Winners and Losers part. 2.

Ok, just a quick rehash of the Augments that are available, then I am going to go over a couple of potential sets of Augments that you could create.

First, the Augments again.

Ok, lets go piece by piece shall we?

Nuevo Coselete first.

The Replacement Haubergeon option: Adding the Attack and Accuracy would essentially create a Haub with an additional +5 VIT which could be used for Steel Cyclone by a WAR. This set of Augments could save you some gil but that is about it, and if you have any number of other pieces for meleeing or WSing in then although it is the most obvious choice, it will likely be one of the least taken. The exception for this is DRG, which could use a Haubergeon-style body piece because they have nothing similar available.

The WAR/NIN option: This would combine the accuracy with the dual-wield option. Sure it would lack the attack of the Haubergeon option, but that is probably nothing compared to another 3% dual wield. With the /NIN bonus, the Suppanomimi and this bonus there would be a definite reduction of swing speed. I know that not many WAR's go /NIN anymore, but if you do then this is something to consider.

The Valor What? option: Adding enmity and fast cast to this body piece would have a great effect for PLD's. More enmity than Valor, and an additional bonus that you don't get on Valor. It has a decent HP bonus and the other stats can help with other melee/WS if you should want that. In the end you could probably add a decent selection of options to compliment the enmity bonus, like accuracy and get something decent out of the piece.

The Accurate Askar option: The problem with Askar is that it doesn't have any accuracy at all on it, which can work against some of the jobs that need it for the Store TP for a 6-hit build. Getting the accuracy and Store TP/Subtle Blow options can get you very close to fulfilling or actually surpassing your needs to get to a six-hit build. For a SAM with Usukane feet it might make a Sword Strap build viable depending on the amount of Store TP used during WS's (I am not sure on that, I haven't done the math). The point is that with some adjustment these Augments could cause this piece to replace Askar or Aurum.

The Scorpion Harness +2 option: I suppose you could use the accuracy and evasion for something that you might want to try soloing with, like in Campaign or with mobs low enough were an E-skill in evasion could benefit from the extra evasion. I do really see it, but I am sure that someone will.

The If-it-looks-to-good-to-be-true option: This would be anything that has the additional crit hit or the additional DA on it. This is because while either of these may be beneficial on some other piece where you don't get a choice they are probably not that great in comparison to the other options available. If you are properly built to take advantage of the crit bonus it might be an option with say the accuracy, but that would be for pretty much perfectly built players that probably already have another option that is better available to them.

Finally, the Jess option: That would be getting this piece and putting the magic accuracy and magic attack on it for your DRK spells. :) Obsessive of perfection in totality. :)

Next up we have the lighter geared DD/Ranged DD. They get the Mirke Waldecors. Now, you might say that the first piece for the heavy melee is the best piece available but I think this one might be better.

The merited RNG option: This would use either the Ranged Accuracy or the Ranged Attack and then the Snapshot +5%. A good RNG with Snapshot and Archery merits could really take advantage of this situation, combined with the relatively new (I don't have one yet) Quadav head from the SCNM. This would pretty substantially reduce delay on Ranged Attacks.

The unmerited RNG option: This would be the category I fall into until they raise the cap on combat merits, and I will in all likelihood be picking up this piece with these stats, which is to get Ranged Accuracy and Ranged Attack. I really don't know the mathematics on ranged attacks as well as I know the melee calculations, so I don't know if this will be better that Osode in most situations, but I do know that I do have to use Sushi to have reliable accuracy on end-game mobs. This would help out in any situation were I would like to use meat in general, and it may increase my accuracy enough so that I can land those Sidewinders on end-game mobs. I don't know if it will be better than Osode for TP build, but I do know that it will help me in the situations that I find most frustrating on RNG.

The Can-I-get-to-a-six-hit-build-without-/SAM option: If you get the r. accuracy, r. attack or even the Snapshot, you could add the Store TP/Subtle Blow option to it and see if you can get to a six-hit build without having to sub SAM. Like everything else here, I haven't checked the math to see if it would work because there are too many different situations to worry about it right now.

The Don't forget the Corsairs option: Ranged Accuracy and the Quick Draw delay reduction seems to be a pretty potent option for COR. I know that Cel was happy enough about this option to stop worrying about trying to get a Denali body for her COR.

After the ranged DD considerations there are the lighter-geared melee options.

The Scorpion Harness +3 option: This is a place where that accuracy and evasion could actually come in handy for something. The two jobs that could benefit from this are NIN and THF. The accuracy is always helpful for dual-wielders, and the evasion is great for solo and low-man, but the additional AGI would help with a bit more evasion, and also for procing those parries too. The DEX helps that much more with accuracy and the STR is not too bad either, and for THF and NIN this also makes for a very good WS piece, especially THF that can benefit from all three of the stats for different WS, SA or TA conditions.

The Ninja Body +2 option: This would get the Accuracy and the Dual-Wield option. Yes, it is less Dual Wield than than NIN AF +1 body, but the Accuracy and DEX help to make up for a lot of that. If I was still a main NIN or even if I was a THF main this would be one of the most tempting options. The accuracy would almost definitely help to make up for any decrease in Dual Wield while letting meat become a decent option depending what your other gear looks like.

The Wannabe-Haub option: This would just toss the accuracy and attack on this body piece, which would be good for pretty much all of the jobs on this piece besides NIN and BST because they don't have access to a Haub.

The Enhanced Senj option: This would probably be NIN only but some combination with the critical hit bonus. I wouldn't suggest it really but it is still an option that could benefit someone that was set up to take advantage of the situation.

Finally, the Pet option: This would include any of the plethora of pet amplifications available from this armor. Iz was pretty happy about the options so I am going to say that they are probably pretty good, but what do I know? LOL

Tomorrow we will talk about the mage version which is rather less impressive than the other two options.