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HP vs. AC
- Thread starter Krel
- Start date
Sejs
First Post
Well, it actually becomes something of an interesting situation later on, because of the nature of the two, and how most combat-heavy monsters work.
In later levels, most things have a pretty easy time hitting you. They can connect without even trying. So by that logic you're better off pushing your hit points because frankly your AC doesn't matter. On the other hand, an attack that misses doesn't have to deal with issues of mitigation - it's completely stopped instead of whittling you down.
So it ends up looking something like this:
Hit points are always good.
AC is better, but only if you have a whole lot of it.
Also be aware of things that'll ignore much of your AC - something that can grapple you doesn't have to beat your non-touch AC more than once, just your grapple check.
In later levels, most things have a pretty easy time hitting you. They can connect without even trying. So by that logic you're better off pushing your hit points because frankly your AC doesn't matter. On the other hand, an attack that misses doesn't have to deal with issues of mitigation - it's completely stopped instead of whittling you down.
So it ends up looking something like this:
Hit points are always good.
AC is better, but only if you have a whole lot of it.
Also be aware of things that'll ignore much of your AC - something that can grapple you doesn't have to beat your non-touch AC more than once, just your grapple check.
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
HP, especially later levels like that. My character concept is actually built around that after several players and myself remarked that you have to spend an extraordinate amount of character resources to get even passable AC vs. big monsters. Feats, class levels, magic, etc. Even then, the way Hit Dice and Strength and Size interact, even relatively low-CR monsters which are large are going to have their HD and Strength so pumped they blow through your armor.
Then there's Improved Grab and the Touch AC that just negates more than half of whatever you can try to do to get the AC.
My character, I tank AC as fast as I can dump it for every point of increased damage I can get ... Rage, Charge, Enlarge Person, etc, and dump as much into Power Attack as you can. The monster IS GOING TO HIT YOU ... so I've found it's much better to kill him before he can kill you.
I'm playing a Bbn/Cleric and the focus of my clerical spells is usually non-AC-type protections ... Energy Resistance, Death Ward, Sheltered Vitality, Immunity to Poison, DR, etc. Stoneskin and Righteous Might are really great because there's no way I can keep from getting hit, so it's worth it to mitigate those hits as much as possible.
Works great, really ... gotta watch out for the targeted dispel magic, though. Especially when they come three and four at the time in a round.
--fje
Then there's Improved Grab and the Touch AC that just negates more than half of whatever you can try to do to get the AC.
My character, I tank AC as fast as I can dump it for every point of increased damage I can get ... Rage, Charge, Enlarge Person, etc, and dump as much into Power Attack as you can. The monster IS GOING TO HIT YOU ... so I've found it's much better to kill him before he can kill you.
I'm playing a Bbn/Cleric and the focus of my clerical spells is usually non-AC-type protections ... Energy Resistance, Death Ward, Sheltered Vitality, Immunity to Poison, DR, etc. Stoneskin and Righteous Might are really great because there's no way I can keep from getting hit, so it's worth it to mitigate those hits as much as possible.
Works great, really ... gotta watch out for the targeted dispel magic, though. Especially when they come three and four at the time in a round.
--fje
Sejs said:
AC also become more important to increase when you have very little of it. A low AC can be converted into lots of damage with Power Attack.
ValhallaGH
Explorer
Also, as you approach the epic zone, a lot of creatures have nasty abilities that kick in on any successful attack. Such as Fortitude saves against death. HP are useless against such abilities but high AC can mean survival.
Victim
First Post
Both. Characters will want a Con item to increase their HP anyway since there's plenty of stuff that bypasses AC. But getting both a Con item AND AC boosters should be a priority.
But don't underestimate the importance of AC. Sure, serious combatants will usually hit on the first attack even if you have a good AC. However, full attacks usually bring a number of friends to the party and making even 1 extra attack miss can save quite a bit of damage. And then there's Power Attack, which can seriously punish low AC characters. You can lose all the HP you gained from an AC trade off each round against a high level guy full attacking.
But don't underestimate the importance of AC. Sure, serious combatants will usually hit on the first attack even if you have a good AC. However, full attacks usually bring a number of friends to the party and making even 1 extra attack miss can save quite a bit of damage. And then there's Power Attack, which can seriously punish low AC characters. You can lose all the HP you gained from an AC trade off each round against a high level guy full attacking.
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
The question is how long they're there. For instance, my character, at 14th level, spiked 105 damage without a crit or even a big damage roll.
Not that my character is wading in nude or anything. I've got Mithril Breastplate +3 (Magic Vestment in the morning), decent Dex, and Shield of Faith up. But if I lose 4 AC to gain +6-10 damage, I'll trade it without blinking. Additionally, I could wear Mithril Full Plate, but I prefer the speed increase so I can out-manuever the enemy ... and note I'm not saying that a character with big HP can stand up longer against a power-attacking monster ... just that the fight is shorter. If I take 90% of my HP in damage to kill the monster in 3 rounds or 100% of my HP in 7 rounds and don't kill the monster ... y'know?
--fje
Not that my character is wading in nude or anything. I've got Mithril Breastplate +3 (Magic Vestment in the morning), decent Dex, and Shield of Faith up. But if I lose 4 AC to gain +6-10 damage, I'll trade it without blinking. Additionally, I could wear Mithril Full Plate, but I prefer the speed increase so I can out-manuever the enemy ... and note I'm not saying that a character with big HP can stand up longer against a power-attacking monster ... just that the fight is shorter. If I take 90% of my HP in damage to kill the monster in 3 rounds or 100% of my HP in 7 rounds and don't kill the monster ... y'know?
--fje
