Cheapest way for casters to improve their AC

[Infiniti2000]

Once their BAB hits 3 (as in, next level), combat expertise will give them +3 AC as part of an attack action. I'm reasonably sure you can do this while casting, though our groups tendancy to ignore the rules makes me doubtful.

You cannot use CE whilst casting, no. You have to use the attack or full attack action in melee.

 

[Dross]

Find cover either in the environment, or by being behind someone else.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Find cover either in the environment, or by being behind someone else.

If they were behind someone else, they wouldn't need the high AC!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Is there a verion of the shield spell that you can cast on someone else rather than the range being personal?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Infiniti2000]

Is there a verion of the shield spell that you can cast on someone else rather than the range being personal?

I don't recall one that allows it, though you could cast it on your familiar.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I won't go into the details of it but it would be quite a common situation where one Sorcerer would not cast Shield on himself.

On a slightly related note, you can have a wand of Mage Armour or Shield correct?

If so, is the range for the wands is still personal only?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Hypersmurf]

On a slightly related note, you can have a wand of Mage Armour or Shield correct?

If so, is the range for the wands is still personal only?

The range of the Mage Armor wand is 'Creature Touched'. The range of the Shield wand is 'Personal'.

Similarly, you can have a potion of Mage Armor, but not a potion of Shield.

-Hyp.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I stand corrected. Mage armour has a range of creature touched, not personal. That still doesn't solve my shield problem though.

Does anyone know of a version of shield (or a similar spell) that doesn't have a range of personal?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Whimsical]

The fullblade-wielding fighter in my game has taken cross-class skill ranks in Use Magic Device for the primary purpose of using a wand of shield

Another solution is to use a ring of spell storing so that the wizard/sorceror can cast shield into it, then transfer it to another character who wants the spell.

 

[Thanee]

Hide behind the fighter (or alternatively an army of summoned minions). That gives you more AC *and* more hit points!

As for good AC, it's not really possible at low levels. Alter Self is good, as is Dragonskin or Spider's Carapace, plus the obvious Mage Armor, Shield and Protection from Evil (not against everyone, though).

Spells like Mirror Image and Blink/Displacement really help to mitigrate that.

Bye
Thanee