Dragonscale Husk Optimization

[Arz]

Lets keep complaining about it while we attempt a record for it...

 17 Heavy Armor Proficiency Class Dips
 +3 Bloodline Levels
 68 Class Levels

+20 Armor Proficiency (Heavy; racial or feat)
+20 Exotic Armor Proficiency (Heavy; racial or feat)
 +8 Bind Vestige & Improved (Savnok)
+20 Wieldskill
136 Effective Level

51 AC bonus
135 Energy Resistance

Modest Example (ECL 5)
3 Dips + 2 Bloodlines + bind vestige = +10 ac & 10 energy resistance

Vestige Example
BL*2 (Eligor, Savnok) +8 KotSS (PrC w/ bloodline) = Min EL 54 (+24 ac & 50 er)


Combine with
Racial armor (composite plating, etc)
Shape Soulmeld (Ankheg Breastplate)
Psionics/Spells (Mage armor, etc)
Armor bonus magic items

Stackable energy resistance
Shape Soulmeld (Dragon Mantle)

[Solo]

We need to lay some ground rules here. Exactly what does "This bonus doesn't stack with any feat, racial trait, or other special ability that would grant you a bonus to Armor Class" mean at your table?

[Arz]

Hmm, that's a valid point since I think I've tracked down most of the primary sources for the husk. Except spells that might give you proficiency 

IMO, I take this to mean monk's AC improvement or similar that go direct to AC with no qualifier. Whereas bracers of armor or a shield are shield and armor bonus respectively. The tricky ones would be sacred/insight bonus since they have such a hodge-podge of wordings.

[Mithril Leaf]

Here's a fairly good sized list of base and prestige classes that grant Heavy Armor Proficiency. Ones marked with +1 are classes that grant +1 BAB. I noted any very special abilities needed, but didn't note able to cast 1st level divine spells, which is common.
First Party Base Classes
Cleric
Fighter +1
Paladin +1
Warrior
Soulborn +1
CW Samurai +1
Ardent
Divine Mind +1
Marshal
Duskblade +1
Knight +1
Crusader +1
Sohei
CD Prestige Classes
Holy Liberator (If you give up half your class features, it requires not being lawful good) +1
Hospitaler +1
Radiant Servant of Pelor
Shining Blade of Heironeous +1
Warpriest +1
CW Prestige Classes
Cavalier +1
Occult Slayer +1
Draconomicon Prestige Classes
Dragonrider +1
Dragonslayer +1
Platinum Knight +1
Talon of Tiamat
Complete Adventurer Prestige Classes
Ollam (Dwarf only)
Shadowbane Inquisitor (Requires Sneak attack) +1

[Arz]

Thank you for that ML, I knew it was out there. Now if only someone could step up and give me a TO binder level since the more I look at the numbers this looks like a better trick for binders. So weird.

[Forumowicz]

I am not sure if that binding Sanvok and Eligor works... Could you try to convince me  ?

Anyway:
Human
1. Binder 1 [Feats: Improved Binding, Magical Training, Extend Spell, Eldritch Corruption]
2. Anima Mage 1
3. Bloodline 1
4. Bloodline 2
5. Bloodline 3 [if you RAWtard bloodline text this should be possible]
6. Scion of Dantalion 1 (Barely qualifying! yay!) [Weapon Focus]
7. Binder 2 (disappointment, no better idea to use pre KotSS levels...)
8. KotSS 1 (Qualify with Divine Power...)
9. Uncanny Trickster [Southern Magician]
10. Tenebrous Apostate 1 (Qualify with the item, Shroud of something or by arguing that Tenebrous grants you rebuking; use Southern Magician for the divine casting)
11. KotSS 2
12. KotSS 3 [Least Legacy]
13. KotSS 4
14. Legacy Champion 1
15. KotSS 5
16. Binder 3
17. Binder 4
18. Binder 5
19. Binder 6
20. Binder 7 (Ye, I am disappointed with these levels too)

So we have Binder 7/Bloodline 3/KotSS 5/Anima Mage 1/Tenebrous Apostate 1/Scion of Dantalion 1/Legacy Champion 1/Uncanny Trickster 1

We add Legacy Champion and Uncanny Trickster to KotSS.

Effective KotSS level is KotSS (5+3 bloodline) + Legacy Champion (0+3 bloodline) + Uncanny Trickster (0+3 bloodline) = 14

Effective Binder level is Binder (7+3) + KotSS 14 + Anima Mage (1+3) + Tenebrous Apostate (0+3) + Scion of Dantalion (1+3) = 35

With your eqaution: 35*2 + 14 = EL 84

17 dips + 3 bloodlines give us an EL base of 51, so we have an improvement of 33.

Now employ further trickery 

[Arz]

I am not sure if that binding Sanvok and Eligor works... Could you try to convince me  ?

Nice sample, even if its a swan. I kinda thought this might end up being a binder trick, if slightly underpowered for them.

Both give heavy armor proficiency, quite specifically. I'll admit to having no argument for using BL (or CL for wieldskill), but I also have no other way to quantify it. If that helps. Tricks like that is why I put this in the more TO section. Now I can just say, who cares?

Should I put in the numbers from just class as a subtotal and then the other stuff? Done

[Arz]

17 dips + 3 bloodlines give us an EL base of 51, so we have an improvement of 33.

Math oops. 17*3 no 4, sir.

[Forumowicz]

I am not sure if that binding Sanvok and Eligor works... Could you try to convince me  ?

Nice sample, even if its a swan. I kinda thought this might end up being a binder trick, if slightly underpowered for them.

Both give heavy armor proficiency, quite specifically. I'll admit to having no argument for using BL (or CL for wieldskill), but I also have no other way to quantify it. If that helps. Tricks like that is why I put this in the more TO section. Now I can just say, who cares?

Should I put in the numbers from just class as a subtotal and then the other stuff? Done

Now that I reread the text of the ability, it quite clearly states that armor bonus is calculated by the class levels that grant heavy armor proficiency. So I am afraid that binder etc. won't work.

Math oops. 17*3 no 4, sir.

Forgot to count the actual classes 

[Arz]

Now that I reread the text of the ability, it quite clearly states that armor bonus is calculated by the class levels that grant heavy armor proficiency. So I am afraid that binder etc. won't work.

Yeah, that's why I was leery of including feats and things that gain proficiency, except then aren't you proficient with them at those class levels? Heck this:

...whenever you don armor, employ a shield, or wear any other item that improves your AC, Savnok requires that you not remove that protection for any reason.

even makes me wonder if you can't combine Savnok's call armor and the husk.

Well onwards, have I missed any potential improvements to the base ability?