High AC by avoiding (no heavy armor) (needed today!!)

[The_Iron_Lord]

Hey Playground!

I'm making a character for my PCs to fight that will have a really high AC and dodge most attacks, using Wall Of Blades to counter nat 20s...He's an 8th level Elf of some kind who uses maneuvers alot, and is Dex, Int and Wis (maybe) dependent, in descending order. How can I give him the highest AC possible with no shield and light/no armor?

EDIT: As I said in the title, this character is needed today, so please reply ASAP! :smallbiggrin:

[GilesTheCleric]

At 8th level, it probably going to start to be easier for you to invest in miss chance over pure AC boosts. I don't have my monster attack bonus graph handy, but they scale up above 20 at a reasonable pace -- attack will always outstrip AC unless you're devoting far too many resources into AC.

[The_Iron_Lord]

No, this is a character to fight my 6th level PCs, who in general aren't particularly optimized (with some exceptions). Thus, a miss chance is good, but high AC coupled with Wall Of Blades should ensure that no-one hits him (mwahaha :belkar:)

[sleepyphoenixx]

Just give him a bunch of potions or other one-shot items and have a way to explain how he knew to take them just before the fight.
You don't need to build NPC encounters like PCs. A one-shot is just as good as a permanent item if they're going to die anyway.
Same applies to pre-bought spells from a spellcaster with the Craft Contingent Spell feat - set the trigger to "if i snap my fingers" or some activation phrase, boom, he's fully buffed with no actions lost despite the encounter having no spellcaster. It's a valid tactic for a BBEG or miniboss.

That's pretty much my tactic for most encounters that i need to toughen up when i DM. They're cheap enough not to break npc wealth, don't depend on specific builds and they don't shower the party in loot.
If you're feeling generous you can replace some of them with 1/day items like a Drow House Insignia for Shield 1/day. Just not all of them.

[Particle_Man]

A level of swordsage gets the NPC wis to AC (and you already have dex) while still allowing light armour, and some more "you didn't really hit me" maneuvers from setting sun and shadow hand (miss chance and counter with sense motive) (cloak of deception, baffling defense). If PC spellcasters are going for "save or suck" then diamond mind "concentration is my save" maneuvers could help too".

There are also stone bones (ok, you hit me, but you didn't really hurt me) and the feat stone power (temp hp, same deal)).

[Karl Aegis]

+1 chain shirt, ring of protection +1, amulet of natural armor +1, gloves of dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +2

Just really standard stuff by this level

[Ken Murikumo]

Monk gets wisdom to ac and a small (laughable) bonus to ac at certain levels. Dodge feat for a small situational bonus. Classes like factotum, duelist, and iajutsu master get their intelligence bonus added to ac (with strings attached). Other classes and feats can add other ability bonuses to ac. These can be rather inefficient though.

the Unarmed Sword-sage variant from tome of battle get wisdom to ac and is proficient with light armor. get some studded leather or something and enchant it for some extra points. An amulet of natural armor would give a nat armor bonus, and spells like mage armor can give you more. (this is the route i would go, especially to get some maneuvers)

Click here to find a list of ways to add other ability mods to stuff (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?125732-3-x-X-stat-to-Y-bonus)

Edit: sword-saged... by multiple people...

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Single use, use-activated: Spell level × caster level × 50 gp (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm)

One-time Bauble of Inertial Armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/inertialArmor.htm), manifester level 19, lasts 19 hours, +13 armor bonus, 950 gp.

One-time Bauble of Force Screen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/forceScreen.htm), manifester level 17, lasts 17 minutes, +8 shield bonus, 850 gp.

One-time Bauble of Defensive Precognition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/precognitionDefensive.htm), manifester level 19, lasts 19 minutes, +7 insight bonus to AC and all saving throws, 950 gp.

With all of those active, his AC is 38+Dex bonus plus whatever else you want to give him. The dispel DC for those is 30, or 28 for Force Screen, which means they'll need to roll extremely high to remove any of them if they even try that.

[flappeercraft]

I would make a Tiefling Abjuration Domain Wizard 3/Warblade 3/Swordsage 1. You get Wis and Dex to AC, any armor (although make sure to not have Arcane spell failure with it so I would reccomend Mage armor) and you cast Alter self as buffs before fighting and Shield just before and become a Dwarven Ancestor (MM3 IIRC) which gives you natural armor +18. Meaning you would have with the right build 10 +18 NA +4 Wis +4 Dex +4 Armor +4 Shield for a total of 44 AC with 2 rounds of preparing during fight or buffing before the fight. Of course you would have to change the concept a bit but it could work. Up to this moment it does not rely on any magic items but it does require 2 rounds of preptime before a fight. You could also add something like a cloak of displacement. This is also low PB friendly as you only need for base stats before any modifiers 10 Int, 14 Dex and 18 Wis. Everything else is a dump stat, this gets you with Tiefling Racial modifiers to 12 Int, 16 Dex and 18 Wis and then add the 2 leveling bonuses to dexterity which nets you 12 Int, 18 Dex and 18 Wis. This uses 24 PB to get those stats so assuming 32 PB you have 8 points to spare to improve 6 Cha, 8 Str and 8 Con.


