There used to be threads a while back that compared the armor+toughness values of each armor for each factions and then against the default weapons of each factions i think but that was for the patch before 1.3 so idk if there is a new one for this pach yet.

I meant in terms of more comparable stats abroad. I've always viewed the game from a TT vet perspective so it's pretty obvious my bias is toward established canonical power levels rather than the joke of EC standards.

No, I'm arguing that I should be able to equip mid-level armor and one or two other things. You honestly see no problem with a balance that values armor at 1 point for 10 lp, but an item that increases DPS by almost 10 damage per second for 50? Or noticeably increases accuracy for 20?

Nope. I see a problem with the stupid low cost 1-3 armor upgrades which are just useless..

The health ones however can be the difference between burning/poison deaths.

The armor/toughness upgrades are flat boosts to your survivability.

The weapon upgrades are upgrades to your lethality.

You can make it easier to. Land the last bullet you need to kill someone or you can reduce the number of bullets or you can make it so you can take extra bullets or utilise cover better through reduced armor down times.

All of them are trade offs.

Well, the other issue here is after playing tonight... It's damn near useless, or at least that's how it feels. I don't feel any better protected in Relic Armor than I do Artificer Armor and that is... A mistake is what that is. It feels bad to waste 400 LP on a defensive option that does nothing to stop the retarded TTK issue we have right now.

The armor will get you an extra hit before you go down, It doesn't turn you into a terminator. That extra hit is massive, Use cover, Regen armor and engage, If you miss a couple of shots duck into cover.

Remember the rank 5 armor is supposed to be used on veterans and you are heavily reducing your damage & utility potential by bringing it on a normal character.

My wolf priest has mid level armor the unique hammer, a bolt pistol healing vail and a beacon grenade. The wolf priest is down 100lp immediately on the apothecary thanks to being forced into a melee & pistol combo plus the cost of the hammer.

You can take mid level armor and utility. You trade in your other offensive wargear. You either take a powerful wargear slot 1 or a powerful armor taking both means no utility but you cannot have huge levels of tank with utility and DPS. Ignore the trinkets and bring them if you have space left honestly for 10 - 20 LP just ignore them and finalize your build. If you have space then throw them in.