Broken AC. Should I do it?

[Sargentpsychooo]

So I have a level 6 character 5 monk/1 wizard. We defeated a boss through some smart plays fairly early, meaning we have some op gear. I have 20 Dex 20 wisdom a band of intellect so 19 int also. I wield two short swords and have duel wielder so +1 ac. I also have bracers of defense +2 and a ring of protection +2. This makes my ac 25. Then I was planning on going blade singer, making my ac effectively 29 and if they get above that I have the spell shield so it's actually more like 34. All of this plus the blur spell which give them disadvantage on attacks seems really broken to me, so should I just not level up wizard anymore?

[A Fat Dragon]

Be sure to check in with your party and your DM on this part. There’s only three questions that matter in this situation:

1. Are you having fun?

2. Is the rest of your party having fun?

3. Is your DM having fun?


If they all seem cool with your idea, and they are all having fun while you do this idea, then it should be okay. Personally, as a DM, or a Party Member, I would not be too fond of it, though I wouldn’t be too upset, seeing as how you got very lucky, and worked towards this goal.

(I apologize if I’m not being clear: Mainly, just check in with your table, and get there opinions first)

[Kuulvheysoon]

Expect a lot more saving throws thrown your way?

[clash]

2 questions?
1) Is the rest of your party this op? ie 2 stats maxed + feat at level 6 + several magic items?
If so then probably not an issue as the dm can just adjust the difficulty accordingly. Ac only blocks weapon attacks for the most part. All the worse stuff is saves which admittedly monk is good at anyways.

2) If you have an ac of 29 why would you waste concentration on the blur spell?

[nickl_2000]

Is this a group that you play with the same people over and over again? If it is, I would share the magic item wealth. You can get a huge AC without those magic items, so why not help them be better and help the whole party overall.

[DMThac0]

I am prone to use an old line here:

If you have to ask the question, you probably already know the answer.


You know your table better than anyone on the forums. If you feel this might make you a bit OP for the game, then let the DM know that you are en route to making yourself a very challenging target. If your DM did this knowingly, then nothing will change. If your DM did this by accident, then this gives them the chance to work a way around it.

There are time where I've made it look like I gave my players OP items by 'accident' when it was for story/plot device instead.

[Master O'Laughs]

Also, just a heads up, the blade song from bladesinger requires you to only be wielding 1 weapon so you would lose the +1 AC from dual wielder I believe. Otherwise, sounds fun!

Like others have said though your DM may start to throw more saving throws your way instead.

[CTurbo]

I'd go Bladesinger because it would be fun, but probably give the +2 Ring to another player that could benefit more from it. I'd maybe even give the Bracers away if another player needs them more.

You can't Dual Wield with Bladesong though and Dual Wielder is a terrible feat for a Monk anyway.

You don't want your AC to be TOO high

[Kaliayev]

Keep in mind that having both hands full will interfere with spell casting. You're going to have to throw another feat at war caster or give up dual wielding, if you're looking to cast spells every round.


Be sure to check in with your party and your DM on this part. There’s only three questions that matter in this situation:

1. Are you having fun?

2. Is the rest of your party having fun?

3. Is your DM having fun?


4. Are you an elf? If not, who's teaching you to bladesing and why?


Also, just a heads up, the blade song from bladesinger requires you to only be wielding 1 weapon so you would lose the +1 AC from dual wielder I believe. Otherwise, sounds fun!


The restriction is on using two hands to attack with a weapon. As long as you're not using a two-handed weapon or using two hands with a versatile weapon, your song is active. Now, reconciling component casting and dual wielding is a tad more complicated.

[Tubben]

I thought there is no Ring of Protection +2 in D&D.

[DMThac0]

You are correct; in 5e it is described as a ring that grants +1.

Many items are described as having a modifier up to +3 and, if I recall correctly, that is the suggested cap on how far the bonuses can go. So if a DM were inclined to be generous, they could increase the modifier of a Ring of Protection to +2.

[Matrix_Walker]

Also, just a heads up, the blade song from bladesinger requires you to only be wielding 1 weapon so you would lose the +1 AC from dual wielder I believe. Otherwise, sounds fun!

Like others have said though your DM may start to throw more saving throws your way instead.

This is untrue.

You cannot make an attack with a two-handed weapon or use a shield, but there is no prohibition about TWF.

[MeimuHakurei]

Seeing a lot of investment in defense makes me wonder: How is your character set for damage? You don't have much to worry about a 1d6+5 damage opportunity attack with enemies appropriate for Level 6 (which are usually CR 2 so about 45-50 hit points). All the AC doesn't really help the character much if the enemies go for easier targets, especially ones who proactively disrupt/damage them with concentration effects.

[Matrix_Walker]

I've got a standard bladesinger, with slightly less impressive stats, but I'm walking around rocking an AC of 17 at rest and 22 bladesinging, shooting to a 2 with the Shield spell...

