Without further ado, welcome to the handbook of not getting hit. There are a few ways of avoiding losing hitpoints: high armor class, miss chance, battlefield control and simply eradicating the opposition before they get to act. This thread concentrates mainly on the two first issues, though I'll try to include some combos that utilize battlefield control and supernaturally fast killing as well.
Needless to say, this is a community project and I appreaciate any help. You've got a spell that increases AC? Post it here and I'll add it in. Know a killer combo? Same thing, more ways of embarrasing pitiful noncaster the better. I haven't went through many books yet, but I'll post this thread anyway to get the show on the road.
-Armor class:
-Armor bonus
-Shield bonus
-Natural armor
-Dexterity
-Deflection bonus
-Miscellaneous
-Change your form
[url=http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=14946953&postcount=3]-Miss chance[/url]
-Miscellaneous
-Aid another
-Immediate action lifesavers
-Saved by the bell; abusing what you've got
-Combos
Armor class (hereafter referred as AC) is the simplest and most common way of not getting hit. Apart from not playing D&D, it is also the most cost-efficient way of doing that as there are dozens of possibilities to acquire AC and getting cast amounts of it tends to be easier than trying to get your attack bonus to match optimized AC.
Some spells have been neglected on purpose. For example, I am aware that Greater Visage of the Deity gives you +1 to your natural armor, but it hardly is the main effect of the spell and no-one actually uses it to increase his AC. You know what I mean, right?
There are four different AC scores, normal, touch, incorporeal touch and flat-footed. You want to have high scores in all of them, since you never know when someone's using Wraithstrike and might actually hit you. Foresight takes away the chance of being flat-footed, so if you can have that on most of the time, just make sure your touch AC skyrockets with stuff like Scintillating scales. It might also be worthwhile not to depend on any single spell or source of AC.
Armor bonus:
Player's Handbook:
-Mage armor, +4 bonus, 1h/CL, Wiz/Sorc 1, Force 1, Spell 1
-Magic Vestment, +1/4 Cls (max +5), 1h/lvl, Cleric 3, Strength 3, War 3. Has to be applied to an existing item.
Spell Compendium:
-Greater Mage armor, +6 bonus, 1h/CL, Wiz/Sorc 3
BoED:
-Luminous armor, +5 bonus (-4 to enemy attacks), 1h/CL, Sanctified 2
-Greater luminous armor, +8 bonus (-4 to enemy attacks), 1h/CL, Sanctified 4
Sandstorm:
-Ironhorn extract, 25gp, +1 bonus for one week
DMG:
-Monk's belt, 13k, wisdom modifier +1 to AC while unarmored. Too awesome not to be mentioned, by far my favourite AC trick with Druids and Clerics, who max wisdom like no-one's business and sometimes even higher than that.
Shield bonus:
PHB:
-Shield, +4 bonus, 1min/CL, Wiz/Sorc 1
-Magic Vestment, +1/4 Cls (max +5), 1h/CL, Cleric 3, Strength 3, War 3. Has to be applied to an existing item.
-Mithril buckler, +1 bonus. No arcane spell failure, 1015gp.
DMGII/PHB:
-Feycrafted darkwood buckler, +1. No arcane spell failure or armor check penalty, 715gp.
Natural armor:
PHB:
-Barkskin, +2 bonus and +1 per 3 Cls (max +5 at level 12), 10min/CL, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Plant 2
-Righteous might, +2 bonus, 1rnd/CL, Cleric 5, Strength 5
-Various polymorph-based spells are dealt with in Change your form-section.
Spell Compendium:
-Spider skin, +1 enhancement (+1 every for every two CLs after six, max +5), 10min/CL, Drd 3, Sorc/Wizard 3
-Dragonskin, +1 enhancement/ 2 CLs (max+5), 10min/CL, Sorc/Wiz 3. Also gives energy resistance.
-Bite of the X, a variable amount of enhancement, 1rnd/CL, Druid x, Sorc/Wiz x. A buttload of other benefits as well.
Dexterity:
PHB:
-Cat's grace, +4 enhancement bonus, 1min/CL, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Brd 2, Wiz/Sorc 2, Celerity 2, Halfling 2,
-Various polymorph-based spells are dealt with in Change your form-section.
Spell Compendium:
-Divine agility, +10 enhancement bonus, 1rnd/CL, Cleric 5
Deflection bonus:
PHB:
-Shield of Faith, +2 bonus (+1 per 6 Cls, max +5 at level 18), 1min/CL, Clr 1
Sandstorm:
-Halo of Sand, +1 bonus (+1/3 CLs, max +4), 10min/level, Drd 2, Rgr 2
Spell Compendium:
-Scintillating scales, changes natural armor to deflection bonus, 10min/CL, Wiz/Sorc 2
-Armor of Darkness, +4 bonus (+1/3 CLs above 7, max +8), 10min/CL, Darkness 4
-Miscellaneous:
PHB:
-Foresight, +2 insight bonus, 10min/CL, Drd 9, Wiz/Sorc 9, Time 8. Also makes you immune to surprise, so no more being flat-footed when combat starts.
-Haste, +1 dodge bonus, 1rnd/CL, Brd 3, Sorc/Wiz 3, Celerity 4. +1 bonus to reflex saves, increases speed and gives an additional attack each round.
PHB II:
-Visions of the future, +2 dodge, 1h/lvl, Clr 8. Can be discharged for 1/2 CL bonus until your next turn, also gives +2 sacred to saves.
BoED:
-Exalted rainment, +1 sacred bonus per 5 CLs, 1min/CL, Sanctified 6. Also gives DR, SR and reduces ability damage.
