Paladin AC tank, Armor

[BinyaminTsadik]

I wanted to TR my cleric into a DOS with the new changes to the epic chimera fang and was wondering if anyone knows the best armor a Paly can use to achieve the highest AC.

Would it be fullplate? if so what should his starting Dex be so that it does not end up getting capped endgame with a +6 item and +1 exceptional (maybe even +2 shipbuffs) Also his shield might limit it also.

Or would the highest AC be with a 2 monk splash and light armor?

I would have liked to dump as much dex and wis as i could.

[protokon]

I wanted to TR my cleric into a DOS with the new changes to the epic chimera fang and was wondering if anyone knows the best armor a Paly can use to achieve the highest AC.

Would it be fullplate? if so what should his starting Dex be so that it does not end up getting capped endgame with a +6 item and +1 exceptional (maybe even +2 shipbuffs) Also his shield might limit it also.

Or would the highest AC be with a 2 monk splash and light armor?

I would have liked to dump as much dex and wis as i could.

Well if you go the monk splash route for evasion, you will have to wear robes (typically icy raiments for the +4 dodge bonus) because you lose your AC bonus from wisdom - although you can still be uncentered and benefit from it.

you can sword and board with fullplate, starting with around 15 dex will work out depending on what race you go.

[Claymorep]

Unless I miss some last hour changes, the best armor about ac is the Epic Red Dragon Plate (16 base + 2 dex bonus) or the Tourney armor (14 base + 4 dex bonus).

[SisAmethyst]

Unless I miss some last hour changes, the best armor about ac is the Epic Red Dragon Plate (16 base + 2 dex bonus) or the Tourney armor (14 base + 4 dex bonus).

How about Epic Cavalry Plate (16 base + 3 dex), maybe additional with Greater Nimbleness slotted?

[Ralmeth]

You'll want to shoot for one of the epic armors mentioned above. Until you get one of these you can go with dragontouched plate and look to get +4 AC insight, Levik's or dodge +3 on the 3rd tier. As for a monk splash, you can do that but please be aware that the DoS enhancement favors wearing heavy armor and tanking in S&B mode, as it should. For example the DoS enhancement increases your max dex bonus of heavy & medium armor and a tower shield.

As for the new changes in the Epic Chimera's fang, this looks cool but the feat requirement seems really expensive for a Pally. It seems like the change favors Fighter Defenders as they have lots of feats to spare. Just my 2CP.

[BinyaminTsadik]

You'll want to shoot for one of the epic armors mentioned above. Until you get one of these you can go with dragontouched plate and look to get +4 AC insight, Levik's or dodge +3 on the 3rd tier. As for a monk splash, you can do that but please be aware that the DoS enhancement favors wearing heavy armor and tanking in S&B mode, as it should. For example the DoS enhancement increases your max dex bonus of heavy & medium armor and a tower shield.

As for the new changes in the Epic Chimera's fang, this looks cool but the feat requirement seems really expensive for a Pally. It seems like the change favors Fighter Defenders as they have lots of feats to spare. Just my 2CP.

Well, you automatically save 2 feats. You save on the improved critical feat, and on the bastard sword proficiency, and you get improved parrying. This build actually allows paladins to take dragonmarks.

[Enoach]

While the Epic armors are good for building towards high AC especially if your going the Full Plate Route - on a tank build you should also consider having different types of Armor to meet different needs.

Examples of needs

1. High AC - this is build dependant but each feature is geared towards AC maximizing
2. Retribution - Armor built to make the attacker suffer for each hit - by direct damage or instant kill
3. Something light weight for the Jumpy Dungeons - So you don't have to run around in your skivveys
4. Non-Damage Guards - To deal with quests where you don't want to kill the stuff that is attacking you, but each hit could boost your effectiveness or disable the mob (things like Haste boost or Ottos dance)
5. Damage Reduction - Reduces incoming damage to something very minimal
6. Hate - Armor that makes the mob hate you more then even the Sorcerer

As you can see Tanks need as much care and selection in their armor as they do in the Weapon and other gear that they are wearing.

One size does not fit All...

[joaofalcao]

Me and wife play an AC toon each. We sure had our share of fun, but our advice is to make a barbarian.

Each update bring us more pain, for agro is messed up, intimidate is nerfed and AC types are forgotten.

A new boost comes on u11 to make barbarians even more king of DPS. Making a barbarian tank is the future, sorry to hear and sorry to say that.

[elraido]

Well, you automatically save 2 feats. You save on the improved critical feat, and on the bastard sword proficiency, and you get improved parrying. This build actually allows paladins to take dragonmarks.

