New tamer - question about DCI in PvM

[Seismic]

I'm relatively new to taming (used to have tamer on previous account back in 2001) since AoS, etc and have a question:

I just got an AoF drop from doom and will build a luck/LRC suit around it but how important is DCI for a PvM tamer?

I guess I'll be running a Greater Dragon to start but to be honest, would like to move to a more fun combo (bake/beetle) in the near future once I master the "art" of playing a tamer.

Input on the mechanics and benefits of DCI for a tamer in PvM *only* please?

 

[RichDC]

To be honest, very little.

The thing is your not going to be rolling with a -mage weapon, eventually you will want to be using the vesper shield and a luckblade/adventurers machete. Even if you stick with the Jaanas staff or swords of proserity your enemies quite often have higher than 120melee skill.

but although you will have almost 0 defensive skill. Basically you have awesome PvM defense chance, its called (insert GD name here) and invis spell/confusion blast pots.

If you want to focus on luck(which i did), focus on luck and LRC first. Then build up luck and LMC, then try to add MR as well.

So far ive kinda gone against what ive just told you, i have about 25%LMC but everypiece(except hat and chest of course) has MR2 on it.

 

[Old Man of UO]

To be honest, very little.

The thing is your not going to be rolling with a -mage weapon, eventually you will want to be using the vesper shield and a luckblade/adventurers machete. Even if you stick with the Jaanas staff or swords of proserity your enemies quite often have higher than 120melee skill.

but although you will have almost 0 defensive skill. Basically you have awesome PvM defense chance, its called Defensive Wrestling and invis spell/confusion blast pots.

If you want to focus on luck(which i did), focus on luck and LRC first. Then build up luck and LMC, then try to add MR as well.

So far ive kinda gone against what ive just told you, i have about 25%LMC but everypiece(except hat and chest of course) has MR2 on it.

I kinda disagree, DCI can be a big help in champ spawns, especially when the next level spawns and you are stuck in the middle of it trying to drag your pet out.

There are several mage weapons with -0 penalty, nice to be carrying, except they are two handed. If can find a one-handed -20 MW weapon and jewelry to negate the penalty, a better shield would be a bloodwood enhanced wooden shield with 15 DCI, SC no penalty, and HP 2 regen (I collect these ). Or enhance a wooden/metal shield with +40 luck if that is really important too you, or other material for resist bonuses. Lots of options.

But if you can fit DCI into your tamer suit and still get the resists and LRC, I think it is a great thing to have.

 

[RichDC]

I noticed you highlighted defensive wrestle, my tamer who is solely PvM has 0 defensive wrestle, he has 0 eval and 0 anatomy.

Depending on the template and for pvm, defensive wrestle isnt really going to be a factor. Luck at champs has no effect except for the loot on the final boss, well and the high end spawn but who really has time to loot.

As such the majority of the places where luck is going to play a factor(doom and peerless)if they want to hit you, they are going to hit you, 60 defensive or 70 if human is not going to do anything even with 45%DCI against a 140wrestle monster.

But your points are valid about champs, it does help the low level spawns...a little, i will still maintain that a well timed confusion pot and invis/honour/ethy voyage(i use sw) will help drag your pets clear even at the highest level spawn.

 

[Old Man of UO]

...
But your points are valid about champs, it does help the low level spawns...a little, i will still maintain that a well timed confusion pot and invis/honour/ethy voyage(i use sw) will help drag your pets clear even at the highest level spawn.

Heh...I'm still try to get over the panic of getting hit by three spell casters at once when the spawn changes, don't even think about the confusion pots and invis. That's a good suggestion... but you still have to make it out of the spawn if you want to save your pet before it dies.

 

[RichDC]

Let it die!!!

Nah joking, honour...run...invis..make sure coast is clear...pet summon! If your fast and your pets got enough resist(and the rng doesnt go horribly against you) he should be alive.

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

Me, I tend to value DCI slightly more than I do Resists.

Reading here there is the indication that DCI can be 75? I was told elsewhere the cap was 45.

Anywho, with a DCI of 45 (On Test Server were all the Arties and gobs of resources are) it is fairly simple for me to hit the DCI 45/Mage Weapon -0+Swords of Prosperity.

It was explained (not saying the explanation or my understanding was right), that the Mage -0 Swords of Prosperity+100+ Magery was equivalent, defensively to me being a, for example, GM Wrestler/Fencer etc.

Meaning that I have a 45 percent to avoid the mob attack, a 100+ chance to Block and then my resists mitigate the damage accordingly.

My experience (yes it is subjective) is that with a DCI 45, Mage -0 + 100+Magery and I end up NOT being hit nearly as often. Now I can have nearly a perfect 70 resists suit on Test vs a most high 50's to low 60's on my Production shard. What I see is that I am hit just about as often but more often than not for more on Production than on Test.

What I see is that I am hit MORE often without the SoP than with SoP.

What I see is that I am hit MORE often without DCI than with DCI.

Keep in mind all of the above is subjective.

 

[Old Man of UO]

...
Reading here there is the indication that DCI can be 75? I was told elsewhere the cap was 45.

... a 100+ chance to Block and then my resists mitigate the damage accordingly.

...

What I see is that I am hit MORE often without the SoP than with SoP.

What I see is that I am hit MORE often without DCI than with DCI.

...

You've got most of it right with your subjective testing. Except the hard cap is 45 DCI, and the extra DCI above that is useful when you use Divine Fury (chivalry) or get hit with hit-lower-defense (PvP), and then you are still at the max DCI.

You don't have 100% chance to block hits, and the meaner the monster the greater the chance it will hit you. If I remember correctly, some have 160 weapon/wrestling skills, dragons certainly have 130+ wrestling.

But the last part about the Swords of Prosperity is what I've been saying, DCI will protect your mage with a Mage Weapon -0 penalty.

 

[RichDC]

That is true, all i was saying is that unless your INCREADIBLY lucky and (as the op said hes building a luck suit) can hit a 160luck sc no pen mage weap adventurers machete/luckblade, you arent going to gain any defense chance as you will have 0 weapon skill(depending on template). That being said most decent luck suits for a tamer are going to instantly have 35DCI. AOF, Vesper shield and quiver.

On a sheer luck suit thats going to be the cap for DCI, rings are going to be the Turn in set to negate the -casting on the shield and the hat will be jesters, legs 140luck. So on a luck suit you will have 35%DCI anyway but no way to actually use it(unless you have eval then you can have 60-70 defensive wrestle)