Complete Champion:
-Interfaith blessing, +1 unnamed for worshippers of Ehlonna, Obad-Hai or nature, +2 for those of Fharlaghn, Moradin and Pelor, 1min/CL, Drd 2, Clr 2. 20' radius.
Spell Compendium:
-Shield of Warding, +1 sacred bonus per 5 Cls, 1min/CL, Clr 3, Pal 2
-Holy Star, +6 circumstance, 3 rounds, Cleric 7
-Silver beard, +2 sacred, 1min/CL, Pal 1
-Sacred haven, +2 sacred, 1min/CL, Pal 4. 30' radius, targets retain dexterity bonus to AC even while flat-footed.
-Divine protection, +1 morale, 1min/CL, Clr 2, Pal 2. 20' radius and also gives +1 morale bonus to saving throws.
-Recitation, +2 luck (+3 if allies worship same deity), 1rnd/lvl, Clr 4, Purification 3. 60' radius.
DMG:
-Greater magic weapon+Defending weapon, maximum +4 at level 20. Stacks with everything else.
-Change your form
PHB:
-Alter self. There is an entire thread dedicated to finding good ways of using it. Troglodyte is quite popular a form and for outsiders, Dwarven Ancertor is damn near perfect.Here is a link to the Alter self-thread.
-Polymorph. Not so surprisingly, Polymorph and it's bigger brothers have a similar thread. Linky.
Thanks for PhaedrusXY and MegaPlex for their Alter self and Polymorph threads, respectively. Those should give good insight to help beginners and even the most experienced players in picking the best forms.
Random AC bonuses for casters:
Complete Champion:
-Law devotion, 3-7 sacred/profane for a turn attempt.
+5 Lucky* Parrying Spellstrike Warning Shuriken. It only gives +1 insight to AC, but it is cheaper than an Ioun Stone by a margin of 993.4 GP. And, lots of other benefits. Like +5 insight to init, +5 unnamed all saves, +1 insight to saves (total +6)... The Lucky can be replaced with another +1 property if you aren't a ray wizard. General purpose item that still helps. Catch is you have to hold it. If this is a problem because both hands are needed elsewhere, Spare Hand works but removes the cost efficient for pure AC factor.
Every time Bob the Underpowered Fighter manages to roll a natural 20 you are getting hit regardless of your AC. However, if you don't want to bother your healing kit, just lower that 5% chance to even more abysmally small numbers. Suddenly Bob can't believe his eyes, there are five Wizards in front of him! Now the guy swinging a sword seems even less dangerous than he used to. Remember, Mirror image stacks with spells that give miss chance! True seeing can get around most of these tricks, but how many Fighters actually have True seeing active? If you're scared, just hit him with a Greater Dispel Magic first and watch him cry while having some popcorn.
PHB:
-Darkness, 20% concealment for everyone within the radius, 10min/CL, Clr 2, Bard 2, Wiz/Sorc 2
-Blur, 20% concealment, 1min/CL, Bard 2, Wiz/Sorc 2
-Mirror image, 1d4 images (+1/3 CLs, maximum 8), 1min/CL, Brd 2, Wiz/Sorc 2
-Invisiblity, you cannot be seen at all, 1min/CL, Brd 2, Wiz/Sorc 2, Trickey 2
-Displacement, 50% miss chance, 1rnd/CL, Brd 3, Wiz/Sorc 3
-Blink, 50% miss chance, 1rnd/CL, Brd 3, Wiz/Sorc 3
-Greater invisibility, cannot be seen, but you can attack, 1rnd/CL, Brd 4, Wiz/Sorc 4
PHB II:
-Greater Mirror Image, an improved Mirror image, but immediate action casting time, Bard 4, Sorc/Wiz 4
Spell Compendium:
-Greater Blink, like Blink, but you can control your blinking, Bard 5, Wiz/Sorc 5, Celerity 8
-Superior invisibility, a bit powerful than Greater invisibility, 1min/CL, Wiz/Sorc 8
-Shadow phase, 50% miss chance (20% for magical attacks), 1rnd/CL, Assassin 4, Sorc/Wiz 3
This section includes aid another, contingencies, using surroundings and stuff like that. Buffing well is always not enough and playing smart can save you many times. Needless to say, making the most of your environment and options is the key to survival in D&D, so using these tricks can turn out to be invaluable.
Aid another:
-Operation Nanotechnology by LordofProcrastination et al. Quite possibly the best-known abuse of aid another theoretical optimization forum has provided us with. You can really get the message, mess not with casters. However, there are several ways of getting stackable aid another bonus:
-Buying small animals or hiring servants. Cheap stuff.
-Using an animal companion or familiar.
-Summons. Call faithful servants grants you 1d4 helpers who are sticking with you for a year and most summoning spells can be used to conjure 1d4 or 1d3 monsters at a time.
-Leadership.
Immediate action lifesavers:
-Conjuration specialist alternative classfeature from PHB II allows you to utilize Abrupt jaunt to teleport 10ft as an immediate action times per day equal to your intelligence modifier. You lose your familiar though.
-Wings of cover. This Sorcerer only spell from Races of the Dragon gives you total cover against one attack, spell or power. Immediate action to use naturally.
-Permeable form is a third level Wiz/Sorc spell from Lords of Madness. 50% miss chance again magical weapons, spells, SLAs and so forth. Definitely worth checking, though it lasts only a round.
-Celerity-series. Overpowered? Oh yes and with Favor of the Martyr, overwhelmingly so. Whenever you are attacked or you just don't like waiting and giving spotlight to other players, just use Celerity and kill everyone. Celerity+Time stop+Wall of Force+Dimensional lock+Rod Maximized Maw of Chaos for the win. Suck on that silly Samurais and level adjusted Ogre Mages.
