Visceratuant vs. Whistans for the Block Sorc

[Zharous]

Whitstan's Guard Round Shield
Defense: 154
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 53
Chance To Block: Dru/Nec/Sor: 87%

40% Faster Block Rate
+55% Increased Chance Of Blocking


Visceratuant Heater
Defense: 190-275 (varies)(Base Defense: 95-110)
Required Level: 50
Required Strength: 77
Chance to Block: Dru/Nec/Sor: 72%

30% Increased Chance of Blocking
30% Faster Block Rate
+1 To Sorceress Skill Levels


Disadvantages of Visceratuant

Dex. Required for 75% blocking @ level 89:

Whistans: 169
Upgraded Visceratuant: 201

Eld Whistans: 158
Eld Upgraded Visceratuant: 184

So this is the only disadvantage of using Visceratuant... 32 stat points or 26 stat points for eld versions. With such horrible returns on stat points (only 2 life or 2 mana per point used), this means only 64/52 life or approximately 128/104 mana.

If you are using a vita build you should have around 3000 life. If using a block set up with Whistans instead of an upgraded Visceratuant you are boosting your life by 2%.

If you are using an ES build with about 1000 life and 3500 mana, then that extra mana boosts your effective hit points to 23,349 from 22,667, a 3% increase.

Faster Block Rate

Sorceress FBR Breakpoints
9 frame: 0%
8 frame: 7%
7 frame: 15%
6 frame: 27%
5 frame: 48%

Whistans: 40% (6 frame)
Upgraded Visceratuant: 30% (6 frame)

Shael Whistans: 60% (5 frame)
Shael Upgraded Visceratuant: 50% (5 frame)

Notice any difference? I don't...

Advantages of Visceratuant

+1 To Sorceress Skill Levels

More spell damage

More mastery (more damage or cold piercing)

Fire: 17,812 to 18,661 (4.7% increase in damage)
*Lightning: 31166 to 32784 (5.2% increase in damage)
Cold: 1467 to 1503 Orb (2.5% increase in damage + 5% more cold piercing)

Higher warmth= 12% increase in mana regeneration (In real terms only 3%-4%)

Higher teleport=1 mana used less each teleport = ~3.1 mana faster regen per second while teleporting

Much higher damage for secondary spells if you use them: Ice Blast, Firebolt, Charged bolt/Nova/Chain for example

Higher energy shield (or if your name is Alex, it is easier to get to the same level since you don't have to swap shields when prebuffing ES)




* ES/Lightning set up with +25 lightning skills and 80 skill points used out of the possible 100.


... Had to do my monthly update for my web site so I decided to post it here as well considering how many people are still using Whitstans...

[hippo]

the strength requirement can actually be a disadvantage too, as i was forced to add 15 or so points into strength to use visc, whereas base str is sufficient for whistans.

[Chobo]

Is the mana you counted after BO? I like whistans still.

[Zharous]

Okay, okay... You both are right and I think that invalidates my argument completely:

32 more dex required
17 more str required (77 visc, 60 Frostburn)

49 stats = rebuild = 98 less base mana
= 205 mana (+110% max, hoto, arach, 2 sojs, frosties)
= 277 mana (98 base X 74% battle orders)

My personal numbers, in most cases:
Life: 1552 Life
Mana: 4134

277 mana means a boost in EHPs of:

28256 -> 29733, a boost of 5.2%