Defense

From Ancient Anguish Mud Wiki - AAwiki

'help defend'

Lunger:
depends on your class more than anything else. for most, you will want 
to use a defense.

rogue: parry
necro: none
pally: block
fighter: berserk
mage: none
shifter: suicide (password)
cleric: block
ranger: block

weight only applies to dodging. parry depends on the parry rating of your primary 
weapon and block depends on the blocking rating of the shield.

defense none is definately the preferred defense on a necro. i don't play 
mages but i'd assume no defense would be better there as well.
Pillar:
rangers should only use block when using a one-handed weapon. in other 
words, when wielding a two-handed axe, i just use none. i don't know if 
it makes much of a difference, i just think it would look funny watching 
someone try to block with an axe :P

for mages, i usually use dodge. any item that is placed in a dp (deeppockets) 
is weightless. but, if you don't have dp and still want to dodge, put everything 
in a sack and drop it on the ground before a fight. (sidenote: i usually don't 
wear heavy armour while playing a solo mage. i just stick to a robe, crown, collar, etc.)