The AC on a Budget challenge

[delericho]

Yes, but given that this thread that they're posting in is about D&D 3.5, it is not unreasonable to assume they'd be posting about things they'd know about.

The point is that while I have several thousand posts on this RPG board, I don't have thousands of posts in the "Character Optimisation" thread.

And given that my first post in this thread was to ask a question, does that not change the default assumption?

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

The point is that while I have several thousand posts on this RPG board, I don't have thousands of posts in the "Character Optimisation" thread.

...And?

And given that my first post in this thread was to ask a question, does that not change the default assumption?

Given that neither you nor JitG were the OP asking the question, no, not really.

 

[delericho]

I feel I should apologise to the OP. Back when I asked my question, it really wasn't my intention to derail the thread. Alas, I fear that even if it had been my intention, I couldn't have done a better job.

Sorry.

 

[Shayuri]

This has been bugging me. People keep talking about a Monk's belt as if it gave you Wis to AC. Everything I've read in the past has been that it does not. Rather, it grants the monk's level-based AC bonus (the +1 every 5 levels), as either a monk of level 5 or at a +5 to your monk level.

You can't slap that thing on a level 20 druid and get a free +14 AC.

The monk's AC bonus and the ability a monk has to add Wis to AC in addition to Dex are two separate abilities. The monk's belt only grants the former.

At least, that's always been what I thought the official word on the item was. Has that changed? Or was I simply deluded all this time?

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

This has been bugging me. People keep talking about a Monk's belt as if it gave you Wis to AC. Everything I've read in the past has been that it does not. Rather, it grants the monk's level-based AC bonus (the +1 every 5 levels), as either a monk of level 5 or at a +5 to your monk level.

...Uh, what? It's completely explicit.

If the character is not a monk, she gains the AC and unarmed damage of a 5th-level monk

And the monk ability is equally explicit.

When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).

The monk's AC bonus and the ability a monk has to add Wis to AC in addition to Dex are two separate abilities. The monk's belt only grants the former.

Completely and utterly untrue. The both come from the AC Bonus ability.

 

[Grogg of the North]

[MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] For a long time I read it that the belt gives you the +1 bonus for being 5th level, too. However, the last part of the item's description says "The AC bonus functions just like the monk's AC bonus". And when you go into Monk, under AC bonus, the first thing it mentions is Wis to AC and then the inherent bonus for leveling.

I don't think you would be "wrong" by saying it only gives you +1 for being a fifth level monk. The Wis to AC is the one of the Monk's things and letting a cleric or druid just grab it without any effort can seem silly(?). I'm not sure if that's the right word I want.

In the end, it's up to each DM to decide.

 

[Shayuri]

Alright, without getting lured into an argument over it, I will say that if the Monk's Belt were to be interpreted as doing that, it would be pretty laughably overpowered for the cost.

I thought I read somewhere that it specifically did not grant Wis to AC though. Hm. Oh well, it's mostly an academic thorn in my paw at this point. Who plays RAW 3.5e anymore?

Edit - Okay, I see now...Pathfinder updated the Monk's Belt to specifically exclude the Wis bonus. That must've been what crossed my wire, because I see now that even the official FAQ has blessed it in 3.5e.

Alright, nothing more to see here.

Proceed.

 

[Keldin]

Actually, this is a question that is addressed in the FAQ, page 62 to be specific. To quote:

Does a monk’s belt (DMG 248) grant a non-monk wearer his Wisdom bonus to AC?

Yes. Note, however, that the wearer gains the AC bonus only when unarmored and unencumbered, since the belt clearly states that “this AC bonus functions just like the monk’s AC bonus.”


The monk’s belt says it grants the “AC bonus” of a 5th-level monk. What does that mean?

When the monk’s belt refers to the “AC bonus” of a 5th-level monk, it is referring to the monk ability called AC bonus. It grants +1 bonus to AC and adds your Wisdom modifier to your Armor Class if you are not wearing armor and are not encumbered.

 

[Shayuri]

Hee hee.

I think I ninjaed you with my edit.

*sneak attacks you from the shadows*

 

[Greenfield]

Is the Monk's Belt overpowered for the price? Yes and no.

It's worth almost nothing for a character with a 10 Wisdom. (13k for +1AC=very expensive).

It's worth a lot to a character with a Wisdom of 20, more if the Wisdom is higher.

That's one of the complaints about it made by many of the "everything should be formulaic" advocates: It's price is fixed, but its usefulness isn't.

But it is what it is. Nobody with a low Wisdom should waste their money on one.