Best armor for thief cleric multi without losing stealth ?
BardsSuck_
Member Posts: 133
Title, im using the ranger leather from mayor reward, anything better i should aim ?
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Though, as you are now, I'd rate the Shadow Armor (dropped by Mae'Var at the end of that quest) as better than the Night's Gift armor. Studded leather has much better type modifiers than plain leather, to the point that the Shadow Armor +3 has better overall AC than the Night's Gift +5 despite its worse "base" number.
Heavy armor is also perfectly viable for fighter/thieves and cleric/thieves; I've played a fighter/thief that usually wore full plate, and she still got plenty of use out of her thief skills both in and out of combat. Heavy armor blocks opening locks and disarming traps, but those aren't skills you normally use in combat so you can just take the armor off when you need them. Detecting illusions, as you will use in combat? That works fine in heavy armor.
Stealth is also blocked by heavy armor, and that's a real cost. You don't go visible immediately when you put the armor on, but you can't renew your hiding. Hide, then put your armor on and backstab someone? Absolutely. Hide again to deliver a second backstab in the same fight? Nope. At that point, you're best off leaning on the combat abilities the other half of your multiclass provides.
(almost) always beats higher protection. Being able to reposition can be really super-important
to win battles.
ToB: Either of the first two above, or Grandmaster's Armour, or White Dragon Armour (this one probably gives the best AC of the lot), or Armour of Thorns.
Some of the Elven Chains are good, but only if you're willing to take the penalties to thief skills while wearing it.
With UAI, robes of the Archmagi are worth considering for their lightness and bonuses. Robe of Vecna might be worth wearing if you don't have mages and like casting a lot of spells.
It depends on what your STR and carrying capacity is, and whether you need Stealth, Spell Casting or Elemental/Spell Resistance most I guess. I suppose it varies depending on what you're dealing with.
I'd be partial to reconsider if you acquire
Studded Leather: AC 5 slashing, 7 crushing, 6 piercing and missile. No penalties to thief skills. Can be found or bought basically anywhere.
Nonmagical elven chain is not obviously better than nonmagical studded leather, for a non-mage thief; it's one point better in AC, but dings your skills. And it's a lot harder to get a hold of. Couple it with an AC-setting effect from a friend or item (Shield Amulet, Barkskin, Spirit Armor, potions of defense), and the AC advantage reverses.
Well, OK, the elven chain looks better. But it's just not that impressive unless you also need to enable spellcasting. Like on a bard.
(PS: Once you get UAI, archmage robes outclass nonmagical elven chain, for any rogue.)
mmmm.... leather armors on non-thief models just looks absolutely terrible and i avoid it at all costs. Same goes for robes on non-mage models really. Stat-wise you are of course correct, AMR would be better than Elven Chain