Best AC possible for a Fighter with items only

DregothofTyr

I've heard that the hard AC cap in BG2 is -24, but is it possible to reach that AC without using magic or potions? In other words, what is the best AC a Fighter can achieve on a permanent basis with items, in the base game (EE)? I tried adding it up, but I can't get much higher than -17 (-2AC best armor, -4 18 dex, -5 best shield, -1 weapon, -1 helm, -2 ring of gaxx, -1 ring of earth control, -1 montolio's cloak) Is it possible to improve this? That's not even close to being a good enough defense against late TOB enemies, say for a fighter solo run; even fire giants have a -6 THAC0, for an almost 50% hit rate.

karnor00

Full plate mail provides bonuses against piercing, slashing and missile attacks. If you combine that with a girdle of bluntness then you effectively have an additional +3/4 AC against all attack types.

Southpaw

Yes, sorry, the game is set in a way that you can't attain nigh-invulnerability. I have never actually tried to get the lowest number possible, but -17 sounds about right...

elminster

Also there is -2 if you follow the evil path in the hell trials (it doesn't work at the moment I don't think but lets pretend it does since it did in the original).

If you start out as an Elf in BGEE with 19 dexterity, get the dexterity tome and get the dexterity bonus from lum the mad then you'd have 21 dexterity (-5 ac)

Gotural

You could use the Big Metal Unit, which will decrease your AC quite a lot

elminster

Gotural said:

You could use the Big Metal Unit, which will decrease your AC quite a lot

Sets it at -10 AC (even less for slashing, piercing and missile). So with -6 dexterity, -2 evil bonus, -5 shield, -1 weapon, -1 helm, -2 ring of gaxx, -1 ring of earth control, and -1 montolio's cloak that would make it -29 (-33 for slashing weapons and - 32 for piercing and missile weapons). With the destroyer of the hills on you'd have -33 for crushing weapons as well.

ryuken87

Not that it helps lowering your fighter AC but just FYI -24 is not the hard cap. Most people think it is because they hit this with an 18/19 dex dual wielding Swashbuckler.

It's actually -20 + dex bonus + single weapon style bonus.

Arvendor

Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard that if you pickpocketed Kangaxx before he turns hostile you could get another ring of Gaxx. This could replace the ring of earth control as it gives -2 to AC.

Gotural

Arvendor said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard that if you pickpocketed Kangaxx before he turns hostile you could get another ring of Gaxx. This could replace the ring of earth control as it gives -2 to AC.

It has been fixed in the EE.