high-AC builds

[Snarglefrump]

I've been reading through a lot of builds, some of which aim to have great end-game AC and others which see AC as a hopeless cause. It's not always clear to me why a particular combination of classes has a good or a bad AC. Part of the problem is that different builds make different assumptions about what equipment the player has access to, what buffs from other players they can get, and whether they're in defense-mode (tower shield, combat expertise, tumbling, etc.).

What I'd like to know is the following: what class or race features are important for a high AC build when not in defense-mode, and when not counting buffs that another player could give you (e.g., you don't need to be a paladin to benefit from a paladin's aura)

A few class features that to mind as having high AC potential:

• A fighter with Fighter Armor Mastery III and heavy armor
• A monk for the wisdom bonus plus the monk centered bonus
• A dex-based character with monk splash for the wisdom bonus to AC

What other class features lend themselves to high AC?

[KingOfCheese]

Tempest III ranger with monk splash gets very high AC in two-weapon fighting mode (even if str-based rather than dex-based). Can get into the 60s-70s self-buffed.

[Snarglefrump]

Tempest III ranger with monk splash gets very high AC in two-weapon fighting mode (even if str-based rather than dex-based). Can get into the 60s-70s self-buffed.

The ranger can cast Barkskin for Natural Armor +5, Tempest III gives him a +4 shield bonus, and he can get a Dex+3 enhancement. Do the ranger levels contribute anything else to AC?

In theory, a character of any class could group with a Ranger to have him cast Barkskin, and if their UMD is good they can a +4 shield bonus from a wand.

[Dark-Star]

Monk
Ranger
Paladin
Fighter
Rogue
Monk splashed favored soul or cleric

These can all be built to have high ac, some give up more than others to do so.

[KingOfCheese]

The ranger can cast Barkskin for Natural Armor +5, Tempest III gives him a +4 shield bonus, and he can get a Dex+3 enhancement. Do the ranger levels contribute anything else to AC?

In theory, a character of any class could group with a Ranger to have him cast Barkskin, and if their UMD is good they can a +4 shield bonus from a wand.

For tempest III, need to take an extra two weapon fighting feat--since to-hit is already good, defensive TWF is a better choice than OTWF. Also, the tempest line uses dodge. The ranger has some natural synergies with AC-granting feats and stats (wis is the casting stat)--so it is easy to hit high AC without sacrificing. Ranger/monk splash can hit 70+ AC while in full dps mode--which is a rare combo.