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View Full Version : AC 25 at first level; where to take this build?



SoD
2009-03-29, 11:48 PM
OK, I got thinking about how high you can shove a 1st level characters AC at first level.

My first thought was; 32 point buy. Just because. We'll be wanting high dexterity, so shove 16 points for 18 dex. At the moment, we're looking AC 14.

But what about race? We'll be wanting something with a bonus to dexterity; so elf, halfling, goblin or kobold. The clear advantage here is the kobold, with not only a bonus to dexterity, but also a size bonus and natural armour bonus to AC. So now we're looking at 17 AC, from 20 dex, small and kobold skin stuff.

Which leaves us trying to work out the class. My first thought was monk, but we all know where that thought leads. So; Unarmed Swordsage, for the wisdom to AC. Shove your other 16 points into wisdom, and we're already looking at AC 21.

Then, ages. Make your kobold old aged. This, tecnically, makes his strength 1, and reduces his dexterity as well. Unless...he's dragonwrought. AC 22 now, from an increased wisdom.

And, due to being an unarmed swordsage, by the rules exactly as written, you'll need armour. So grab yourself a chain shirt, for an extra +4 to your AC, making it 26. Apart from the fact it'll have max. dex. +4...unless it's mithrill, but if you can afford mithrill chain shirt, you should be able to get mithrill breastplate (but that's neither here nor there).

Anyhoo, your stats will be looking like this; Str 4 (owch), Dex 20 (woo!), Con 6 (even more owch!), Int 10 (meh), Wis 20 (yay!), Cha 10 (meh). Your HP; 4. And your AC; 25 (+4 armour, +4 dexterity, +1 natural armour, +1 size, +5 wisdom), with a touch AC of 20, and flat footed AC of 21. And if you take the Stone Bones stance, you'll also boast DR 5/adamantine.

And where should this theoretical build go from here? Something tells me that strength might be a bit of a bugger for a melee class (swordsage), until you get weapon finesse (which, under my houserules, doesn't need a BAB requirement), and the low con is even more of a bugger, for facing a warmage dealing 1d4+4 with a magic missile, taking you to -1 hp with it's minimum damage.

MeklorIlavator
2009-03-29, 11:54 PM
Wis to AC starts at 2nd level, not first. Good try, though.

SoD
2009-03-30, 12:15 AM
Curses. That's what happens if I think without consulting my books...

Kyeudo
2009-03-30, 12:31 AM
AC 22 at first level is easy enough to get, if you go Sword and Board.

Base Dex 18 + Kobold + Heavy Shield + Studded Leather Armor

10 (base) + 5 (Dex) + 1 (Size) + 1 (Natural) + 2 (Shield) + 3 (Armor) = 22

Now, if you go monk (with the intention of going Tashalatora Psychic Warrior later), you can reuse most of your ideas there, but you'd need a flaw at first level so you can take Tashalatora at 3rd level. This makes it:

Base Dex of 18 + Kobold + Base Wisdom of 18 + Age

10 (base) + 5 (Dex) + 1 (Size) + 1 (Natural) + 5 (Wisdom) = 22 (but done stark naked).

Build would be Monk 1/Psywarrior 2/Monk 1/Psywarrior 16

Talic
2009-03-30, 12:43 AM
If you're going to use strange races, you may as well go with the granddaddy of all of them. The only tiny creature with a LA of 0. Crack open your MM2 (with web update to 3.5, of course).

You'll find a Tiny (+2 ac) creature with a +6 to dex and wisdom.

Level 1 Monk.

Stats:
Str 10 (4), Dex 16 (22), Con 10 (6), Int 10 (10), Wis 18 (24), Cha 8 (8) (IIRC)

Base 10 + 2 (size) + 6 (dex) + 7 (Wis) = 25 AC

Follow into swordsage with the shadow hand dex to damage abilities...

Or into druid for wild shaping, natural spell, wis to AC in nom-nom-form, butt kickery.

SoD
2009-03-30, 12:49 AM
Is that the Jermlaine?

Kyeudo
2009-03-30, 01:09 AM
That would be the one.