Crazy Question On Shields

[Nail]

As an aside and totally IMO from a DM's perspective, having a character with a god-like AC really sucks. It makes it difficult to design appropriate encounters...

Yep.

OT: In our current game (when it's my turn to play, rather than DM), most of the party has ACs in the low 40s (APL ~16). I've been able to help everyone max out their AC since level 12 or so, either helping them with purchases or casting long-term buffs. The other DMs wrestle with this problem. Our "Big Chief" DM likes using published adventures....and those adventures rarely can deal with ACs that high. The "mook" encounters have attack bonuses that can only hit on 20s, and even the mid-level minions have trouble.

The BBEGs, of course, have attack bonuses in the high 30's, so it's not such a problem for them. That black dragon wyrm we met last week could do it (attack bonus +42). Ouch.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I dont know about you guys, but a +5 spiked shield would grant both AC and hit and damage for cheap. All in all, its the same item.

Actually, it wouldn't. That's rather the point of this thread.

It would need to be a +5 / +5 spiked shield in order to grant the AC and to-hit and damage bonuses.

You'd need to enhance it as a shield (+5 enhancement to shield bonus, costing 25,000gp) and as a weapon (+5 enhancement to hit and damage rolls, costing 50,000gpgp) in order to get both.

 

[elbandit]

Yep.

OT: In our current game (when it's my turn to play, rather than DM), most of the party has ACs in the low 40s (APL ~16). I've been able to help everyone max out their AC since level 12 or so, either helping them with purchases or casting long-term buffs. The other DMs wrestle with this problem.

I am curious, can you give an example of how you get a character's AC in the 40's?

 

[shilsen]

I am curious, can you give an example of how you get a character's AC in the 40's?

Purely core:

Base: 10
Dexterity 12+: +1 Dex bonus
Full-Plate +5: +13 armor bonus
Heavy Shield +5: +7 armor bonus
Ring of Protection +5: +5 deflection
Amulet of Natural Armor +5: +5 natural armor

Total: 41

And that's without fighting defensively, using combat expertise, using defending weapons, using a tower shield, having mithral armor for a higher Dex bonus, etc.

 

[IcyCool]

I am curious, can you give an example of how you get a character's AC in the 40's?

Base 10 + 13 (+5 Full Plate) + 1 (Dex) + 7 (+5 Heavy Shield) + 5 (Amulet of Natural Armor +5) + 5 (Ring of Protection +5).

10 + 13 + 1 + 7 + 5 + 5 = 41.

Once you add in Defending Weapons, Dodge, Fighting Defensively, and Combat Expertise, it gets even higher.

Edit - shilsen beat me to it. *shakes fist* Curse you!

 

[Nail]

Not to mention long-term cleric spells that can inch it even higher.

Our Ftr 16 has a (buffed) AC of 46....and he spent most of his money on weapons (he's a PrC Tempest).

 

[Krafen]

And, of course, there's the 3E Main FAQ answer on using an off-hand defending weapon.

For whatever that's worth

-Hyp.

I can't seem to find the answer you describe. Would you be so kind as to post it here or tell me what page it's on in the most recent FAQ?

 

[FEADIN]

I can't seem to find the answer you describe. Would you be so kind as to post it here or tell me what page it's on in the most recent FAQ?

The DMG:
Defending: A defending weapon allows the wielder to transfer some or all of the sword’s enhancement bonus to his AC as a bonus that stacks with all others. As a free action, the wielder chooses how to allocate the weapon’s enhancement bonus at the start of his turn before using the weapon, and the effect to AC lasts until his next turn.
Moderate abjuration; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shield or shield of faith; Price +1 bonus
The FAQ 3.0, not 3.5:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/MainFAQv06272003.zip

Page 27, in short: you have to make an attack or a full attack, you cannot use the weapon like a shield...etc.

 

[Yig]

I just realised something...

I'm playing a warmage with a Defending +5 morningstar.

I always fully bump my AC by +5. I never attack with that weapon.

Is this legal? Not so sure anymore...

 

[Nail]

Page 27, in short: you have to make an attack or a full attack

Nope.

You have to "use the weapon". Using need not mean "attacking". Moreover, a shield can be concidered a weapon (shield bash, anyone?).