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Adamaro
2010-03-19, 06:50 AM
Epic monsters have some strange AC stats. Do they simply lack touch and flatfooted AC or is their AC "universal"? (I find this idea as an evil DM pretty awesome:smallbiggrin:)

Example:


Lavawight
Size/Type: Medium Undead (Fire)
Hit Dice: 32d12 (208 hp)
Initiative: +12 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 60 ft.
Armor Class: 46 (+8 Dex, +28 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+37
Attack: Claw +40 melee (3d8+21/19-20 (+1d6 on critical hit) plus blazefire)
Full Attack: 2 claws +40 melee (3d8+21/19-20 (+1d6 on critical hit) plus blazefire), 1 skull butt +32 melee (2d6+10 plus blazefire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 6d8+31, blazefire, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Undead traits, fire subtype, heat aura, SR 34, DR 10/-, fiery hardness
Skills: Jump +33, Knowledge (religion) +33, Listen +41, Search +35, Spot +41
Feats: Cleave, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (claw)
Epic Feats: Blinding Speed (×2), Epic Weapon Focus (claw), Overwhelming Critical (claw)
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +24
Abilities: Str 52, Dex 27, Con Ø, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 28
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 23
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Advancement: 33-42 HD (Medium-size); 43-55 HD (Huge)

Lavawights speak Common and Infernal.

Jack_Simth
2010-03-19, 06:54 AM
Epic monsters have some strange AC stats. Do they simply lack touch and flatfooted AC or is their AC "universal"? (I find this idea as an evil DM pretty awesome:smallbiggrin:)

Example:
Mostly, it's a matter of copy editing. Besides, it's a pretty simple matter to figure the touch and flat-footed AC of such beasts, as it still breaks down the source.

megabyter5
2010-03-19, 06:57 AM
For the lavawight's touch AC, take off natural armor. For it's flat-footed AC, take off the dex bonus. It's not hard to figure out.

Runestar
2010-03-19, 06:58 AM
The idea of providing a creature's flat-footed and touch AC didn't start until 3.5, IIRC.

Prior to this, DMs had to determine those values by themselves. The ELH was one such book. It is not too bad, since they at least break down the AC components, so it is just a matter of sifting out which ACs are factored into touch / flat-footed ACs and adding them up.

Zeta Kai
2010-03-19, 07:01 AM
Nah, Epic monsters are just poorly written, most of the time. AFAIK, they are governed by the same basic rules that determine the stats for other monsters. So the Lavawight there would have a touch AC of 18 & a flatfooted AC of 38. For some reason, the touch & flatfooted numbers are left off of every epic monster in the SRD, which is strange.

Perhaps a reason for this is that by the time you get to epic play, it is assumed that you can calculate these values in your sleep. However, these numbers are even more useful in epic play, as it is often better to exploit an epic monster's weaker touch/FF AC, thereby bypassing their inflated standard AC.

Draken
2010-03-19, 07:15 AM
I guess it's because they were transcribed from a 3.0 book. Back then you had to figure what was the Touch AC and flat-footed AC of creatures yourself.