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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 3942652" data-attributes="member: 4936">A good shorthand estimator of frontline AC is your expected ECL times two.If you want to do it more accurately, but more exhaustively, figure an attack bonus equal to:+1 per HD (14 in this case).Str of 10+HD (24 in this case, for a bonus of +7).Misc bonuses of +2 or 3...this is just kind of a guesstimate based on Weapon Focus and a +1 or +2 weapon.From this we expect a frontline warrior to have a hit bonus of +23 or +24. In reality, it can be higher, but this is a reasonable estimate for most encounters.It's not reasonable to expect your AC to block the first blow. The purpose of AC on a frontline warrior is to block iteratives and discourage power attacks. An AC of 28 will only stop a +23 attack 25% of the time. But it'll stop the second iterative 50% of the time (which is the usual baseline I use for comparing AC to hit bonus...the all-important 50/50 zone). From this, I set AC 28 as the least AC a frontline warrior will want. More is gravy. Less means you'll be taking statistically more damage, and possibly sucking down power attacks.Admittedly, there are other defenses that factor in. Miss chances from Blur or Displacement slash all hits by a percentage prior to any AC calculation, for example. DR mitigates all damage taken after AC is factored. Even so, a resistance item of +3 is only 9000, leaving you with 16000 from your bracers. That's enough to buy a decent animated shield, or an item that provides natural armor...depending on how you want your character to look.</blockquote>

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