-Brief figment is another specialist Wizard alternative classfeature originating from PHB II. It has the same rules as Abrupt jaunt, but the effect is different, this one creates a mirror image of you until the beginning of next round.
-Armband of elusive action. Once a day, you can use an immediate action to avoid an attack of opportunity you would normally cause. Walk away, cast a spell, do anything. Magic Item Compendium provides you with this goodie for only 800gp, the only downside is that it takes the same slot as Bracers of Armor. Well, you can always cast Greater mage armor OR buy a dozen of of slotless armbands...
Saved by the bell; abusing what you've got:
Take Use Magic Device ranks, and give your familiar a wand of Dimension Door (or one of the Transposition spells). Have it ready actions every round to whisk you both away to safety if you are about to get hurt somehow. You may need to turn it into something with hands and a voice first (via Alter Self), depending on your familiar and DM.
A variation (or addition) to this is to get your familiar the Mounted Combat feat somehow (retraining, Psychic Reformation, magic item, etc), and take ranks in Ride. Then let it use you as a "mount", and negate one attack against you every round with a Ride check.
This trick can be carried out by using Abyssal retraining. If you use that combo, cover your head, DMs usually keep a bunch of sharp weapons handy.
-Contingencies can save your hide as well. Wizard's and Clerics with Time domain can get it as a sixth level spell, which has no XP cost, only a focus. Stupendously good. The only real problem is that you can only have one contingency up at any given moment. What's that? Oh yeah, there's a feat Craft Contigency Spell in Complete Arcane. Let's you craft contingencies and there's no limit how many you can have active. All of a sudden, the sword of the charger turns into dust when your contingency goes off and a Disintegrate hits it. Too bad.
Various spells that suit this category:
-Blacklight, an emanation of impenetrable darkness, 1rnd/CL, Wiz/Sorc 3, Darkness 3, Spell Compendium
Get out of the way as an immediate action a few times a day. Very good against charging foes, ranged attacks, and sometimes even AoE stuff. Note that you cannot use this when flat-footed; remember that during surprise rounds.
Unless you have Foresight active of course...
QW
Do note the size limits on transporting extra creatures with Dimension Door, also. If you're polymorphed into something big, this probably won't work.
-A variation (or addition) to this is to get your familiar the Mounted Combat feat somehow (retraining, Psychic Reformation, magic item, etc), and take ranks in Ride. Then let it use you as a "mount", and negate one attack against you every round with a Ride check.
-One of the best spells for avoiding taking hits is Mirror Image. Blink, Blur, Displacement, and (Improved) Invisibility are also good. As are Levitate/Fly for alot of enemies. At the later levels, Project Image is an advanced version of this.
-The Cube of Force, although expensive, is amazing for avoiding getting stabbed.
About to be attacked? simply leave the city. Or if you are fond of your party, jump across the room. that charge the barbarian just made at you, well now you are 70 feet away, and he is out his attack.
Cloak of displacement greater means that (generally) 50% of attacks against you miss. Always handy, and I'd consider this better than AC. Also nice side benefit of immunity to sneak attack.
-Divine agility, +10 bonus, 1rnd/CL, Cleric 5
Unless I'm mistaken, this spell is from the Spell Compendium, not the PHB. Additionally, it might be useful to note what sort of bonus it is (ie. Enhancement, Inherent etc).
Otherwise, this is looking like ti will become a very useful resource - good idea.
Krusk, good idea there, definitely going to the combo section when I can get a hold of myself and get that far.
Every time Bob the Underpowered Fighter manages to roll a natural 20, you are getting hit regardless of your AC. However, if you don't want to bother your healing kit, you can just lower that 5% chance to even more abysmally small numbers. Suddenly Bob can't believe his eyes, there are five Wizards in front of him! Best of all, they stack.
Does this mean that miss chances from different sources stack? If so, wouldn't you be able to simply use Displacement+Blink and be completely unhittable?
Does this mean that miss chances from different sources stack? If so, wouldn't you be able to simply use Displacement+Blink and be completely unhittable?
No, but miss chances and Mirror Image stack.
Stacks with alter self's bonus too if i'm not mistaken, since it says it adds the armor to your current natural armor score (0 for most character's)
Agaisn't an evil character, a conjurer 4/master specialist 2/eldritch knight 2/abjurant champion 5 can have:
+18 nat armor from ancient dwarf form
+4 from spiderskin
+6 greater mage armor
+7 deflection from prot from **whatever your facing today**
+9 shield from shield (it's a swift action to cast it!)
54 AC
at level 13
Bring it ON!!!!
Ghostform (SpC) turns you incorporeal, granting a 50% miss chace, 1 round/level, sor/wiz 8.
This doesn't fall under either of your categories, but ironguard (SpC) is very useful for not getting hit (anything metal passes through you without harm, 1 round/level, Sor/Wiz 7).
The Spell Compedium also has superior invisibility (1 minute/level, Sor/Wiz 8), and if you list both normal and greater invisibility, you should list that too.
Oh, and you listed improved invisibility. That should be greater invisibility. Also, greater mirror image is an immediate action to cast, not swift.
No, but miss chances and Mirror Image stack.
Yes, but note that you can close your eyes and convert Mirror Image to "just" a 50% miss chance. Of course you're not destroying images if you do that, but it can be worth it if the enemy has too many images to get rid of quickly.
Yes, but note that you can close your eyes and convert Mirror Image to "just" a 50% miss chance. Of course you're not destroying images if you do that, but it can be worth it if the enemy has too many images to get rid of quickly.
