[Armando]

I didn't think any of them looked ugly. I like the breastplate a lot, I'm sure it looks good when you actually put on armor in the other slots instead of running around with nothing but a cuirass like some sort of streaking Don Quixote. Also, people can finally shut up with asking for capes on their armor (I wish!) The ugliest thing about them are the names. Well, and the Redingote's stiff ass-flaps, but maybe they don't look so awkward when you've got your typical poofy slacks on to go with it.

In any case just be glad all 3 aren't "Just Another Retextured Armor Model." I cry a little bit on the inside every time I see Aurum armor. Freaking golden cuirass set. They should've at least gone with Darksteel.

[dirtyclown]

Oh man, this sucks. On the one hand I want to get the Mirke Waldecors for BST, but the Nuevo Coselete would make an awesome tanking piece for my PLD. This sucks. D:

[WishMaster3K]

<- Still waiting to hear what Armando would put on the gear for a HL PLD setup.

I'm leaning towards definitely going with Enmity, since neither Valor, Gallant or Koenig offers +5.

Base state difference between the popular PLD TANKING Body Pieces:

Gallant | DEF 47 / HP +20 / VIT +4 / Divine +5 / Enmity +2
Gallant +1 | DEF 55 / HP +20 / VIT +6 / Divine +8 / Enmity +2
Adaman | Def 52 / MP +8 / MND +4 / VIT +4 / Enmity +3
Gem | DEF 53 / MP +10 / VIT +5 / MND +5 / Enmity +4
Valor | DEF 55 / HP +23 / DEX +3 / Enmity +4 /
Valor +1 | DEF 56 / HP +30 / DEX +3 / Enmity +5

Nuevo Coselete | DEF 49 / HP +20 / STR +5 / DEX +5 / VIT +5

With +5 Enmity, it's already better than our AF, hands down.
It's also only 3 DEF less than Adaman, warranting a 100% replacement.
And it's only 6 DEF less than base Valor, in addition to 1 Enmity higher and 3 HP less.

What I need to see if how this gear is obtained. I'm going to go on a limb and assume it'll be easier than Relic Body and/or HQ AF, pieces that I won't see for at least 3 months of hardcore playing.

Even so, no body piece in the game gives +5 Enmity aside from Valor +1 (lol).

It also has more DEF and more AGI than Haubergeon, and doesn't worry about negative evasion. Hell, the +5 AGI will even negligibly help Shield Blocking.

I was thinking of adding Fast Cast, but that only comes into play with Flash and Utsusemi. With the current state of PLD/NIN being de facto standard in end-game tanking (allegedly), Fast Cast (+5%)+ Enmity on a body piece, would be unequaled.

In that case, with +10 ACC, I need to compare it to other pieces. It's better than Homam, and there aren't too many other PLD pieces that give Acc; mainly just attack. Amir, Askar,

But I'm a long way away from tanking as PLD/NIN end-game, and SE said you can discard and redo. So I'll cross that Fast Cast bridge when I get to it.

Acc +10 puts it at the same DEF of Homam, 5 ACC less, and 8 HP/MP less. No Triple Attack, although 1% is better than none.

Also, keep in mind that gear like Askar, I'd mostly only use for WS, not TP (and I'm a loooong way from Askar). Avalon Breastplate isn't even on my list of "things I need to get in this lifetime". Oh and next to the Avalon is the Hydra Hauberk (lolol). -20 HP is a price I'd pay exp, though, for +9 Enmity, but in the situations where +9 enmity is useful (end-game), -20 HP might not be a good idea.. And I switch body pieces a lot, so I'd rarely use the added effect from Hydra.

Enmity and Accuracy. I'll sell Adaman and Macro in AF for Flash. Or something.

[Armando]

I've been leaning torn between Acc/Attack and Acc/Enmity since I saw the stats. I'm not entirely convinced I need more enmity. But I could probably live without that 10 Attack as well, and 5 Enmity does lead to more hate than 10 Attack.

In the end I'll probably just take the Acc/Enmity.

DA/DW/Store TP/Crit are all too weak on this job for me to consider them.

[dirtyclown]

I'd consider Enhanced Fast Cast.

[Armando]

5% Fast Cast isn't too thrilling to me. The only thing I see in it is that it could be the difference between not being able to cast Utsusemi: Ichi between swings and being able to.

