Dwarf AC feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dwarf AC feats [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
TobyGon
12-27-07, 05:12 PM Lurking newbie here. Did a quick search and found no love, so I ask:

which is better for a dwarven fighter/cleric combo:

dwarven AC vs giants + Dodge + Titan Fighting OR
dwarven AC vs giants + Heavy Armor Opt + Gr. HAO

I am leaning towards the armor combo because of the included armor check reduction as well as the less specialized nature of the armor bonus.

I was mainly wondering if any of you mighty optimizers had worked the math out, or if there is any definitive reason to NOT take the arnor opt. route.

Thanks a million
Kouk
12-27-07, 06:42 PM Lurking newbie here. Did a quick search and found no love, so I ask:

which is better for a dwarven fighter/cleric combo:

dwarven AC vs giants + Dodge + Titan Fighting OR
dwarven AC vs giants + Heavy Armor Opt + Gr. HAO

I am leaning towards the armor combo because of the included armor check reduction as well as the less specialized nature of the armor bonus.

I was mainly wondering if any of you mighty optimizers had worked the math out, or if there is any definitive reason to NOT take the arnor opt. route.

Thanks a million

Titan Fighting = +4 Dodge vs any single creature larger than you, which comes up more and more as you get higher level.

Armor Optimization x2 = +2 Armor against everything and -3 armor check penalty.

I would say it depends on your character concept and the nature of the campaign. If your character wants to kill all large things then he should take Titan Fighting, but if he just hates Giants then there is no point. If the campaign frequently has NPCs with class levels rather than gigantic monsters, then Heavy Armor Optimization looks better.

It also depends on your character and how many skills he wants to use. Probably not many, because both Fighters and Clerics have poor skill points.

I don't think there is any more math to do than this. It depends on your campaign and how frequently you expect your DM to send Large or larger enemies at you.
Necron-99
12-28-07, 11:11 AM I'd go with Dwarven armor pro and use Battle plate which give a 9 ac then Exotic Sheid pro Extreme sheid 3 ac sheild spec brings the sheild to 4 and the heavy armor opt making the battle plate 10 so that is a 14 right there if you go Dwarven defender that by the edn give a puls 4 to ac and another when in defensive stance gives another 4 so with the base 10 that would be a 32 with out magic.

Edit: If you don't mind having a speed of 15 go wtih the mountain plate for a +10 and you can mithril it and still have heavy armor opt will still work because mithril mountain plate is still be heavy armor with a max dex of 2 I think, so with that and the two heavy armor opts thats 14 + sheild 4 + DD bouns 4 + Defensive stance 4 +base 10 = 36 toss in a ring of protection and an amulet of nat armor and your all set
kingrthr3
01-02-08, 10:52 AM Titan Fighting is a much better feat for Gnomes (and Whisper Gnomes) than it is for Dwarves, as you'll encounter Medium creatures all the time.
wonlee76
01-02-08, 01:15 PM I vote Heavy Armor Optimization. Its 2 feats but the bonuses are static against any enemy and the side benefit of lower armor check penalty.

If you're willing to use a shield to boot, the Shield Spec and Shield Ward feats in PHB II are "must haves" in my opinion for any shield using PC.
drunkman
01-02-08, 02:04 PM For the small races of stone, like the gnomes, the titan fighting route would be great since they are small and the vast majority of creatures will be larger than them, but not Dwarves since they're medium and most encounters will be their size, so the heavy armor opt. one will be better for Dwarves (assuming they're a class that favours heavy armor of course) because it grants them a +2 AC in general, plus they already have a +4 AC bonus to giants which are arguably the most common large size (or larger) creature you will encounter in D&D. Maybe you'd encounter some large dragons (rare), a fraction of outsiders, another fraction of aberrations, and a couple monstrous humanoids, animals, and vermin are the only larger creatures I can think of other than giants, which cover most of the larger creatures you will commonly encounter in the game. I'd rather take the +2 bonus in general rather than take titan fighting to add my +4 bonus to a small expansion of the larger creatures of D&D.
drunkman
01-02-08, 02:07 PM I vote Heavy Armor Optimization. Its 2 feats but the bonuses are static against any enemy and the side benefit of lower armor check penalty.

