4. Stairmaster Stats!
It works like this: you want something that has high STR requirement, say +3. But you can't equip it. So you equip a ring that gives you +2 and a necklace that gives you +1---then you can equip it, and REMOVE the ring/necklace. This is how you turn your mage into a tank mage. Mine went from Str 7 with a robe, to STR 15 with a sword, shield, plate armor, and over 100% resist on everything.
When you no longer have the stats to wear the item, the item is automatically removed. The only way that Stairmaster strategy works is putting on a piece of equipment that has stat modifiers as well (putting on +3 strength items, to put on a piece of armor that grants +3 strength for example).
16. Republican Tanks
That's right, let's do it the traditional way. Sword and shield. (or any 1h and shield)--is better than 2h. 2h will do maybe 30% more damage--but loses so much potential defense, that it's not worth it. You can have a shield with 50%+ resistances for *everything* (plus additional stats). In total, while a 2h tank does alright--it's just not as good as the 1h tank.
While you can justify shields early on to hit those important elemental resistances, by the middle of the game you no longer need a shield and should swap to 2 handed for the additional killing speed.
