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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 2308051" data-attributes="member: 13966">ZuulMog's feats are the only ones I'd even remotely consider in any game, and only to an extent.  I don't see how anyone thinks, with the fact that 3E differentiates between several different types of AC bonus, that a character could get an Armor bonus to AC without actually using some kind of armor to get it, whether it's physical, magic force, psychokinetic force, solidified ectoplasm, or whatever.  I also don't see how anyone thinks these sort of feats make any sense compared to Dodge, Combat Expertise, and Mobility.  Nor how people seem to think that spending 3-4 feats on a +8 total AC bonus is somehow wasteful, considering how many gads of feats a Fighter gets anyway.Maybe you all use some funky 3rd-party supplements that add mondo overpowered boosts for the cost of one mere feat, but I don't recall seeing such junk in WotC products I buy.  Power Attack in 3.5 is about the most stupidly-overpowered feat I've seen from WotC so far, but then my collection is short a few books.  If you think +4 armor AC is worth 1 feat, or even less than 1 feat, you'd have to agree that a 9th-level version of Mage Armor granting +36 AC, but otherwise exactly the same (targeting any one touched subject, lasting 1 hour per caster level, made of magic force that works against incorporeal attacks too, etc.) would also be completely fair and fine.  But it's not as far as I'm concerned.Duelists, Unfettered, and their ilk don't get AC bonuses for free.  They need high Intelligence or whatnot, and not everyone can have all-around high ability scores.  High Str for damage, Dex for AC and Reflex and Initiative, Con for HP, Int for skill points and feat access and Duelist or Unfettered AC, Wis for Will saves and Spot/Listen, Cha for....uh, nothing.  Unfettered and Duelists have worse AC than Fighters, because they only get a few points of AC compared to a Fighter wearing magic full plate and a magic shield.  Difference is they don't have to spend money on their AC, so they have more cash to spend on a good weapon or on utility items that shore up their weaknesses.  That's why they don't get great AC bonuses for free, because their mediocre AC bonuses free up a decent amount of cash for other things.Personally I think the Monk, Duelist, and Unfettered are weaker than they should be (especially compared to Warmains, the heavy counterpart of Unfettered in AU/AE), especially in the AC department.  But I wouldn't give them such overpowered feats as have been proposed here, a few of ZuulMog's feats aside.  A feat is not worth +4 or more AC; the 3.0 psionic feat Inertial Armor has it's own restrictions to make up for that, as do the classes with access to it in 3.0.  If you really want to shore up an unarmored fighter's AC, at least try to be somewhat sensible regarding the rules and the way AC works.  Blocking attacks should be represented by a shield bonus, or a dodge bonus in some cases, a competence bonus in perhaps some other cases.Sample feats:Nimble Combatant (General, Fighter)You are exceptionally talented at evading attack.Prerequisites: Dex 13+,  BAB +1 or higher, Spot 2+ ranks, Dodge, and Int or Wis 13+.Benefit: You gain a dodge bonus to Armor Class, equal to your Intelligence or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher at any given time, to a minimum of +2 AC.  This AC bonus will not exceed 2 + your character level.  Nimble Combatant does not apply when wearing armor or carrying more than a medium load.  Like most dodge bonuses, this dodge bonus is lost when immobilized or denied a Dexterity bonus to AC.Special: This may be taken as a Fighter bonus feat.Greater Nimble Combatant (General, Fighter)You are quite experienced at many dodging techniques.Prerequisites: Dex 17+, BAB +6 or higher, Mobility, Nimble Combatant.Benefit: You gain a further +2 dodge bonus to AC from the Nimble Combatant feat, and your dodge bonus from Nimble Combatant is no longer limited by your character level.Special: This may be taken as a Fighter bonus feat.Superior Nimble Combatant (Special, Fighter)Your dodging skills are awe-inspiring.Prerequisites: Dex 19+, BAB +9 or higher, Greater Nimble Combatant, Nimble Combatant, Fighter level 6+.Benefit: You gain yet another +3 dodge bonus to AC from the Nimble Combatant feat.Special: This feat is only available to Fighters, and may be taken as a Fighter bonus feat.  You may gain this feat multiple times, and its benefits stack, but each additional copy of this feat requires a Base Attack Bonus 3 points higher than the previous copy, and requires 3 more Fighter levels than the previous copy.Improved Combat Expertise (General, Fighter)Your defensive combat skills are exceptional.Prerequisites: BAB +1 or higher, Int 13+, Combat Expertise.Benefit: Whenever you use the Combat Expertise feat, you gain an additional +1 AC from that feat.  Also, increase the base AC bonus from Combat Expertise by 50%, rounded down, when you are using a light shield, heavy shield, or tower shield.Greater Combat Expertise (General, Fighter)You are superb at defending yourself in the heat of battle.Prerequisites: BAB +5 or higher, Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Improved Combat Expertise.Benefit: You are no longer limited to taking only a -5 penalty to attack rolls in exchange for AC bonuses from Combat Expertise.  You may now take any attack roll penalty equal to or less than your Base Attack Bonus, and gain an equal bonus to AC, from the Combat Expertise feat.  In addition, increase the AC bonus from Combat Expertise by 50%, rounded down.  If you use a light shield, heavy shield, or tower shield, instead double the AC bonus from Combat Expertise.  This particular benefit overrides the shield benefit from Improved Combat Expertise.  Greater Combat Expertise only applies in light armor or no armor, and does not apply when carrying more than a light load.Superior Combat Expertise (Special, Fighter)Your defensive tactics are practically legendary.Prerequisites: BAB +15 or higher, Int 13+, Combat Expertise, Greater Combat Expertise, Improved Combat Expertise, Fighter level 10+.Benefit: Double the base AC bonus granted by the Combat Expertise feat.  If you use a light, heavy, or tower shield, increase the bonus by a further 50%, rounded down.  These override the corresponding benefits from Improved Combat Expertise and Greater Combat Expertise.  Superior Combat Expertise only applies in light armor or no armor, and does not apply when carrying more than a light load.Special: This feat is only available to Fighters, and may be taken as a Fighter bonus feat.And I'm leery of that last feat I threw together, too.  These're more powerful than what I already use (I use a few feats that give +1 AC each time, but can be gained multiple times, with slight increases to their prerequisites for each additional copy).</blockquote>

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