A good build that absolutly requires MAD

[TGWG]

Monk/duelist

you get DEX to AC, WIS to AC, and INT to AC, only problem is. you need MAD

if you think about it it does make sense, both classes depend on you being unarmored and both classes use light weapons, but is it worth it.

what do I have to do to make this better, or more accesible?

[Fax Celestis]

Take the Kung-Fu Genius feat, which will swap your Monk Wis-to-AC to Int-to-AC.

[TGWG]

but I already have INT to AC from the Duelist levels?

does it stack?

[Hyfigh]

It stacks the same way a Paladin of Tyranny/Hexblade/Black Guard all get Cha to saves. It will obviously depend on the DM's OK, but they are technically from different sources so should stack.

[Stam]

I've had something similar approved before. Carmendine Monk and Invisible Blade's Canny Defense.

[Jasdoif]

The duelist's Canny Defense and the monk's AC Bonus have different names, so they are definitely different abilities. Neither of their bonuses are typed, so they stack.

[Fax Celestis]

Add in a level of Fist of the Forest for Con-to-AC too.

[Zincorium]

Now here's the trick to it all...

You are nigh unhittable.

But what exactly can you do offensively? So as to make you a target, and convince the monsters to waste attacks on your dodgy little self.

This bears thinking about. With versatile unarmed strike you can at least use the precise strike ability, but you're still left with a lack of any good damaging options.

[Person_Man]

The "source" in stacking rules refers to the spell, power, feat, or class ability - not the stat that modifies or determines how effective that spell, power, feat, or class ability might be.

You might want to look at Frozen Dwarf Hulk Smash.

Deepwarden replaces you Dex bonus with your Con bonus. Fist of the Forest gets its Con bonus to AC when unarmored. Rage increases your Con, as do various items and PrC. Frostrager also increases your natural armor bonus when you Rage, and allows you to be healed by cold damage when you rage. And Con is also your main source of hit points, the real bulwark of defense in combat.

Inertial Armor is also a great source of AC. Combine with anything that has high Dex and an animated shield or Force Screen, and you'll be fine.

The best way to maximize AC overall is to simply stack a lot of minor bonuses from different sources. Size, armor, shield, natural armor, deflection, fighting defensively, Dex, doge, etc.

You should also note that there's clearly a diminishing return on optimized AC. Too many types of attacks simply ignore it. So while everyone should want high AC, there's little reason to make an entire build that maximizes nothing but AC.

[CASTLEMIKE]

The Duelist needs +6 BAB. Non core feats which have been mentioned already and non core class levels will help out your build a lot.

ToB is nice if allowed and Complete Warrior and Complete Adventurer have some nice options.

In a FRCS with Mad I'd see if I could get the Spellfire Wielder feat from Magic of Faerun.

For MAD I'd probably go Ninja - 3 (6 Skill points and Sneak Attack +2D6 (Nice with the Ascetic Rogue Feat and stacking with Unarmed Attack) or Swashbuckler -3 for Insightful Strike), Monk - 3 (Still Mind a requirement of PF) Psionic Fist or Fist of Zouken -3, Duelist - 2 and take 7 more levels of Psionic Fist or Fist of Zouken for 10 Level 1 - 5 known psi powers with 70 base PP. Depending on PC alignment maybe Assassin - 2 for another +1D6 Sneak Attack and Death Attack and Poison Use.

For MAD I'd probably take two weak flaws for two bonus feats.

Just core and SRD MAD: Barbarian - 1, Ranger - 1, Monk - 3, F- 2 (D10, +2 BAB and 2 Bonus Feats for your build), Duelist - 2, Psionic Fist - 10 (D20 SRD), Assassin, Rogue, Sorcerer (If using PF probably Shield (10 rounds sufficient for most fights) and (Color Spray or Ray of Enfeeblement (True Strike could be useful with an Assassin build and Death Attacks)) for this build) or another Duelist level - 1.

