The War Against Adamantine

[Cortex]

Yeah, people do underestimate the difference +3 AC from addy plate/shield/helmet actually makes when you're up at the high levels of AC. By the time you're at those epic dungeons, and if your character is built well, those extra +3 are likely the difference between mobs needing a 20 to hit you, or less.

That said, I like the notion of Adamantite being rare, really rare. As long as the epic dungeons are re-balanced around the next tier down of armor instead.

Re-balancing for lower tiers would also allow less optimal builds and, or non-try hards to be able to do stuff. I have yet to even have en epic character since I played arelith like over 10 year ago but things have been vamped so much im pretty sure most my fun builds have gone to viable to "this is going to take a serious nose dive in epic lvls".

Making steel +2 AC(with an acceptable level req) and keeping mithril as is would alleviate a lot of the pain in getting anything more than +1 AC.

[Griefmaker]

I have always been of the opinion that bronze is base (zero enhancement), iron should be +1AC, steel +2AC, mithril +3AC, adamantine +4AC.

In this case, if adamantine is extremely rare, that is okay because it is also super powerful.

Steel is easier to get and likely used by masses of middle tier warriors, but offers decent protection, as it should. Mithil is likely what most will have at end game, but that is okay because it offers good protection.

This scheme is relatively easy to balance dungeons upon (with the knowledge that characters who manage to get higher tier items will find them easier and those with lower tier items will find it harder). It also help address the need for GMV/UMD for scrolls/etc. to be competitive with casters in regards to AC.

[Cortex]

Mithril at +2 AC would still be fine since it has +1 uni saves, it's a direct upgrade from steel.

[gilescorey]

+4 AC on adamantine might be too much - builds with fifteen fighter levels and adamantine gear would then match up to Clerics, which is only possible right now with a smattering of rare & extremely valuable artefacts.

[Kimura]

There is a war against Addy? I remember it being just as hard to get before as it is now. Which as Cortex said in the first page 'Casters ruled the server'. When no one really wanted to go through the trouble to outfit the outcast/minority meleer in their group. Now that it is being necessary for everything. Probably should have let mithril be needed for certain gear. Saving the ore hogging.

[Griefmaker]

Mithril at +2 AC would still be fine since it has +1 uni saves, it's a direct upgrade from steel.

This almost sounds like a good choice for greensteel armor! That way there are more potential choices. More saves or more AC (assuming the +3 for mithril, +4 addy).

Choices are good!