Why is that so great? Does that mean a 20% chance to drain some life, or that it drains 20% of their life with each strike, or what? Someone please explain why this combined with Bushido makes such a powerful character?

That's a good question.

I can't seem to find a simple answer to it anywhere, so instead we will have to do some investigating.

I will start by assuming that the Life Leech from Vampire Embrace, would be the same type of Life leech of that from a Hit Life Leech weapon.

Here is what stratics says about Hit Life Leech:

So it says we have a chance to leech 30% of the damage back as health. So it's not everytime, however it doesn't state that its a variable amount, it will always be 30% of your damage. (So hit hard )

However Hit Life Leech on a weapon may be different to the life leech on Vampire Embrace. This is what stratics says about VE:

Unfortunately it doesn't indicate weather or not this life leech happens with every hit or not.

So, i'm afraid I have to leave it here and unanswered I am at work so I can't do any testing.

Anyone out there know any more info?

Cheers.

And now to actually answer your question (I overlooked it )

Yes, Vampire embrace gives you life leech from the hit/damage you output. This means when you are fighting something you are also healing yourself at the same time, but passively instead of manual.

This means you have more than one type of healing to your character, and depending what you do, you may not even need healing skill AT ALL, if you have VE enabled, as well as a Life Leeching weapon.

Vampire Embrace is fantastic and works extremely well with a decent weapon and Bushido. I can solo the Dreadhorn with this template and honestly, bandage healing when I'm fighting the Dreadhorn is irrelevant, it's all about the leeches (period).

I believe your mana regen is also a lot higher with VE enabled.

Whaaaaaat!? You are soloing that thing... uh, what are your exact skills and equipment? *spasming uncontrollably with anticipation* I still have a full suit of valor armor and a soul seeker. I know, it's embarassing. I'm shopping around to build a suit but it's hard to find armor with good mods, probably because everyone else is buying it before me.

i had to spend 100 mil before i got my suit the way i want it lol

Don't forget that I'm still all 100s. Most powerscrolls I need are around 2-4 million a piece, and I have yet to earn my first million gold. So I am doubly screwed here.

Here are my details:

Skills:
120 Bushido
120 Mace
120 Parrying
90 Tactics
90 Anatomy
90 Healing
65 Chiv (77 with bracelet)
25 necro

Armor:
head: Mace and Shield
neck: plate Mempo stam inc 7, lmc 7, 1/19/4/6/7 mage
arms: barbed Sleeves stam inc 8, 16/22/7/7/7
chest: Heart of the Lion
feet: Snake Skin Boots
extra: Crimson Cincture
totem: Totem of the Void
legs: Legggings of Bane
Ring hci 13, dci 12, fire 11, energy 12
Bracelet chiv +12, dex 6, dci 15, fc1, di23
Quiver of Infinity

Totals: (without weap)
fast cast 1
damage increase 48
hci 33
dci 47
lmc 17
hpr 4
resist: 70/55/53/70/66
str/hp: 110/115
dex/stam: 141/164
int/mana: 38/38

weapon is a diamond mace:
Hit Mana Leech 54%
Hit Harm 44%
Hit Stamina Leech 46%
Faster Casting 1
Swing Speed Increase 30
Damage Inc 40

So with this weap i get FC 2 and 88 DI.

I was able to solo DH comfortably. Took about 13 minutes. the first time and i think less the second.

I always take 10-20 enhanced apples which remove all curses because sometimes he manages to hold like 4 curses on you at once which can really cripple your stats which slows you down. I also take upto 10 fruit bowls and some grapes of wraith, plenty of total refresh pots and some strength pots too.

Always good to try keep your strength/damage output as high as possible. I smash the living daylight out of him with constantly hammering on lightning strike, consecrate weapon, and counter attack.

Today I just got some new AMAZING mempo gorget, sleeves and a bracelet which have just made me 70/70/63/70/59 with 31 LMC and an amazing 115/159/53 hp/stam/mana. I will lower my int now to raise dex/stam. My suite is somewhat 20% better now! I will tackle DH again tonight and see how I go

May I ask: Human or Elf?

Another good way to go for armoring is to build yourself a Darkwood Suit using Heartwood for the random bonus.

Of course, it takes a LOT of peerless ingredients to build a Darkwood suit with HCI - which leaves you in the chicken/egg dilemna here.

~M

But a Darkwood suit isn't that great... I have one on my fencer and wouldn't dare even go near a peerless with that - even scared of normal balrons.