Armor cards vs block cards - which to keep as your two

If I have to decide which cards to get rid of, I'm typically going to drop Block cards in favor of Armor on the basis that Blocks are one-offs with a chance to avoid a hit completely versus Armor which you keep and - in the case of Reliable Armor - with a high chance of reducing damage.

I'm trying to figure out if it is ever better to flip that on its head. I'm having trouble with the second fight which has an Ogre that I can't go toe to to with for more than two rounds if that. So I'm wondering if loading my helm and armor with items loaded with blocking cards might be better than going for my normal plan which is Reliable Armor.

 

A single block will typically prevent more damage than armor will ever prevent over the course of an entire match. (Excepting Reliable Mail, Heavy Mail, and Resistant Hide.)

Also, Nimbus, encumber, and ranged attacks are your friends against Ogres.

 

Reliable mail is typically my other choice. And Resistant Hide is a must when you're firestorming.

I don't yet have any Nimbus items but thanks for the tips about encumbers.

 

I farm levels vs ogres on the daily and armor doesn't matter to them. They can crush your warrior right through the armor with their massive attacks. So what you soaked 2 out of 11 or 14? Blocks, and specifically Parry are the way to go. I use a priest with plenty of Impenatrable Nimbus, and hopefully I can send my warrior up to an ogre with no fear of damage, but if not a Parry will let me block one attack and draw another card. If you plan it, you can move in (think step attacks like Nimble Strike or Vicious Thrust), strike, parry, then hightail it until you have another good opportunity. It is useful to note that you can really use ogres' sweeping attacks against each other if you can get them next to each other then move in to attack (I use a wizard packing Winds Of War for this).

I know that you are talking about single player, but in multiple player I usually drop armor in favor of blocks. The interuption to you create to your opponent's momentum with one good block is a big deal.

 

On higher SP levels (and in MP generally), damage severely outclasses armor, so given a choice between the two I almost always ditch Armor cards over Blocks with few exceptions. Unreliable Block I'll ditch. The "utility" armors (the Auras, Horned Plates, Harness, etc) and Resistant Hide I'll generally keep. Additionally, Blocks can completely negate attaching effects (Encumber especially) which makes them even better.

Personally I would like to see Armor cards get a bit of a buff.

 

There are usually better ways to deal with ogres than go toe-to-toe at melee range (encumber, walls, etc...). As for blocks/armors I suppose it's situational. My go-to tokenless shield right now is Twisting Shield. Parry-Pushback Parry are excellent and cheap. In certain SP campaigns I'll invest more in better armor like Grounding Plates when facing off against Wyverns or Arrogant Armor as a defense against enemy attachments. Otherwise in MP I'd rather gain auras off my armor because the little damage they sometimes reduce is not as valuable.