Life/armor defense problem

The main issue with life and armor as defenses is the character power curve.

Last league I was able to get 4k+ es with chaos inoculation in the interludes. All you need is decent 3-4 affix rares with: Flat es, %es, and 1-2 resistances. Then you take some es nodes on the tree.

Contrast that with a a comparable life armor build. To get a similar amount of survivability, you need 5-6 affix rares with: Life, % armor, flat armor, 2 resistance, and phys taken as ele. Along with chaos resistance, some expensive uniques and stacking some strength.

Not only are es builds cheaper and tankier, they also have less affix/passive point pressure. It seems like ggg committed to the no life on tree thing early in development. Unlike some of the other choices they have gone back on, it seems like they aren’t willing to change this one. I don’t understand how we are a year in, and the tankiest part of the tree is the least tanky.

They’ve recognized it’s an issue in the interview pre launch with ziggyd


They will do something for sure.



It’s not that armour/life is not viable at all it’s just….

ES and several mechanics on that side of the tree being so far ahead of it

Things such as MoM and CI, ghost dance, convalescence+second wind etc….