You are getting rid of two feats but still need to swap out a third one. not only that, but you are then almost using the epic fang exclusively.

[elraido]

Me and wife play an AC toon each. We sure had our share of fun, but our advice is to make a barbarian.

Each update bring us more pain, for agro is messed up, intimidate is nerfed and AC types are forgotten.

A new boost comes on u11 to make barbarians even more king of DPS. Making a barbarian tank is the future, sorry to hear and sorry to say that.

I would say the opposite. I hate playing my barb. He is level 12 and has gained two levels in 3 years. Agro is not messed up, intim is not nerfed, and AC is not forgotten. You just have to adjust your play style when those changes were made. I have been playing my main since almost launch of the game. Just go with the blows with the changes they make, learn how to adapt your game play to it, you will be fine. I keep tellling people this yet the keep saying "doom" and "nerf"...but I never have a problem.

[joaofalcao]

I would say the opposite. I hate playing my barb.

So do I.

intim is not nerfed

It used to be supreme to hold agro, now its not. Nerf is the term used to describe something that suffered a downgrade. Its nerfed, period, get over it.

Now, I suggest you and the OP read the following threads; a few examples of what I am trying to point out.

1 year bug regarding SD3 stance hate
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335361

My adq2 @ lvl duo explaining lailat agro bugs
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335167

New barbarian boost.
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335097

We do have a critical issue regarding SD agro, but the devs prefer to boost barbarians instead of fixing the SD stance. Preety much moves me to say: make a barbarian instead.

Hope thats enlighten your paths.

[elraido]

So do I.



It used to be supreme to hold agro, now its not. Nerf is the term used to describe something that suffered a downgrade. Its nerfed, period, get over it.

Now, I suggest you and the OP read the following threads; a few examples of what I am trying to point out.

1 year bug regarding SD3 stance hate
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335361

My adq2 @ lvl duo explaining lailat agro bugs
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335167

New barbarian boost.
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=335097

We do have a critical issue regarding SD agro, but the devs prefer to boost barbarians instead of fixing the SD stance. Preety much moves me to say: make a barbarian instead.

Hope thats enlighten your paths.

Well, then you can just watch my gimp paladin pull aggro from your barb. It isn't an issue. If there is a bug reguarding a stance, that is one issue....but there is only one thread in the last year about it, I don't know if it means it is broken. Why not raise some flags when it was said it was fixed? I am sure people would have done some testing after it being "fixed".

As far as aggro goes in the DQ. If you were laying the beat down on her with Divine Punishment, I can see why the fighter couldn't hold/get an intimidate to land. You were so much further up the threat chart, she basically ignored the fighter.

And like I said, you might consider the intim change a nerf. I don't. It was a change, roll with it. My paladin holds aggro just fine vs much higher dps toons. If you need to hold aggro, I might suggest getting some hate gear to help along with intim. intimidate shouldn't be the only/top way to hold hate anyway. Someone with 200% hate gen who has been beating on sulli for 3 min, shouldn't lose aggro just because someone with an intim of 70 hits a button. Consider it a bonus multiplier now to your hate gen.

[Grenada]

Here is an attempt made to make a pure fighter similar to what your trying to make. You may want to take a look and pull some ideas off of it.

[EustaceTrevelyan]

Me and wife play an AC toon each. We sure had our share of fun, but our advice is to make a barbarian.

Each update bring us more pain, for agro is messed up, intimidate is nerfed and AC types are forgotten.

A new boost comes on u11 to make barbarians even more king of DPS. Making a barbarian tank is the future, sorry to hear and sorry to say that.

Barbarian will get some love if they want to take the damage boosts, if that's what you're talking about, but still behind haste as only buffs weapon damage, not the other stuff. It's definitely going to be easier to gear up a barb or dps fighter and throw some incite gear on, and aggro tank with your HP/dmg reduction in those situations where tanking is needed

The turtle intim low dps aggro magnet style is dead, you have to do some damage, but you can always splash 6 pally for the 100% threat bump and go Stalwart, or go more Pally and DoS, There's options, and with the shield boost to intim and d-axe/b-sword glancing, a build involving some s-b might be situationally viable, provided you take THF feats and have a good falchion/axe, racially depending.

AC probably always will need the highest level of grinding to get to useful levels after 15, but it's not totally dead. You might well feel however that return/reward ratios are off for that, considering that you also want GS, ToD, epics, and then to TR, so you're already doing a lot of grinding as it is.

