Larian Studios Forums Divine Divinity (English) Help/Tips/Tricks Which dragon armor breastplate is better?

1st one:
value:43k
dur: 33/44
CHARM:5
25% armor absorbance
8 to Int
2 to def
40 to Vit
3 to sight
20 resist Fire
5 resist Light
5 resist Poison
5 resist spirit

2nd armor:
value:22k
dur:12/12
CHARM:3
25% armor absorbance
6 to Int
4 to Con
3 to Def
80 to Vit
80 to Magic
20 resist Fire
20 resist Light
20 resist Poison
10 resist spirit
AURA of guarding +1

I found out that one gold charm will give you alot of boost. I only have one gold charm left and alot of silver charms and red charms. My girl is lvl 39 mage/archer. She is about to hit gong. Will there be more gold charms coming?
If there are more gold charms out there, I might pick first armor because extra 2 charm spots are better than small boost in stats. Has anyone got alot of gold charms when they go to wastelands? Should I just use silver charms?

I appreciate your opinion on the importance of Charm slots. Thank you for your reply.

There are lots of gold charms in the wastelands, dropped and buyable (50k from Krozy). I had 6 gold charms before going to the wastelands, and found/bought another 60 before the end of the game (I was collecting charms).
You didn't list the armour class, but assuming they are comparable, I think the extra charm slots in the first set does more than make up for the slightly better bonuses on the second.

The 1st armor has 390 armor class. The second one has 190 armor class. Since I am mage/archer, armor class is not a major factor for deciding. I have no idea that gold charms are plentiful in wasteland. I thought that gold charms are rare because I only got five gold charms. If I have known, my equipment will have more charm slots. Oh well, my dragon glove has 4 charm slot and my dragon belt has 4 charm slot.

Which monster has high chance of dropping gold charm? I think that Orc drops alot of charms. I forgot which monster drop a gold charm...

I have calculated that 2nd armor is better than 1st armor.

Below are the reasons:

1. Suppose I got a gold charm of resist. It will give me +40. 40-35=5
I got 5pts of extra resist if I used first armor. The 35pts come from the difference between first armor total resist pts and second armor total resist pts.

2. Suppose I got a gold charm of magic. It will give me +100. 100-120=-20
The 120pts come from the total difference between first armor total vit/magic pts and second armor total vit/magic pts. First armor is lacking 20pts in total vit/magic despite using a gold charm.

3. First armor will give me extra 200 armor class but I don't think armor class is a major factor since I am a mage/archer.

4. First armor will give me extra 2 Int but at cost of 4 con and 1 def.

5. First armor will give me extra 32 dur. Unlike Diablo, your dur will not go lower as you repair armor yourself. I don't see it as a factor. However store gives more money for higher dur item.

6. Aura of guarding is a major factor because you can't get skill from charm.
1st armor gives 3 to sight but sight is limited by range of weapon.

I would like to hear your opinion on my thinking. Am I right in picking 2nd armor?

As a mage, I would go with the second. The additional Magic (including Intelligence) and Resistances will come in very useful.

The first armour, you have two 'free' charms to add before they can be compared on an equal footing.
I ignored the Aura of Guarding bonus on the second armour, since spell books can be bought (that is how I maxed this skill). Kistandalius or Blake in Ars Magicana and Corinna or Mpenzak in Verdistis sell spell books, as does Kroxy in the wastelands.

I sold all my loot before going to the wastelands (29 stacks of 50k gold, plus change), and bought all the charms and spell books Kroxy offered, unless I already had the skill maxed. The imps in the wasteland can drop gold charms, as can others.

In my calculation, I compare them first. 1st armor is lacking 120pts in total vit/magic. 1st armor is lacking 35pts in total resist. 1st armor has extra two charm slot. I assume that I will be using two gold charm. One gold charm will give me +100 magic. 2nd gold charm will give me +40 resist.

Result is that I will gain +5 resist and -20pts in total vit/magic if I wear 1st armor with filled gold charms rather than wear 2nd armor with filled gold charms.

The aura of guarding skill can be bought by books but I hardly see one in stores. I don't like loading many times to get a spell books. Already I am sicked of loading several times to get good dragon armor. Currently I have ONE MILLION GOLDS in my golden pot.

Does relationship of merchant affects the chances of spellbook? Kristandlus in Ars Magicina is friendly 65. He rarely sell spellbooks. Its funny how I bought a spellbook from a hooker in brothel. Its shocking that one dwarven lady in dwarven hall sells one gold charm. At that time, I didn't have much cash with me to buy it...Anyway, I feel that getting the right spellbook is harder than getting a good armor. The spellbooks that I bought are polymorph, poison cloud, meteor strike, and restoration.

So, Ryalor, what's your conclusion on the armours?

I am sticking with second armor because you get the benefit right now. I know that I will lose 5pts in resist by not picking 1st armor. The benefit of 1st armor will come only when I get five gold charms.

what's your enchant skill lvl? if it's not 5 you can't use all the 5 charms slot anyway...
i'd take the scd too

the second is the choice for me here, only because of the resis bonuses.