[Agema]

I'd advise that if you're facing a strong astral nation, you want at least two items with +MR. Mind Hunt is extremely cheap and fairly effective. 22MR will be decent protection from a basic S4 mage, but not an S4 mage with +3 penetration, which is easy to acquire. I'd suggest you should be looking at 25 or more MR for really important SCs.

If Earth Kings don't suffer encumbrance (I've never got round to using one) a lead shield would be cheap and do: with enough protec and regeneration a vine shield to trap attackers just isn't important.