Stalward Defender AC question

[MsEricka]

So I'm trying to figure this out for someone, and here's what I came up with.

10 base
04 insight green steel weapon
05 protection green steel helm
16 epic cavalry plate (mdb 3)
01 alchemical ritual (armor)
03 16 dexterity
02 fighter armor mastery rank 2 (requires 20 dex)
02 stalwart defender 3 mdb (requires 24 dex)
08 shield light and darkness
01 alchemical ritual (shield)
01 superior stability (on shield)
05 combat expertise
03 stalwart defender 3
02 stalwart defender ToD set
01 dodge feat
02 tharaak bracelet

66 (68 with 24 dex) unbuffed

14 base dex, +6 item +2 tome +2 ship buff (not too bad, but more than I'd like them to put into dex).

Other than the obnoxious dex required did I get everything correct for a sustainable armor class? Am I missing anything? Please do not count buffs, unless they are self buffs.

[Vissarion]

If you're counting sustainable self buffs, you can add 3-4 for natural armor and 3 for ship buffs. Beyond that you could also include a +1 Dodge trinket (either the Nimble Trinket or Cannith-crafted).

Also, I believe the all three tiers of Stalwart Defender will only give you one more max dex bonus for Epic Calvary Plate, since it is medium armor, not heavy.

[Thrudh]

Stalwart Defender III stance gives you +4 AC
Barkskin potions are +3 AC (You might want to save that helm spot for when the Crystal Cove comes back. You can make +5 Barkskin, +15 Intimidate hats)

Ship buffs give 3 AC
(Dex shrines on the ships will help you get to that obnoxious Dex score you mentioned)

Haste potion gives you 1 AC
Chattering ring gives you 3 Dodge AC (Very hard to farm)


There is also epic gear you can get someday that will give you +3 Dodge (doesn't stack with Chattering ring), and epic gear that gives a +3 profane AC bonus (stacks with everything).

ANd of course, bards can sing to give you another +4 AC, paladin auras give another +2 - +6, and the recitation spell gives +2 AC (if you have UMD, you can cast this yourself from a wand)

[Baahb3]

If you are willing to grind for it you can get a Chattering Ring for +3 Dodge Bonus.

With the change to the speed reduction while in stance most defenders will find it easy to stay in stance all the time so you could always count the +4 Dodge Bonus from that.

With all the available Haste clickies and pots out there you could almost always count on the +1 from haste.

[unbongwah]

16 epic cavalry plate (mdb 3)

This can be slotted w/Greater Nimbleness for +2 MDB; or +7 bonus for +1 AC.

02 stalwart defender 3 mdb (requires 24 dex)

As stated, this only provides +1 MDB to med armor (which is what epic cavalry plate is); it provides +2 to hvy armor.

08 shield light and darkness

What about epic Swashbuckler instead? You lose Superior Stability, but gain Superior Parrying (no need to add insight +4 to your weapon), exceptional DEX +2, 6% doublestrike (does this stack w/ftr capstone?), etc.; and again it can be slotted w/+7 for another +1 AC.

Stalwart Defender III stance gives you +4 AC

Isn't this about to be bumped up to +6 in U11, or am I misremembering?

[eonfreon]

This can be slotted w/Greater Nimbleness for +2 MDB; or +7 bonus for +1 AC.

As stated, this only provides +1 MDB to med armor (which is what epic cavalry plate is); it provides +2 to hvy armor.

What about epic Swashbuckler instead? You lose Superior Stability, but gain Superior Parrying (no need to add insight +4 to your weapon), exceptional DEX +2, 6% doublestrike (does this stack w/ftr capstone?), etc.; and again it can be slotted w/+7 for another +1 AC.

Isn't this about to be bumped up to +6 in U11, or am I misremembering?

I think AC stays the same. The +6 is to Str and Con from +4 as it is pre-U11.

But I'm basing it on what I heard.

[MsEricka]

ok, here's some revised numbers with a few more ship buffs added in.

10 base
04 insight green steel sword
05 protection green steel helm
16 epic cavalry plate (mdb 3)
01 alchemical ritual (armor)
03 16 dexterity
02 armor mastery rank 2 (requires 20 dex)
02 stalwart defender 3 (requires 24 dex)
08 shield light and darkness
01 alchemical ritual (shield)
01 superior stability (on shield)
05 combat expertise
03 stalwart defender 3
02 stalwart defender ToD set
01 dodge feat
02 tharaak bracelet
01 Sentinel's Bulwark
01 Deneith Defender
04 Superior Defensive Stance

01 Change to Epic Kundarak Warding Shield
01 Upgrade shield to +7 (blue slot)
01 Upgrade cavalry plate to +7 (blue slot)
04 Add +4 natural AC to Warding shield (violet slot)

79 (81 with 24 dex)

The goal was to hopefully hit an 80 AC, so now with a few buffs from raid members up to 90 is possible.

Some will ask why this gear? This is all gear this character has already except for the shield. She doesn't run too many epics but EV6 is one of the ones she does do.

[Feithlin]

Consider a crafted +5 (holy) mithral tower shield of sup. stability. You would keep sup. stability, while getting 9+1 AC (w/ ritual) and 20% damage absorption from SM (25% w/ imp. SM).

You didn't correct the bonus from SD III: it's +1 MDB because it's a medium armor, but you can get +3 from Fighter enhancements instead of +2 to compensate.
You can slot your Cavalry plate w/ greater nimbleness (+2) instead of +7 enh. If you reach 26 dex, it will be the same, but you could get 1 more whenever you reach 28 dex (exceptional, higher tome, ship buffs, yugo pot, etc.).
The ship buffs give a total of +3 (outside of dex) and I only see +2, you seem to have missed one.

From buffs, you could add:
+1 from Haste
+2 from Recitation
+5 from Ranger's bark (not stacking w/ epic slot) or Pirate's hat
+1-6 from a paladin's aura (most probably +1-2 than more)
+4 from bard song