If you want to make this even harder, if you make him ECL 9 you can increase his Int to 12 before Racial modifier and Dexterity to 16 for a use of 30 PB and 2 points left, add the Gheden template and replace the first Warblade level with the Fighter variant, Pugilist. This still gets you the same AC at 9th level but also makes you immune to damage. The Gheden template adds +4 strength but reduces Charisma by 4, Dexterity by 2 and Intelligence by 2 whixh is why use some more of the PB for that. This nets you 44 AC and damage immunity plus Wall of blades by 9th level

Edit: I got mixed up with the PB, on the first one you need to get the Dexterity to 15 not 14.

[Telok]

Warblade 5, Swordsage 2, mineral warrior elf.
Shield Specialization, Shield Ward, Combat Expertise
Large shield, mithrilmist chain shirt

AC = 10 + dex mod + wis mod + 3 NA + 3 shield + 5 armor + 5 Expertise
DR 8/adamantine

Choose your favourite manoeuvres
Counters:
Desert Wind, Zephyr Dance
Iron Heart, Wall of Blades
Setting Sun, Baffling Defense
Setting Sun, Counter Charge

Stances:
Diamond Mind, Stance of Clarity
Diamond Mind, Pearl of Black Doubt
Iron Heart, Absolute Steel
Shadow Hand, Child of Shadow

Edit: My bad, swordsage Wis AC doesn't work with a shield.

[EvulOne]

Wand of Mage Armor, Wand of Shield, 18 Dex, +1 Ring of Protection, +1 Amulet of natural Armor, Dodge, Combat Expertise and Give him a single hand weapon and the Einhander feat and fighting defensively he could reach AC: 32 If I'm correct.

[Keltest]

Just give him a bunch of potions or other one-shot items and have a way to explain how he knew to take them just before the fight.
You don't need to build NPC encounters like PCs. A one-shot is just as good as a permanent item if they're going to die anyway.
Same applies to pre-bought spells from a spellcaster with the Craft Contingent Spell feat - set the trigger to "if i snap my fingers" or some activation phrase, boom, he's fully buffed with no actions lost despite the encounter having no spellcaster. It's a valid tactic for a BBEG or miniboss.

That's pretty much my tactic for most encounters that i need to toughen up when i DM. They're cheap enough not to break npc wealth, don't depend on specific builds and they don't shower the party in loot.
If you're feeling generous you can replace some of them with 1/day items like a Drow House Insignia for Shield 1/day. Just not all of them.

One shots are actually better, because the PCs cant take them and use them for their own twisted ends.

[nyjastul69]

Single use, use-activated: Spell level × caster level × 50 gp (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm)

One-time Bauble of Inertial Armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/inertialArmor.htm), manifester level 19, lasts 19 hours, +13 armor bonus, 950 gp.

One-time Bauble of Force Screen (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/forceScreen.htm), manifester level 17, lasts 17 minutes, +8 shield bonus, 850 gp.

One-time Bauble of Defensive Precognition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/precognitionDefensive.htm), manifester level 19, lasts 19 minutes, +7 insight bonus to AC and all saving throws, 950 gp.

With all of those active, his AC is 38+Dex bonus plus whatever else you want to give him. The dispel DC for those is 30, or 28 for Force Screen, which means they'll need to roll extremely high to remove any of them if they even try that.

You are forgetting to cite one of the most important elements of item creation.


Not all items adhere to these formulas directly. The reasons for this are several. First and foremost, these few formulas aren’t enough to truly gauge the exact differences between items. The price of a magic item may be modified based on its actual worth. The formulas only provide a starting point. The pricing of scrolls assumes that, whenever possible, a wizard or cleric created it. Potions and wands follow the formulas exactly. Staffs follow the formulas closely, and other items require at least some judgment calls

Emphasis added.

[sleepyphoenixx]

You are forgetting to cite one of the most important elements of item creation.



Emphasis added.

If you want to avoid custom items just buy them as Psionic Tattoos. They have the same effect and the same cost.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you want to avoid custom items just buy them as Psionic Tattoos. They have the same effect and the same cost.

Psionic tattoos are always at the minimum manifester level, never augmented. So that's only +4 armor, +4 shield, and +1 insight, and the latter two only last ten rounds.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Psionic tattoos are always at the minimum manifester level, never augmented. So that's only +4 armor, +4 shield, and +1 insight, and the latter two only last ten rounds.

Citation please. Because the feat description on the SRD explicitly says the opposite.


You can create a psionic tattoo of any power of 3rd level or lower that you know and that targets one or more creatures. Scribing a psionic tattoo takes one day. When you create a psionic tattoo, you set the manifester level. The manifester level must be sufficient to manifest the power in question and no higher than your own level. The base price of a psionic tattoo is its power level × its manifester level × 50 gp. To scribe a tattoo, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials (special inks, masterwork needles, and so on) costing one-half of this base price.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Citation please. Because the feat description on the SRD explicitly says the opposite.