Psioinic Fist or Fist of Zuoken is nice for keeping most of your Monk bennies plus some powers like Force Shield and Inertial Armor level one powers (Both of which could both be duplicated with a level of sorcerer and using Mage Armor and Shield as known spells) which would also be nice with Abjurant Champion if psionics are not allowed. Haste and lots of other builds based on power selection.

[Kurald Galain]

Monk/duelist

you get DEX to AC, WIS to AC, and INT to AC, only problem is. you need MAD

Methinks it would be easier to simply boost Dex and add that to your AC, and/or take AC booster items. You will probably end up with an AC nearly as high, and more room left to do other things.

I don't believe that two abilities of "your AC is modified by Int rather than Dex" equate to adding twice your Int mod to your AC. It's either redundant, or you can't swap out your Dex mod more than once because you only have one Dex mod. Plus veto on account of cheese.

[Starsinger]

I don't believe that two abilities of "your AC is modified by Int rather than Dex" equate to adding twice your Int mod to your AC.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't either. See your AC is normally "Armor + Dex + Shield + Natural Armor + Deflection". Monk adds "+ Wis" to that list, and then you'd add "+ Int", and you don't add it twice because there'll already be a box that says "+ Int". But.. that made more sense in my head than trying to explain it..

[Jasdoif]

I don't believe that two abilities of "your AC is modified by Int rather than Dex" equate to adding twice your Int mod to your AC.

That's OK, since neither of the abilities replace Dex to AC. They both add an unnamed bonus to AC based off of an ability modifier.

[Fax Celestis]

Methinks it would be easier to simply boost Dex and add that to your AC, and/or take AC booster items. You will probably end up with an AC nearly as high, and more room left to do other things.

I don't believe that two abilities of "your AC is modified by Int rather than Dex" equate to adding twice your Int mod to your AC. It's either redundant, or you can't swap out your Dex mod more than once because you only have one Dex mod. Plus veto on account of cheese.

They don't "swap", they "add", like the Monk.

[Darrin]

But what exactly can you do offensively? So as to make you a target, and convince the monsters to waste attacks on your dodgy little self.

Add Swashbuckler 3 for Int bonus on damage. Add Warblade for more Int-based perks, and then Eternal Blade for more Int on attacks/damage. Bladesinger, Iajutsu Master, and Invisible Blade also add Int to AC, but I'm not sure if they stack.

[Curmudgeon]

Just core and SRD MAD: Barbarian - 1, Ranger - 1, Monk - 3, F- 2 (D10, +2 BAB and 2 Bonus Feats for your build), Duelist - 2, Enlightened Fist - 10 (D20 SRD), Assassin, Rogue, Sorcerer (If using PF probably Shield (10 rounds sufficient for most fights) and (Color Spray or Ray of Enfeeblement (True Strike could be useful with an Assassin build and Death Attacks)) for this build) or another Duelist level - 1.

Can you point me to where it says this is OGL content? Enlightened Fist is in Complete Arcane, and on page 2 of that book is the following:

This Wizards of the Coast™ game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Can you point me to where it says this is OGL content? Enlightened Fist is in Complete Arcane, and on page 2 of that book is the following:

Thanks for catching my mistake. The post has been edited with the correct class Psionic Fist.

Here it is Hypertext D20 SRD under Psionic Rules (Psionic Fist):

http://www.d20srd.org/

Hope that helps.

[Chronos]

But what exactly can you do offensively? So as to make you a target, and convince the monsters to waste attacks on your dodgy little self.

Stunning Fist. Stun your opponent on a charge, then stun him again during each of your following full attacks. Even with a low strength, you'll still do enough damage eventually, and meanwhile you've taken that foe out of the fight.

[kjones]

Unfortunately, Stunning Fist is pretty easily saveable against.

Wow, grammar --. Still, not terribly useful, and there's way too many things out there that are unaffected (undead, constructs, etc.)