Thanks for the quick reply, Raze. The bit about a lack of direct damage-armor correlation makes sense and also makes me feel a bit better smile

I see lots of recommendations for the vampire boots (not that I've gotten that far) but very few for the shoes of the scorpion. Got one with 5 charm slots, +1 to 2 skills, and a couple of other bonuses. Reloaded, got another with 5 charm slots, lots more armor and a rash of other bonuses. Not too shabby for an early level item!