Level Up (A5E) Best Martial AC, no multiclass, no magic.
- Thread starter Verall
- Start date
A level 17 Walking Rock adept with a +3 spider-silk padded leather, a +3 heavy shield, brutal defense, and a potion of storm giant strength is sitting 16 + 9 + 5 + 6 = 36 AC. I’m sure there are some other magic items, like rings of protection, that require attunement and which could push this even higher.
With no magic I assume you mean no magic items.
Dragonborn scales gift gets 13+dex+shield ac, defense fighting style, at level 10 dragonborn gets another +1.
So 14+5+2+1 = 22 AC. I'm sure there might be better options, but that's what I've had at my table.
Of course with magic he had a +1 shield, a ring and cloak of protection, that gave him a resting AC of 25. Then he'd have wizard's haste for +2, blur to impose disadvantage, and shield to make sure that the few hits that came through would miss.
Oh, and later on there's a maneuver that gives you a bonus to your AC equal to your PB- shield was still slightly better, but Expert Sidestep is only 2 exertion and exertion is basically limitless for fighters in late tier2 and beyond.
Not only that, but Heightened Reflexes means that they get all the reactions they'll need.
Dragonborn scales gift gets 13+dex+shield ac, defense fighting style, at level 10 dragonborn gets another +1.
So 14+5+2+1 = 22 AC. I'm sure there might be better options, but that's what I've had at my table.
Of course with magic he had a +1 shield, a ring and cloak of protection, that gave him a resting AC of 25. Then he'd have wizard's haste for +2, blur to impose disadvantage, and shield to make sure that the few hits that came through would miss.
Oh, and later on there's a maneuver that gives you a bonus to your AC equal to your PB- shield was still slightly better, but Expert Sidestep is only 2 exertion and exertion is basically limitless for fighters in late tier2 and beyond.
Not only that, but Heightened Reflexes means that they get all the reactions they'll need.
Anonymous3
Explorer
I would add that the bastard sword and dueling dagger provide an additional 1-4 AC increase for a single attack - no reactions needed. So with the above setups you could include this into your calculations provided that character is using a shield and a parrying weapon.
Ah, another frequent choice at my tables: tempest berserker. better yet, tempest berserker with a dip of fighter. Busted stuff.
Berserkers get heavy armor, so plate and a shield and tempest gets cover against attacks while raging.
Plate 18, cover +2, shield +2, defense style +1. 23 AC when raging. I'm sure there are other shenanigans you can throw in, maybe there's a heritage that gives you +1 AC.
Berserkers get heavy armor, so plate and a shield and tempest gets cover against attacks while raging.
Plate 18, cover +2, shield +2, defense style +1. 23 AC when raging. I'm sure there are other shenanigans you can throw in, maybe there's a heritage that gives you +1 AC.
Anonymous3
Explorer
Orc paragon gives +1 AC I believe.
W'rkncacnter
Hero
i think you're thinking of dragonborn.
Both do iirc.
W'rkncacnter
Hero
okay, apparently the a5e tools orc paragon gift does give an AC bonus, but the AG version doesn't. that must be errata.
Anonymous3
Explorer
I check and Orc's have Relentless Resilience which provides +1 AC and a similar feature to undead fortitude.
