AC can matter!

[NaturalHazard]

Depends on gear balancing...

Back when monk was comming out and we discussed the synergies of such for rangers I stated that the splash was very much OP in face of building an applicable AC build for the time, It gained a lot of AC with little expenditure to DPS output - EinarMal - posted the build many of us touted was the next does-it-all in a single package toon. The SnB back at that time could barely compete with such.

Today with sets like ravager, shintao, eClaw gloves, guards ... the amounts of off placed dps rivals AC gear ...

yep i even sacrificed some ac to put more dps gear into my slots, though when I get some epic gear and can slot in some augmens it should make up for it. But no chattering, 2 tod sets so still -3 AC on the ac potential.

[Asketes]

please don't lock this necro thread.. it's a good resource

[grodon9999]

Gear isn't stapled to your body, switch it out depending on what you need more for the current task.

95% of AC in this game is gear, if getting hit less makes things better in a quest equip stuff that works towards that. If killing things faster is a better plan, equip for that.

[donblas]

My level 4 dwarf fighter has found his AC (43) most useful so far, along with 20% damage reduction (and 20% shield bash proc) from shield feats. I might make him mithral full plate of invulnerability at lvl5, to further reduce incoming damage

[somerecluse]

Gear isn't stapled to your body, switch it out depending on what you need more for the current task.

95% of AC in this game is gear, if getting hit less makes things better in a quest equip stuff that works towards that. If killing things faster is a better plan, equip for that.

being someone who always plays a high AC character and hearing how useless my AC is, i have to tell people all the time its all in my gear and enhancements lol. most characters can even switch enhancements for raids every couple days. lots of builds sacrifice no dps enhancements for their AC ones (rangers in specific since theyre all so cheap).

when i was a paladin i used to switch to DoS pre before i needed to do all my tanking raids. then after that i just went back to kotc. not that hard really. fighters can do this very well too since they can afford feats for both. about the only times you're sacrificing dps for ac outside of gear or enhancements (which can both be changed easily for different scenarios including epics) is power attack vs CE and s&b vs twf/thf. but im pretty sure most s&b tanks besides the pre switching fighters are gone.

edit* i should probably add that you DONT need to be super high dex no str build to have AC. this is probably where the biggest misconception comes from about ac builds having no dps.

[grodon9999]

being someone who always plays a high AC character and hearing how useless my AC is, i have to tell people all the time its all in my gear and enhancements lol. most characters can even switch enhancements for raids every couple days. lots of builds sacrifice no dps enhancements for their AC ones (rangers in specific since theyre all so cheap) . . .

Though the loss may not come from enhancements, there is always SOME DPS loss though it may be minimal. To get the right stat disitribution you'll need to start at 16 instead of 18 STR (very minor, but considering some people TR a monk life for just one more point of damage . . .). Splashing monk for AC and Evasion is common, rangers splashing just happen to lose the least because their capstone sucks, but they still lose a Favored Enemy and 2 FE damage. Rogues, pallies, fighters, all have great capstones that'll make you think twice about splashing.

other than that, the rest is gear.

[Phidius]

... then you got grazing blows............. I hate grazing hits, or what ever its called.

You had it right the first time. Grazing blows, and hard. Of course, not as hard as +100 to-hits, Dungeon Scaling, and Dungeon Alert.

[grodon9999]

You had it right the first time. Grazing blows, and hard. Of course, not as hard as +100 to-hits, Dungeon Scaling, and Dungeon Alert.

I have no issue at all with grazing hit. If I got grazed on a 12 but my AC worked it epics it'd be fine, grazing hits in and of themselves aren't a problem.

[Thrudh]

Gear isn't stapled to your body, switch it out depending on what you need more for the current task.

95% of AC in this game is gear, if getting hit less makes things better in a quest equip stuff that works towards that. If killing things faster is a better plan, equip for that.

+1

My AC 12/6/2 fighter/ranger/monk can switch from AC mode to DPS mode very easily.

And it's not that hard to turn off Combat Expertise and turn on Power Attack.