I was thinking of Dorjes, then.

[sleepyphoenixx]

I was thinking of Dorjes, then.

Those can be adjusted to.
The only things i recall that always have minimum ML are Eternal Wands and (i think) Minor Schema.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Those can be adjusted to.
The only things i recall that always have minimum ML are Eternal Wands and (i think) Minor Schema.

Dorjes specifically can't be augmented, though.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Dorjes specifically can't be augmented, though.
It can also be augmented, just not a lot. They do have one limit that i didn't actually know about before looking it up: you can't increase the ML more than 5 over the minimum of the power stored.


Dorjes are normally created at the minimum manifester level required to manifest the power, and powers that can be augmented are not augmented when stored in a dorje. A dorje’s wielder cannot augment the power contained within the dorje. However, dorjes can be created at a higher manifester level than required to manifest the power. In this case, the dorje that holds an augmentable power is augmented, to the limit of the manifester level and the power’s augmentation maximums, if any. The manifester level of a dorje cannot be more than five higher than the minimum manifester level to use the power it contains.

That restriction is unique afaik.
Not that it matters too much in most cases since high CL/ML wands/dorjes are hideously expensive (and you rarely use 50 charges even in long campaigns), but it's kind of disappointing that "psionic wands" get arbitrary restrictions.

[Ignimortis]

Did anyone mention that Wall of Blades cannot block crits, because it replaces your AC with the result of an attack roll, but natural 20 still hits through any AC, even if it's 10000 or something like that? Not really on topic, but I didn't see anyone mention this hole in OP's plan.

[Darrin]

Did anyone mention that Wall of Blades cannot block crits, because it replaces your AC with the result of an attack roll, but natural 20 still hits through any AC, even if it's 10000 or something like that?

That's what wings of cover is for. Also, wand + wand chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape).

[Fizban]

Huh, well it's a day late but: how's your PC's AC? Combat Expertise is worth +5, up to +10 with Superior Expertise from OA. If your PCs aren't keeping up with their own AC you can just trade attack bonus, especially with touch based maneuvers against low-dex types. A Ring of Force Shielding is worth +2 shield without being a shield, generally garbage for PCs but useful here if you don't want to cheese potions or wands while still only worth 4,000gp when the PCs sell it.

[Seerow]

That's what wings of cover is for. Also, wand + wand chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape).

I thought Wings of Cover had to be declared before the attack roll? If you can declare if after the crit (threat or confirm) that is a much better spell than I gave it credit for.


On the topic of the OP try checking out this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?178445-A-short-guide-to-defensive-fighting). Defensive fighting requires way too much investment to be worth it on a real character (trust me, I've tried), but for an NPC just being cheeky to the PCs, taking a -2 to hit for +10 or so to AC is probably worth a fair chunk of resources.

[Ignimortis]

That's what wings of cover is for. Also, wand + wand chamber (100 GP, Dungeonscape).

I don't think Wings of Cover does explicitly block the attack after you know it's been made and whether it hits you or not.



If your foe is about to attack you with a melee, ranged, spell, or psionic attack, you can cast this spell immediately, creating a hemispherical barrier (or a spherical barrier if you are not standing on solid ground) of force shaped like dragon wings.
The wings of force last just long enough to disrupt your foe's line of effect to you, providing you total cover against a single attack with a weapon, spell, or psionic power.
Your foe's first attack in this round cannot be made and is wasted against you, though he could decide to take any other action, including choosing to attack one of your allies instead, or take a full attack action that grants him additional melee attacks against you in this round (if your foe is of high enough level to have additional attacks).

It's a good spell to tank one hit which probably is going to hit you, but not that good as to deny a crit for a 2nd level spellslot.

[Crake]

Hey Playground!

I'm making a character for my PCs to fight that will have a really high AC and dodge most attacks, using Wall Of Blades to counter nat 20s...He's an 8th level Elf of some kind who uses maneuvers alot, and is Dex, Int and Wis (maybe) dependent, in descending order. How can I give him the highest AC possible with no shield and light/no armor?

EDIT: As I said in the title, this character is needed today, so please reply ASAP! :smallbiggrin:

Where did you get the idea that wall of blades stops a natural 20 from hitting?

[Mordaedil]

I think reducing their odds of hitting to 95% is plenty enough, but you're going to be biting your nails if they disable him in some other way.

[Crake]

I don't think Wings of Cover does explicitly block the attack after you know it's been made and whether it hits you or not.



It's a good spell to tank one hit which probably is going to hit you, but not that good as to deny a crit for a 2nd level spellslot.

Reading the rules, it says "when an opponent is about to attack you" that means you cannot use it to negate an attack that has already hit, you need to declare it before the dice has even been rolled.

[The_Iron_Lord]

Where did you get the idea that wall of blades stops a natural 20 from hitting?

Oops...:smallredface: I thought that it just said something like "If your attack roll is greater than their attack roll, the opponent fails to hit you" or something like that...Oh well, I guess it's not cool to make even nat 20s incapable of hitting...