Necessary to hit for epic (and AC question)?

[RS-Makk]

What's the to hit required for epic? I am working on respeccing my melée character and see what other gear I should target, and trying to work out what I should go for and do.

also, since u5, I understand needed AC isn't as high as it was prior to u5... what's the needed AC for trash mobs?

Thanks much

[Angelus_dead]

also, since u5, I understand needed AC isn't as high as it was prior to u5... what's the needed AC for trash mobs?
A non-boss monster with Epic Ward now takes a Minion debuff, for -10 on saving throws and -1d20 on attack rolls. This means that an AC of 70 can now protect against some weaker epic monsters.

[Roman]

I havnt done any rigorous number crunching, but my casual observation is that +50 to-hit is a happy place to be and 75AC is helpful but far form untouchable.

[Crazyfruit]

It depends on your group re: to hit. Some common effects that bring monsters to autocrit will let you automatically hit. Good players, strategies and teamwork (see epic hit tips below) will also lower the to hit you'd need. If your group is prepared and able to do most of that stuff then you don't have to worry about to hit at all.

Bosses have a wide variance in their AC though. Many are fairly easy to hit. Some like Malicia from Under the Big Top have a sillily high 77-79 AC while moving around. She's the highest I can remember seeing in an epic, but some of the trashy red named minibosses also have like 72ish.

A few helpful things if you or another poster don't know them:

- Monsters have a higher AC if moving around.
- You have a lower to hit if moving around (& no spring attack).
- You get more to hit during your attack chain.
- You get a flanking bonus to hit when behind something. Even more for halflings.
- Power Attack isn't worth it if you're missing often.
- Divine Power is a good clicky if you don't have max BAB.
- Beating up a Training Dummy on your airship gets you a +2 to hit for an hour. Not sure how it stacks.
- Bard songs raise your to hit. Super helpful, but an under 14 splashed is basically a Greater Heroism.
- Rage spell is +1 to hit for strength types. Use some pots as the spell is bugged right now.
- Same goes for Recitation (no pots), but I think a Divine Favor clicky would help in it's absence.
- Destruction + Improved Destruction lowers the AC of a monster by 12 for a minute.
- Sneak Attack/Backstabbing items (up to +5 to hit when you don't have aggro) are super helpful.
- Casters can fatigue/exhaust an enemy to lower their AC. Strength Sapping weapons work too but not worth it for most of the situations.
- Sunder (it's in your feats) works well now too for some types of characters. I don't recommend taking Improved Sunder but supposedly it also stacks.
- Yugo pots. Str = +1 to hit (for str chars). Betrayal also raises your hit, but lowers it if you have aggro. Not sure how these stack.
- Ooze Sunder (from Sundering Ooze item) reduces AC temporarily for a short while. Bosses will usually save.
- Korthos Items that bring your +hit up by 3 might be better than what you're currently wearing for the situation. Boots can be swapped on after you've got a Double Madstone if you're a fan of that. The set items stack with things like Spectral Gloves, but not the Goggles.
- Litany of the Dead & the Kobold Shaman (airship crew) add another +1 if I remember right. Shouldn't stack with each other.
- Something with the Taint of Evil lowers your to hit when on I think.

[RS-Makk]

Thank you very much for all the tips.