Block Rate in PVP - Battle Cleric vs Battle Cleric

[Dymuse]

Hello everyone

As most of you know, I have been playing battle cleric since January 07, and I have seen so many changes that I adapted to keep using the same hybrid cleric class. 

Back then, block rate wasn't something we had to worry about, and nobody ever thought about it as a battle cleric. 

Then when it came into play - I learned about a max block rate of 100% (Where no cleric can hit you without it being blocked unless you use skills). I thought that was awesome but then realised the block rate ruined the game, and I can only give people a PVP with skills (kind of like on private servers). They rely on skill PVPs only. So my love for hits only is out the window. 

No matter what build you have, if a cleric uses a high block rate, let's say '333 base int' to hold the Amazing Brush and block rate over 60% by adding as much dex as possible to your 40%. Unless you remove the magic shield and PVP, they will win almost, if not every time. 

Then again, the only way to test your build is to PVP without armour and accessories, which some can't do if their base int is lower than the requirement from the wand.

What chance does someone who doesn't rely on beating clerics with dex have against someone with a higher block rate? Not much chance.

However, it does help for the guy who wins without a book to have decent accuracy, which I am working on atm. And I like skill PVPs now, but I shouldn't have to do those only.

 If I do, I only PVP clerics without magic shields; only some are fans of that idea. So yeah, I don't PVP clerics nowadays, which is sad, but so happy to be playing NA again on the plus side.

What are your opinions on it?

Thanks for reading.  

I hope this makes sense, haha.

Edited February 26, 2023 by Dymuse

[DoubleRose]

Block is just a weaker version of dodge. It's a mechanic for clerics to have dodge of sorts when they have no other innate scaling for it. Let's say you went a full dex build with 60% block rate (75% for a few seconds with the one skill ) and 1200 offhand defense (that seems high as mine is only 1k but I will go with that because exalted gives offhand defense). Dodge is 100% damage reduction, while block is a flat number. Knights get a vastly larger number, plus damage reduction and hp regen upon blocking.

First of all, congrats on investing 40 sp (45 with mana shield, 55 for the movespeed too) on block for a class with the highest sp opportunity cost. That means giving up heals, or magic defense scaling, or summons. Additionally, your attack, healing, and defense suffer due to low int.

You average 720 damage reduction with that. That's decent and comes out to about 35% damage reduction against a geared player. Block is after armor calculation, so it is stronger, though clerics have innately low defense and health. Although that sounds powerful, it makes only a small difference. Let's say you are fighting a raider. They attack twice a second at 2k damage and crit for +150% damage about half the time. That's 5k damage in a second. You have about 40% defense from gear, so that's 3k damage. Your block is a 24% damage reduction and is not going to save you. Also, block won't stop the DOTs inflicted on you (also a counter to dodge).

My guess is the real problem is mana shield. It makes mages super tanky and gives clerics block and movespeed for a couple seconds. The devs are thinking about how to nerf it, and that change will be more than sufficient. High block looks good on paper, but it comes with a massive opportunity cost and has less impact than you'd think.

[DoubleRose]

Thanks for the title change as that explains it. The best strategy to win that 1 v 1 would be to pump up dex. Block a decent defensive tool in general, but completely shuts down an opposing battle cleric. Magic block value is about twice that of physical, so I see how a duel between battle clerics would be unending if you are both using magic offhands.

[Dymuse]

I agree.
 

I won’t be adding more dex, though, as it takes away the accomplishment feeling after a win. That’s why I remove book. 
 

i’ll stick to PVP against other classes and Game Arena, I think. 
 

Thanks for the great responses  

[Phish_]

Block rate is actually extremely strong right now in pvp and is stronger than I thought it was going to be. 

So block rate basically reduces the attack power/skill damage of the oncoming attacker but it does it after the difference in pvp/offense/defense is calculated. Not to mention it seems as if there people have an innate 20% pvp defense that isn't shown in your character stats window. This makes block rate even stronger if an enemy has the pvp defense passive and you don't have the pvp offense passive. 

On top of all of that, we don't have item mall passives anymore except for the mspeed and attack speed ones (which are already applied), and on narose chances is are, if you are max level and playing in pvp, you probably have alteast some attack power passives. 

Theres also been alot of eras of Rose where battle clerics couldn't kill eachother, (not saying its a good thing but it''s nothing something new but I'm sure you already know that lol)