Dwarven Defender? I say Elven Defender!

[Hoihe]

I have recently came to the horrible realization that it's possible for a "glass cannon DPS" build to reach 52 AC. This comes uncomfortably too close to my 57 all-in AC, and I like to consider myself a tank (with my low AB and damage, it's the only thing my char is good at).

Then I realize dropping a single Cl and swapping out a feat can give ridiculous theoretical max AC. A max AC of 67 (assuming One Weapon rolls perfectly, and I'm fighting a single foe. If no perfect roll and not my primary target, I still have 63 AC. If I turn off ICE and swap Parry on, I have 57 AC WITH parry at a modifier of 49, protecting me from attack rolls of 49 + 1d20, aka giving me 50% evasion vs someone with 49 AB for their first, second and third flurries.)

And thus I have finally theoretically achieved an Elven Defender - it also has Premonition, HiPS, Evasion, MI, Displacement. Now to RCR and slog through the epics.

http://nwn2db.com/build/?314009

If not for preferring having Lore skills, could get 33 Concentration and also use Battle Precognition for even more survivability.

[Steve]

Your Spells won't matter in this build cause you'll be dispelled with ease. Thus every defense the build will have, should only be considered realistic if it is not spell-based.

[Hoihe]

Your Spells won't matter in this build cause you'll be dispelled with ease. Thus every defense the build will have, should only be considered realistic if it is not spell-based.

I have HiPS. It works very well vs non-wand dispellers.


For bosses with dispel spam, I have a pocket counterspelling sorceress

This is basically current build with 1 less cl, more duelist and Sembian swapped out for Athkatlan.

[Steve]

If you can effectively rely on countering Dispels, Mords, breaches, etc., then perfect!

[Hoihe]

If you can effectively rely on countering Dispels, Mords, breaches, etc., then perfect!

And even if not, I have 50 AC without sacrificing any AB (just 2 attacks, at lowest BAB, for which I get +2 slashing damage)

[Steve]

You do know that 50 AC really isn't enough to survive epic content as a tank, at least alone. You'd need DR or regen or Spells...which like I said, you can't rely on.

[Hoihe]

You do know that 50 AC really isn't enough to survive epic content as a tank, at least alone. You'd need DR or regen or Spells...which like I said, you can't rely on.

I've done Yuan-ti with my old build by not buffing at all, and then popping ICE for 49 (51 single target) AC. Frost giants alike.

Fire giants need it to be strictly 1vs1 to be able to survive tho.

Now this build has 6 more AC than that, if I pop ICE.

[Wyatt]

My dwarven defender has 50 ish ac, 9/- dr and fast healing. Alone is still challenging against many epic bosses. Much easier with someone to buff energy immunity and a few other essential things. Or with an epic bard and we just duo everything naked.

[Steve]

Yeah, my point is that AC alone doesn't make a PC a good tank. You need Saves, DR, regen, etc. in order to "absorb" whatever is thrown at the PC in PvE combat.

But yeah, it's all theory unless you build it and go into the game with it, against the content and the actual encounters.

[Hoihe]

Yeah, my point is that AC alone doesn't make a PC a good tank. You need Saves, DR, regen, etc. in order to "absorb" whatever is thrown at the PC in PvE combat.

But yeah, it's all theory unless you build it and go into the game with it, against the content and the actual encounters.

Well, it's basically my prev build, but better.

And my prev build was pretty good at facetanking stuff. Regen is obtained with vampiric regen. DR with spells. Saves-wise, got high spellcraft, got spells that boost it, got evasion.

[Deathgrowl]

Fighter14/whirling dervish4/anointed knight10. 21 constitution and ICE.

You'll have about ~56 AC and 12/- DR in just the gear. Full UMD access, full heal skill.

That's about as close as you can get to an elven defender á la dwarven defender.

And it's not fun to build, given the -2 con on almost all elven races.

[Steve]

Like I said, there are holes, but if you think it will work, then only by taking it IG will you prove it.

But the Game will punish you, that's guaranteed, by finding those holes and exploiting them. For example, I recently built a very powerful, high CL, high Saves (above 40 across the board), high AC (55 fully buffed), high AB (above 40), high everything Build, but choose to forgo Steadfast Determination for some other perks.

Let me tell you that theoretically, the Build was solid. Empirically, after being IG for some weeks, it gets ruined ALL THE TIME by failing on a 1 save roll.

[Wyatt]

I build nothing without steadfast. It is mandatory as far as I am concerned.

[Hoihe]

For cases needing steadfast, I have spellmantles.

For the Man At Arms Build - part of my point is to have no armour at all. Like dwarves are all about their strength and steel, elves about grace and wits, so elven defender should have high AC from their grace and wit. Now, theoretically could go dervish/duelist/thief acrobat and get better survivability, but no magic then so meh.



Biggest drawback of this build is that it's near unplayable before level 24. Duelist AC is non-existent, AB is non-existent too.

[K'yon Oblodra]

I like the idea, wonder if anybody has an idea how to achieve what you want in a more optimal way.
Sadly I have no clue about building