High Dex, Heavy Armor, and Touch AC

[Droopy McCool]

Despite my searching, I can't find the answer. If I'm wearing Full Plate and have a 16 Dex, barring other modifiers do I have an 11 or a 13 touch AC?

McCool

[justiceforall]

From the SRD:


Maximum Dex Bonus

This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to AC that this type of armor allows.

Your touch AC would therefore be 11 (max dex of +1).

[Droopy McCool]

Your touch AC would therefore be 11 (max dex of +1).

Being one of those guys for just a second, that passage doesn't state "Touch AC". However, I don't want to be an **s. Works for me.

McCool

[Troacctid]

Being one of those guys for just a second, that passage doesn't state "Touch AC". However, I don't want to be an **s.

Here is the definition of a touch attack.


Some attacks disregard armor, including shields and natural armor. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either ranged or melee). When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn’t include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally.

Only your armor bonus, shield bonus, and natural armor bonus are affected. All other modifiers to your AC are unchanged.

[Droopy McCool]

Only your armor bonus, shield bonus, and natural armor bonus are affected. All other modifiers to your AC are unchanged.

Sure, and only getting up to the armor's max Dex towards touch AC makes sense as far as "I'm still wearing armor, so I can't maneuver as well as without it".

Playing Devil's advocate here :smallamused:, I'd be tempted to say that's RAW RAI (I meant RAI, honestly!). I'm curious where it explicitly states something along the lines of "You apply up to your armor's max Dex to touch AC, even if your Dex exceeds this number." I guess you could read the following quote and say applying your Dex mod normally means up to the armor's max Dex.


All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally.

Is it written somewhere in a more solid form than implication?

McCool

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Touch AC is still AC, and all normal limiters apply. If armor doesn't allow extra Dex to AC, it restricts all forms of AC the same way unless otherwise stated the same way that being entangled applies a -2 penalty to all attacks, whether those attacks are melee attacks, melee touch attacks, ranged attacks, ranged touch attacks, incorporeal touch attacks, or any other form I can't think of off the top of my head.

It doesn't have to get more specific, because the limiters apply regardless.

[Droopy McCool]

Ya' got me. Y'know, it's hard to play the "rules lawyering let's read each word individually" game. :smalltongue:

Good game, everybody.

McCool

[Necroticplague]

Ya' got me. Y'know, it's hard to play the "rules lawyering let's read each word individually" game. :smalltongue:

Good game, everybody.

McCool

Don't worry, it gets easier after a bit.