Where are the rules for what occurs when you do this? I'm not aware of any and if there aren't any RAW, any rule like that would be a house-rule. And a just-as-easy houserul would be that anyone doing that would become Blinded - flatfooted, penalty to AC, half movement speed, no 5-foot steps...
Also, would miss chances not stack per say, but combine i.e. if you have two effects that grant 50% miss chance, would you effectively have a 75% miss chance (1/2 * 1/2)?
Also, would miss chances not stack per say, but combine i.e. if you have two effects that grant 50% miss chance, would you effectively have a 75% miss chance (1/2 * 1/2)?
Standard rules of stacking apply; you use the highest bonus available in any situation - ie if you're in a non-magical fog, and have Invisibility running you'd have a 50% miss chance. If you were attacked by someone with See Invisibility running, you'd still have a 20% miss chance.
Optional spell component Increases the armor bonus provided by any spell you cast that provides one by 2. Thats a gem anybody can use.
Don't forget Abjurant Champion's delicious AC increasing abilities. (Luminous Armor is better than Mage Armor anyway, Nyah.)
Argent Savant is worth Mentioning.
There are three different AC scores, normal, touch and flat-footed.
Incorporeal touch AC? Not sure if this is its own distinct "type." Very very very similar to plain old touch but those common force effects help on this one a little (Mage armor, shield, G mage armor, blah...)
Here are some more good cleric AC buffs
PHB:
G. Magic Weapon + Defending Weapon: Net of +4 AC at 20 CL if complete enhancement is put on AC.
SPC:
Silver Beard: Cleric 1st: +2 sacred AC, min/level
Divine Protection: Cleric 2nd: +1 moral bonus to AC and Saves, 20' radius, min/level
Recitation: Cleric 4th: +3 (same faith)/+2 (other faith) luck bonus to AC, Attacks and Saves in 60' radius, rounds/level
Sacred Haven: Cleric 4th: +2 Sacred to AC all allies in 30' radius, min/level
PHBII:
Visions of the Future: Cleric 8th: +2 dodge to AC, +2 sacred to saves discaharge for a bonus of 1/2 CL till your next turn, Hours/level
C Champ:
Interfaith Blessing: Cleric 2nd: Worshipers of Fharlanghn, Moradin, and Pelor: +2 unnamed to AC, min/level. Worshipers of Obad-Hai and Ehlonna +1 unamed to attacks and AC, min/level.
Where are the rules for what occurs when you do this?
In the SRD, under Blindness.
And a just-as-easy houserul would be that anyone doing that would become Blinded - flatfooted, penalty to AC, half movement speed, no 5-foot steps...
That's not a houserule. That's what happens. If you close your eyes, you can't see, i.e. you're blind. You suffer a miss chance (50%) and all the stuff you listed... but you are immune to illusions that rely on vision. If you have Blind Fight, this actually isn't that bad of a tactic. Even if you don't, it is sometimes better than trying to beat down all the images.
Standard rules of stacking apply; you use the highest bonus available in any situation - ie if you're in a non-magical fog, and have Invisibility running you'd have a 50% miss chance. If you were attacked by someone with See Invisibility running, you'd still have a 20% miss chance.
What "standard stacking rules"? If you have concealment from two sources, they don't stack. You can only have total concealment. You can't be more concealed than that. However, if you have a miss chance from two different things (i.e. concealment and Blink), they are both effective.
Now part of the Blink miss chance is due to being invisible, which is total concealment. Since you can't benefit from that twice, you'd only gain a 20% miss chance from Blink (as if fighting someone who could see into the Ethereal), but it would "stack" with the 50% from being Invisible (for example) for a total miss chance of 0.5*0.8 = 0.4, or 40% miss chance.
Where are the rules for what occurs when you do this? I'm not aware of any and if there aren't any RAW, any rule like that would be a house-rule. And a just-as-easy houserul would be that anyone doing that would become Blinded - flatfooted, penalty to AC, half movement speed, no 5-foot steps...
Well, here's what it says under "Mirror Image"; you become blinded (although you can presumably "unblind" yourself pretty quickly):
An attacker must be able to see the images to be fooled. If you are invisible or an attacker shuts his or her eyes, the spell has no effect. (Being unable to see carries the same penalties as being blinded.)
How good is Repulsion, BTW?
Does this mean that miss chances from different sources stack? If so, wouldn't you be able to simply use Displacement+Blink and be completely unhittable?
I typed it very unclearly, I meant to say Mirror image and miss chance stack. I formulated my words better, so consider this fixed.
Improved invisibility=Greater invisibility
I'm on it, will be corrected.
Alastar, Level2Intern and others, nice spells you've got there, I'll add them immeadiately when I have more time!
Listing it so close to Mage Armor and Shield spells almost looks like they are intended to go together.
Magic Vestment has to be cast upon existing items:
"You imbue a suit of armor or a shield with an enhancement bonus of +1 per four caster levels (maximum +5 at 20th level). An outfit of regular clothing counts as armor that grants no AC bonus for the purpose of this spell."
As such, the armor bonus from clothes+Magic Vestment would overlap with the armor bonus from Mage Armor. Ditto for shields and Shield.
Another source of Shield bonuses to AC for casters are Mithril bucklers or light shields (normally 5% arcane spell failure).
"Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%" (cost for use in shields: +1,000gp)
You could do a Heavy shield, but those have a 15% arcane spell failure chance. A +1 AC difference doesn't seem worth the Twilight (+1 ability) from BoED.
Now these shields are worthy of having Magic Vestment cast upon them IMHO.