[MrWizard]

once you get your gear situation worked out and have that high ac and the rest, it is hard to play any other toon.

getting hit by 1 out of 100 arrows versus your mage getting hit everytime is a shocking experience.
Opening a chest or door while surrounded by enemies becomes common place, when you play your other toons you die at the lever..lol

you can go afk in battle for a quick bio and come back and keep swinging, your non ac toon is dead.

sustained dps can be quite helpful.

in the end it is just a game. so many ways to play it. just enjoy it and don't be a drain on your team (or just go solo).

forget ac, I want improved evasion for armored melees!!!!!!

[Arlathen]

once you get your gear situation worked out and have that high ac and the rest, it is hard to play any other toon.

getting hit by 1 out of 100 arrows versus your mage getting hit everytime is a shocking experience.
Opening a chest or door while surrounded by enemies becomes common place, when you play your other toons you die at the lever..lol

you can go afk in battle for a quick bio and come back and keep swinging, your non ac toon is dead.

sustained dps can be quite helpful.

in the end it is just a game. so many ways to play it. just enjoy it and don't be a drain on your team (or just go solo).

Totally agreed.

forget ac, I want improved evasion for armored melees!!!!!!

10Rogue/8Fighter/2Paladin?

I prefer and am building the cloth wearing Monk12/Paladin7/Fighter1 tank.

[butlerfamilywa]

So I have a question then as far as useful AC is concerned.

I'm working on a 18/2 Monk/Paladin build that focuses on good dps, ac and saves, heres the basic layout with ac break down, stat break down and his saving throws, would he be considered good AC for elite raids/Epic Questing?

His DPS calculations are 2d10 19-20 x3 (earth stance) with Fists of Iron and Earth Finisher for x4 and x5 on situational crits.


Basic Stat breakdowns and +2 boat buffs get you the first number, keep in mind this is before rages

38 STR 16 + 6 Item + 1 Enhancement + 1 Exceptional + 3 Profane + 3 Tome + 1 Human + 5 Level Up = 36
24 DEX 15 + 6 Item + 3 Tome -2 Stance = 22
32 CON 15 + 7 Item + 3 Tome + 4 Stance + 1 Human = 30
15 INT 10 + 3 Tome = 13
34 WIS 15 + 7 Item + 3 Monk + 3 Exceptional + 4 Tome = 32
20 CHA 08 + 3 Tome + 6 Item + 1 Exceptional = 18

Armor Class:
10 base
8 Armored Bracers
4 Monk (18 levels of monk)
12 Wisdom
7 Dex
1 Centered
1 AC self Paladin Aura
1 AC Ritual
1 Haste
4 Shield wand
4 Natural Armor from Earth Stance
1 Wis Yugo Potion
1 Dex Yugo Potion
5 Protection
4 Insight to Ac, Sirens Set
3 Profane AC
3 Chattering AC
75 Total Self Buffed AC

1 Ranger Barkskin
4 Inspire Heroics "AC" Song
5 AC Full Paladin Aura
2 Recitation
87 AC Raid Buffed

Add Boat Buffs that increase Armor Class as available.

All this with an Intimidate of 70 or higher depending on buffs, and his saving throws look like this,
SAVES:
45 FORT = 11 Monk, +5 Resistance, +2 Insight, +4 GH, +1 Aura, +1 Resistance Ritual, +2 Luck, +5 Charisma, +3 Paladin, +11 Con = 45
38 REFLEX = 11 Monk, +5 Resistance, +2 Insight, +4 GH, +1 Aura, +1 Resistance Ritual, +2 Luck, +5 Charisma, +7 Dex = 38
46 WILL = 11 Monk, +5 Resistance, +2 Insight, +4 GH, +1 Aura, +1 Resistance Ritual, +2 Luck, +5 Charisma, +3 Epic, +12 Wis = 46

Hp's are around
Hit points:
20 Heroic Durablility
10 Draconic Vitality
30 Greater false life
20 Animal Path
10 Paladin Toughness
20 Half-Elf Toughness
45 Greensteel Hitpoints
20 2 Levels of Paladin
144 18 Levels of Monk
220 Con Modifier
22 Toughness Feat
22 Toughness Item
-----------------------
583 Hit Points Standing

20 Rage
40 Madstone
40 Yugo Potion
------------------------
683 Hit Points Raged, plus store potion for more Con ect

[Zerkul]

Nice AC there, very job.
[Sarcasm(!)=ON]
Now think about it, my Kensai hits 90+ ac with 2 on dice .
[Sarcasm()=OFF]