Highest AC

[kolikeos]

There are some creatures in the MM that have such high attack bonuses that it seems that even a 20th level character cannot escape a hit unless the creature scores a natural 1.

Using the core 3.5 rules only, what is the highest AC a 20th level character can have?
I'm not interested in DR, concealment or any other forms of defense, just AC.

I got up to 53 with a 20th level halfling fighter
10 +1 (for small size) +5 (ring of protection) +5 (amulet of natural armor) +13 (for a +5 fullplate) +1 (for dodge) +1 (for dexterity) +9 (for a +5 tower shield) +3 (for fighting defensively with 5 ranks in tumble) +5 (combat experties)

 

[Nail]

Magic items and spells have several bonuses to AC, which can really pump the AC up into the stratosphere. All of these are core:

Armor bonus to AC
Shield bonus to AC
Natural Armor bonus to AC (polymorph or Alter Self, anyone?)
Deflection bonus to AC
Luck bonus to AC
Sacred bonus to AC
Profane bonus to AC
Insight bonus to AC

...neglecting Natural Armor from polymorph, and the mundane bonuses from whatever armor and shield you have for a moment, just those bonuses alone gets you up to AC 53.

And then there's Dodge bonuse, etc. There are tons of high AC builds. ACs into the hundreds.

 

[Nail]

Why did you pick full plate, BTW, without making it mithril? ...and drop the Tower Shield....yuck.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

Don't forget there are ways to avoid getting hit that don't involve a static AC number.

Blur, Displacement, etc. provide flat miss chances
Prayer, Recitation, etc provide penalties to hit for enemies

Of course, there are few core monsters that cannot avoid a hit from a 20th level warrior either...

 

[Nail]

Mirror Image! Where's the love for Mirror Image!?!

 

[kolikeos]

Why did you pick full plate, BTW, without making it mithril? ...and drop the Tower Shield....yuck.

Will mithril increase the AC? What would be better than a tower shield for this porpose?

 

[Nail]

Mithril decreases the Max Dex, so that....you can have a higher Dex AC mod!

 

[kolikeos]

I'm not interested in DR, concealment or any other forms of defense, just AC.

Why does no one ever listen... I know there are other ways to avoid being hit, but that is not what I asked here.

 

[kolikeos]

Mithril decreases the Max Dex, so that....you can have a higher Dex AC mod!

Hmm, did not think of that. Good idea.

How can I get luck, insight, profane or sacred bonuses?

 

[Nail]

What would be better than a tower shield for this purpose?

I just dislike Tower Shields. Personal distaste, nothing more.

If you had mithril Full Plate, and a 16 Dex on your little halfling fighter, you could get AC 69 without the fighting defensively, etc.

Alter Self into a Trog (and have some Gloves of Dexterity +6) and your AC goes to AC 73.

Etc.