AC Challenge [Archive] - Wizards Community

AC Challenge [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rillek_Denar
04-06-07, 05:20 PM Here's a little brain tickler for my fellow players:

Assuming a character of Large size, 12 Dex, no natural armor, no AC boosting feats, proficiency with all armor and weapons, wielding a two-handed weapon with no defensive abilities, and 35,000gp, how high could you get his AC? All 3.5 material is legal.

The best I've come up with is an +1 Animated Tower Shield (9,180), a +3 Full Plate (10,650), an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 (4000), and a Ring of Protection +2 (8000). AC: 29 Touch: 11 Flat-Footed: 28 Total gold spent: 31,830gp.

Can you do better?
bobothechimp
04-06-07, 05:32 PM What level?
PhaedrusXY
04-06-07, 05:53 PM Leadership to get a cleric cohort with the Plant domain. Buy +1 Animated Shield, non-magical full plate, a +1 Defending weapon, and a Strand of Prayer Beads with only a Karma Bead (good luck figuring the price out for that :P ). The cleric crafts these, so you get them for half price.

Cleric activates the Karma Bead, boosting his caster level by 4. He then casts Magic Vestment on your armor and shield, Greater Magic Weapon on your weapon, and Barkskin and Shield of Faith on you. You put all of the weapon's newly improved (from Greater Magic Weapon) enhancement bonus onto defense, and fight defensively.

I can't give exact numbers, because I don't really know what the caster level would be, since I don't know what level the main character is. There is a domain in Eberron that gives Polymorph as a spell. Give the cleric this, and you can boost your natural armor up substantially by having him Polymorph you. You'll lose the armor, unless it is crafted specifically for this form, or has some magic property that lets it resize, however.
Perseus_Stoned
04-06-07, 05:55 PM I believe it is meant to be done with just level 1. What are the other stats of the character (namely Wisdom and Intelligence)?
PhaedrusXY
04-06-07, 05:58 PM I believe it is meant to be done with just level 1. What are the other stats of the character (namely Wisdom and Intelligence)?I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1?
Perseus_Stoned
04-06-07, 06:15 PM I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1?
Theoretical experiment?
Rillek_Denar
04-06-07, 06:28 PM Actually, he's a Half-Giant Psychic Warrior 8. PhaedrusXY, interesting suggestion, but I would like to be able to do it without help, hopefully without even using any single-shot items.
Perseus_Stoned
04-06-07, 06:32 PM Actually, he's a Half-Giant Psychic Warrior 8. PhaedrusXY, interesting suggestion, but I would like to be able to do it without help, hopefully without even using any single-shot items.

Forgive, because I believe you are saying he has 8 Psychic Warrior levels, but I am not positive. Is this 8 class levels (of psychic warrior) or ECL 8 (including the +1 LA from a half-giant)?
Rillek_Denar
04-06-07, 06:33 PM ECL 9; 8 class levels. Sorry to be nonspecific.
starfire311
04-06-07, 11:50 PM easy as cake err pie Mmm pie, and beer.

um where was I, I don't understand the point.

is the question really, what is the highest defense bonus gear you can buy with 35,000gp?
Rillek_Denar
04-07-07, 02:44 AM That's the main thrust of it, yes. You've got 35k to spend, and you want to up your AC.
Silverthumb128
04-07-07, 01:27 PM I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1?

I can answer this:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11962365#post11962365
Tonil
04-07-07, 03:40 PM Using just the DMG:

Full-Plate +3 [+11 AC] (10,650gp)
Tower Shield +3 [+7 AC] (9,180gp)
Ring Protection +2 (8,000gp)
Amulet Natural Armor +2 (8,000gp)

Total AC Bonus:+22; 35,830gp (OK, a little over)

Total Character AC: 32 (9 for Large +1Dex + 22 for items)

(Large size is AC 9, correct?)
glacialcat
04-07-07, 03:55 PM Half-Giants aren't large, they're medium with Powerful Build. Powerful Build only effects abilities which are beneficial if you're a larger size, not the AC. So a Half-Giant can have the same AC as any medium creature. Unless you're talking about using Expansion or something.
Rillek_Denar
04-07-07, 04:43 PM Using just the DMG:

Full-Plate +3 [+11 AC] (10,650gp)
Tower Shield +3 [+7 AC] (9,180gp)
Ring Protection +2 (8,000gp)
Amulet Natural Armor +2 (8,000gp)

Total AC Bonus:+22; 35,830gp (OK, a little over)

Total Character AC: 32 (9 for Large +1Dex + 22 for items)

(Large size is AC 9, correct?)

A good spread, but it prevents me from wielding a two-handed weapon.

