What is the Max AC a Mage can Achieve?
ariakas2
Member Posts: 80
Including buffs and items. Can he hit AC limit?
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and can be used toghether with stoneskin, as every not successful hit is a not consumed skin.
for some dual and multi, let's take a F->M as example, and also for single class mages tensor transformed, that can not cast further protections when the old ones expire or are consumed, lowering as much as possible the AC is an interesting option.
about the big metal unit it is not possible to build it for players that don't start from bg and for players that for RP reasons can not get the needed component, and anyway is only crafted in end game, so is not a tool a mage can count on if not for few battles.
what do you intend for buffs? his mage spells only or also other spells, some of them can be used only if the mage is also a cleric himself, like DUHM, others like defensive armony work on every mage, but need a cleric casting them.
Also there are buffs that don't lower directly the AC, but make the enemy's thac0 worst, so the final result is the same of having a lower AC. doom is an example.
Also the AC can be different depending on the weapon used to attack the mage, a certain potion gives -10 against crushing, some items increase the AC against specific damage types.
now i am not at home and i don't have access to the game to test it, but i would say that a mage can reach a very low AC.
I don't use the tactic often, but when my mages have to tank for a long time i sometimes drop in some spells that make the AC better.
I am playing solo with SCS as pure illusionist. I have installed "Tome and Blood" mod so that i can cast every mage spell in the game and not to be restricted by specialization. The mod also allows you to use shields, helms and non mage weapons.
I have reached -17 AC by using Shield of Harmony, Robe of Vecna, Amulet of Power, Short sword that give hold and paralysis immunity, helm of Balduran, Ring of Gaxx, Ring of Reaching, Cloak of sewers.
I am buffing myself with Blur, Cat's Grace(Comes with scs), Spirit Armor and Imp invisibility. When i add all these my Armour hit -17. My dexteriy is 17 btw but i can use the dex bracers.
I can further increase my ac with the Katana/sword? that give bonus wizard spells and also +1 ac, ring of protection +2, a higher AC shied with +4 to armor or so but i don't want to sacrifice the reaching ring and the hold/pralysis immunity of the sword also the immunities of shield of Harmony.
I feel like the better the AC, the easier the game becomes. As i am soloing, when surrounded by fiends and warriors of all kind, relying on Stoneskin and Mirror Image is not very viable. Although i can cast pfmw, it doesn't last too long.
The reason why i dont use that syrategy is that my parties usually win fast enough that the pfmw and stoneskin approach, that need less buffing time, is faster and last enough.
A soloer can use sequencers and contingences to buff, then sleep to learn offensive spells. The next day he can fight a long battle buffing for it fast, it costs 8 hours, but a solo caster needs to sleep often anyway.
There's a basic AC limit of -20, but dexterity bonus (and single weapon proficiency) stack with that. In addition, all specific AC adjustments apply (there are lots of adjustments available against missile weapons for instance, making it easy to push AC vs missiles far lower).