help with getting a high AC

[Havoc123456]

My friend is trying to make a character in D&D 3.5 and he wants to get the highest AC possible for a first level character. He basically wants to become a target, as he plans on constantly taking the total defense action. If i remember correctly, we have gotten his AC up to 29. 10 base, 2 dex, 5 breast plate, 1 size (halfling), 1 combat expertise, 1 luck of heroes feat, 4 tower shield, 5 total defense with cautious trait. We were just wondering if there is any other way to raise his AC, even if it means changing his race, class, anything. I know he rolled at least one 18, but i am not sure about any of the other rolls.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Empirate]

Your friend is working on a horrible plan. Think: if you were an Orc Chieftain attacking the party with your Orc cronies, who would you attack? The Wizard putting your buddies to sleep, or the Rogue stabbing away with his Shortswords, or the Cleric healing and buffing your enemies - or the heavily armored, nigh-impossible-to-hit, factual non-issue who does nothing while he waits to be futilely attacked? Much better to take out the ones who are actually putting the hurt on you and your band of tuskers, no? You can still flank/aid another/trip/grapple/stab to death the non-issue whose only means of offense is taking up space.

If you want to play a tank, you need not only good defenses - making you an attractive target is a much more important concern. Otherwise, it's safe to ignore you and go for juicier targets instead. Keeping a balance between good defense and annoying offense is what playing a tank is all about.

 

[Sekhmet]

Off the top of my head, grab Ironhorn Extract (+1 AC for a week) from Sandstorm for 25gp, buy a cat/rat/beetle/etc that will Aid Another for another +2, be a Githzerai* Crusader, have a 16 Dex, grab Combat Expertise and work towards Robilar's Gambit... and thats about my wealth of at-hand knowledge of the matter.

*The MM version of Githzerai have Inertial Armor, which gives them +4 AC as long as they remain conscious, and a +6 Dex racial.

 

[kitcik]

[MENTION=78958]Empirate[/MENTION] is right.

and if you do want defense, get miss chances

 

[xigbar]

A better tank is one you can'tt get away from. Crusader with a spiked chain and the stand still feat is a notorious example if I recall.

What is your friend going to do about his saves, and other things that don't target AC?

 

[Havoc123456]

thanks for the replies everyone. I dont know why he wants to be a relatively useless tank, but we have a pretty good party as is, and he is pretty much just an extra. he wanted me to help him out, and thats what im doing. thanks again for the help.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

The highest AC most ineffectual build at 1st level is a Kobold Fighter in the heaviest armor you can afford and a tower shield, feats spent on further boosting AC (Imp. Natural Armor, Shield Focus...hell, may as well go for Shield Specialization so the tower shield's at least adding to touch AC). Obviously wants 5 ranks in tumble (multiclass with rogue) and Combat Expertise and full plate later on.

By the way, that build will be horrible.

If he wants to be hard to hit and doesn't mind not being optimized for it at 1st level, the answer is to be a spellcaster (as it is to any problem...). Put up Blur, Displacement, Blink, Mirror Image, stuff like that. Alter Self into a Troglodite (+6 nat armor, iirc). Flight, and Protection from Arrows or Wind Wall to be outright impossible to harm by most enemies. Wizard has the right stuff for the job of "ineffectual turtle."

 

[orion90000]

Lol, "Ineffectual Turtle". Is that what they are calling it these days.

 

[TKDB]

TWizard has the right stuff for the job of "ineffectual turtle."

Funny thing is, a wizard can turtle up and still actually be able to do something. Once you've thrown up your defenses, you can then proceed to start laying down whatever offensive spells suit your fancy. Most magic-based defenses work by miss chance or just plain-out "you can't hit me", so you're not tied up taking total defense every round to keep your AC up to snuff.

 

[kitcik]

Dang it! Casters can even turtle better than non-casters! What the heck?!?