Swordmage AC bad for a defender?

[KarinsDad]

At level 30 this could be:

swordmage:
10 base
+15 level bonus
+11 armor bonus (+6 elderhide armor)
+2 feat bonus (greater swordmage warding)
+8 Int bonus (18 starting Int, improved at 4/8/11/14/18/21/24/28)
+3 swordmage AC boost (one-handed blade w/nothing in other hand)
= 49 AC

sword-and-board defender in plate
10 base
+15 level bonus
+20 armor bonus (+6 godplate armor)
+2 shield
+1 feat (either armor spec or shield spec)
= 48 AC.

Swordmage can go higher than that:

10 base
+15 level bonus
+11 armor bonus (+6 elderhide armor)
+2 feat bonus (greater swordmage warding)
+10 Int bonus (20 starting Int, improved at 4/8/11/14/18/21/24/28, +2 Epic)
+3 swordmage AC boost (one-handed blade w/nothing in other hand)
= 51 AC

 

[Mirtek]

Swordmage can go higher than that:

10 base
+15 level bonus
+11 armor bonus (+6 elderhide armor)
+2 feat bonus (greater swordmage warding)
+10 Int bonus (20 starting Int, improved at 4/8/11/14/18/21/24/28, +2 Epic)
+3 swordmage AC boost (one-handed blade w/nothing in other hand)
= 51 AC

If you want to max your AC to the limit, the swordmage needs to:

10 base
+15 level bonus
+11 armor bonus (+6 elderhide armor)
+2 feat bonus (greater swordmage warding)
+10 Int bonus (20 starting Int, improved at 4/8/11/14/18/21/24/28, +2 Epic)
+3 swordmage AC boost (one-handed blade w/nothing in other hand)
+1 unnamed (swordmage warding increased through Paragon Path)
+1 shield (one-handed blade w/nothing in the other hand is a spiked shield)
= 53 AC

 

[ArmoredSaint]

Swordmage can go higher than that:

10 base
+15 level bonus
+11 armor bonus (+6 elderhide armor)
+2 feat bonus (greater swordmage warding)
+10 Int bonus (20 starting Int, improved at 4/8/11/14/18/21/24/28, +2 Epic)
+3 swordmage AC boost (one-handed blade w/nothing in other hand)
= 51 AC

While we're at it, so can a sword-and-board defender:
10 base
+15 level
+20 armor bonus (+6 Godplate)
+1 feat bonus (plate spec.)
+1 paragon class bonus (pit fighter, others)
+3 Dex bonus (Agile Armor)
+2 Epic Destiny: Adamantine Soldier bonus
+2 heavy shield bonus
=54 AC

 

[Flipguarder]

when you get down to it, i am really ok with with THAT much specialization on each side leading to a 1-point discrepancy. The swordmage has a choice of several EDs while the plate wearer has one. paragon path is the reverse. Plate wearer has to have a specific armor and the swordmage has to do some non-optimal (imo) stat-building.

Seems more balanced then I would have guessed at the end of the day.

 

[Mirtek]

The swordmage has a choice of several EDs while the plate wearer has one. paragon path is the reverse.

Well, if the swordmage goes Sage of Ages as ED, he can get annother +2 to AC for a max of 55 AC.