Your AC isn't going to mean much. I rarely get hit by anything that isn't a crit, which is nice, but those crits happen more often than you might think. Plenty of multiattacking enemies getting flanking bonuses as a matter or course leads to allot of 20s, and there isn't anything to do but soak it.

So rather than find new and improved bonuses to yoru AC, I think you'd be better served shoring up you HP with the Tough feat or some such rather than pushing an already nigh unhittable (short of a crit) AC.

[Unoriginal]

You're still going to be hit 5% of the time, you know?

And then what? What do you envision your character do?

How will you help in fights? How will you help in all the other situations?

[JackPhoenix]

2 questions?
1) Is the rest of your party this op? ie 2 stats maxed + feat at level 6 + several magic items?
If so then probably not an issue as the dm can just adjust the difficulty accordingly. Ac only blocks weapon attacks for the most part. All the worse stuff is saves which admittedly monk is good at anyways.

2) If you have an ac of 29 why would you waste concentration on the blur spell?

To turn those annoying critical hits from 1/20 chance to 1/400 chance?

And no Shield while dual wielding without Warcaster. Or much of any other spellcasting, really.

[xanderh]

I've got a standard bladesinger, with slightly less impressive stats, but I'm walking around rocking an AC of 17 at rest and 22 bladesinging, shooting to a 2 with the Shield spell...

Your AC isn't going to mean much. I rarely get hit by anything that isn't a crit, which is nice, but those crits happen more often than you might think. Plenty of multiattacking enemies getting flanking bonuses as a matter or course leads to allot of 20s, and there isn't anything to do but soak it.

So rather than find new and improved bonuses to yoru AC, I think you'd be better served shoring up you HP with the Tough feat or some such rather than pushing an already nigh unhittable (short of a crit) AC.

Flanking is a variant rule, and most tables play without it.

[Lombra]

That's one generous amount of magic items and lucky rolls, just roll with what you'll have the most fun with, along with what makes the most sense for the character.

[OvisCaedo]

Dual wielding seems like a bit of a waste. It's doing nothing to help you offensively, and I feel like you can really live without that 1 AC if you otherwise have so much, especially if you do take the other wizard level for bladesinger. And as a few people have pointed out, you'd have trouble with spellcasting while trying to dual wield until you had enough levels to get another feat for war caster, which would be a fair while off. You might be better off just ditching the second sword in exchange for spellcasting access, even if it means you took a feat that is going to be entirely ignored for a while. You are so grossly ahead on stats that I feel like having a wasted feat isn't even hurting, though you'd maybe have been better off with a different one.

But a few people have asked "how's your offense?", and as far as I can tell... Completely fine, because you've already got the only investments into offense one might have maxed out from your absolutely ridiculous ability scores. There'll be some levels where your monk damage die is one average damage lower than a pure monk, you'd be a bit behind on monk subclass features (No idea how those are offensively for each), and I guess you'd have a ki point or two less, but you already have maxed attack bonus AND monk ability DC.

[StoicLeaf]

I'd do it, if only to give the DM a learning opportunity.

[stoutstien]

Still can be shut down by a shove/grapple, or spells with saving throws, and small hit die? Seems ok as long as the power lv is equal among rest of players

[Asmotherion]

Is the rest of the group optimising? If so, go for it.

It's not like you're literally invulnerable to everything (as you'll soon notice), you just have a very high AC, making you good at stuff.

If your DM talks to you against it, don't do it. Simple as that.

If you feel you should ask permision, perhaps you should. I'd allow it, but I'm not your DM.

[Joe the Rat]

Expect a lot more saving throws thrown your way?Indeed. Saves, shoves, and grapples, with the occasional insane to-hit opponent.

Being untouchable isn't as helpful if you can't keep aggro.

[Samayu]

If there are squishies in your party, they're going to take the brunt of the attacks when the monsters learn you're untouchable. Your AC could make life more difficult on the rest of the team.

[Boci]

If there are squishies in your party, they're going to take the brunt of the attacks when the monsters learn you're untouchable. Your AC could make life more difficult on the rest of the team.

Depends how honest the DM is being. Ideally monsters shouldn't know they're unhittable until they roll high and miss, same as players, so they should soak up a few hits.

[KeilFX]

As it looks right now, I don't see the +AC magic items being as important as that dank af Blur spell. As previously mentioned, you're going to get crits coming at you, as well as lots of saving throws from AoE. Now thankfully Monks get evasion to nullify Dex save spell damage, and eventually get PRO to all saves, so ultimately crits, godly attack bonuses and spells that target your weaker saves are going to give you the most trouble.

Perhaps Lucky could serve you more, and give a few magic items to other folks, freeing yourself up to some more swag later on