Combat expertise, does U5 make it worth taking?

[NXPlasmid]

My understanding is that finishing moves will no longer turn off CE, so if that is the case, does this make CE really useful for us dex/wis builds? T

[SolarDawning]

For leveling, yes. My monk is doing an unarmed fighter 12/monk 8 TR right now, currently at level 14.

AC = 51 unbuffed, 58 with shield clickie and +3 barkskin potion.
For a level 14 running desert content, it's nice. And when I'm in Gianthold next, it'll still do the job. And in the vale... In fact, it'll work everywhere short of Amrath, and there's still lots of room for improvement.

Endgame usage, on the other hand... it'll still take a lot of work to get to a useful AC on a pure monk. Might not be worthwhile. I'm just going for easy leveling while I get a fighter past life behind me.

[vVAnjilaVv]

I always take CE on my monks because they can so easily obtain a usable AC....most of the time I am in PA mode tho

[Teran]

For leveling, yes. My monk is doing an unarmed fighter 12/monk 8 TR right now, currently at level 14.

AC = 51 unbuffed, 58 with shield clickie and +3 barkskin potion.

Out of curiousity, what is giving you an AC of 51? My AC at 13 is 42 with no CE; my dex and wis are fairly high, so I'm wondering where the extra 4 AC is coming from. [Perhaps it's Icy Raiment, Chaosguard and Mage Armor? I have +5 Armor Bracers and no icy yet...]

[Quijonsith]

Icy raiment is usable at level 14 and it provides 4 dodge bonus and 4 protection. Add 1 alchemical from the AC ritual and there's the difference between his 51 and your 42.

[Teran]

Icy raiment is usable at level 14 and it provides 4 dodge bonus and 4 protection. Add 1 alchemical from the AC ritual and there's the difference between his 51 and your 42.

You're likely right - I wasn't accounting for the AC ritual.

[SolarDawning]

Out of curiousity, what is giving you an AC of 51? My AC at 13 is 42 with no CE; my dex and wis are fairly high, so I'm wondering where the extra 4 AC is coming from. [Perhaps it's Icy Raiment, Chaosguard and Mage Armor? I have +5 Armor Bracers and no icy yet...]

Just logged in to check my AC breakdown:
Fighter 8/Monk 6

Base: 10
26 Dex: 8
28 Wis: 9
+5 Armor (Jidz-tet'ka)
+5 Deflection
+6 Feat Bonus (Dodge and Combat Expertise)
+2 Centered Bonus
+1 Size Bonus (Halfling racial)
+4 Dodge (Icy Raiments)
+1 Alchemical (Icy Raiments)

=51 unbuffed AC

[Teran]

Cool - thank you for the breakdown.