- To see if you miss due to concealment, and
- To see if you happen to be material at the time.
Agaisn't an evil character, a conjurer 4/master specialist 2/eldritch knight 2/abjurant champion 5 can have:
+7 deflection from prot from **whatever your facing today**
Remember Abjurant Champion only improves shield and armor bonuses. No love for deflection.
While I love Mirror Image (ish awsome), Blink + Displacement/Invisibility should stack. Well, sort of. They won't give you a 100% miss chance, but they should force two rolls vs. 50% miss chance:
- To see if you miss due to concealment, and
- To see if you happen to be material at the time.
If you have concealment from two sources, they don't stack. You can only have total concealment. You can't be more concealed than that. However, if you have a miss chance from two different things (i.e. concealment and Blink), they are both effective.
Now part of the Blink miss chance is due to being invisible, which is total concealment. Since you can't benefit from that twice, you'd only gain a 20% miss chance from Blink (as if fighting someone who could see into the Ethereal), but it would "stack" with the 50% from being Invisible (for example) for a total miss chance of 0.5*0.8 = 0.4, or 40% miss chance.
They have a 40% chance to hit you, not 25% (50%*50%).
Now part of the Blink miss chance is due to being invisible, which is total concealment. Since you can't benefit from that twice, you'd only gain a 20% miss chance from Blink (as if fighting someone who could see into the Ethereal), but it would "stack" with the 50% from being Invisible (for example) for a total miss chance of 0.5*0.8 = 0.4, or 40% miss chance.
You mean 60%=1-.5*.8
You mean 60%=1-.5*.8
Yeah. 60% miss chance, 40% hit chance. Sorry about that.
:D
excellent thread... i will add some other things later
:D
Sure thing, all ideas are welcome. It's good to have more to choose from...
First, it gives 40% concealment over 5 levels (though not in direct sunlight). With bloodline abuse, this can get as high as 55% concealment. Second, it lets you cast Greater Mage Armour without material costs, and automatically extended... at 12th level, assuming you're using Earth Spell and Easy Metamagic, you're burning a 3rd level slot to have +6 AC for 28 hours, assuming no other boosts to caster level. Woo.
Iot7V needs a mention too.
JaronK
Armor of Darkness - +4 deflection, +1/3 CL above 7th, other minor bonuses like darkvision and save bonus vs. specific things, 10 min./level duration.
Fairly nice, but it's from the Darkness domain, so I guess it's not easily accessible to everyone. Though I guess it could be flavorful with Arcane Disciple.
Dragonskin - +1 natural AC/2 caster levels, energy resistance. 10 min./level.
the combination approach also works best to cover many bases(AC,DR,miss,etc) ...... try combos like this:
3rd lvl spell Favourable Sacrifice (SpC) 1 hour/level Gain SR 10+CL, Resist Energy All 10+CL, and DR 10/magic (using 1000gp material component..... ) .... use with Lesser Rod of Extend to double duration(12 hours @ 6th lvl caster)
Luminous armor, +5 bonus (-4 to enemy attacks), 1h/CL, Sanctified 2....... this is like getting +9 to AC effectively
Owls Wisdom and Cats Grace(1 min/CL) ... gain boost to Wisdom and Dex
Monks Belt .... to make use of the boost in Wisdom
Ring of Blinking: On command, this ring makes the wearer blink, as with the blink spell. Price 27,000 gp.
Cloak of Displacement, Minor: This item appears to be a normal cloak, but when worn by a character its magical properties distort and warp light waves. This displacement works similar to the displacement spell except that it only grants a 20% miss chance on attacks against the wearer. It functions continually.Price 24,000 gp
now you will have a great AC,DR,SR,Resistance to energy, 2 Miss chances(50% and 20%)
:D
;)
A conditional source of a +2 deflection bonus to AC is in the "Protection from (insert alignment here)" family of spells.
"Magic Circle against (insert alignment here)" grants the corresponding Protection from blah to all creatures within a 10ft radius emanation from the caster.... 10min/level, but persistable.
Perhaps worth mentioning is that Angels and the Saint template has a double strength Magic Circle against Evil providing a +4 defection bonus to AC
Obscuring Mist & similar ... gives cover/concealment for everyone. Great for when more than just you could use some help (like your party).
On the topic of concealment, full concealment also prevents AoOs. Drink that potion, use that action or just MOVE AWAY.
Mithral and Darkwood Shields need to be listed for pure cheapness.
Mithral yes, but Darkwood?
Darkwood does reduce the armor check penalty to zero, and that helps the non-proficient as their penalty becomes zero...
...however Darkwood does not reduce the Arcane Spell Failure Chance like Mithral does. Even bucklers have a 5% Arcane Spell Failure Chance.
I suppose we're limiting our thoughts to arcane, traditional casters?
ChristoperGroves, I guess Wu Jen, Shugenja, Shadowcasters and the like go as well. I might just well edit my posts and mark which of the current spells can be accessed with other classes than just the PHB ones. If you've got something, shoot.
Darkwood is golden for Druids though.
ChristoperGroves, I guess Wu Jen, Shugenja, Shadowcasters and the like go as well. I might just well edit my posts and mark which of the current spells can be accessed with other classes than just the PHB ones. If you've got something, shoot.
Darkwood shields are great for psions, also.
Since those without ASF could run around in full plate and heavy shields *in addition to* being buffed up like crazy, I think my mind subconsciously omitted them from this guide.
They're easy to take care of... it the soft squishy ones that need more help I suppose...
Mithral yes, but Darkwood?