It'd also be one more thing to have to macro in and out.

[dirtyclown]

You'll have to Macro it in and out either way.

[WishMaster3K]

My rationale is that, end game, I'm not going to be meleeing with the intent to cause damage on a significant scale anyway, and I'm sure that I'll build up TP for Chivalry and/or Spirits Within just well and fine.

But until I'm at End-game, when the armor with Fast Cast + Enmity is an AWESOME option(no other body piece for PLD offers that, so paired with the Homam hands, legs, Dusk Feet and Turban, I think that's realistically the fastest we can cast without gear..), Enmity + Accuracy will suit me just fine. I get Def from food, so I don't mind that it's lower than pretty much

That, and I'd be that much closer to the +50 Enmity cap. Speaking of which, do Merits count towards that cap?

[Armando]

You'll have to Macro it in and out either way.

Not if I choose Acc+10/Enmity+5. I can fulltime that and get the Enmity+5 on all my hits.

That, and I'd be that much closer to the +50 Enmity cap. Speaking of which, do Merits count towards that cap?

The cap is +100 and I don't see why merits wouldn't count.

[Karinya]

What hits? You're going to take a customizable mission reward and build it for meripo?

IMO, if you're going to build it for tanking, build it for endgame tanking. In which Acc will get you jack - even if you're not kiting or using Mac+1, your damage is not a significant contributor to hate control in most cases.

Unfortunately, none of the other enhancements aside from enmity looks like much good for endgame tanking. I wonder if it's too late to beg SE for a magic defense bonus option? Enmity and MDB would be great for the right fights.

[WishMaster3K]

Originally Posted by Karinya

What hits? You're going to take a customizable mission reward and build it for meripo?

Originally Posted by WishMaster3K

I was thinking of adding Fast Cast, but that only comes into play with Flash and Utsusemi.

Originally Posted by WishMaster3K

I'm a long way away from tanking as PLD/NIN end-game, and SE said you can discard and redo. So I'll cross that Fast Cast bridge when I get to it.

I'm very rarely PLD/NIN, and even though I use Flash A LOT (Meripo and Dynamis really; I solo on RDM so that's negligable..), I'm a long way from End-Game Setup Gear mode.

For the forseeable future, I'm going to get insanely more milege out of the gear from adding Acc.

Essentially, I agree with you, Karinya; just not right now.

---------- Post added at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:07 AM ----------

Although I will say that this is only my intended plan of action. Based on how "hard" it is to do the quest to get the gear in the first place, I might second guess my choice and just opt in for Fast Cast initially.

[Akashimo]

Originally Posted by Karinya

IMO, if you're going to build it for tanking, build it for endgame tanking. In which Acc will get you jack - even if you're not kiting or using Mac+1, your damage is not a significant contributor to hate control in most cases.

You'd be surprised when most of the damage is done by the pld/nin tanks. Either way, faster they do anything above 0, which is normally the case, the more they can get TP for either Chivalry, Atonement or Spirits. All help bolster the enmity to get.

[Aksannyi]

We have done Khimairas where the Excal PLD was the only damage until about 50%. Of course we're talking relic and not your run of the mill PLD using Haute/Chainsaw/Joy, but PLDs can definitely do damage.

[Armando]

What hits? You're going to take a customizable mission reward and build it for meripo?

Isn't that being a bit close-minded? First off, I don't do HNMs and probably never will. College keeps me rather busy and I don't think I can afford to commit myself to the game like that - even if it's not an unreasonable amount of time to devote to a game.

Secondly, there's more content where a PLD can hurt a mob than content where we can't. Acc+10/Enmity+5 I can put to use anywhere from solo to merits to missions to Nyzul to BC/KSNMs to Assaults to ZNMs. And missions are what I'm really focused on right now. As long as I'm constantly engaged to the mob and doing any kind of damage, then boosting my damage isn't trivial.

Thirdly, even if I were customizing it for meripo, so what? At least it'd be a nice meripo piece. Like you said, the only other boosts worth considering seem to be the Enmity, which I'll probably end up taking anyways. Like I said, I'm just not sold on the usefulness of Fast Cast vs the other augments I could take instead.

[Malacite]

They need to bump that Store TP mod to at least +10 to make it worth using over Askar.