S2 Shield wall v. S3 Barrier v. S3 Shield Wall

[Blaen99]

/discuss?

I have the S2 shield wall as it is. I'll be able to pick up either the S3 Barier or S3 shield wall - but are either worth it?

I'm personally leaning towards the Barrier, but the S3 Shield Wall is also looking pretty nice. I also have the S2 mace, but the S3 mace is an option (It's a decently sexy upgrade imo)

What's everyone else going after as for gear options?

[Stylaan]

/discuss?

I have the S2 shield wall as it is. I'll be able to pick up either the S3 Barier or S3 shield wall - but are either worth it?

I'm personally leaning towards the Barrier, but the S3 Shield Wall is also looking pretty nice. I also have the S2 mace, but the S3 mace is an option (It's a decently sexy upgrade imo)

What's everyone else going after as for gear options?

If you have the rating, S3 Mace is a bigger upgrade (possibly the best tanking weapon in the game period).

S3 Barrier is meh. Most spell damage shields are 'meh'.

T6 content shields are better and the MGSW will last you throughout T5 content. I'd save your points imo.

[Dorvan]

You'll need to get 1850 personal rating for the S3 shields, but they're both pretty nice. I'd go S3 shield wall for a primary shield, S3 barrier for a threat shield (non-primary).

[Blaen99]

Personal Rating's not the problem, I can get it to 1850+ on demand.

<3 Stylaan - that the official theorycrafter's stance?

IIRC, it's +22 spell damage, +3 sta/int, +2 spell hit? For 3150 arena points?

(Edit) Note that I have the S2 mace as well.

[Dorvan]

I'd say the S3 is nice, but certainly not a must-have, especially with the accessibility of the ZA mace. Personally I'd go for a shield first.

[Stylaan]

Personal Rating's not the problem, I can get it to 1850+ on demand.

<3 Stylaan - that the official theorycrafter's stance?

IIRC, it's +22 spell damage, +3 sta/int, +2 spell hit? For 3150 arena points?

(Edit) Note that I have the S2 mace as well.

It's got the highest SD, and has resilience

It has less Spell hit (-5) and less Sta (-3) than the Hammer of Judgement.

Spell hit will benefit HS and JoR threat, SD will benefit HS, JoR, Cons, and SoR threat.

I haven't mathed anything up though to compare it with the Hyjal mace, on paper it looks like the better weapon from a threat perspective.

If you have the spare points, by all means go for the VGSW. It's a very strong shield, but the T6 shields are better in fights where you don't need Resilience (IE non-resistance based fights) and would prefer better defensive stats.

[Stylaan]

I'd say the S3 is nice, but certainly not a must-have, especially with the accessibility of the ZA mace. Personally I'd go for a shield first.

The way I see it:

The Shield is a more noticable upgrade over MGSW, but the Gavel is possibly irreplacable in its slot.

[Blaen99]

I'd say the S3 is nice, but certainly not a must-have, especially with the accessibility of the ZA mace. Personally I'd go for a shield first.

I have S2, Dorvan. IMNSHO, the ZA mace is at best a sidegrade to it.

It's got the highest SD, and has resilience

It has less Spell hit (-5) and less Sta (-3) than the Hammer of Judgement.

Spell hit will benefit HS and JoR threat, SD will benefit HS, JoR, Cons, and SoR threat.

I haven't mathed anything up though to compare it with the Hyjal mace, on paper it looks like the better weapon from a threat perspective.

If you have the spare points, by all means go for the VGSW. It's a very strong shield, but the T6 shields are better in fights where you don't need Resilience (IE non-resistance based fights) and would prefer better defensive stats.

This is a very interesting perspective. I did not think of it this way.

Is there any true upgrades over the S3 mace? Tempest of Chaos, perhaps?

[Melathys]

It seems to me, for each corresponding tier, the arena maces are the best tanking weapons.

I know we don't really concern ourselves with resilience for pve, but...we don't count on the weapon for defensive stats. While the spell damage is outstanding, they have resilience, which gives us some gear flexability elsewhere by allowing us to drop below 490 in favor of avoidance or spell damage. ie, could drop defense rating trinket for spell damage trinket, drop defense rating ring for spell damage ring, (replace spell damage with whatever other stat you might want, etc etc)

[Stylaan]

I'd say the S3 is nice, but certainly not a must-have, especially with the accessibility of the ZA mace. Personally I'd go for a shield first.

I have S2, Dorvan. IMNSHO, the ZA mace is at best a sidegrade to it.

It's got the highest SD, and has resilience

It has less Spell hit (-5) and less Sta (-3) than the Hammer of Judgement.

Spell hit will benefit HS and JoR threat, SD will benefit HS, JoR, Cons, and SoR threat.

I haven't mathed anything up though to compare it with the Hyjal mace, on paper it looks like the better weapon from a threat perspective.

If you have the spare points, by all means go for the VGSW. It's a very strong shield, but the T6 shields are better in fights where you don't need Resilience (IE non-resistance based fights) and would prefer better defensive stats.

This is a very interesting perspective. I did not think of it this way.

Is there any true upgrades over the S3 mace? Tempest of Chaos, perhaps?

ToC is a stronger threat weapon, I would prefer the S3 Gavel over ToC and HoJ if I was given only a choice of one of the three due to the resilience being paramount on resistance fights.

[Blaen99]

I'd say the S3 is nice, but certainly not a must-have, especially with the accessibility of the ZA mace. Personally I'd go for a shield first.

I have S2, Dorvan. IMNSHO, the ZA mace is at best a sidegrade to it.

It's got the highest SD, and has resilience

It has less Spell hit (-5) and less Sta (-3) than the Hammer of Judgement.

Spell hit will benefit HS and JoR threat, SD will benefit HS, JoR, Cons, and SoR threat.

I haven't mathed anything up though to compare it with the Hyjal mace, on paper it looks like the better weapon from a threat perspective.

If you have the spare points, by all means go for the VGSW. It's a very strong shield, but the T6 shields are better in fights where you don't need Resilience (IE non-resistance based fights) and would prefer better defensive stats.

This is a very interesting perspective. I did not think of it this way.

Is there any true upgrades over the S3 mace? Tempest of Chaos, perhaps?

ToC is a stronger threat weapon, I would prefer the S3 Gavel over ToC and HoJ if I was given only a choice of one of the three due to the resilience being paramount on resistance fights.

IIRC, isn't ToC the only threat upgrade over S3 however?

That's just amazing. S3 mace it is first - maybe S3 shield if I feel like it.