So, there's options

[joaofalcao]

but there is only one thread in the last year about it, I don't know if it means it is broken.

You dont need a hundred threads to know if theres a bug or not. Just go in game and test it. Its easy for a paladin to hold agro over smites, but for a fighter it is a nightmare.

As far as aggro goes in the DQ. If you were laying the beat down on her with Divine Punishment, I can see why the fighter couldn't hold/get an intimidate to land. You were so much further up the threat chart, she basically ignored the fighter.

The turtle intim low dps aggro magnet style is dead, you have to do some damage, but you can always splash 6 pally for the 100% threat bump and go Stalwart, or go more Pally and DoS, There's options, and with the shield boost to intim and d-axe/b-sword glancing, a build involving some s-b might be situationally viable, provided you take THF feats and have a good falchion/axe, racially depending.

I did a adq2 duo @ lvl. I dont know what else I can do to people stop calling me a noob. I know how it works, I geared and TRed for it. If you read my post and is not believing me..... gee, theres nothing I can do. Please go there yourself and believe your own eyes.

Someone with 200% hate gen who has been beating on sulli for 3 min, shouldn't lose aggro just because someone with an intim of 70 hits a button.

I ll stop here.... Thats not the OP called for. I hope the OP reads the posts more carefully than you guys did and understand why the future is barbarian and not high AC chars.

And good luck on your endeavors.

[BinyaminTsadik]

You are getting rid of two feats but still need to swap out a third one. not only that, but you are then almost using the epic fang exclusively.

Not really, a Min II greatsword also has keen on it, and since paladins get good damage as a capstone, and the chimera fang has silver on it already, you pretty much just need to add cold iron or adamantine and what other weapon do you need?

And I think it's a good call on the tourney armor, that is probably what i'll be using, How does the full plate of the ringleader or full plate of the defender compare?
I didn't post this post to see what people thought about my build, it was a post about armor, but thank you for the concern

[elraido]

Not really, a Min II greatsword also has keen on it, and since paladins get good damage as a capstone, and the chimera fang has silver on it already, you pretty much just need to add cold iron or adamantine and what other weapon do you need?

And I think it's a good call on the tourney armor, that is probably what i'll be using, How does the full plate of the ringleader or full plate of the defender compare?
I didn't post this post to see what people thought about my build, it was a post about armor, but thank you for the concern

As mentioned before, if you want the highest possible AC, you need to go for Epic Red Dragon, Epic Cavalier Plate, or Dragontouched with Insight IV on it paired with a set of Chaosguards or Thrashik Bracers.

[elraido]

You dont need a hundred threads to know if theres a bug or not. Just go in game and test it. Its easy for a paladin to hold agro over smites, but for a fighter it is a nightmare.





I did a adq2 duo @ lvl. I dont know what else I can do to people stop calling me a noob. I know how it works, I geared and TRed for it. If you read my post and is not believing me..... gee, theres nothing I can do. Please go there yourself and believe your own eyes.



I ll stop here.... Thats not the OP called for. I hope the OP reads the posts more carefully than you guys did and understand why the future is barbarian and not high AC chars.

And good luck on your endeavors.

Dude, I have been playing this game since almost launch. People are ALWAYS saying it is the end of one class, no one will play any other class besides "X" class. Etc. Like I said, the game changes. Classes come in vogue and then are pushed to the back burner. First it was paladins are over powered. Then barb with crit rage. Then tempest rangers. Then monks. Now casters. I have heard cries of doom, like yours, more than once before. It hasn't ever happened.

And like I said, my paladin has zero issues holding and maintaining aggro. It is a good enough build to solo VoD as well. So, your saying AC is useless is just ignorance. There are just a few instances were AC doesn't mean as much as DPS. Mainly epics.

[joaofalcao]

Dude, I have been playing this game since almost launch. People are ALWAYS saying it is the end of one class, no one will play any other class besides "X" class. ....

Well, that explains why you didnt bother to read what I said/linked.

Well, I could go on and explain myself over again, but since you will just assume what I am talking from your personal experience with the game, theres really no point in it.

[elraido]

Well, that explains why you didnt bother to read what I said/linked.

Well, I could go on and explain myself over again, but since you will just assume what I am talking from your personal experience with the game, theres really no point in it.

I did read what you posted. Barbarians are getting a change to their attack boost. You think SD hate gen is broken and intim doesn't work. I am questioning your thought as to if the SD hate gen is broken or not. So, I don't know why you are saying you need to repeat yourself over and over again.