MenC vs. EC (in General)

The context:
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I have a 3 minion team: RoS AS Enchanter - CoC Mage - PL/Haste Enchanter

My back minion (PL Haste Enchanter) is equipped with an EH so that MM and FB damage is minimized during ranged rounds.

It is also equipped with an AxBow to make it harder for archers and tanks to deal consistent damage.

However, I noticed that in a lot of battles involving high AMF or GA, this minion often survives longer than the CoC mage, so I equipped it with a BoNE which is better than a MH because PL negates the MH vampiric effect. The minion's DX depends entirely on Haste.

My dilemma:
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Is it better to equip an EC or a MenC on that minion?

The EC provides some extra AC and gives a small boost to PL.

The MenC insures that if the minion makes it to melee rounds, it should be able to deal damage when Ethereal Chains and/or ExBows/AxBows have not incapacitated it.

I am not sure which one is better. I am inclined to think that the EC is better but I am curious to see what other players think.



Extra question: Do the (+) enchantments on the MenC provide protection against the RoBF like other armor?

An AxBow takes quite a commitment in Dex and Strength to make work. The AxBow strat usually only works well if you are fighting down or if you equip it on a significant tank minion.

I would look at using heavy armor on the CoC mage instead if you want to stop archer damage. You would be surprised how well that works even with the hit to direct damage.


M1: RoS AS/AMF
M2: CoC with heavy armor
M3: PL/Dispel Magic + hitpoints

Thanks for the suggestions miteke.

However, I am not relying on the AxBow to deal damage. I use it to incapacitate tanks in order to maximize the Evasion trained on my first minion and the DB's equipped on my CoC mage. Even moderate ST combined with a moderate amount of x's the the AxBow work pretty well.

So far, my CoC mage almost exclusively takes direct damage from FB in ranged rounds unless I fight characters with MPR 50%+ higher than mine. Even in the later case, it takes a huge DM (my Haste is RoS protected) or Ethereal Chains to prevent my AxBow from significantly handicapping opposing tanks. Archer damage is not a really big concern... at least not yet.

The main problems for my CoC mage, aside from FB, are AMF and GA backlash. Both can be limited by adding extra +'s to my CoC mage armor. That is where my $$$ will mostly have to go. Base AC does not help that minion much using my strategy.

Your suggested strategy does have a lot of merit because it is much cheaper to add +'s on heavy armor than it is on special armor like the CoI for example. I will think about it.