AC 56 at level 6! You too can do it!

[IanB]

The dwarf ancestor comes first from the miniatures game, so I think maybe it didn't go through exactly the normal vetting that a monster would receive? Dunno.

It obviously has some problems, and I would disallow that form in my game based on the flavor text for sure.

 

[Deset Gled]

AC easily rises faster that to-hit bonuses at low levels you say? Let's see...

Level 5 Elven Wizard:
BAB: +2
Dex: +5
Point Blank Shot: +1
Weapon Focus (Crossbow): +1
Greater Magic Weapon: +2
Cat's Grace: +2
Invisibility: +2
Heroism: +2
True Strike: +20

Total to-hit bonus: 37

This puts me within striking range of your AC 56 character using no items other than a mundane crossbow, using only spells that the character can cast themselves, and using only the core books. It is also about a hundred times "easier" than any of the min-maxed AC builds I've seen posted in this thread. I'm sure it can be optimized to give a much higher to-hit bonus than shown here using supplemental magic items and spells. Finally, note that using Invisivibility means that the target will be denied their Dex bonus to AC, so the true AC will not be 56 (you can also substitute a ray spell to make the attack a touch attack and deny the target an even larger chunk of AC, but you would lose the bonus from GMW. WF (crossbow) could be replaced with WF (ray).)

Honestly, though, min-maxing a character to hit another min-maxed character means nothing in regard to the original statement that to-hit bonuses outstrip AC bonuses in general play. Looking at outliers is generally the worst way possible to get an idea of a numeric trend.

 

[Rhun]

True Strike: +20

Ah yes...good old True Strike. The great equalizer. Too bad it only last for a single attack.

 

[Sejs]

Ah yes...good old True Strike. The great equalizer. Too bad it only last for a single attack.

Granted, but it may be all you need. Likewise, as with most super-ac builds, a single dispel magic brings the whole thing crashing down.

Acymandias: Look on my armor class, ye mighty, and despair!
Badguy: *dispel*
Acymandias: ...aww.

 

[starwed]

Or as Terry Pratchett said:

Magic armor ... had never been very popular in Ankh-Morpork. Of course, it was light. You could make it as thin as cloth. But it tended to lose its magic without warning. Many an ancient lord's last words have been, "You can't kill me because I've got magic aaargh."

 

[Deset Gled]

Likewise, as with most super-ac builds, a single dispel magic brings the whole thing crashing down.

Or a Magic Missle.

 

[Endur]

It requires effort, but it is not hard to get an AC from the 30's to the 50's. Even at the relatively low level the other player is talking about.

The trick is to maintain your character's playability and offense.

High defense while lacking offense and other playability out of combat is a waste of time.

Alter Form and Polymorph, while good for silly builds, are almost never used in real D&D combat situations. Because it isn't fun to be polymorphed into another race, unless you are a Druid or a shapechanging wizard or some class that treats shapechanging as normal.

 

[Endur]

Or a Magic Missle.

Or worse yet, several sorcerors with wands of magic missile.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It requires effort, but it is not hard to get an AC from the 30's to the 50's. Even at the relatively low level the other player is talking about.

There it is again. :\

Once again, we ask you to show us the easy (not hard) way. I'm positive I'm not alone when I say that no one has yet given an easy way to AC 50-something. On the other hand, I'd say that Deset Gled offered an easy way to +37 attack bonus.

 

[Brace Cormaeril]

Wow! This thread reminds me of just how much unbalancing crap has been published for D&D.

It's not the "unbalancing crap". I also don't think 3.0 was broke. Players choose to break the game. Besides, "stunting" a 50+ AC at 6th lvl is neat-o, mathamatically, but if a player chooses to do this, the DM can just hit him with everything but straight attacks. A character this dedicated would be hard pressed in my game; but then all the PC's are. There is nothing a PC can do, in my opinion, that can unbalance a game, if the DM chooses. If the other PC's are somehow not having as much fun because (they see) another player dealing out more "whoop-up", well, the NPC's see this too...
Anyway, I think that it shows a great deal of enjoyment for the game to dutifully study the myriad books and supplements to construct these "optimized builds". However. the OP seems to be dismissing the enjoyment inherent in fulfilling the point of a discussion forum.

Allow me to metagame:
DM: The slavering maw of the Budonka-donk roars agape, assaulting your nose eyes and throat with the fell stench of death; bursting forth with unholy speed, the Budonka-donk attempts to bite, thick bilous sours line the creatures lips... What's your AC?
PC w/AC50+ @6th lvl: My AC is 63.
DM: Show me.

But, that's just my game.