Helping building Hexblade with highest AC possible

[Grimace59]

Hey guys. I'm looking to build a Hexblade for Tomb and want to go pact of the blade and GWM 4th level but I worried about having low AC. What are some build ideas to keep my AC up?

Plan to go straight Warlock/Hexblade and run a great sword at lvl 3. But I'm not fully set at Race, currently thinking between Human and Half Elf.

My rolls are 18, 16, 14 11, 10, 8.

My plan is to be an upfront swinging my sword and not in the back blasting away.

Thanks for the help.

(Also since this is my first post didn't know how to add the player help Tag)

[Jerrykhor]

Unfortunately, there's not many options you have for pumping AC as of now, short of multiclassing. You either put points in DEX and wear light armour, or put 14 in dex and wear medium armour. I think its best you get half plate for 15+2 AC.

[Talionis]

Take the feat heavy armor proficiency.

Dip Cleric, Fighter, or Paladin, for heavy armor.

[Pona]

Take Dragon Mask Item, and add Charisma to AC. Really Really useful.

[Belier]

Your best bet is to put your 18 into ac and take a race that grants +2 dex and take armor of agathis and at level 2 you could take the invocation to cast mage armor at will for a 13 + dex = 18 ac.

Forget aboit med half plate at start, you wont cope the glld until level 3-4

[Belier]

16 would have to be yoir strenght, 14 your charisma 11 your constitution and pray not to fail a wisdom save.

[Paeleus]

High AC is a must.

If no multiclassing, it's going to have to come through a racial feature (such as Heavy Armor proficiency from Dwarf, whatever natural armor the Lizardfolk from Xanthar's get, etc.).

If multiclassing, Paladin has bonus features over fighter with Handy heals, Smites, and spells. Speaking of spells, Shield of Faith is on the paladin spell list and pumps that AC my guy.

[Jerrykhor]

You have to sacrifice some damage if you want the best possible AC. Personally, I'd rather put 18 in CHA, 14 DEX, 16 CON, and wear medium armour. If you go half-elf, you will start with 20 CHA. Since you have GWM, you need your attack to be as high as possible. 17 AC is decent enough to last you until level 8.

[Belier]

You have to sacrifice some damage if you want the best possible AC. Personally, I'd rather put 18 in CHA, 14 DEX, 16 CON, and wear medium armour. If you go half-elf, you will start with 20 CHA. Since you have GWM, you need your attack to be as high as possible. 17 AC is decent enough to last you until level 8.

He wont have the gold before level 3 or 4 but any way by level 1-2 16 ac is enaugh with 14 dex and chain mail. Especialy if he got high con. By level 8 he should be having a half plate and may be +1-+2 or magic items that help.

[Jerrykhor]

He wont have the gold before level 3 or 4 but any way by level 1-2 16 ac is enaugh with 14 dex and chain mail. Especialy if he got high con. By level 8 he should be having a half plate and may be +1-+2 or magic items that help.

Yeah gold is an issue, but still, 750 gold is reasonable compared to 1500 for plate, and that is assuming his party doesn't have a Fighter/Paladin who has higher priority.

If he reeeeeeaaally wants 18 AC, then Medium Armor Master feat is another option, if he puts 16 in DEX.

[Grimace59]

Yeah gold is an issue, but still, 750 gold is reasonable compared to 1500 for plate, and that is assuming his party doesn't have a Fighter/Paladin who has higher priority.

If he reeeeeeaaally wants 18 AC, then Medium Armor Master feat is another option, if he puts 16 in DEX.
I've been thinking this also, go VHuman with medium armor master but I think armor will be hard to find from merchants like in Strahd.

The plan now is a Barbarian and a Forge cleris as our front line. If we find half plate, it'll be mine.

Thank you everybody for the info, it will help a lot.

[Platypusbill]

My suggestion is to put your 16 in Dex and pick the Medium Armour Master feat, either at level 1 with V. Human or at level 4 with another race. That way you can match the AC of the best heavy armour without multiclassing/the proficiency feat, while remaining stealthy.

Edit: it seems I'm late to the party :/

[LudicSavant]

Keep in mind that 14 Dex + Half-Plate + Shield + Cloak of Protection is better and cheaper (both in attribute points and gold piece cost) than full plate at low levels, provided that Magic Items are available by any standard means (Be it XGtE magic item purchasing guidelines, DMG guidelines, whatever).

Comparison:
14 Dex + Half-Plate + Shield + Cloak of Protection = 861-1260 gp, 20 AC, 30 ft. move, +1 to all saves.
15 Str + Full Plate + Shield = 1510gp, 20 AC, 30 ft move.

Add onto this that Dex is generally a better stat than Str at a basic level (Init / Reflex saves).

At higher levels and wealth plate armor will pull ahead in AC, but only by +1. It's good, but not quite the "must have" priority that some make it out to be, and using those levels and feats elsewhere may be more beneficial to your overall ability to tank.

Edit: Note also that medium armor is about as good as heavy at the bottommost levels where nobody has any money, either.

