flagrant min/max'ing: Rings

[Joshua Randall]

My main 4e character, a 22nd level dragonborn paladin, has enough cash and favors accumulated that he can acquire several Rings. Question is, which ones?

A related question: is it worth ditching his Strikeback (Encounter, make MBA when enemy hits you) to pick up the item (Many-Fingered Gloves) that lets you wear an extra ring (3 total)?
(Edit: was "iron armbands of power" when I stupidly thought Many-Fingered Gloves were arms slot)

The character is a pretty classic Cha-based paladin. He focuses on high defenses, being tough, and being robust against the plethora of conditions flying around high-level 4e. He's not a striker (although dealing good damage is everyone's job) and he's not a leader (no Lay On Hands; has Virtue's Touch instead).

I've narrowed it down (relatively speaking) to the following. The number before each ring is its level. I can't acquire all the high level ones, but I can acquire multiple low level ones if I want to.

Note: for ring's activated powers, I'm assuming a milestone has been reached.

15 Ring of the Dragonborn Emperor (+damage with close attacks; Daily to use Encounter power as reaction when you go bloodied)
PRO: buffs the PC's surprisingly large number of close burst/blast attacks
CON: buffing damage not the PC's job; PC seldom goes bloodied, so ring's Daily power usually wasted

17 Ring of the Radiant Storm (roll 2x damage, choose highest, with radiant/lightning powers; Daily effectively makes a Daily radiant/lightning attack power Reliable)
PRO: rolling 2x is a significant upgrade; ring's Daily is strong
CON: buffing damage not the PC's job; an annoyingly large portion of good paladin powers aren't radiant (and don't have nor want radiant weapon)

18 Ring of the Fallen (+Con mod to out-of-combat healing surge value, more or less; Daily power is a lot of extra surge-free healing during a rest)
PRO: this is a +3 to +4 per HS, which is great; Daily also great
CON: none; might buy this ring just to keep in pack

20 Ring of Action Reversal (+4 Initiative; Daily to regain Encounter attack power if missed all targets )
PRO: higher Init very beneficial to Defenders; Daily power not bad for things like Castigating Strike
CON: already have two feats invested in Init, so it's high enough (?)

21 Ring of Tenacious Will (use Cha instead of Con to determine number of healing surges; Daily to prevent death when drop to 0 or fewer hit points)
PRO: this is effectively 5-6 more surges
CON: rarely does this PC go through all his surges, but he did in his last adventure, and Epic is hard; Daily probably won't ever get used after 24th level when PC gets his Epic Destiny anti-death ability

23 Greater Ring of Invisibility (+5 Stealth; Encounter power to gain concealment until end of encounter)
PRO: concealment until end of encounter is like +2 all defenses
CON: minor action to activate ring every encounter will be tough, as this PC is already drowning in things he wants to do with his minors

24 Golden Ring of Teros (+2 AC, Fortitude while not bloodied; Daily gain resist 5 all until bloodied or end of encounter)
PRO: buffs defenses; PC seldom bloodied, so almost always on; resist all is fantastic
CON: none, except for opportunity cost vs. other rings; also, there's a level 29 ring (of Free Time) that gives resist 5 all as a Property, so hold out for that?

24 Ring of Regeneration (+3 healing surge value [item bonus]; Daily regain a surge and gain regeneration 10 until you spend a surge)
PRO: Daily power is fantastic
CON: ring is Rare, so takes up one of PC's Rare slots (of 3 allowed); lots of cheaper ways to gain [item bonus] to healing surge value

Of the 8 rings listed, I'd like to narrow it down to 3 or 4. Three if I keep the Strikebacks (so wear two, and keep Ring of Fallen in pack) or four if I ditch the Strikebacks in favor of the Many-Fingered Gloves and wear three rings.

 

[bargle0]

A suggestion:

Ring of fury: +2 item bonus to intimidate; Daily free action triggered when bloodied: make two basic attacks

Also, many-fingered gloves are a hand slot item. It won't replace your Iron Armbands of Power, which are an arms slot item.

