That depends exactly on what you mean by "on your character"?
If you mean; can only ever see, then that is a severe limitation (and in my view unnecessary).
To answer your question, you cannot choose one over the other consistently, it depends on my class and game role. If I was a dps, then attack would be my main concern; if I was a tank, defense; CC then probably attack, healer proabably defense. If I was solo, both, I couldnt choose one over the other.
If I understand it correctly: defense based stats, like resists? because they give me time to figure out what is going on by allowing me to stay alive a bit longer. Maybe get some insight to what the NPC is doing or casting or telegraphing with spell/melee graphics. It inherently slows the encounter down, but in complex encounters or with more than one target or the need for situational awareness, being able to stay up a bit longer is helpfull. Of course the odd crit will land on you butt thjat's expected.
On the other hand attack based stats - I think- tend to speed up the fights, so you never learn any nuances to the encounter, especially if you have to position NPC's in an event. Sure, you can cut them in half but if you had lead them over to that spot at 50% healt and then finished it off, a door would have opened or something.
Well if my char. is a tank, then Defensive for sure. If a dps, then Attack for sure. If the game works as I expect, then I'd choose Attack if I was a CC as well, since landing my control abilities is job #1.
The only role I'm not sure of is Healer. That would take knowing the particular skill set better, to decide which might help me more.
I'd go with Attack. risk vs reward I suppose
You could view both perspectives with similar arguments.
For example, a ranged DPS like a wizard should avoid getting hit, attack. Then if wizzy gets hit on and still wants to win, then the wizzy likes some defense, defense.
A warrior with good defense can survive longer, but the fight would be longer too. For a cleric to heal the tank; the cleric would need to pay attention where the warrior is on attack and has less defense.
As such I can see Chenzeme's point of solo situations, and I see what you contemplate.
A character's defense can still be compensated by resists and items based on the player's preferred style (though you could also argue the opposite)
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Comes down to fight duration? attack would seem the more hectic option.
Im probably rare, but I prefer Defense. I'm a big Tank fan and I actually get off on the "You can't kill me" vibe. Whether I kill you or not, I still get off on the fact that you threw everything at me and had to just walk away. In EQ2 as a monk I could keep myself alive indefinitly in PvP because by the time my health actually dropped down, my heal and other survivability cooldowns were ready to use.
I always inspected players, especially other tanks, to see their stats. "Oh my mitigation is higher than that guy, I have more avoidance, I have more HP, etc etc."
Folk have picked one or the other (or both - cheaters!). Too easy Sir BeanKeeper, I will go with neither (hmmm, is Charisma an Attack or Defense stat?). Let my enchanter friends buff my attack, and my cleric friends buff my defense, and my shamen friends buff all stats - all the while we bards inspire our groupmates with masterful buffing symphonies of ever-changing rhythms and rhymes depending on the situation. Bring friends to maximize stats! (it's all good fun making your group look good, WHILE looking good).
P.S. no bards were harmed in the generation of this opinion.
Kilsin said:Would You Rather - Have only Attack or only Defense based stats on your character and why? (Can only pick one!) #MMORPG #CommunityMatters
I'll go for attack. You get accustomed to the incoming hits and I'll quickly adapt to how many hits I can take before dieing. You sort of get a feeling of how your character's body will respond to incoming attacks.
And as a result of that, you adapt and find ways to recover or dodge the hits. Or flee when necessary.
If I can't anticipate how long a fight will last, I might get discouraged during the fight.
