What is a good AC for a Pure Barb?

[The_Ick]

The subject says it all.

What is a good AC goal for a pure barbarian? I am about lvl 8 right now and i am starting to get concerned my AC might be a little low for the end game.

Also, how much damage reduction shoudl i be shooting for?

[GeneralDiomedes]

10

[Blind_Skwerl]

If you can kill fast enough, your AC isn't going to be much of an issue.

But seriously, AC endgame isn't a big deal. Get blur, displacement, stoneskin, and haste by your friendly caster and have at it. My level 14 Sorcerer has an AC in the teens and can still take a hit or two with the buffs on.

[Sojourner]

Gianthold mobs seem to have a to-hit between 30 and 50 depending on exploration are or mission, and difficulty setting of the mission.

So, if you can't hit 30, you might as well ignore AC completely and put gear that does something else for you. And, honestly, if you the majority of the mobs seem to be 35 or 40, so I personally wouldn't bother with anything under 40.


.

[Rameses]

about 8 AC and fearsome armor and you'll own every quest.

[Maldini]

about 8 AC and fearsome armor and you'll own every quest.

Then you have to run after everything. I'd rather have 20 mobs surrounding me while I dish out glancing blows.

[GeneralDiomedes]

Then you have to run after everything. I'd rather have 20 mobs surrounding me while I dish out glancing blows.

Ah the days when on-hit effects worked with glancing blows ..

[Maldini]

Ah the days when on-hit effects worked with glancing blows ..

Fearsome would be when they hit you

[twix]

My barb has an ac of 13 !! High huh? AC to a barb is nothing as long as you have the power and hp to back yourself up.My barb has 549 hp and a 44 str fully buffed which isnt the best but rarly does he lose on kill counts or ever die for that matter.Just always be prepared with bout a hundred cure serious pots and you should own.

[Beherit_Baphomar]

Whats AC?
What level do you get it at?
Should I drop Extra Rage III for it?

[Beherit_Baphomar]

Then you have to run after everything. I'd rather have 20 mobs surrounding me while I dish out glancing blows.

Id rather have 3 mobs hit on me, 12 mobs run off and 5 mobs standing still while I kill everything in the quest.

I used to have your opinion on fearsome Mal, then I got some +3 fearsome mithral and my world changed.

I cannot live without fearsome now. Yeah, sometimes the mobs run away, let them come back to you, range them if you're that worried about it, or forget about them. The other half of the time the mobs just stand still and get hit. No moving, no running away, just standing. Then you have quests like Feast or Famine, PoP, Cabal for One...lots of fighting in small(ish) rooms, those mobs arent going anywhere.

[Maldini]

Id rather have 3 mobs hit on me, 12 mobs run off and 5 mobs standing still while I kill everything in the quest.

I used to have your opinion on fearsome Mal, then I got some +3 fearsome mithral and my world changed.

I cannot live without fearsome now. Yeah, sometimes the mobs run away, let them come back to you, range them if you're that worried about it, or forget about them. The other half of the time the mobs just stand still and get hit. No moving, no running away, just standing. Then you have quests like Feast or Famine, PoP, Cabal for One...lots of fighting in small(ish) rooms, those mobs arent going anywhere.

You don't really need Fearsome when you have Displacement on, Improved Uncanny Dodge and the DR Boost.

[Aspenor]

You don't really need Fearsome when you have Displacement on, Improved Uncanny Dodge and the DR Boost.

Those are all temporary, or do you have a pocket bard/arcane for displacement?

Fearsome is IMHO the most useful armor effect in the game.

[Strumpoo]

Well, even though barbs don't really have the need for a super AC they can achieve a decent one at least during the times they need it with the uncanny dodge.

My WF'd barb can hit 48-50 ac while using a shield (I know, blashphemy! ), I am sure there are other barbs out there that can get even a little higher than that. This isn't too bad and you can avoid some punishment. But your main AC is going to be that great big two handed weapon you carry, and your monsterous HP. If you can kill em fast enough, the ac doesn't really matter.

[Maldini]

Those are all temporary, or do you have a pocket bard/arcane for displacement?

Fearsome is IMHO the most useful armor effect in the game.

Yes, I ask Arcanes for Displacement all the time and they regularly give it to me.

I use my boosts only for the fights that I acutally need them, so they last.

Either or, with a competent cleric, I don't worry about using the boosts that much because they can keep up with healing. And I like standing in one spot and killing everything instead of worrying where something has run off to.

But that's just my opinion...

[Aspenor]

I totally respect that opinion too I toss my friendly barbarian a displacement quite often if I notice they are taking damage. In an extraordinarily high DPS environment even a 6 AC barbarian takes little to no damage though, so for me it's a highly situational buff. It really all depends on the group you're in.

[Citymorg]

I tend to disagree with the AC is worthless at higher level arguements. I have 360HP, unraged and unbuffed. I can go to 500 with "everything." That said, when I go THF vs. Sword and Board my AC drops from 42-44 to about 36, and I take a lot more damage. It may simply be the difference between mobs hitting on a 5 vs. 6, or 2 vs. 4, but I find there are times when it is very good to be able to turtle up. In addition, the shield DR is the only DR that will stack with Barbarian DR, I can get up to 25DR shield blocking.

I would say that any AC over 40 is good for a barbarian. I would be really impressed if you can get to 50. Just IMHO.

[Maldini]

I tend to disagree with the AC is worthless at higher level arguements. I have 360HP, unraged and unbuffed. I can go to 500 with "everything." That said, when I go THF vs. Sword and Board my AC drops from 42-44 to about 36, and I take a lot more damage. It may simply be the difference between mobs hitting on a 5 vs. 6, or 2 vs. 4, but I find there are times when it is very good to be able to turtle up. In addition, the shield DR is the only DR that will stack with Barbarian DR, I can get up to 25DR shield blocking.

I would say that any AC over 40 is good for a barbarian. I would be really impressed if you can get to 50. Just IMHO.

10 Base
13 Mithral Full Plate
3 Max Dex
2 Max Dex - Daggertooth's Belt
3 Chattering Ring
9 Madstone Shield
5 Protection
2 Recitation
1 Haste
5 Barkskin
Total: 53 +6 Improved Uncanny Dodge = 59

2 more if you can UMD Chaosguards. 2 more if you have Defensive Fighting on. 1 more if you have the Dodge Feat as a Human. You could hit into Mid 60's if you really wanted to in bursts on a Barbarian.

[Strumpoo]

Yeah 50 is easily do-able in bursts.

My WF'd for example can get there with a friendly pally around:

10 base
5 Mithral body
5 Docent
7 Shield
5 Deflection
5 Natural (Barkskin)
5 Dex Bonus
____
42
+6 Uncanny dodge
___
48
+3 for hugging a pally
___
51
+2 Defensive fighting
___
53

Now once I get that stupid dragon belt to drop for me...grrr. I can get rid of the mithral body feat and start using my +6 armor bracers. That will up my AC by 2 since I will be able to use my full dex bonus, as well.

So it will be

44 Base
+6 Uncanny
____
50
+3 Pally hug
___
53.
+2 Defensive fighting
___
55

This is with out the chattering ring or the chaosguards...and what not. So a Barb can get a respectable AC if you try for it. You just don't get to swing your big, two handed, pretty SMASHERS and SLICERS around!

[Maldini]

Oh yeah I forgot about Pally's. A maxxed out AC barb can hit 70ish with a Pally nearby.