Highest AC

[Evilhalfling]

theres no need to attack empty spaces or objects to gain the benefits of fighting defensively. Simply take the 'total defense action' at the beginning of your turn (+4 AC, +6 if you have 5 ranks in tumble) and run toward the archers at your leisure

full defense is a standard action so its walk slowly toward archers ...

 

[Brother MacLaren]

The bardic ability Inspire Heroics gives a +4 dodge bonus to AC.
I'm of the mind that items that give Sacred, Profane, Insight, and Luck bonuses to AC are non-core, since "New Magic Items" is listed as a variant rule (DMG p. 214). Just my opinion. Defending armor spikes are horribly cheesy but, sadly, core.

 

[Gorin Stonecleaver]

Question about the 86 AC

Mithril Full Plate +8 AC
Armor Enhancement bonus +5 AC
Mithril Tower Shield +4 AC
Shield Enhancment bonus +5 AC
Dex 15 (Trog + Gloves of Dex +6) +2 AC
Natural Armor (Trog) + 6
Natural Armor Enhancement bonus +5 AC
Deflection bonus +5 AC
Luck bonus +5 AC
Sacred bonus +5 AC
Profane bonus +5 AC
Insight bonus +5 AC
Morale bonus +5 AC
Defending Armor Spikes +5 AC
Defending Longsword +5 AC
Dodge feat +1 AC

AC 86

Add in Fighting Defensively and Combat Expertise at your leisure.

I didn't think a natural armor bonus from a creature(trog above) would stack with a natural armor bonus from an amulet(Natural armor Enhancement bonus +5) I assumed this was from an amulet of nat armor +5. please explain.

 

[Nail]

The bardic ability Inspire Heroics gives a +4 dodge bonus to AC.
I'm of the mind that items that give Sacred, Profane, Insight, and Luck bonuses to AC are non-core, since "New Magic Items" is listed as a variant rule (DMG p. 214). Just my opinion. Defending armor spikes are horribly cheesy but, sadly, core.

The spike thing isn't completely without opportunity cost: IIRC, you have to be two-weapon fighting to get the benefit.

As for the "New Magic Items" rules: They're pretty well laid out there in the DMG. It's a hard row to hoe to say they aren't core. IMO. YMMV.

 

[Nail]

I didn't think a natural armor bonus from a creature(trog above) would stack with a natural armor bonus from an amulet(Natural armor Enhancement bonus +5) I assumed this was from an amulet of nat armor +5. please explain.

No prob.

The natural armor bonus you get from a magic item is an "enhancement bonus to your natural armor".

The natural armor bonus you get from your form is straight-up Natural Armor. It's not an enhancement bonus, so it stacks with the enhancement bonus to your natural armor.

 

[Rystil Arden]

theres no need to attack empty spaces or objects to gain the benefits of fighting defensively. Simply take the 'total defense action' at the beginning of your turn (+4 AC, +6 if you have 5 ranks in tumble) and run toward the archers at your leisure

If you have Combat Expertise, this bonus is far lower than you would get if you just attacked the air with full Combat Expertise and Fighting Defensively.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

Ya'll forgot the all-time favorite of "hide behind fixed cover." That's worth anywhere from +2 to total immunity.

 

[Grog]

Luck bonus +5 AC
Sacred bonus +5 AC
Profane bonus +5 AC
Insight bonus +5 AC
Morale bonus +5 AC

How do you get all these with core rules only?

Here's something off the top of my head using the SRD, I'm sure others can top it:

Halfling rogue 8/monk 1/wizard 1/duelist 10, starting stats 14 Wis 17 Int 19 Dex, rest rock bottom (32 point buy). Wis gets boosted to 24 with +4 inherent bonus and +6 enhancement item, Int gets boosted to 28 with +5 inherent and +6 enhancement, and Dex gets boosted to 34 with 5 level up points, +4 inherent and +6 enhancement.

So for AC, we get:

10 (base)
+1 size
+8 armor (bracers of armor)
+5 deflection (ring of protection)
+5 natural armor (amulet of natural armor)
+5 unnamed (+5 defending rapier)
+21 Dexterity bonus (+12 from 34 Dex, +9 from Canny Defense (duelist) and 28 Int)
+8 unnamed (from monk Wisdom bonus to AC)
+5 Combat Expertise
+3 fighting defensively with 5 ranks in Tumble
+10 dodge (Elaborate Parry and 10 levels of duelist)
+1 dodge feat
+4 shield (from Shield spell)

= 86 AC

Not too bad considering it's all by core rules. Anything I missed?

 

[Nail]

How do you get all these with core rules only?

By creating new magic items, using the core rules on Magic Item Creation.

 

[Grog]

By creating new magic items, using the core rules on Magic Item Creation.

Huh, I didn't know you could create items that gave those kinds of bonuses. Well, stack em all on my character, then, and his AC goes up to 111