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Analysing and Ranking Armor Sets in Kingdom Death: Monster
🕑 Added 2025-01-15 18:00:11 +0000 UTCI intended to come back to the videos with a short, simple video. This was not it. This is the longest video I've done and if I do another one of this length it'll be a miracle. I couldn't edit this one as much as I would have liked because beyond a certain file size it started crashing with each edit. So I had to call this one 'good enough' and let it go simply because I didn't want to cut it into portions.
The attached files include the short pdf version of the presentation which contains just the scoring system I fabricated and the final results, plus a zip file with all the armor layouts I used in the presentation, just in case you want any of that.
This will go live for all on Wednesday 22 January 2025, if you spot any places where there's a clear need for an edit cut or additional note, post here in the comments with a time stamp. That's because I don't read the Youtube comments very often so I likely won't see them quickly, that's because I don't have the time or the energy.
Comments
daniele dutto
amazing content
Fen
No, not intentional. I'll try and fix that. I hope the slide hasn't been accidentally deleted. It was my first time using the presentation software.
David
Haven’t watched the video yet, but I love that you have supported it with a written version I can easily refer to. Your old visual guides are what got me on here in the first place. I noticed the Warlord armor is missing from the PDF - was that intentional?
Fen
Thank you, you are very kind. Though I'm certain that I'm not totally objective because I have always had a preference for durable front line bruiser style of play and that carries across into KDM where I established strong tanking strategies as my backbone and leave the crazy damage stuff to my partner!
Helge Thiel
I'm sure you have used Vagabond more than I :) what are your favorite builds for this set? Cheers!
pilow
The video and pdf guide are yet another example of why your work on KDM is so good. You assess game mechanics with metrics which are as close to objective as it gets. Which in turn legitimates strong opinions on certain aspects of the game (lion gear being the most obvious) Nobody else does that.
pilow
Yes, this is *very* asymmetrical.
Fen
AHHH WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO WHILE SORTING MY MAGIC CARDS THOUGH?
Fen
In respect to Vagabond, there are many more swords than just the ones in the 1st generation and the rating reflects that. It also has Regalism synergies which can be nuts. Swords outside of a few unusual cases such as Scrap Sword are not really deadly/luck based weapons either.
Helge Thiel
There is a fantastic build for vagabond though, when one adds Manhunter hat, Gloom Mehndi, Lucky Charm and Scrap Sword, which enables deadly on the sword, activates the Lucky charm, gives 6 Armor (bonuses from Mehndi, leather and vagabond) plus severe injury protection from Hat and Breastplate if used. But this is quite the edge case :)
Helge Thiel
Thank you for this pdf, absolutely fantastic!! Some criticism (which is a gift, right? ;)) though: I think there should be an 'Offense / Damage increase' category. Sure Leather, Rolling or Earl are great armor sets, but if you don't have highly beefed up Survivors you won't crack that GSK toughness and additional damage from the set is a critical factor to beat the game. Also the ratings should be comparable - the abilities of green armor gear (fetor is bonkers, tumble as free fighting art and success on a 2+ also) are a gold standard so other sets shouldn't score as highly in that category (same regarding protection). Overall I would choose Green Armor over any other armor set, even the costs are low on many pieces when considering what you get. Other than that: Screaming Armor has quite the low rating although its the only era2 set that can activate the blue charm without help from Expansions right in the early game while carrying a Spear. Also Horns are fantastic! Don't understand the high Vagabond rating as the sword specialization plays into crits and vagabond supports sword users but the layout of vagabond doesn't enable a crit build at all, especially since the only deadly early mid game scrap sword needs two reds as support. So vagabond is only truly great with the black sword (sword mastery itself isnt that great anyway) and black swords are a rarity :)
Björn Kuajara
Dont feel bad about the length Fen, it's perfect for an evening of painting or sorting magic cards:)