Darkwood does reduce the armor check penalty to zero, and that helps the non-proficient as their penalty becomes zero...
...however Darkwood does not reduce the Arcane Spell Failure Chance like Mithral does. Even bucklers have a 5% Arcane Spell Failure Chance.
A Feycrafted (DMGII) darkwood buckler has no ASF chance or ACP and only costs 715g.
I already mentioned this, but it seems to have been overlooked. Haste also gives a +1 dodge bonus to ac. Not that much, but your average Wizard will use the spell quite a lot, and every little bit helps.
You did? Sorry, I must've missed that, a mistake that shall be corrected right away. Thanks!
Edit: Fixed, ignoring it wasn't intentional.
First hexblades have many of the spells that help you avoid getting hit like mirror image, alter self, and polymorph.
Second is that the hexblade's curse among other things gives your target a -2, -4, or - 6 penalty to attack rolls and it's a free action.
Hexblades also the aura of unluck ability, which is basically blur as a free action.
So in the first round a hexblade can cast a spell like mirror image, drop a curse, activate aura of unluck, and use a swift action like use an ability from the minor shapeshift reserve feat.
- Wings of Cover grants total cover, much stronger than total concealment
- Shadow Phase (SC) also grants a miss chance
- Greater Mirror Image can be cast as an *immediate* action ! It rocks.
- In LoM, in the Tsochar chapter, there's an immediate-action 3rd level spell that turns you incorporeal for 1 round...
Most casters will already know to put as many ranks as necessary into Concentration to allow for casting on the defensive; this avoids attacks of opportunity for casting spells while threatened.
Another extremely inexpensive way to avoid a key attack of opportunity is the armband of elusive action (Magic Item Compendium, p.72); activating the armband is an immediate action that allows you to avoid provoking a single attack of opportunity that your actions would normally incur. Note this applies to any action, not just spellcasting -- so you could combine it with other abilities. (Example: enemy without reach has based you; cast fly or expeditious retreat on the defensive, activate the armband, and move away without provoking the AoO for leaving a threatened square.)
Best of all, the armband is easily accessible to even the lowest-level casters: a character can purchase one for 800gp, or, if she has access to the Craft Wondrous Item feat and the cat's grace spell (or evade attack psionic ability, if you're playing with the XPH), make one for the appropriate costs in materials, time, and XP based on that 800gp base price. The only real drawback is that the armband only operates once per day, though higher level casters may consider the armband to have the drawback of taking up the 'arms' magic item slot (and thus not being usable with bracers of armor).
--
Pauper
While I love Mirror Image (ish awsome), Blink + Displacement/Invisibility should stack. Well, sort of. They won't give you a 100% miss chance, but they should force two rolls vs. 50% miss chance:
- To see if you miss due to concealment, and
- To see if you happen to be material at the time.
Then add in Mirror Image on top of that and have another 20% chance to hit you. Forcing 3 rolls just to hit you, while I imagine would get tedious (for the GM), is just awesome.
Good stuff here, could I use some of it on the spell section of the Suel Arcanamach Handbook?
Knock yourself out, good to know they're helping. By the way, that handbook has seriously made me consider playing somekind of an Abjurant Champion/Suel Arcanamach-hybrid. Never even considered playing one before I went through the guide.
-Shield of Faith, +2 bonus (+1 per 6 Cls, max +5 at level 18), 1min/CL, Clr 2
It's actually Cleric 1
Deflection bonus: You can also get a +6 deflection bonus from Spiritual Guardian , Cleric 6, Complete Champion. It lasts 1 minute/level, and also gets a mostly meh standard attack.
3rd lvl spell Favourable Sacrifice (SpC) 1 hour/level Gain SR 10+CL, Resist Energy All 10+CL, and DR 10/magic (using 1000gp material component..... ) .... use with Lesser Rod of Extend to double duration(12 hours @ 6th lvl caster)
Not quite what the spell does
250 gp component: DR 5/magic, Energy Resist 10 all, and SR = CL for 1 hour/level.
1000 gp component: DR 10/magic, Energy Resist 15 all, and SR = 5+CL for 1 hour/level.
10000 gp component: DR 20/magic, Energy Resist 20 all, and SR = 10+CL for 1/hour, level.
However, from levels 5-10, when the spell becomes accessable at 3rd levels, you can basically make a party member massively resilient for each day for only 250 gp. The spell is a real gem.
In the SRD under Blindness, we find out that all opponents are considered to have total Concealment verses you. Under Concealment, we find that:
You can’t attack an opponent that has total concealment, though you can attack into a square that you think he occupies.
Ok, if the last thing you saw was 3 identical casters, how do you know which square the real one occupies?I checked, and no, they dont all share a single square.
I had some ideas for low level Concealment and Cover.
-Have Undead or Unseen Servants. They can hold/do things you wont want to bother with in combat.
-Use Smoke Sticks.Heavy smoke =20% concealment, right?best used for an escape.
-Have your minions carry an actual door into combat. Use it for Cover and Concealment.
-Have a Huge standard crafted out of light fabric. Use it as above, but works better for the weak STR of a Unseen Servant.
-Give your minion a lantern filled with Oleum. When lit it will create a small smoke cloud.Have minion close with foe.
-Just have the Undead stand in front of you and Aid your Defense.
We also need a similar thread for temporary hit points.
I have a question concerning closing ones eyes in order to negate Mirror Image.
In the SRD under Blindness, we find out that all opponents are considered to have total Concealment verses you. Under Concealment, we find that:
Ok, if the last thing you saw was 3 identical casters, how do you know which square the real one occupies?I checked, and no, they dont all share a single square.
