Defense vs Block Strength leveling

[MaximB]

Is it worth it to "level up" both defense and block strength?
Or only concentrate on only one of them?
Is there a "better"? or it's based on your hero's perks?

[Ulyaoth]

Hi,

IMO in general offense is the better defense, so normaly I banish all defensive traits, if they dont suit my build.
I would vote Defense higher than Block, since Block is a chance and you are unlikely to increase Block to high numbers under normal conditions.
Defense will reduce damage on every hit though.

There are some very fun build relating on Defense, Block or both, which makes you almost immortal, while dealing insane amounts of damage while getting hit or block attacks.

Cheers!

[Sire]

Personally, I tend to focus on offensive stats first, then picking up Max HP, HP Regen, and Swift Feet (Movement Speed) for defensive purposes.
-- I also typically banish Block and Bulwark, although I do keep Defense around to invest in later near the endgame.
-- In other words, I prioritize HP, Regen, and Movement over Defense and Block for my defensive stats.

In terms of your question, Defense > Block. Defense always works as a damage reduction, and while Block can be fun as it nullifies all damage, it doesn't seem as effective as it used to be.
-- Also, as Ulyaoth said, there are some builds that are defensive in nature that work really well, but typically the classic "kill them before they kill you" tends to be the most effective.

[sanguinae666]

Depends on the character, you need to look at what each character is good at and create a build around it.

[Kampish]

Origineel geplaatst door MaximB:

Is it worth it to "level up" both defense and block strength?
Or only concentrate on only one of them?
Is there a "better"? or it's based on your hero's perks?

unless you're running block gloves that have a 50% chance to hit a target or running on paladin block is kinda dumb. that being said, if youre focusing a block build, you need defense regardless. while block is a % chance based on damage you take your defense lowers the damage you take which technically increases your block chance. if youre lucky to get the uncommon version of those block gloves....on the priest its overpowered if you build into it.

[Ulyaoth]

Origineel geplaatst door Kampish:

while block is a % chance based on damage you take your defense lowers the damage you take which technically increases your block chance

Block is calculated BEFORE damage reduction, so defense has no influence on block chance.

[Kampish]

Origineel geplaatst door Ulyaoth:

Origineel geplaatst door Kampish:

while block is a % chance based on damage you take your defense lowers the damage you take which technically increases your block chance

Block is calculated BEFORE damage reduction, so defense has no influence on block chance.

well hopfully then that gets changed because thats dumb. even still if block, still also defense.

[sanguinae666]

Getting some block in defense builds isn't too bad either, as we'll be taking bulkward, some of the character traits have both defense and block and we have the passive block from the blessing anyway, so you don't need to much to have a 50% chance to block less than 100-120 damage.
Finally the only reason I see to focus just on block is to make a block shield maiden, I don't remember exactly the ammount but you could get around 230-260+ block... but It kind of triggers me that making this kind of build focusing on block and taking the shield traits instead of the maze but.... the maze attack damage is still around 4-6 times higher than the shield bash... I think there are 2 factors here, 1st, fencer gloves seems to be triggering maze attack instead of shield bash, 2nd, the scale on damage of shield bash is stupidly low, they need to increase the multiplier in shield bash from the block.

[Ulyaoth]

Origineel geplaatst door sanguinae666:

Shield Bash is just the bonus here.
Key damage is the Mace itself and you can always pick both Traits to make your Mace Attacks insane powerful.

[sanguinae666]

Origineel geplaatst door Ulyaoth:

Origineel geplaatst door sanguinae666:

Shield Bash is just the bonus here.
Key damage is the Mace itself and you can always pick both Traits to make your Mace Attacks insane powerful.

It shoudn't be a bonus, if there is a character with 2 different attacks, one based on pure damage and another based on block, why if you make a whole build with every equipment, trait and block related thing and it's still better the other attack... it's stupid, why create a whole mechanic around something that it's better ignored? Then it's much better to make a full build around life, defense, pure damage and instead of using fender gloves use thornfists.

[Ulyaoth]

Origineel geplaatst door sanguinae666:

As an example, why its not that bad:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3047120577
It is almost on par with Echoing Band, which deals alot more flat damage, since it triggers from the mace, that has insane scaling.
But to reach that point in general, the Shield Bash itself makes a very good support, until the Mace is strong enough.
Same with the Hound from Beast Huntress, which will help if enemies get to close, or Norseman's Frost Nova, which will clear whole groups now and then.

All of those secondary weapons loose their value the longer the run takes, but in the beginning they will help to survive.

So IMO they can stay as they are.
Removing them would cripple those Chars even more, what would result in more complain.
Buffing those would end up making those three chars way more powerful compared to the rest.

[sanguinae666]

Origineel geplaatst door Ulyaoth:

Origineel geplaatst door sanguinae666:

As an example, why its not that bad:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3047120577
It is almost on par with Echoing Band, which deals alot more flat damage, since it triggers from the mace, that has insane scaling.
But to reach that point in general, the Shield Bash itself makes a very good support, until the Mace is strong enough.
Same with the Hound from Beast Huntress, which will help if enemies get to close, or Norseman's Frost Nova, which will clear whole groups now and then.

All of those secondary weapons loose their value the longer the run takes, but in the beginning they will help to survive.

So IMO they can stay as they are.
Removing them would cripple those Chars even more, what would result in more complain.
Buffing those would end up making those three chars way more powerful compared to the rest.

I think having more options is better than just be content with doing allways the single meta build.

[Ulyaoth]

Origineel geplaatst door sanguinae666:

I think having more options is better than just be content with doing allways the single meta build.

Agreed.
This is why I dont care for Agony V or the strongest builds.
You can do alot of fun stuff just with Potions.

Compared to the early states, the game evolved alot and allows much more build depth, what is the big charm of this game for me.
I also hope they dont stop there, but considering what happend in the past i think there is more to come.
And if not, well i had alot of fun for this tiny budget, sitting at over 500 hours.