Half-Giants aren't large, they're medium with Powerful Build. Powerful Build only effects abilities which are beneficial if you're a larger size, not the AC. So a Half-Giant can have the same AC as any medium creature. Unless you're talking about using Expansion or something.

Actually yes, my character is almost constantly under the expansion effect.
Tonil
04-07-07, 06:16 PM I reread the OP but could not figure out why you chose an animated shield.

A good spread, but it prevents me from wielding a two-handed weapon.

I guess I should have read it a third time.
starfire311
04-07-07, 06:59 PM guess it is my turn to take a crack at it

full plate (1,500)
+1 Animated towershield (9180)
+1 Defending armor spike (8350)
2xOil Magic vestment+5 (6000)
1 oil Greater magic weapon +5 (3000)
Potion Barkskin +5 (1,200)
Potion Shield of faith +5 (900)
power stone of thicken skin +1 enhancement (25)
power stone of Precognition, defensive +1 insight (25)
Power stone of improved Prescient Dodge +3 dodge (1650)

total 26430gp

How it adds up, +13 armor, +9 shield, +5 defending, +5 natural, +5 deflection, +1 enhancement, +1 insight, +3 dodge for a total of +42, giving the half-giant in this case an AC of 53

not sure how augmenting powers work in psionic items if you get free augment with with higher ML, wich i think you might then for another 950 GP you can augment the bonus on thicken skin to +7 and precognition defensive to +7 insight giving a final AC of 65

I keep reading thicken sking and barkskin, and it really seems like they stack, one grants an enhancement bonus to AC and one grants an enhancement bonus to natural armor.
Zorminster
04-07-07, 11:28 PM he distinctly said to avoid one shot items ;p
starfire311
04-07-07, 11:40 PM he distinctly said to avoid one shot items ;p

meh, when I went back to make my post, I just read his opening post for the ground rules, no mention of no single use items there.

Assuming a character of Large size, 12 Dex, no natural armor, no AC boosting feats, proficiency with all armor and weapons, wielding a two-handed weapon with no defensive abilities, and 35,000gp, how high could you get his AC? All 3.5 material is legal.
Rillek_Denar
04-08-07, 06:45 AM meh, when I went back to make my post, I just read his opening post for the ground rules, no mention of no single use items there.

