Anything better than mithral armor for high-Dex characters?

[Felon]

I have a character with a 20 Dex, and might just get my hands on +4 gloves of dexterity. So, is there a type of armor out there that trumps a mithril chain shirt in terms of maximum dexterity bonus?

I'm aware of expensive options like bracers of armor and spell options like getting a mage to cast mage armor on me, but I'm looking for actual armor here. Am I out of luck?

 

[Pyrex]

Bracers of Armor.

Oh wait, you said that already.

Er, Ring of Protection?

 

[Rackhir]

Celestial Armor: This bright silver or gold +3 chainmail is so fine and light that it can be worn under normal clothing without betraying its presence. It has a maximum Dexterity bonus of +8, an armor check penalty of –2, and an arcane spell failure chance of 15%. It is considered light armor, weighs 20 pounds, and it allows the wearer to use fly on command (as the spell) once per day.

However it does have an armor check penalty and costs 22,400 gp.

There is also a weak amulet of natural armor, combine that with a weak bracers of defense and they won't cost quite so much.

 

[thorian]

Nightscale armor from Underdark (p. 66) has +2 AC and +10 max dex along with 0 check penalty at a cost of 1000gp. Comparable to mithril chain shirt which is +4 AC, +6 max dex and 0 check penalty.

 

[RangerWickett]

Just curious. Can you wear +5 padded armor and also wear bracers of armor +8 to get +13 to AC, or do you have to take the better of +6 and +8?

 

[shilsen]

The latter. Both of them provide an armor bonus to AC, so they don't stack.

 

[Timeboxer]

The latter. Both of them provide an armor bonus to AC, so they don't stack.

Although of course a possibly useful tactic is to have +1 armor with various armor special abilities and bracers of armor for your real armor bonus, or vice versa, if your GM allows you to add armor special abilities to bracers of armor.

 

[Felon]

Nightscale armor from Underdark (p. 66) has +2 AC and +10 max dex along with 0 check penalty at a cost of 1000gp. Comparable to mithril chain shirt which is +4 AC, +6 max dex and 0 check penalty.

That's the stuff! There's also spider silk (+3 AC, +8 max Dex). Thanks.

 

[ARandomGod]

Monk's belt.

I've found that for really high dex characters, no armor is the best armor. Bracers of armor +1 might be worth it, but if you have a handy mage friend just buy him a pearl of power (level one or three) and get him to cast mage armor on you every day when he casts it on himself (There's a third level mage armor spell that gives +6 AC). You'll find that the pearl of power/mage armor route is SO much cheaper that it's more effective to HIRE a mage friend if you don't already have one!