Increasing AC with a move action

[LostSoul]

Is there any way to increase your AC with a move action?

For example, let's say that our courageous dwarven cleric is standing 5' away from a shield guardian (with 10' reach). He casts a spell defensively, and wants to use his move action to increase his AC. Is there any way to do this?

Thanks.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is there any way to increase your AC with a move action?

For example, let's say that our courageous dwarven cleric is standing 5' away from a shield guardian (with 10' reach). He casts a spell defensively, and wants to use his move action to increase his AC. Is there any way to do this?

Yup.

Use your move action to move behind something that grants cover. +4 Cover bonus to AC right there.

-Hyp.

 

[Whimsical]

Ooh, that would be worthy of a feat for me. How about a feat that uses dodge as a prereq and grants +2 dodge bonus to AC and reflex saves?

But, yeah. What hypersmurf said. Going prone improves your AC vs ranged attacks. Kneeling less so. I have gone prone before for this purpose. I was playing a halfling cleric whose party was ambushed and my character was knocked down to 1 HP before his turn came up on inititave. I realized that one of the archers was readying an attack for a spellcaster. So, I dismounted my riding dog, and while using it for cover went prone as a free action then cast my healing spell. The archer shot and missed me. Yay tactics!

 

[Caeleddin]

Poor doggie

I have a House Rule where if you miss by the +4 given by cover, the thing giving the cover gets hit if the roll would normally beat its AC. The dog probably don't have the AC you do, so....

Arf! Arf! *twang* *whine!*

 

[Hypersmurf]

Poor doggie

I have a House Rule where if you miss by the +4 given by cover, the thing giving the cover gets hit if the roll would normally beat its AC. The dog probably don't have the AC you do, so....

It was core in 3E; you'll now find it as a variant rule in the 3.5 DMG.

It gets more complicated, though.

If the attack roll misses you due to the cover bonus, and also misses the cover's AC, no problem... unless it missed the cover's AC due to a dodge bonus, in which case the cover dodged the attack, and was thus no longer providing cover, and so the original target gets hit after all

There were some quite amusing discussions that went on where the arrow was magical, and the target was in an AMF but the cover wasn't, or where the arrow was a Bane arrow for the target but not for the cover...

-Hyp.

 

[Whimsical]

Yep, poor doggie. My cleric has gone through a dozen or so riding dogs as he is 10th level and still only has a 15 move while wearing his full plate. And since I'm playing this character in Living Greyhawk, it's not like I can go to the DM and ask for a cool buff higher HD mount. So, my character rides into a high level encounter, dog gets caught in an area effect or something and dies, "brrrring in the double!".

 

[LostSoul]

Yup.

Use your move action to move behind something that grants cover. +4 Cover bonus to AC right there.

-Hyp.

I thought that was about it. Thanks!

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I thought that was about it. Thanks!

You could also use your move action to ready a shield.

 

[KerlanRayne]

The best I can find is this:

CLOAK DANCE [GENERAL]
You are skilled at using optical tricks to make yourself seem to be where you are not.

Prerequisites: Hide 10 ranks, Perform (dance) 2 ranks.

Benefit: You can take a move action to obscure your exact position. Until your next turn, you have concealment. Alternatively, you can take a full-round action to entirely obscure your exact position. Until your next action, you have total concealment.

It's a general feat, but it's found in the XPH.

KerlanRayne