You're right -- it's as good as invisibility if the attacker closes his eyes. Note that if you have mirror images in different squares, it might be possible for the opponent to walk through those squares until he bumps into something, though; detecting the appropriate square isn't that hard.
Gaining Tremorsense isn't that hard. Mindsight either.
They're not hard, but obtaining them takes a bit of an investment.
Someone mentioned it earlier, but shouldn't Blacklight(SpC) be included? It generates a 20' emanation of "total darkness" that is impenetrable to normal vision and dark vision. This is obviously much better than PHB darkness that only offers a miss chance.
Totally should, I'll put it there when I update this during the weekend.
Someone mentioned it earlier, but shouldn't Blacklight(SpC) be included? It generates a 20' emanation of "total darkness" that is impenetrable to normal vision and dark vision. This is obviously much better than PHB darkness that only offers a miss chance.
It does so much more than that, but Blacklight is still pretty good. I'm assuming it's a 3rd-level spell (AFB), so Darkness still has usefulness when it comes to dispelling Continual Flame spells and suppressing Light spells. Deeper Darkness suppresses them both and can also counter Daylight spells, which basically negates some 90% of all magical illumination. If you have issues with mundane light, then pack Gust of Wind spells.
Aside from the obvious magic vestment and GMW + defending spikes combos...
Ghost Ward. In case they have Wraithstrike. I believe you can do something nasty like wear a heavily enchanted Padded Armor combined with a high AC Bracers of armor, and the result is +8 armor to AC along with +1 to +5 enhancement to touch AC. Not too shabby.
Law Devotion. +3 to +7 sacred or profane to AC, which being a rare bonus type is quite useful. Works slightly better for evil characters, as you can then stack it with Silverbeard. Has the added bonus of being able to be shifted to attack, in case you need rays for something. This method is considerably more effective if you get 9 turn attempts somehow, as that will carry you through the typical 4/day encounters.
Bite of the Werebear. This is mostly a gish Artificer thing. Gish, for the melee mods and Artificer, because the duration is crap without Persist, I don't think a Cleric can get this spell, and noone else can Persist it. More useful if comboed with Scintillating Scales. Though Polymorph + Scintillating Scales would be more useful for this if you'd rather have more AC than HP from the Con boost.
+5 Lucky* Parrying Spellstrike Warning Shuriken. It only gives +1 insight to AC, but it is cheaper than an Ioun Stone by a margin of 993.4 GP. And, lots of other benefits. Like +5 insight to init, +5 unnamed all saves, +1 insight to saves (total +6)... The Lucky can be replaced with another +1 property if you aren't a ray wizard. General purpose item that still helps. Catch is you have to hold it. If this is a problem because both hands are needed elsewhere, Spare Hand works but removes the cost efficient for pure AC factor.
Also there's an Incarnum soulmeld that gives concealment so long as you move. The Shapes Soulmeld feat + Open X Chakra spell and move at least 10 feat when you can(unless you're psionic you rarely have a good use for a move action).
Bite of the Werebear. This is mostly a gish Artificer thing. Gish, for the melee mods and Artificer, because the duration is crap without Persist, I don't think a Cleric can get this spell, and noone else can Persist it. More useful if comboed with Scintillating Scales. Though Polymorph + Scintillating Scales would be more useful for this if you'd rather have more AC than HP from the Con boost.
Cleric may not be able to get it, but Archivist, Druid, and many other casters that have access to the spell can easily get turn undead for DMM persist. Just a note.
It gives a lot of abilities, a giant boost to charisma, and lets your charisma bonus be added as a deflection bonus to AC. Did I mention it did other things?
Shame it's 1 round/level, but dang, if you need AC then and there and have a halfway decent Cha score, it's gonna give you some oomph in the AC department (and since it's deflection, that means your touch and incorp AC goes up too)
Y'all are forgetting Sirine's Grace from the Spell Compendium, it's typically a bard spell but I believe Sorcerers use it quite well too.
It gives a lot of abilities, a giant boost to charisma, and lets your charisma bonus be added as a deflection bonus to AC. Did I mention it did other things?
Shame it's 1 round/level, but dang, if you need AC then and there and have a halfway decent Cha score, it's gonna give you some oomph in the AC department (and since it's deflection, that means your touch and incorp AC goes up too)
Sirine's Grace is only on the list for bards and druids. Dunno how a Sorc is going to get it.
Bite of the Werebear. This is mostly a gish Artificer thing. Gish, for the melee mods and Artificer, because the duration is crap without Persist, I don't think a Cleric can get this spell, and noone else can Persist it. More useful if comboed with Scintillating Scales. Though Polymorph + Scintillating Scales would be more useful for this if you'd rather have more AC than HP from the Con boost.
Anima Mage could Persist it too (but an Anima Mage loses at least one Caster Level...)
Another idea is to make use of ring gates to call in additional reinforcements to take the place of those that have fallen. If the creatures are smart enough, they could give signals themselves when their numbers fall to a certain level.
Greater Ironguard is also great for not getting hit. Renders all attacks from metal weapons ineffective, which would render that barbarian's axe completely useless.
There's a spell in BoED that grants all nonmagical weapons useless and magic item's attacks grant the user a reflex save to take half damage. Pretty nice spell (or maybe it was a cloak)...
Spell in BoED called Greater Luminous Armor, which grants you an Abjurant armor of +8. Pair this with 5 levels of Abjurant Champion and ratchet that up to a +13 Armor bonus. Cast a shield on yourself with the same Abj. Champ levels and get an additional +9 Shield bonus.
Grab a Ring of Shrinking from the Savage Species book and get an additional +1 AC from size and +2 Dex from Size too, for a total of +2 AC.