Uh, buddy, titan fighting is the same deal feat wise, you need to get dodge first before you can get that feat (assuming you meet race requirements). You need the same number of feats to get the full benefit of the heavy armor opt. family if I'm not wrong.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
TobyGon 12-27-07, 05:12 PM	Lurking newbie here. Did a quick search and found no love, so I ask: which is better for a dwarven fighter/cleric combo: dwarven AC vs giants + Dodge + Titan Fighting OR dwarven AC vs giants + Heavy Armor Opt + Gr. HAO I am leaning towards the armor combo because of the included armor check reduction as well as the less specialized nature of the armor bonus. I was mainly wondering if any of you mighty optimizers had worked the math out, or if there is any definitive reason to NOT take the arnor opt. route. Thanks a million
Kouk 12-27-07, 06:42 PM	Lurking newbie here. Did a quick search and found no love, so I ask: which is better for a dwarven fighter/cleric combo: dwarven AC vs giants + Dodge + Titan Fighting OR dwarven AC vs giants + Heavy Armor Opt + Gr. HAO I am leaning towards the armor combo because of the included armor check reduction as well as the less specialized nature of the armor bonus. I was mainly wondering if any of you mighty optimizers had worked the math out, or if there is any definitive reason to NOT take the arnor opt. route. Thanks a million Titan Fighting = +4 Dodge vs any single creature larger than you, which comes up more and more as you get higher level. Armor Optimization x2 = +2 Armor against everything and -3 armor check penalty. I would say it depends on your character concept and the nature of the campaign. If your character wants to kill all large things then he should take Titan Fighting, but if he just hates Giants then there is no point. If the campaign frequently has NPCs with class levels rather than gigantic monsters, then Heavy Armor Optimization looks better. It also depends on your character and how many skills he wants to use. Probably not many, because both Fighters and Clerics have poor skill points. I don't think there is any more math to do than this. It depends on your campaign and how frequently you expect your DM to send Large or larger enemies at you.
Necron-99 12-28-07, 11:11 AM	I'd go with Dwarven armor pro and use Battle plate which give a 9 ac then Exotic Sheid pro Extreme sheid 3 ac sheild spec brings the sheild to 4 and the heavy armor opt making the battle plate 10 so that is a 14 right there if you go Dwarven defender that by the edn give a puls 4 to ac and another when in defensive stance gives another 4 so with the base 10 that would be a 32 with out magic. Edit: If you don't mind having a speed of 15 go wtih the mountain plate for a +10 and you can mithril it and still have heavy armor opt will still work because mithril mountain plate is still be heavy armor with a max dex of 2 I think, so with that and the two heavy armor opts thats 14 + sheild 4 + DD bouns 4 + Defensive stance 4 +base 10 = 36 toss in a ring of protection and an amulet of nat armor and your all set
kingrthr3 01-02-08, 10:52 AM	Titan Fighting is a much better feat for Gnomes (and Whisper Gnomes) than it is for Dwarves, as you'll encounter Medium creatures all the time.
wonlee76 01-02-08, 01:15 PM	I vote Heavy Armor Optimization. Its 2 feats but the bonuses are static against any enemy and the side benefit of lower armor check penalty. If you're willing to use a shield to boot, the Shield Spec and Shield Ward feats in PHB II are "must haves" in my opinion for any shield using PC.
drunkman 01-02-08, 02:04 PM	For the small races of stone, like the gnomes, the titan fighting route would be great since they are small and the vast majority of creatures will be larger than them, but not Dwarves since they're medium and most encounters will be their size, so the heavy armor opt. one will be better for Dwarves (assuming they're a class that favours heavy armor of course) because it grants them a +2 AC in general, plus they already have a +4 AC bonus to giants which are arguably the most common large size (or larger) creature you will encounter in D&D. Maybe you'd encounter some large dragons (rare), a fraction of outsiders, another fraction of aberrations, and a couple monstrous humanoids, animals, and vermin are the only larger creatures I can think of other than giants, which cover most of the larger creatures you will commonly encounter in the game. I'd rather take the +2 bonus in general rather than take titan fighting to add my +4 bonus to a small expansion of the larger creatures of D&D.
drunkman 01-02-08, 02:07 PM	I vote Heavy Armor Optimization. Its 2 feats but the bonuses are static against any enemy and the side benefit of lower armor check penalty. Uh, buddy, titan fighting is the same deal feat wise, you need to get dodge first before you can get that feat (assuming you meet race requirements). You need the same number of feats to get the full benefit of the heavy armor opt. family if I'm not wrong.