Dex question (advice sought)

[Professor_G]

I'm playing a halfling rogue/barbarian, level 3 in both classes.

I'm at a point where I can get him to 20 Dex with an enhancement/+1 Dex item mix. He is currently at 18 in Dex.

He wears +2 Mithral breatplate armor, which caps his Dex bonus at +4. 20 Dex gets him a +5 Dex bonus.

SO do I boost to 20 Dex and go with a lighter armor (+4 studded leather, for example) or keep him at 18 and stay with the heavier armor?

I play pretty agro, using his rogue abilities to detect traps/doors and take care of said traps and door locks. I occasionally use Sneak Attack. Other than that, the little guy does pretty well in the melee department.


Thanks in advance for any advice/guidance.

[Adalita]

You're still at the level where (easily acquired) AC still counts so I would go with whichever provides the highest AC. Disable traps is an INT based skill so it isn't effected either way. Open locks is DEX based, however what counts here is the skill check penalty, not the max DEX bonus of the armor you are wearing (important difference to know). Both Mitheral BP and studded leather have the same skill check penalty (-1) so no difference there.

[Meriadeuc]

He wears +2 Mithral breatplate armor, which caps his Dex bonus at +4. 20 Dex gets him a +5 Dex bonus.

A mithral breastplate should have a max dexterity bonus of +5.

[Steveohio]

You will want to stay with either light armor or robes/outfits with 3 levels or rogue. Whichever nets you the best AC.

Evasion is just that good.

[d4rkstars]

yup something is wrong here:

mithral breastplate has max dex bonus of 5


if your breastplate is light with a max dex bonus of 4, then its probably a wooden one.


in any case, you will want to keep a light armor for evasion as it was said before, but it really not worths (AT ALL!) to put 2 point in dex for AC, if your going to be maily barb, go dor strengh, if you go mainly for rogue (and i hope not for you ) then go for dex

with items, enhancement, tomes you will reach +5 very easily, put stat buff for AC only is a real waste.

[Professor_G]

D'oh!

I was shopping for armor and "Mithral" was still swimming in my head when I posted my question.


My rogue/barb wears Darkleaf breastplate armor.

He does well at his rogue skills despite the -1 modifier.

Thanks for the tips/advice.

[d4rkstars]

i am not sure about it, but in the way you formulate it, you seem to be mistaken:

the - 1 skill modifier DOES NOT reduce your rogues skills, you must not pay any attention to that, nor try to avoid it.

the -1 skill means the armor isnt easy to use and to moove with. It reduces skills like swimming, jump - it has no effect on things that doesnt involve mooving, like search, spot or disable device.

[Rusty_Can]

the - 1 skill modifier DOES NOT reduce your rogues skills

Well, it depends on what you consider rogue skills: for instance, ACP affects Hide and Move Silently skills; but aye, it doesn't affect stuff like Search or Disable Device.

To the OP: check Armor Check Penalty on DDOWiki.