The fortify nodes in the skill tree underrated?

I always take them when using fortify however every single melee build guide I see neglects them.

http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Rampart

Id assume increase effect of fortify buffs your total damage reduction which has got to be very powerful. I suppose the nodes leading to it are weak but is it worth it for 3% more reduction?

Do I hinder myself by using these?

People are relying on damage and leech for survival currently. So all sources of mitigation remain underused. Those nodes are often picked up on Facebreaker builds since unarmed doesn't have many nodes it can use, and it helps counter Abyssus. It's also a good node for Juggernauts, since it stacks nicely with his nodes, resulting in 28% reduced (36% for elemental). But that class is also underused since it doesn't offer much else than itigation.

The entire Rampart cluster gives:

20% Increased Armour while you have Fortify
35% Increased Melee Physical Damage while you have Fortify
15% Increased effect of Fortify on you
10% Increased Fortify Duration
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It usually costs builds 6-8 points to reach the Rampart Cluster.

By default, Fortify gives:

20% reduced Damage from Hits for 4 seconds

Should you have the Rampart cluster, Fortify will now grant you:

23% reduced Damage from Hits for 4.4 seconds.

If you get Fortify via the support gem, it'll last 5.4 seconds w/ Rampart
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Is it worth it? If you're a Champion with Fortitude, it's not the worst thing in the world. For the rest, it is seriously dependent on the build. If your build is Armour heavy, then the Armour boost is decent. 35% Increased Melee Physical Damage can easily be obtained in a damage or weapon cluster with better benefits. Increased Fortify Duration is virtually pointless. 3% more reduction is arguable.

The thing you really care about is whether or not you die in 1-2 big hits. If 3% will change that, then that'd be fantastic, but how often is that going to happen? Armour is an illusion in this game. You need copious amounts of armour in order to feel the difference. It'll protect you well from small hits, but big hits will still chunk through your armor. Armour's physical damage reduction and other damage reduction sources are separate. Even if you have 40k armour with Fortify up, t13+ bosses with damage mods will still hit you relatively hard (should they bypass your evasion and block). You sure as hell not going to survive a Shaper's smash, and most other widely telegraphed attacks will chunk you.

If you want to spend 6-8+ points for the Rampart cluster, then go for it. IMO, I'd avoid it, unless you plan on going purely tanky, to which it'll really benefit Champion and Juggernaut the most.

Thanks for getting a discussion going guys

"

Vipermagi schrieb:

"Armour's physical damage reduction and other damage reduction sources are separate."
Armour is additive with all sources of %Physical Damage Reduction, such as Endurance Charges and the Soul of Steel cluster. This stat is separate from Fort (Reduced Damage Taken from Hits) though, that is correct.

Should've chose my phrasing properly. I was mainly referring to separate sources like Fortify.

Always nice to have someone correct me.