Spells to improve touch AC

[NewJeffCT]

How often would a 12th level fighter be missing with a melee attack?

Use that as a better comparison, the fighter is probably still hitting more often (and doing more damage since he gets mutiple attacks per round).

Remember that a nat 20 always hits and a nat 1 always misses regardless of the actual number needed.

Also Dodge bonuses still apply and they always stack with other dodge bonuses.

Oh and don't forget the soft cover (+4 to AC) and firing into melee penalties (-4 to attack roll) when making ranged touch attacks - these "stack" by the way so shooting through a swuare that is occupied at a character who is in melee has an effective -8 on the attack roll. I was running a couple of warlocks and those get to be real pesky issues if you are not careful.

a level 12 fighter might not miss a lot, but against a dragon with an AC of 30+, he will still miss more often than the mage casting touch spells against the dragon's touch AC of 6 or 8.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Too bad you only wany spells: there are a couple Psionic powers that would help.
Back to spells: Anything that raises Deflection, Insight, Dex, etc count.
Though more Divine natured: Sacred also counts.

psionic powers work, too, but just not for tonight's encounter.

 

[Thanee]

For a Sorcerer: Divine Companion from Complete Champion.

Often, it is better to get a miss chance, though. Mirror Image, Displacement, Blink, and so on.

Bye
Thanee

 

[irdeggman]

a level 12 fighter might not miss a lot, but against a dragon with an AC of 30+, he will still miss more often than the mage casting touch spells against the dragon's touch AC of 6 or 8.

Let's see the mage gets 1 attack (at +6 plus any Dex mod or appropriate feats) since it is a spell (well he could get 2 if he had a quickened spell), the fighter gets 3 attacks (if using 1 weapon) at +12/+7/+2 (not counting strength bonus, or appropriate feats). Make it a raging barbarian with power attack and a great axe and then things get more interesting.


And that same dragon probably has SR of 20+ so not only does the mage have to "hit" the dragon's touch AC he also has to get past the SR whereas the fighter only has to get past the AC. Well there are a few touch spells that ignore SR (orb spells anyone?) And yes there may be DR to overcome, but we aren't talking about damage only about hitting right?

Oh and the dragon with the AC of 30+ is most likely a Mature Adult (or older) which translates into a CR 14+ which by definition is a difficult encounter for a level 12 party.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Better to focus on miss chance, like a Displacement spell (50% miss). Not only does that dramatically reduce your odds of being hit by both regular and touch attacks, but it also negates sneak attacks.

 

[parinho7]

I have a question, does the insight bonus count against touch attacks?
Is there an other way a non-spellcasting character get a bonus to ac against touch attacks?

 

[Runestar]

There is the melee evasion feat from PHB2. I find the benefit quite weak, but one way of reading it is that the 1d20+bab as AC counts towards your touch AC.

Is there an other way a non-spellcasting character get a bonus to ac against touch attacks?

wall of blades maneuver - tome of battle (acquire via martial study or item).

 

[ElectricDragon]

To parinho7, for non-spellcasters:

Fighting Defensively with a Standard or Full Round attack action, Total Defense standard action, Combat Expertise feat, and Dodge feat all provide dodge bonuses to AC and dodge bonuses work against touch AC and stack with all other dodge bonuses. Dodge bonuses work well for all characters.

Rings of Protection provide deflection bonuses to AC and that works for Touch AC, too.

Size bonuses work on Touch AC, but that would only be available as a Small Character or through magic.

All other ways to improve Touch AC that I know of are magical-based and would not work for non-spellcasters without help from a spellcaster. This is, of course, not discounting those methods already mentioned above: Shield Ward feat, etc.

Ciao,
Dave

 

[Starbuck_II]

I have a question, does the insight bonus count against touch attacks?
Is there an other way a non-spellcasting character get a bonus to ac against touch attacks?

Yes, insight counts against touch attacks.

 

[NewJeffCT]

You can get bonuses as a monk as well.