Crafted Set Researched Traits versus Stat Value

ADarklore

I'm curious... some players believe that, because one crafting set requires more traits learned to craft versus another, that the one requiring more traits is somehow superior... even though the stats appear to be exactly the same. Yet, from what I can find, one set may require three traits and offer Magicka Recovery while wearing xx pieces, another set may require five traits learned and also offer Magicka Recovery... but when crafted, the Magicka Recovery stat is exactly the same. So am I missing something, or are these players caught up in the false belief that simply because a set requires more researched traits, that it is somehow better than one requiring less?

KerinKor

Numbers don't lie, as you say, clearly if the final effect on the character's numbers are the same then the gear is the same and the effort of learning the pattern is irrelevant.

There's always been some discrepancy in the effort-required vs. rewards-obtained stakes with different sets and few if any changes have ever been made to try to deal with them.

ADarklore

That is what I'm seeing. Being new to the game, I'm doing a lot of research and with that, I'm now trying to see a value in researching more traits to craft later set gear, when I can get the same final stat results with sets that have a lower trait requirement.

BlakLanner

Some of the 5 piece set bonuses are pretty nice. Also, some builds might want to stack multiple set bonuses, so may need both low trait and high trait sets to make it happen.

ADarklore

That's pretty much the primary reason I've been doing so much research, trying to figure out what sets offer which stats and what combination would work best for me. You could go for the 5 pc bonus, or run 2 pcs of four different sets, 2 pcs of three and one 2 pc, the combinations are quite variable for what a player might be looking for.

Jayne_Doe

Generally speaking, the value of the higher-trait sets are in their 5th bonus, but I haven't really cared for the 5th bonus on most of the sets requiring 6 or more learned traits. The value of the standard bonuses, such as magicka recovery, are the same for all of the crafted sets, so it's really the combinations you're looking for as well as the 5th bonus, if you want to go for one of those.

Nestor

There is also the factor of what do you get for 3 pieces? 5 piece bonuses are good and all, but you can only have one 5 piece crafted set. So, your other pieces are either a 3 or 4 piece set. What can you get for those 3 or 4 pieces is the real kicker. Most of us use a particular 5 piece set as it fits our playstyle. But the 3 or 4 piece set really hones that.

For example, all my casters use Seducer. But what do I do with the other pieces, well it depends on if I want more criticals, more damage, more regen of a certain type etc. That is what separates the Traited sets for me.

Yes, once you know 6 traits there is not much of a reason to go beyond that. But the 8 trait sets do offer some nice 2 and 3 piece bonuses, so there is that.

It all comes down to your build, your rotation and how you play the game as to what set is going to give you the most bang. There is no one build as much as the Min/Maxers would like you believe otherwise. And, there is no one winning armor combo for everyone either.