Pikeman Archive

For PvE any armor that has high kinetic resists is good, because most mobs do kinetic type damage.

For PVE I use adv ubese, my current suit is 68% Kinetic and I got a great ecubmer slice on most alll of it so the ham costs are very low, which is important since our specials have such high costs.

I see other swordsman running aournd in full composite sometimes too but i don't usually recommend it becuase the ham cost are sooo high. it is vital though if your going to pvp, especially against a commando or BH who will one shot kill you if you don't got it.

an armor is not always usefull, but against some high level mob it is try killing kungas without armor... if you miss intimidate you'r dead =)

You can reach master without any armor, I did it a long time ago without any problem. But some mob are really really easier with an armor, for exemple voritor tracker, picket protector, etc, etc.

Ubese offer good protection vs kinetic, but is ugly.

Composit offer good protection vs all exept stun, but is heavier than ubese. Buying a completly HAM sliced composite armor can be very expensive.

I use a padded armor with two kinetic layers. It's almost as heavy as a composit without layer and protections are not very good, but the look is really great !

I don't put on armor. I am currently Swordman 2,4,4,3. But If I can find a good set, I might consider putting it on.

Idon't wear armor unless the target is above 10k ham and has high resists to kinetic, thenI use kinetic layered ubese, change to the PH, and simpily, out endure the target most of the time....

There are occasions when I take off my armor, like when a pet is doing a reasonable job of tanking, etc. and I wanna crank off as many specials as possible. For the most part though, I wear a full suit of 50% composite and am very satisfied. Face it, we have some of the longer delays even with speed bonuses so...we take damage. When taking damage at all, the armor is essential. You do have to modify your style with it somewhat though.

I am a Zabrak at Swordsman 3444 and I tend to open with a mind bleed/power hammer, then switch to a 1.9 spd 2H curved and do normals, keeping the MOB intimidated always and often warcried. Those 3K bleeds take stuff down quick enough one at a time. If multiple MOBs, spice up and area them to death with a dmg sliced 2H cleaver.

-Crazy'Horse

Yes, use armor!! For working your way up to master, a set of ubese with high kinetic is good. You can lighten it up by using mabari gloves and helmet if you want.

Later on, if you start going after stuff that likes to shoot as well as melee, I'd suggestafull set of composite. It's heavy.

My set, even withmostly encumbrance slices,leavesme with double digit secondaries. To fight effectively, you'll needbuffs of some sort: docbuffs /food /spice...take your pick.

Me personally I never use armor, ever... period. Its encumbrances suck at hurts my regen rate, the only time I use or have used armor was when I fought a Gorax and some Krayts. But I generally take it off anyway, I find that armor doesnt really protect me all that much anyway, because with a few 2-hand hit 3 my health is half gone anyway!!!!!!

Ewaene Yta

Master Heavy Swordsman

Master Creature Handler

Medic

Ok that's another very effective way to fight: with pets. Currently, the most effective and durable armor you can get in the game is found on pets.

However, if you decide to use personal armor, I can vouch for the effectiveness of 50% or better composite. Without it, I wouldn't have beat the tusken warlord that hit me with something called 'scatter shiiak' for 2736 damage.

Ok i am a nerd crafter and i made my self a set of krayt bone armor. 31% energy and 5% in everything but stun (restraint and elec 16%). I love it cuz it gives me the light armor rating (which on non armor piercing mobs it automatically reduces damage by half) and with the low ham costs i regen a at a reasonable rate. I also use my ham reduced composite (i can wear all but 2 pieces). When soloing its the composite all the way, when grouped or with pets taking with me, i use the bone armor.

I have doctor 0-4-3-0, master brawler, soon to be master swordsman and wear advanced 70% kinetic ubese. I just keep myself buffed at all times and laugh as I fight almost any mob in the game. I only use my power hammer and just destroy creatures' mind pools. HAM costs are irrelevant.

Why does it matter if the secondary stats for Heath and Action are low? You'll use a stimpack on yourself anyway for those two, so why not use armor? I've got a decent set of armor and I just take off my helmet when needed for my mind to regenerate. I honestly see only upsides for armor.

throw in a 30% kinetic resist Personal shield generator,

they break quickly, i fought 6 herds of like 8-10 gualamas, and they broke one of my PSG's, but i also prevented an extra 40% damage getting through for ABSOLUTELY NO HAM COSTS!

now, i'm also a master armorsmith so these are practically free for me, no biggie. Find someone selling them for 5-10k. NEVER buy a PSG for more then 10,000, they are ripping you off.

You'll need 6 anyways just to be sure that one of them has random kinetic when you want to fight! They shift constantly as you cross server boundaries, which isretarded and a HUGE BUG the dev's have liked to ignore so they can add new stuff instead of fixing stuff, but still, a 40% reduction in damage for zero ham costs, you can't beat that. Plus if you combine that with advanced ubese... you're sitting pretty.

Don't listen to those that tell you armor is completely useless, i'm a swordswoman/armorsmith, and while padded/composite is too heavy, i find ubese to be PERFECT for melee classes, lower ham, and really, an elite swordsman should not rely on spamming specials all the time. With armor, you don't have to...