman Empire.
The Salamander (normal):
The + 2 to fire skills actually work on druid fire skills too. Perfect!
Ribcracker (exceptional):
Again I find it highly awkward to use the battle standard as an actual melee weapon.
Skull collector (exceptional):
All the mods are useful for any spellcaster, regardless of class. The skills and increas maximum mana are awesome, and the MF is quite wicked too.
Ondal's Wisdom (elite):
Not that we are ever going to find one, but it would be kinda neat as the centurion's ceremonial staff.