 

[Joshua Randall]

Ring of fury: +2 item bonus to intimidate; Daily free action triggered when bloodied: make two basic attacks

The PC doesn't go bloodied that often, but that is otherwise a ridiculously good ring.

Ring of Giants and War Ring also keep getting recommended, but I find them cheesy (even my flagrant min/max'ing only goes so far) and too striker-riffic for a defender character.

Also, many-fingered gloves are a hand slot item. It won't replace your Iron Armbands of Power, which are an arms slot item.

Gah, what a silly mistake.

So the Many-Fingered Gloves would be replacing the PC's Strikebacks. Hmm. That's an even harder item to give up, because the Strikebacks' Encounter power is a key part of the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't choice he imposes via Divine Challenge / Sanction.

 

[keterys]

I've been in love with the Foe Caller Gauntlets lately myself.

Ring-wise... if you're a typical defender, it's hard to beat Golden Ring of Teros.

I'd say the Ring of Tenacious Will depends on the campaign. If it's a home campaign, are you doing only 3-4 encounters or more like 5-7? Do you often run into things that drain surges or burst enough damage to drop you? If we're talking about the LFR epic campaign, I'd say it's a safer bet since it's easy to hit endurance problems (though there are almost always ways to get surges back, if you're willing to pay the price)

The ring of invisibility is awesome, but as a defender I find it's ridiculously hard to spare the minor action to turn mine on so it's more of a 2nd or 3rd round survival option. If you're just looking for the concealment, a Shadow Band isn't _that_ far in the future and might be more viable.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I've been in love with the Foe Caller Gauntlets lately myself.

Good item, but paladins have no trouble with punishment stacking already. Plus, Rings! Not Hands slot items.

it's hard to beat Golden Ring of Teros.

Yes. I think I'll take that one.

Ring of Tenacious Will depends on the campaign. [...] If we're talking about the LFR epic campaign, I'd say it's a safer bet since it's easy to hit endurance problems (though there are almost always ways to get surges back, if you're willing to pay the price)

As a paladin, my character isn't willing to pay the price when it

Spoiler

requires shady bargains with obviously evil creatures

. But you're right, the LFR epic adventures do chew through surges. It's just a shame that Ring of Tenacious Will is otherwise boring.

The ring of invisibility is awesome, but as a defender I find it's ridiculously hard to spare the minor action to turn mine on so it's more of a 2nd or 3rd round survival option. If you're just looking for the concealment, a Shadow Band isn't _that_ far in the future and might be more viable.

Good point. And this character really can't spare minor actions early in combat.

 

[keterys]

Good item, but paladins have no trouble with punishment stacking already. Plus, Rings! Not Hands slot items.

You were talking about Strikebacks

It's just a shame that Ring of Tenacious Will is otherwise boring.

Paladin in one of the groups I run epic through had the daily come up in both epic3-3 and epic4-1, and it was less boring in those two instances But, sure, I agree with you. You're also a paladin with some sort of Con bonus, so frankly you _do_ have plenty of surges.

Dragonborn Ring is one I've never minded having, for a bunch of levels. Being able to react to getting bloodied with a healing power (ex: Second Wind) or attack power is tremendously powerful, and the damage bonus really isn't a bad thing.

 

[Argyle King]

You need a Mummified Hand. Then you can wear 3 rings.


Personally, I'm somewhat partial to the War Ring.

 

[keterys]

Ring of Giants (lower level) is more solid than the War Ring... and his character isn't built around crits, nor damage.

 

[Joshua Randall]

You were talking about Strikebacks

True, and the point remains: would you rather have Strikebacks (or Foe Caller Gauntlets) or a third ring?

Dragonborn Ring is one I've never minded having, for a bunch of levels. Being able to react to getting bloodied with a healing power (ex: Second Wind) or attack power is tremendously powerful, and the damage bonus really isn't a bad thing.

Yes, I've been loath to part with that one. But I think it's time to put my money where my mouth is vis a vis not being a striker, and ditch the ring that (primarily) gives a damage bonus in favor of a ring that improves my surges or defenses or whatnot.

 

[keterys]

I wouldn't get a 3rd ring - at least not until they're tougher choices like shadow band, ring of free time, and negation.