You're right, I should have included that in the OP. My bad.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rillek_Denar 04-06-07, 05:20 PM	Here's a little brain tickler for my fellow players: Assuming a character of Large size, 12 Dex, no natural armor, no AC boosting feats, proficiency with all armor and weapons, wielding a two-handed weapon with no defensive abilities, and 35,000gp, how high could you get his AC? All 3.5 material is legal. The best I've come up with is an +1 Animated Tower Shield (9,180), a +3 Full Plate (10,650), an Amulet of Natural Armor +2 (4000), and a Ring of Protection +2 (8000). AC: 29 Touch: 11 Flat-Footed: 28 Total gold spent: 31,830gp. Can you do better?
bobothechimp 04-06-07, 05:32 PM	What level?
PhaedrusXY 04-06-07, 05:53 PM	Leadership to get a cleric cohort with the Plant domain. Buy +1 Animated Shield, non-magical full plate, a +1 Defending weapon, and a Strand of Prayer Beads with only a Karma Bead (good luck figuring the price out for that :P ). The cleric crafts these, so you get them for half price. Cleric activates the Karma Bead, boosting his caster level by 4. He then casts Magic Vestment on your armor and shield, Greater Magic Weapon on your weapon, and Barkskin and Shield of Faith on you. You put all of the weapon's newly improved (from Greater Magic Weapon) enhancement bonus onto defense, and fight defensively. I can't give exact numbers, because I don't really know what the caster level would be, since I don't know what level the main character is. There is a domain in Eberron that gives Polymorph as a spell. Give the cleric this, and you can boost your natural armor up substantially by having him Polymorph you. You'll lose the armor, unless it is crafted specifically for this form, or has some magic property that lets it resize, however.
Perseus_Stoned 04-06-07, 05:55 PM	I believe it is meant to be done with just level 1. What are the other stats of the character (namely Wisdom and Intelligence)?
PhaedrusXY 04-06-07, 05:58 PM	I believe it is meant to be done with just level 1. What are the other stats of the character (namely Wisdom and Intelligence)?I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1?
Perseus_Stoned 04-06-07, 06:15 PM	I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1? Theoretical experiment?
Rillek_Denar 04-06-07, 06:28 PM	Actually, he's a Half-Giant Psychic Warrior 8. PhaedrusXY, interesting suggestion, but I would like to be able to do it without help, hopefully without even using any single-shot items.
Perseus_Stoned 04-06-07, 06:32 PM	Actually, he's a Half-Giant Psychic Warrior 8. PhaedrusXY, interesting suggestion, but I would like to be able to do it without help, hopefully without even using any single-shot items. Forgive, because I believe you are saying he has 8 Psychic Warrior levels, but I am not positive. Is this 8 class levels (of psychic warrior) or ECL 8 (including the +1 LA from a half-giant)?
Rillek_Denar 04-06-07, 06:33 PM	ECL 9; 8 class levels. Sorry to be nonspecific.
starfire311 04-06-07, 11:50 PM	easy as cake err pie Mmm pie, and beer. um where was I, I don't understand the point. is the question really, what is the highest defense bonus gear you can buy with 35,000gp?
Rillek_Denar 04-07-07, 02:44 AM	That's the main thrust of it, yes. You've got 35k to spend, and you want to up your AC.
Silverthumb128 04-07-07, 01:27 PM	I really doubt it is level 1. What is he doing with 35,000 gold at level 1? I can answer this: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11962365#post11962365
Tonil 04-07-07, 03:40 PM	Using just the DMG: Full-Plate +3 [+11 AC] (10,650gp) Tower Shield +3 [+7 AC] (9,180gp) Ring Protection +2 (8,000gp) Amulet Natural Armor +2 (8,000gp) Total AC Bonus:+22; 35,830gp (OK, a little over) Total Character AC: 32 (9 for Large +1Dex + 22 for items) (Large size is AC 9, correct?)
glacialcat 04-07-07, 03:55 PM	Half-Giants aren't large, they're medium with Powerful Build. Powerful Build only effects abilities which are beneficial if you're a larger size, not the AC. So a Half-Giant can have the same AC as any medium creature. Unless you're talking about using Expansion or something.
Rillek_Denar 04-07-07, 04:43 PM	Using just the DMG: Full-Plate +3 [+11 AC] (10,650gp) Tower Shield +3 [+7 AC] (9,180gp) Ring Protection +2 (8,000gp) Amulet Natural Armor +2 (8,000gp) Total AC Bonus:+22; 35,830gp (OK, a little over) Total Character AC: 32 (9 for Large +1Dex + 22 for items) (Large size is AC 9, correct?) A good spread, but it prevents me from wielding a two-handed weapon. Half-Giants aren't large, they're medium with Powerful Build. Powerful Build only effects abilities which are beneficial if you're a larger size, not the AC. So a Half-Giant can have the same AC as any medium creature. Unless you're talking about using Expansion or something. Actually yes, my character is almost constantly under the expansion effect.
Tonil 04-07-07, 06:16 PM	I reread the OP but could not figure out why you chose an animated shield. A good spread, but it prevents me from wielding a two-handed weapon. I guess I should have read it a third time.
starfire311 04-07-07, 06:59 PM	guess it is my turn to take a crack at it full plate (1,500) +1 Animated towershield (9180) +1 Defending armor spike (8350) 2xOil Magic vestment+5 (6000) 1 oil Greater magic weapon +5 (3000) Potion Barkskin +5 (1,200) Potion Shield of faith +5 (900) power stone of thicken skin +1 enhancement (25) power stone of Precognition, defensive +1 insight (25) Power stone of improved Prescient Dodge +3 dodge (1650) total 26430gp How it adds up, +13 armor, +9 shield, +5 defending, +5 natural, +5 deflection, +1 enhancement, +1 insight, +3 dodge for a total of +42, giving the half-giant in this case an AC of 53 not sure how augmenting powers work in psionic items if you get free augment with with higher ML, wich i think you might then for another 950 GP you can augment the bonus on thicken skin to +7 and precognition defensive to +7 insight giving a final AC of 65 I keep reading thicken sking and barkskin, and it really seems like they stack, one grants an enhancement bonus to AC and one grants an enhancement bonus to natural armor.
Zorminster 04-07-07, 11:28 PM	he distinctly said to avoid one shot items ;p
starfire311 04-07-07, 11:40 PM	he distinctly said to avoid one shot items ;p meh, when I went back to make my post, I just read his opening post for the ground rules, no mention of no single use items there. Assuming a character of Large size, 12 Dex, no natural armor, no AC boosting feats, proficiency with all armor and weapons, wielding a two-handed weapon with no defensive abilities, and 35,000gp, how high could you get his AC? All 3.5 material is legal.
Rillek_Denar 04-08-07, 06:45 AM	meh, when I went back to make my post, I just read his opening post for the ground rules, no mention of no single use items there. You're right, I should have included that in the OP. My bad.