Author Topic: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion  (Read 26039 times)

Offline sirpercival

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The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« on: March 13, 2012, 07:55:55 PM »
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Offline Endarire

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2012, 06:16:56 PM »
I really like an item of mage armor at will.  (For example, a Mage Armor Amulet.)  That way, it lasts 1 hour per use, and you can pass the buff around to your whole team!  It even ups your ghost AC!

If you're nonevil and you can use that Book of Exalted Deeds, then luminous armor and greater luminous armor provide uber AC boosts, even moreso with Paragnostic Apostle (Complete Champion 94) and Abjurant Champion (Complete Mage 50).

If your GM allows it, get an item of continous shield for 4000G.  (It's fairly cheap and that price is by the formulas!)

Though not strictly AC, getting an auto-miss chance against you effectively boosts your AC.  Blur, displacement, mirror image (normal and greater), and concealing amorpha (normal and greater) help.

Dungeon Master's Guide II has item templates for armor and shields.  A feycraft githcraft mithril chain shirt has no ACP, no ASF, and weighs only 11.75 lb!  Just assume a fey mind controlled a gith and forced him to make said shirt.

Oriental Adventures has the dastana and chahar-aina, which are separate items you can use to boost your AC, and these items explicitly stack with certain types of armor (like leather and chain shirts).  Just get masterwork dastana and chahar-aina and you have no ACP.  (Go mithril for no ASF, either.)  Arms and Equipment Guide also has dastana, but the stats are identical.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2012, 06:24:42 PM by Endarire »

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2012, 07:23:47 PM »
Thanks, Endarire!  This will be slow going, because I'm doing a million different things, but nothing like it exists (that I've seen) so I'll make sure it happens, and will definitely include these.
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Offline Endarire

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2012, 11:45:48 PM »
At the top of your AC handbook, put a link here!

Offline Agita

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2012, 04:55:11 AM »
Adding book references to the individual entries would be nice, at least to the ones that aren't right there in the PHB, preferably to the most recent version (or even all of them, noting the most recent) for spells that appear in multiple sources like Scintillating Scales.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2012, 07:49:46 AM »
At the top of your AC handbook, put a link here!

The link is already there. :)

Adding book references to the individual entries would be nice, at least to the ones that aren't right there in the PHB, preferably to the most recent version (or even all of them, noting the most recent) for spells that appear in multiple sources like Scintillating Scales.

Yes, will do.  Scintillating scales was better in Draconomicon... sucks.
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Offline snow_white

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2012, 08:20:35 AM »
I guess including natural AC would be beyond the scope of this particular handbook?

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2012, 08:39:45 AM »
Not at all.  Natural armor is one of the bonus types you can stack -- Polymorph, Alter Self, and Barkskin are all ways to increase your natural armor.
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Offline Tshern

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2012, 09:25:20 PM »
Posted this to the actual handbook, sorry about that. Anyway, that might be of some help.

I worked on something similar back in the day. It could have a few items you haven't put in yet, so feel free to use that for referencing.
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Offline ariasderros

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2012, 12:50:09 PM »
You have Polymorph listed under Eternal Wands, which only go up to 3rd level, not 4th like normal wands. You can't make a Polymorph Eternal Wand.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2012, 01:04:38 PM »
Oh, right.  Thanks, I'll fix that.
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Offline lans

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2012, 07:36:48 PM »
You might want to add combat expertise, the improved version and allied defense.


 Using mounts for cover. You might want to discuss penalties to opposing attack roles as effective AC.
Nothing like a fighter just standing next to a wizard giving him an effective +29 to ac.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2012, 07:39:25 PM by lans »

Offline zugschef

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2012, 05:08:29 PM »
eternal wand of barkskin... there is an arcane version of barkskin?

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2012, 05:46:17 PM »
Arcane Disciple (Plant) or Domain Sorc.
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Offline zugschef

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2012, 05:52:19 PM »
Arcane Disciple (Plant) or Domain Sorc.
i.e. rather obscure sources then..

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2012, 06:33:30 PM »
Or an artificer.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #16 on: March 22, 2012, 10:24:27 AM »
Artificer isn't arcane. Or divine. Neither, actually, nor are the items it makes.

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #17 on: March 22, 2012, 10:45:32 AM »
So... an artificer can't make an eternal wand of barkskin?
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Offline Endarire

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #18 on: March 22, 2012, 01:01:16 PM »
Unsure about eternal wands.  Do eternal wands require the casting of arcane spells or that the spells originally be arcane?

Offline sirpercival

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Re: The Armor Class Handbook Discussion
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2012, 01:06:52 PM »
Unsure about eternal wands.  Do eternal wands require the casting of arcane spells or that the spells originally be arcane?

Oh hey, I never noticed that you have to be able to cast arcane spells to use it.  Damn... well, you'd probably have been wanting UMD anyway.
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