...I have to find some other out-of-class use for Principle.
Other than my
Wolfbarb suggestion, I can't come up with anything.
Just a friendly reminder that you left me with these two teasers.
Rain (Druid): As I mentioned, I have Rain on a Fire Druid, but the armor gently whispers, "Put me on a Windy!" My partner has a Hurricanine wearing Rain, wielding Windhammer, and equipping Carrion Wind. Fury generates a
lot of synergized Twisters. Both friedbananazzzz (
Patriarch Twister) and crawlingdeadman (
Guardian LoupGarou the Wind Wolf) wrote favorably about the synergized Twisters.
Rain (others): I can't get excited about the CtC
unsynergized twisters. The mana is nice for a thirsty caster. I'm thinking the MDR from Mal and the CtC Cyclone Armor might
help a Singer Barb avoid suicide. But it might not. As with Enlightenment, I may test, but it won't be soon.
Bone (Necromancer): As mentioned previously, I have Bone on a Stabbing Bonemancer and a Venomancer. Coincidentally, both cast Bone Armor at slvl 18 (a single hard skill point +adders). Due to synergies, the Bonemancer's absorbs 790 damage, the Venomancer's 490. IMO, Bone is BIS armor for a Bonemancer. Both my partner and I are convinced that the CtC BA has saved our Necros many times.
Bone (others): Magezon and Spearazon,
as above.
Peace (Amazon): I repeat
my contention that Plague/Lightning Javazon is THE best build for the armor, and best armor for the build. I have four such Zons on US East HCNL:
Toxic_Shaka, level 88 Guardian;
Dexless (more
here), level 88 pure Vitality Conqueror;
Praxidice (more
here), and Elektra_Green, level 86 Conqueror about whom I haven't written yet. Shaka and Dexless have maxed CS and LS; Praxidice and Elektra have maxed CS and LF.
IMO and IME, Decoy is crucial to successful use of Plague Javelin. If I throw it where monsters are, they won't be there when the cloud spreads, and four seconds is a long time to wait for the next chance. Far better to throw Plague Javelin where the monsters are going to be-- i. e., clustering around the Decoy.
But what is the minimum point investment required for a successful Decoy? Shaka has 14 hard points in Decoy, and summons it at level 28. As a consequence, unless I respec her, she'll have to be level 96 before she finishes maxing CS and LS. (With her obscene +skills, she really does fairly well with only 16 hard points each in CS and LS.
) Dexless has 7 hard points in Decoy; Praxidice has 6, and Elektra has 5, and all have all four of their offensive skills maxed. These investments in Decoy are not enough to keep the Valkyrie alive in all circumstances, but they've proven sufficient to make the Decoy itself sufficiently durable to make Plague Javelin very effective. (Decoy Life is partly a function of Zon max life. Shaka: 1396; Dexless: 1836; Praxidice: 1507; Elektra: 1420.)
I would be very interested to learn about any build which can extract more from Peace's potential, or any armor which would be better for this build. But I don't anticipate that I would be convinced.
Peace (others): A Harmony Demon Crossbow gives a Druid in Werewolf form a 6 fpa Fury attack. I've tried this twice now, and it's very, very good. That's a much faster attack than an unshifted Druid or any other class can manage with Harmony. Problems: The Druid with whom I tested has fully synergized Rabies; but the Cold damage and shattering from Harmony rendered Rabies ineffective. Also, a Werewolf can't cast elemental skills (or non-Druid summons). But some combination of Fury with Fire Claws and/or Summons should be effective and fun to play.
I also retested Peace with Harmony on a Destroyer Ranger Paladin with maxed Fanaticism and Conviction, whom I hadn't played in years. After a brief shakedown in NM Lower Kurast and Travincal, I soloed him in a two player game from out the gate in Act IV through Izual, the Hellforge twice, and the CoD and RoF WPs, gaining three levels (from 58 to 61) on the way. It was fun, but my enthusiasm was tempered by the realization that his offense, and the Valkyrie's, were never going to get any better.