Looking for SC pointers

[Hadrian_II]

I dont think defense is important on SCs, as they will get swarmed anyway, better take high protection, luck, ethereality.

Starshine skullcap, Amulet of Antimagic and Pendant of Luck are a good base that gives you enough MR to last and luck.

For a weapon the Fire, Frost and Death AoE swords are good, the snake bladder stick has some uses, and if you want to kill other SCs, Gate Cleaver or for undeads Flambeaus.

As a shield the charcoal or the eye shield are nice.

As an armor High protection is never wrong, and and some resistances dont hurt either.

Boots of Quickness are a good choice or the ones that make you stone for protection.

Now you have just to watch out for encumbrance.

The most common SC counters are:
Soul Slay --> you need high MR
Frozen Heart --> Cold Resistance
Incinerate --> Fire Resistance
Lightning --> Lightning resistance
Also any spell that does AN damage and has no MR is some danger for you.

So you just need 100% Cold, Fire and Lightning resistance, an MR around 25 to defend against spells. A protection around 30 against units and high enough reinvigoration for the protection to last. Also Ethereality and Luck are necessary, the same goes for high regeneration. Now your SC has to buff himself in battle with mistform, phoenix pyre and soul vortex and you are ready to go.

[Shovah32]

Yes, protection is generally better but if you have a unit with very high natural defence(a skilled, W9 pretender for example) then a defence SC is possible(although I tend to avoid them). A bunch of defence boosting items and luck on a naturally high defence unit means that even when swarmed you should take few hits if any.