Help with Drake/Balrog Tank Build

[scippy]

I have been trying to build a super tanky drake and balrog and I think i need some help with understanding tank items and their relation to physical and spell resistance.

 

I wanted my drake to have a high spell resistance and high physical resistance because usually there are aa and spell dps units in every pub. I do not think I fully understand the relationship between armor and physical resistance, so if someone could explain that would be great. Also, if I get a 20% spell resistance item, such as electric mantle, and I am at 23 spell resistance, do I then go to 43? Sometimes it appears that it is not an absolute increase. Wasn't use if it was dependent on something.

 

So far with drake I use roughly the following item build

 

buckler - miners goggles - sustainer - make khoral, organic carapace, spell buffer, chilling artifact, scythe, DST

 

This build usually gives me about 70 to 80% resistance for spell and physical dmg and 4k to 5k hp.

 

Somtimes I think i should incorporate electric for the strength and spell rather than scythe, but I like the extra armor scythe gives. I also sometimes think maybe barbed would be better than chilling but i like the slow down of chilling. Phantom is expensive and I admit I don't think i understand that item well. I feel like the passive doesn't suit a tank. I tend to build using passive uniques cause im lazy. lol

 

Talent 2-3-1

Weapon dmg

weapon speed

fitness

spell resistance

armor

200 energy

[Lios]

Super tanky, why get damage and weapon speed ? Just get that Op fortify and then everything's done.

[Mus]

Spell Resistance:

 

 

This is the easier of the two to understand. The best way to wrap your head around this is to think about reducing the incoming spell damage.

 

For example, having a spell resistance of 20% will reduce incoming spell damage by 20%, so if we denote incoming spell damage by x and the actual damage taken by y,

 

y = 0.8*x

 

This is how to express a 20% reduction.

 

 

Now on to stacking spell resistances, just think about taking each spell resistance source that you have (items, potions, talents etc) and applying them to the incoming spell damage one by one.

 

For example, lets say you have a 20% spell resist item and a 10% spell resist potion. Is the total spell resist going to be 30%? No.

 

The contribution from the 20% is y_1 = 0.8*x

 

The contribution from the 10% is y_2 = 0.9*x

 

So the total is given by y = 0.8*0.9*x, which works out to be 28% spell resistance.

 

 

Physical Resistance:

 

 

 

 

This is a little bit harder to understand.

 

Each point of armour will grant +3% physical resistance, which means that any incoming physical damage is reduced by 3%.

 

So if we denote incoming physical damage by x, physical damage taken by y and assuming that we have one point in armour then

 

y = 0.97*x

 

For a general amount of armour, z say, this equation generalises to

 

y = (0.97^z)*x

 

 

 

Some items and talents do give physical resistance directly, rather than through armour. If you have understood how spell resistance works then you will automatically understand how these particular physical resistance items and talents work.

 

For example, let's say that we have an item that grants 20% physical resistance, a potion that grants 10% physical resistance and that we also have 15 armour.

 

Then the damage taken is given by

 

y = 0.8*0.9*(0.97^15)*x

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a good understanding of maths then I can simply write out the general equations for resistance stacking. Most people tend to prefer examples though.

[ginosaji]

Your build seems fine, but i would replace Sliptide for Lifetech nanosuit.

 

Also talents should usually be 0-3-3 with Health, spell resist, Armor, Swiftness, Youth, Wealth.

 

I usually go treasure, goggles right off the start, then buckler.

[Sphynx]

In interesting item on tanks is also Silversoul. +10 health regen, movement speed, an active for increased movement, and 20% spell resist. Its a pretty sweet item.

 

Also on Drake, Items that regen counter his martyr making it less damaging to himself.

 

I enjoy early Silversoul/DST on Drake for that reason (+17.5 Health regen)

 

(P.S. Agree with Gino's build. For a newer player LT, Buckler then goggles. If you want to play yourself a little squishier, but for more money, LT, Goggles then buckler)

Edited December 6, 2013 by Sphynx

[ginosaji]

In interesting item on tanks is also Silversoul. +10 health regen, movement speed, an active for increased movement, and 20% spell resist. Its a pretty sweet item.

 

Also on Drake, Items that regen counter his martyr making it less damaging to himself.

 

I enjoy early Silversoul/DST on Drake for that reason (+17.5 Health regen)

 

(P.S. Agree with Gino's build. For a newer player LT, Buckler then goggles. If you want to play yourself a little squishier, but for more money, LT, Goggles then buckler)

 

Yea, the movespeed is great, but is it worth 300-400 HP(Can't remember which) and the passive you get from lifetech?

[John]

If you want supertanky, u need to include fortify.

 

I'd go 1,4,1 talents.

[atomheartman]

If you want supertanky, u need to include fortify.

 

I'd go 1,4,1 talents.

 

No way, John - you are using movement talent on Drake? What about experimental gangsta-drake with 0-6-0 talents?

And 1 off talent for what? for damage?

[Ancientmagicks]

I noticed you didn't include nitrogen. Can accomplish kind of the same thing as chilling with it but more hp and the int is nice for your ulti. Also I like to go LT-goggles-SHM. I like shm bc I dont max martyr off the bat, one point in it till around lvl 10 or so. Ihans it's good if you can manage it early enough, the stacks will give you an extra 300 permanent hp, plus the heal its always useful