I have always believe in defense before offense, the fact is that by avoiding being hit, especially on your more vulnerable characters, is a better way, less healing requires mean you can go for longer before resting. I have found a few things that will get all your characters to 30+AC. 1. Use buckler +3 (craft with masterwork buckler) in your off-hand, even when using dual wield or 2-handed weapons. You will lose 1 to hit for 4AC, worthwhile tradeoff IMHO. 2. Use padded armor +3 with bracers of armor +5 on your high dex character (anyone with +5 or more to dex modifier). Most of your characters should have +5 or more dex anyway with gloves of dex. Do the math, this will be much better than blue elven chain as you will get 5 +3+dex(to max 8), can get incredibly high for your high dex rogue. Anyway I have noticed that white robe of magi remove all dex modifier, making it a very bad item for your high dex mage. Is this going to be fixed to make the item worthwhile?
1) I agree 2) I also agree for hi-dex rogues etc, though many people consider this cheating as it is, mmm not so much a bug as not in the 3.5 rules as i understand. Well possibly a bug. Leaving aside +3 plate to do this though is cheesy imho.
I must admit that I use the buckler matter but it is a cheat. If you read D&D rules, the buckler is a shield used by archers so that they may defend themselves with sword and buckler if involved into a melee fight from wich they can't escape. Of course, thieves gain benefits from bucklers too, but a PC that is fighting with a 2-handed weapon or 2 weapons doesn't get the buckler AC bonus, but only the penalities, except if he takes the proper feat that is described in the latest Warrior Handbook, the 3.5 re-make of sword and fist, that allows 2-weapons fighting warriors to keep buckler AC bonus even if fighting with the 2nd hand.
buckler... weapon in each hand equip a buckler then place large hield over the buckler.. looks funny and good defence and no i dont use the glitch.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the Scottish in the 18th century use a broad sword in one hand and a shield and Skean Dhu or dirk in the other. Also in the strange realm of "real life" the buckler is held in single-hand in a “fist†grip. Check this site out for info on the buckler I never thought to do that.
To Dex or not to Dex Remeber, there are many situations in which your PC or NPC does not get the Dex bonus for armor class, i.e. flat-footed, held, etc. . It can take only a few attacks in these situations to reduce your charactor to goo. It has happened to my rogue many times.
blue elven chain +8 AC. Max dex bonus with blue elven chain (or any elven chain for that matter)... +4 AC. Bonus from padded armor +3 and bracers +5 = 8 AC. Max dex bonus on that setup... unlimted? However, unless your character is actually going to reach a dex of 20 then there is no point wasting an extra slot (the bracers) for such a thing.
