Do NOT use Marble Armor

[lch]

Marble Armor: Head prot 15, Body prot 24 => ~ 23 prot
Robe of Invincibility: Head prot 25, Body prot 25 => 25 prot

4 times as many gems for as little difference as that? Marble armor is as cheap as a Black Steel Full Plate, the robe is more expensive than Aseftik's armor and the Monolith armor. You have fun with your robe while I'll kit out my four SCs... The Marble armor is just plain easier to forge and thus mass-produce, too. Combine with Frost Brand if possible.

[Xox]

The real difference between the two armors is not the protection. It is the encumberance. It is 3 enc for marble armor and 0 for the robe. That is what you are paying for and that is what the OPs main issue was really about.

[lch]

I'm using it on Elemental Royalty and Tartarians as I said earlier, or put another way: On zero encumberance characters. Those ignore their armor's encumberance, too. When I build units that should fight alone and for a long time then I always make sure to have more reinvigoration than encumberance, anyway. In case of the Marble Armor, Summon Earth Power is already mostly enough to take care of the enc. And regarding self buffs and fatigue, I usually cast some buffs, then hold two times so that the unit can recover from fatigue. Yes, of course you should watch your encumberance/fatigue, but it isn't hard to do. And just because the Marble Armor has 3 enc doesn't mean it's bad.

[sum1lost]

I actually like rainbow armor for self-enchanting thugs or living SCs. That, and armor of souls (+5!!! mr), though I sometimes use rime hauberk (Breath of winter for castle chokepoint SCs who need to stop the enemy army is unbeatable)

[JimMorrison]

I love this thread.

I say, don't use armor at all! Or shields, geez, that Lead Shield is a KILLER!

[Sombre]

Do NOT hire troops.

They cost upkeep!!!

[DonCorazon]

Use shrouds if you have en earth bless, or rainbow armor. MR is always a good thing, along with reinvig and its cheap.

Even for undead the MR boost is worth it.

Watch out for Frozen heart if you use Marble Armor. I saw a fully kitted AQ lose to a pair of lowly Masters of the Way (90 gold LA TC priest with 1W) b/c the AQ had Marble Armor on. Brrrrr....

[Agema]

Covering the cold damage hole in your defences from marble armour should be a bit of a no-brainer. That's partly why it's also so good on undead, as they generally have that resistance already so you don't have to cover it at all.

[DonCorazon]

Well in this case the player who was not a complete noob did not cover the cold defenses on a non-undead SC, which is why its worth mentioning. "No-brainer" depends on the knowledge base of the player, it sounds like the OP is pretty new to the game.

[MaxWilson]

Agema said:
Covering the cold damage hole in your defences from marble armour should be a bit of a no-brainer. That's partly why it's also so good on undead, as they generally have that resistance already so you don't have to cover it at all.

Wouldn't it be better to lose immunity to poison than to cold, since poison has no 100 Prec direct-damage spell? It's a legitimate way in which the Robe of Invulnerability is clearly superior.

-Max