mithral chain vs mithral breastplate

[Maleth]

OK, I know eventually my dex bonus from not wearing any armor will surpass what I get from actually having armor. For right now I have +5 mithral breastplate and chain both available to me. Aside from the differences in spell failure, since I end up at the same exact end AC, is there any other reason to wear one over the other? I'm confused why they would both let me arrive at the same AC when both are capping my dex at their perspective values. That seems weird. I would think a breastplate would at least give me one more AC over chain after the dex (capped) is added in.

[grodon9999]

Chain has a higher allowed DEX bonus. Chain looks cooler anyway, stick with that until you switch to pajamas.

[unbongwah]

IIRC, mithril chain shirt is 4/6 while BP is 5/5; CS has lower arcane spell failure and armor check penalty; aaaaand...that's about it. All of the base armors are balanced so max AC w/DEX bonus is 7-9 (most are 8); mithril increases the max DEX bonus on metal armors by 2, so the max AC is 2 higher, which is why it tends to be so popular on the AH.

[Maleth]

Chain has a higher allowed DEX bonus. Chain looks cooler anyway, stick with that until you switch to pajamas.

Yes, but if you read my post, when they both cap out, you are at the same AC regardless of which you wear, and it only caps your dex bonus to armor, yes? It's not like it affects your to hit bonus from finesse. I actually like the look if the breastplate better. I hate the mithril chain shirt look. Those puffy arm wraps look ridiculous. I was just wondering how much I was hurting myself if at all aside from the spell failure being higher on the plate like if it affected my reflex rolls or anything else I might be missing.

[Rydin_Dirtay]

, when they both cap out, you are at the same AC regardless of which you wear, and it only caps your dex bonus to armor,.

That is because the BP gives more armor bonus, but less DEX bonus...
and the CS gives less armor bonus, but more DEX bonus.

So in the end, it evens out between them.

[adamkatt]

Go with what looks better! This is coming from a lvl 20 str based ranger...

[Silvershaper]

...aside from the spell failure.

IIRC, rangers don't suffer under spell failure at all, so you can even take that out of the equation too - leaving only looks to determine your favourite.

[SteeleTrueheart]

IIRC, rangers don't suffer under spell failure at all, so you can even take that out of the equation too - leaving only looks to determine your favourite.

Except for when you are UMDing an arcane spell via scroll/wand.