Armor Class for a Warforged? what stacks

[SUPERCREWJOHN]

I am putting together my first warforged. He currently is adamantine 2/1 Fighter/Rogue that likes to fight wit Two Handed Weapions and had the following creditials with some decent gear. AC 22(20 +2 Docent) STR 20 (18 +2 Ogre Power) Dex 14 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 7 ( 6+1) and Ch 6. I took the dodge feat., and healers friend. I am about ready to level up.
My HP so far is 57


What I want to know what can I do to get a unbuffed AC that will be manageable while using Two Handed Weapons ( I love Great Axes and causing damage from glancing blows. What is a level appropriate AC for a warforged that is in the 4,5,6 levels?

I was thinking for the next level to take another level of Rogue eventhough I think the evasion feat is negated by the Adamantine right?

[creithne]

Yes, your adamantine body will negate evasion. I'm not sure if mithril body negates it or not as I've only ever had no body feat or adamantine on my characters.

[Dwithian]

Mithril will allow evasion to work as it counts as light, I have 2 lvls of rogue on my WF barb and he uses Mithril.

[SUPERCREWJOHN]

Ok... I made it to a 2 Fighter/2 Rogue I have 71 HP, and recieved a gift from an older brother of a +3 Mithril Shield and a +3 Docent so now my standing AC is 27 or 28. as I went through Waterworks last night to practive my trap monkeyness. I still find that I cant find all of the traps even with a points maxed in searc ?&spot with a +3 search item & Rogue Skill Boost.

My question is should I switch out my adamantine feat for a mithril to take advantage of evasion?

[creithne]

Absolutely yes.

[SUPERCREWJOHN]

Ok so if switch Mithril for Adamantine What advantage does the Evasion have? My dex is only 14 ( +2) Am I not giving up a lotr a lot in AC and fortification if I like to mix it up in a melee.

Also, I recieved a reward of black widow bracers that are +4 and they dont seem to stack. What is the story? I want to be able to fight two handed ( great Axes) and survive if I can.

[adamkatt]

Ok so if switch Mithril for Adamantine What advantage does the Evasion have? My dex is only 14 ( +2) Am I not giving up a lotr a lot in AC and fortification if I like to mix it up in a melee.

Also, I recieved a reward of black widow bracers that are +4 and they dont seem to stack. What is the story? I want to be able to fight two handed ( great Axes) and survive if I can.

Those bracers only work with no armor.. ie no docent(i think) robes or nekkid only!

[VonBek]

Those bracers only work with no armor.. ie no docent(i think) robes or nekkid only!

WF base composite plating grants an armor bonus of 2. Armored bracers grants an armor bonus, also. The Black Widow bracers from WW have an armor bonus of 4. These like bonuses do not stack. Docents increase the WF body plating armor bonus, they do not stack with items which increase armor bonus (AFIK). Any other WF body plating makes the WW bracers pointless.

So, with composite body, and +1 docent, you get 10 base, +3 armor for AC 13 before other adjustments. Add the Black Widow bracers, and you change to 10 base, +4 armor (bracers) for AC 14 before other adjustments. The BW bracers seem to offer nothing to a composite plated WF with as little as a +2 Docent.

[VonBek]

Ok so if switch Mithril for Adamantine What advantage does the Evasion have? My dex is only 14 ( +2)

From the compendium:

When you make a successful Reflex save to avoid damage, you suffer no damage instead of half damage.

Given an effective reflex save, and functional Evasion, you have the potential to mitigate damage from spells and traps that allow you a reflex save. Presumably, a poor reflex save reduces the usefulness of evasion. Adamantine Plating negates the benefit of Evasion.

Mithril gives an armor bonus of 5, with a max dex bonus of 5, adamantine gives 8 with max dex bonus of 1. That's a base armor bonus difference of 3; perhaps significant at lower levels. As your level and dexterity increase you have to consider the point where Adamantine restricts your AC more than helps it.

Sooo....
With a 14 Dex bonus of +2 and no shield:

Mithril 10+5 +3 (docent), +2 (dex) 20
Adamant 10+8 +3 (docent), +1 (dex) 22

Currently a 2 pt difference, and what will you face at levels 5, 6, 7, & higher that will require a good reflex save coupled with evasion?

[SUPERCREWJOHN]

Thanks Vonbeek..

That was helpful. I guess the next step for me is to get a +2 or more dex item and take the Rogue enhancement to get my DEX bonus to +3 or more and then swap out the adamantine. The fortification doesnt seem to make much difference anyway when I getting fried by levetating Kobold Shamans with 40 points of damage from a scorching ray( Hmm for a CR3 that 40 HPo of damage is a bit much dont you think)

[VonBek]

You're welcome, I'm just passing on what others have helped me with.

Fortification will matter more as you level up - it prevents critical fits from the enemy. (BTW:The Splinterskull chain in Tangleroot has a Mod Fort belt. It's 75% Fort stacks with WF 25% to give 100% Fort against crits. )

All these little bits of detail blend into a system to keep your character standing when things get nasty. Each has a place, though it's somewhat hard to tell, in the early stages.