D&D 5E Highest Possible 5E AC

[Illithidbix]

How about Bladesingers? Unless I'm missing something, a Bladesinger 18/ Fighter 2 could have:

10+3(mage armor)+5 (dex)+5 (int)+5(shield, as a reaction, at will by level 18)+1(fighting style)+1(Dual Wielder)=30, 2 encounter/short rest, before spells or magic items.
In theory, he could also slap a Foresight on top of it all (aside from haste).


Admittedly, I'm just eyeballing it since I've not tinkered with 5e that much, am I missing something here?

Not got the Sword Coast guide yet, but that's fairly impressive.
The Bladesinger +INT to AC ability isn't quite constantly active, but does depend on the tricky encounters/rest balance.

Minor point, but Defense Fighting Style requires you to be wearing armour to get the +1 AC; however the UA Seaborne article had the Mariner fighting style that gives you +1 AC when you're *not* wearing armour or using shield, did this also end up in the Sword Coast guide?

Using Spell Mastery for Shield would be a pretty neat trick if you haven't got much other use for your Reaction. (I'd go with Blur for the 2nd level one, although it does require concentration)

Noctem - I kind of get Njall's point that they are spells; but one no longer uses a spell slot due to Spell Mastery, and the other takes just a single 1st level spell slot and lasts for 8 hours, so not something that'll take a precious action to cast in combat. - Edit: Ninjaed.

 

[Pauln6]

Tiamat is missing 70% of the time against the highest level PC optimized with a demigod's panoply of armor. I don't see how bonded accuracy even enters the equation.

Well, it's just an observation that such a simple method of keeping the lid on AC was applied to many class features and spells but not item bonuses. It seems odd. It's not as if with resources PCs could not still have an amazing AC, a 5 point drop from AC32 to AC27 before applying temporary resources. Monsters often have other ways to steal hp off you but I was not a fan of the combat escalator in 4e so any way to avoid that gets my vote.

 

[derickmoore25]

How about Bladesingers? Unless I'm missing something, a Bladesinger 18/ Fighter 2 could have:

10+3(mage armor)+5 (dex)+5 (int)+5(shield, as a reaction, at will by level 18)+1(fighting style)+1(Dual Wielder)=30, 2 encounter/short rest, before spells or magic items.
In theory, he could also slap a Foresight on top of it all (aside from haste).


Admittedly, I'm just eyeballing it since I've not tinkered with 5e that much, am I missing something here?

How About this
10+3-5(Magic Light Armor 1-3)+5 (dex)+5 (int)+5(shield, as a reaction, at will by level 18)+1(fighting style)+1(Dual Wielder)=30-32, 2 encounter/short rest

That way you can get the +1 from fighting style and have a spot for magic armor.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Yes. should work. And you are still not only hit at 20. Seems bounded enough for my tastes. Without magic armor it is just 29 AC. Fighting style comes at the cost of signature spell iirc and dex and int 20 along with dual wielder and war caster to cast shield while holding two weapons eats all your ability acore increases. Actually 1 more than you have. Dex 16 +2 +2 Int 16 +2 +2 Dual wielder and war caster. You also give up the for the blade singer juicy two weapon fighting style. All in all a good tanky build, on the other hand it seems balanced. A PC at that level has an attack bonus of +11 which is enough to hit with an 18. And with some offensive tricks he may get advantage or some small bonuses.

 

[zaratan]

bladesinger 17/ barb 1 / fighter 1 - mariner fighting style (maybe fighter 2 for action surge)

shapechanger into pit fiend

AC 19 + 7 Con + 6 Int + 1 mariner = AC 33 without magic itens or buffs

keep concentration with +19

wish this could be a permanent form, lol

 

[UngeheuerLich]

How do you get to 19 + 7 con + 6 int.
I can only see 22 including dex and con and + 5 int. But I really doubt you will get stats to support that. I mean it is 20 dex con and int... So if you start with point buy you will int the best case get to 20 18 18 because you only get 4 ASIs with your combination.

 

[zaratan]

How do you get to 19 + 7 con + 6 int.
I can only see 22 including dex and con and + 5 int. But I really doubt you will get stats to support that. I mean it is 20 dex con and int... So if you start with point buy you will int the best case get to 20 18 18 because you only get 4 ASIs with your combination.

It's only possible when you shapechange in a pit fiend.
shapechange spell you'll use the stats of new form, but with your old features.

pit fiend has 19 of natural AC, 24 CON and 22 INT

 

[jadrax]

It's only possible when you shapechange in a pit fiend.
shapechange spell you'll use the stats of new form, but with your old features.

pit fiend has 19 of natural AC, 24 CON and 22 INT

You can choose to use the Natural AC of the Pit Fiend (19) or the Barbarian's Unarmored Defence (19*). You can't add them.


* 10 + 7 Con + 2 Dex

 

[zaratan]

You can choose to use the Natural AC of the Pit Fiend (19) or the Barbarian's Unarmored Defence (19*). You can't add them.


* 10 + 7 Con + 2 Dex

hmm, sad but true.

 

[derickmoore25]

Yes. should work. And you are still not only hit at 20. Seems bounded enough for my tastes. Without magic armor it is just 29 AC. Fighting style comes at the cost of signature spell iirc and dex and int 20 along with dual wielder and war caster to cast shield while holding two weapons eats all your ability acore increases. Actually 1 more than you have. Dex 16 +2 +2 Int 16 +2 +2 Dual wielder and war caster. You also give up the for the blade singer juicy two weapon fighting style. All in all a good tanky build, on the other hand it seems balanced. A PC at that level has an attack bonus of +11 which is enough to hit with an 18. And with some offensive tricks he may get advantage or some small bonuses.

it doesn't cost the signature spell it works in light armour just not medium or heavy.