Comparison:
14 Dex + Scale Mail + Shield = 60gp, 18 AC, 30 ft. move
13 Str + Chain Mail = 85gp, 18 AC, 30 ft. move

[Theodoxus]

Honestly, I'd start Fighter 1/Hexblade x, grab Defense style and the best heavy armor you can afford (chain mail at 1st). This would give you a 17 AC with a Greatsword. If you drop the 14 into Strength, you'll be -2 to Hit and Damage vs Hexblade, for 1 level. (-3 if you go HElf).

As for choosing between the two races, HElf would grant you a 20 Cha, 15 Str and 17 Con; you'd also have darkvision and extra skills - not bad.
Vuman would grant you 18 Cha, 15 Str and 17 Con. But a free skill and feat; You could take HAM, boosting strength to 16, increasing your hit and damage, and reducing incoming damage by 3 (great synergy with AoA). OTOH, GWM will boost your damage potential.

One added benefit of adding a fighter dip, if you were to take it to 3, and grab Champion, the improved critical should (ask your DM) stack with the Hexblade's Curse improved critical. By 4th level, you'd be 18-20 on your crit range (once per rest). By then, you might have stumbled upon plate, or have enough gold to buy it.

Just another option to consider...

[Vogie]

If you don't have access to heavy armor via race choice, the easiest way is boosting your Dex (through moving numbers around, race choice or ASIs), picking up MAM (+1 AC if over 16+ Dex), and then:

Pick up an actual Shield, and use the pact feature to switch to a onehanded blade on boss encounters.
Picking up the Blade Mastery feat (UA), which gives you +1 AC as a reaction while wielding a 1- or 2-handed sword
Picking up Shield of Faith using Magic Initiate

[KnotaGuru]

You'll be swinging a one-handed weapon until at least level 3 when pact of the blade will allow you to use CHA for two-handed weapons. So with a 16 DEX, MAM (vhuman), scale mail, and a shield, you'll have 19 AC at level 1.

At level 2, take fiendish vigor (false life) invocation for an extra at-will 5-8 temp hp.

At level 3, trade out your other level 2 invocation for improved pact weapon invocation, but keep using a one-handed weapon & shield.

At level 4, take GWM, ditch the shield, and start conjuring a greatsword (or maul for skeletons) for your pact weapon. By now, you should have enough gold for halfplate so you'll be at 18 AC. You'll also have enough hp to withstand a few hits.

At level 5, take eldritch smite invocation and trade out fiendish vigor for thirsting blade (extra attack) invocation. Now you're attacking 2-3 times/round, for 2d6+15 damage, add 4d8 burst damage for a short rest eldritch smite. Double all those dice on a crit and proc the bonus attack from GWM. Start casting Armor of Agathys for 15 temp hp while dealing 15 cold damage to enemies that hit you.

[MagneticKitty]

Be a tortle.
18, 16, 14 11, 10, 8.
Str 14 +2
Con 16
Dex 10
Int 8
Wis 11 + 1
Cha 18

Built in 17 Ac with a feat that brings you to 18 Ac. No armor needed ever. No dex needed and you can use big str weapons

If desired add paladin 2 or 5
Gives you some low level slots to cast utility spells, gives you smite you can stack with hexblades smite. Gives you an extra attack at 5 you don't need to spend an ivocation on. Gives you a little healing and a fighting style.

If non tortle it Gives you shield proficiency and heavy armor proficiency if you start paladin 1 and add warlock on after.

[History_buff]

Honestly a level or two of fighter especially starting as a fighter could help you out a lot. Starting as a fighter gets you proficiency in Con saves as well as heavy armor and second wind and a fighting style. Two levels gets you action surge which is very nice.

As others have said paladin would get you heavy armor and a fighting style as well as some extra spell slots and smites with 2 levels of investment.

[FelineArchmage]

Hey guys. I'm looking to build a Hexblade for Tomb and want to go pact of the blade and GWM 4th level but I worried about having low AC. What are some build ideas to keep my AC up?

Plan to go straight Warlock/Hexblade and run a great sword at lvl 3. But I'm not fully set at Race, currently thinking between Human and Half Elf.

My rolls are 18, 16, 14 11, 10, 8.

My plan is to be an upfront swinging my sword and not in the back blasting away.

Thanks for the help.

(Also since this is my first post didn't know how to add the player help Tag)

I don't know how hardcore your DM is going to go for the rules for Tomb of Annihilation, but keep in mind that the jungles of Chult are hot. There are penalties for wearing certain armors in that region if your DM decides to use them.

[Jerrykhor]

I don't know how hardcore your DM is going to go for the rules for Tomb of Annihilation, but keep in mind that the jungles of Chult are hot. There are penalties for wearing certain armors in that region if your DM decides to use them.

Where are the rules for that?

[Kenny Snoggins]

I've been thinking this also, go VHuman with medium armor master but I think armor will be hard to find from merchants like in Strahd.

The plan now is a Barbarian and a Forge cleris as our front line. If we find half plate, it'll be mine.

Thank you everybody for the info, it will help a lot.

I've always assumed that a suit of full plate can be worn without the greaves as half plate. Not sure if that is RAW-- but maybe something to keep in mind in the unlikely event you find more full plate than half plate. (that happened to a party I was in once.)

GWM is great and all but if you really want AC would you consider going sword and board instead? Maybe a good way to start at least, until you can actually get GWM if you don't take it straight away with V. Human.