So a Sorceror/Abjurant Champion with 32 Charisma is looking at having 10 Base + X Dex + 1 Size +13 Armor + 9 Shield for a total of 33 AC before adding Dex and other item bonuses. (Of course, you can't have a natural armor bonus since you're in ghost form, but the 50% miss more than makes up for that.)
There's a spell in BoED that grants all nonmagical weapons useless and magic item's attacks grant the user a reflex save to take half damage. Pretty nice spell (or maybe it was a cloak)...
I believe that's the Starmantle Cloak.
Sirine's Grace is only on the list for bards and druids. Dunno how a Sorc is going to get it.
By a bard scroll of it, learn it in place of one of your sorcerer's levelups.
Anyhow my favorites are solid fog, glitterdust, grease, wall of force/stone and greater invisibility. I probably forgot a couple. Most are more of a "You can't attack anything" than a "You can't attack me". Still, that's even better. Note that they're all AOE and/or no save (solid fog is both). So you're bound to get something. Resilent sphere is fun for taking out a sleeping/otherwise-helpless/etc. target before he's not so helpless. Or you can risk the save too.
I'll have to remember the contigent dimension door trick someone posted. That sounds nice.
Btw, a lot of the suggestions involve AC or expensive magic items (or expensive AC items). Doesn't seem optimal for a caster. Not that a cheap +1 or +2 here and there isn't helpful.
Archivist/Sacred Exorcist
Extra Spell: Bite of the...
Who cares if you have a sucky AC, a sucky touch AC. sucky saving throws, and have the Dexterity score of a dead kobold? You're a godsdamned wizard!
I've heard of Wizards who died because a big stick was thrusted to their guts. Avoiding that is preferable.
I've heard of Wizards who died because a big stick was thrusted to their guts. Avoiding that is preferable.
That's what your
That's what yourmeatshieldsparty members are for. If all else fails, planar bind a small army and have it protect you while you rain death from above (1,008,000d6 points of damage by level 15, using a couple of mid-level core spells can take most threats from the get-go; see my sig for details :P).
While an useful idea, it has nothing to do with this thread. At least not as far as I know. Ever managed to play a mage that was never in danger of being hit? If so, how did you avoid every single possibility of being endangered?
Isn't outright invincibility worthy of consideration for personal protection? You DID want to show up that greataxe-wielding barbarian, did you not?
Stone shape, wall of stone, and wall of iron are great spells for protecting you. If nothing else, you can create a half-sphere with 1' wide holes in it, such that it's easy enough for you to cast out of, but hard to reach you, hmm? Make it 1' thick, with holes on 8 sides that you can cast from, and it'll be really hard for someone to cast at you (cover and concealment), and stabbing you will be difficult as well.
Wall of Iron is expensive. Another thing is that they cost you a standard action in combat (even though I've listed AC boosting spells that require a standard action, this was to be an AC compilation, but I changed the title a bit) and you are likely to be better off just casting Greater mirror image and then tossing a debuff. Good ideas when you have an opening to use them though.
Also, Craft Contingent has a limit of contingencies equal to the target's HD.
How does Celerity/Time Stop/Wall of Force/Dimension Lock/Maw of Chaos work?
Like a lot of lost spell levels. Wouldn't Wall of Force actually keep your foes safe from that Maw of chaos?
Also, Craft Contingent has a limit of contingencies equal to the target's HD.
So it does. Thanks for the headsup.
In particular the +1 Mithral Twilight Chain Shirt (no penalties at all even if you aren't proficient - and +5AC for just over 5k GP), the Mithral buckler (no penalties, +1AC for 1k GP), and bracers of defence (more or less made obsolete by the chain shirt above). Further enchant them for more defence.
And if you want to use Oriental Adventures as well* (and be very cheesy) there's always the Mithral Dastana and Mithral Chahar-aina to add to the above.
* 3.0 book that was never updated.
Also, you can get a great many supernatural abilities using alter self, polymorph, metamorphosis, etc, and either the Assume Supernatural Ability or Metamorphic Transfer feats. Get Otherworldly or start as a neraph or some other outsider, and you can get nice abilities such as astral projection by 7th level (or by level 6, if you can somehow swing it without polymorph. (Great for extra defense - see beholder + antimagic cone.)
Lycanthromancer: I am intentionally avoiding dirty tricks like early access Astral projection. Nice idea though.
Bumpin' for posterity.
+5 Lucky* Parrying Spellstrike Warning Shuriken. It only gives +1 insight to AC, but it is cheaper than an Ioun Stone by a margin of 993.4 GP. And, lots of other benefits. Like +5 insight to init, +5 unnamed all saves, +1 insight to saves (total +6)... The Lucky can be replaced with another +1 property if you aren't a ray wizard. General purpose item that still helps. Catch is you have to hold it. If this is a problem because both hands are needed elsewhere, Spare Hand works but removes the cost efficient for pure AC factor.
Lucky and Parrying are melee weapon enhancements, according to DMG. Is the ruling in MIC right, can you apply them to ranged weapons? Oh, and shuriken are considered ammunition, regarding the costs for special versions of them. Where could I find the cost for magic ammunition?
Oh, and how much would the particular item cost?
I apologize for any inconvenience, I'm just a fairly inexperienced player and would like to know more.
Thanks in advance!
Awesome guide dude, my level ten wizard now no longer cowers in feat of every errant arrow that comes his way! Thanks!
This must be the first comment on the actual effectiveness of the guide, so I hold a 100% ratio. I am glad this modest thread helped you. Good luck in your games and feel free to ask specific questiopns.