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Sir_Chivalry
2010-11-26, 04:11 PM
Is there a way for a cleric to get Wisdom to AC without being unarmoured? I know monk gives this ability in no armour, and swordsage gives it in light armour, but is there anyway to expand that restriction further towards heavy (or medium at the least)? Any homebrew feats out there or homebrewers willing to whip up a quick feat? Any RAW way to do it? Trying to help one of my players with his cleric.

Thanks in advance!

The Glyphstone
2010-11-26, 04:18 PM
The Balance domain adds Wis to AC for 1 round/cleric level once per day. That's not great though.

DukeofDellot
2010-11-26, 04:18 PM
He could just cast a spell to raise his AC. You get one at first level (Shield of Faith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shieldOfFaith.htm)).

It might not give quite as much, but I'm not sure a Heavy Armor proficient character needs much more.

Sir_Chivalry
2010-11-26, 04:19 PM
He could just cast a spell to raise his AC. You get one at first level (Shield of Faith (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shieldOfFaith.htm)).

It might not give quite as much, but I'm not sure a Heavy Armor proficient character needs much more.

Well that goes without saying as a spellcaster, but is there anything else?

Forged Fury
2010-11-26, 04:20 PM
The Saint Template from BoED. Some people don't like BoED and think the Saint Template is pretty unbalanced.

You could probably cut some of the really nice stuff out, call it Beatified, give it a LA +1, and be good to go if you don't want to give the character the cavalcade of resistances and bonuses that come with it.

gbprime
2010-11-26, 04:20 PM
Nope. You'd have to homebrew something.

But bear in mind that giving a caster more AC based on his primary stat while also letting them be fully armored... that's one hell of a feat, and personally I wouldn't allow it.

I'd go for something more along the lines of a feat that allows the character to substitute wisdom for dexterity for purposes of armor class bonus, and the max dex bonus still applies.

Tael
2010-11-26, 04:47 PM
Who needs armor? Just buy a Monk's Belt and cast Magic Vestment on your robes every mourning.

Thurbane
2010-11-26, 04:48 PM
Obligatory X Stat to Y Bonus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732) link...

Joshinthemosh
2010-11-26, 04:50 PM
The Saint Template from BoED. Some people don't like BoED and think the Saint Template is pretty unbalanced. You could probably adjust it a bit to your liking, plus it may be thematically appropriate for the character depending on alignment.


This is it. I played a Gesalt Ogre Mage with the Saint Template/Cleric 5/Radient Servant of Pelor 10 and it rocked. Wis to AC in Heavy armor YES!

On the Swordsage issues could you wear a suit of Mithral Medium armor? Only a two level dip, nice Dex mod added, and with the Wis mod not to shabby at all. Also not terrible armor checks.

Edit: Also if you really wanted to you could dip 1 Monk and then go Ardent Fist 2(Faiths of Eberron pg. 70) for Wis to AC in heavy armor. Just don't use the fast movement of Flurries.

Coidzor
2010-11-26, 05:58 PM
monk's belt, monk 1 dip, dip into ranger using the moon-warded ranger astrological substition levels from Dragon magazine (forget issue#), see if you can swing it with your DM to allow the substitution level with Prestige Ranger (it's basically more of an ACF anyway, just trades the first combat style for wisdom to AC either unarmored or in light armor like a ranger)...

Psyren
2010-11-26, 06:17 PM
Argent Fist 2 gives you Wis to AC while armored. You lose caster levels though, so ask yourself how bad you want that ability.

You can just get an armor AC bonus with Mage Armor (from a domain/anyspell) or Luminous Armor (Sanctified).

Forged Fury
2010-11-26, 06:19 PM
Argent Fist 2 gives you Wis to AC while armored. You lose caster levels though, so ask yourself how bad you want that ability.

Have to be a paladin/monk too, if I recall the class ability requirements. I don't think you can do it with cleric, can you?

Psyren
2010-11-26, 06:29 PM
Have to be a paladin/monk too, if I recall the class ability requirements. I don't think you can do it with cleric, can you?

You need smite evil, but a dip in Prestige Paladin will get you that without losing caster levels.

Thrawn183
2010-11-26, 06:30 PM
Greater Luminous Armor + Monk's Belt is about as good as you can get I think.

Eldariel
2010-11-26, 07:14 PM
Greater Luminous Armor + Monk's Belt is about as good as you can get I think.

You might or might not be able to Magic Vestment Greater Luminous Armor too. You may or may not also be able to have an auxillary source of enhancement bonus to armor and have it stack. Both can be argued either way rules-wise.

Curmudgeon
2010-11-26, 07:52 PM
Here's my usual recommendation for a Cleric (specifically designed to address the Cloistered Cleric's armor limitations):

1) Start with the right clothing.
Scholar’s Outfit

Perfect for a scholar, this outfit includes a robe, a belt, a cap, soft shoes, and possibly a cloak.2) Next, enhance the robe with an armor bonus (up to +8), as per Magic Item Compendium page 234. This works exactly the same as Bracers of Armor; the "Adding/Improving Common Item Effects" table allows armor bonuses in both Arms (bracers) and Body (robe) slots.

3) Next, you can add an armor enhancement bonus on top of the armor bonus if you cast Magic Vestment:
You imbue a suit of armor or a shield with an enhancement bonus of +1 per four caster levels (maximum +5 at 20th level).

An outfit of regular clothing counts as armor that grants no AC bonus for the purpose of this spell.4) Finally, realize that your armor boost (up to +13 already) isn't from actual armor at all, and thus you can still wear a Monk's Belt to get (1 + WIS bonus) more AC!

Morbis Meh
2010-11-27, 01:56 AM
You could also take a 2 lvl dip in swordsage
edit: You can only wear light armor but mithral medium armor still counts!

Coidzor
2010-11-27, 02:14 AM
Sword sage has the nifty bit where if one dips the first level earlier onand then the second one after acquiring some more levels, the benefits from swordsage scale up due to the increased initiator level, IIRC. :smallbiggrin:

Curmudgeon
2010-11-27, 07:09 AM
Sword sage has the nifty bit where if one dips the first level earlier onand then the second one after acquiring some more levels, the benefits from swordsage scale up due to the increased initiator level, IIRC. :smallbiggrin:
The most important specific benefit is to allow you to pick a higher level stance at Swordsage 2. You're limited to one 1st-level stance at Swordsage 1, but the stance you pick at level 2 is determined solely by your IL.

Greenish
2010-11-27, 07:15 AM
Sword sage has the nifty bit where if one dips the first level earlier onand then the second one after acquiring some more levels, the benefits from swordsage scale up due to the increased initiator level, IIRC. :smallbiggrin:Or you could take both of the swordsage levels later in the build to get better maneuvers, since swordsages get a bunch on first level.

grimbold
2010-11-27, 09:02 AM
i think that the best and cheapest way is spellcasting

Adumbration
2010-11-27, 10:19 AM
There's also Law Devotion.

Kris Strife
2010-11-27, 10:51 AM
Half-Weight armor enhancement. Makes any armor count as light armor. From the Forgotten Realms drow book I believe.