Spirit Shaman

[kkrazlite]

The best AC SS is a monk/SS/Hieorphant/SF. It can reach close to 80AC (30CL) with shapechange

It gets higher. 92 AC, to be exact, but not with that specific build.

I take your 92 and raise you 93 good sir! *Slowly takes off rubber gloves*

[LISA100595]

The best AC SS is a monk/SS/Hieorphant/SF. It can reach close to 80AC (30CL) with shapechange

<BR abp="759"><BR abp="760">It gets higher. 92 AC, to be exact, but not with that specific build.

<BR abp="761"><BR abp="762">I take your 92 and raise you 93 good sir! *Slowly takes off rubber gloves*

93 AC !! I need to change my build - LOL - See what I get for making a 27 level Spirit Shaman!!

[7threalm]

really hope they are kidding

[Sputnik]

93?! C'mon.. They are jiving us. Kkrazlite is known for it in some circles

I saw his screenies of AC in the low 80's but never higher than that.

80 something AC is still ridiculous... There's no need to exxagerate

[Akroma666]

The only Spirit Shaman I know is my PnP character:
https://www.heroforge.com/load_config=115341

[Invoker]

What is actually more valid, go for 3 blackguard to get Divine Shield for AC, or ignore that kind of thing?

Second would be - Do I require to have Hierophant to get as high DC as I can? If yes, what would be the most efficient way to obtain the lore religion 15? it is pretty high.

Going for Blackguard seems like a good idea in theory, but in fact, it's ill-advised if you want to be a caster shaman. Rather counter-intuitively (because that's generally the melee advice...), a great way to be a caster shaman is through multiclassing with Monk, because:

-) SS26/M4 loses no CL
-) you gain a significant amount of movement speed, which is key to repositioning. Almost every DC caster needs this
-) Having CHA (main) and WIS (to a degree) to take care of, STR cannot, and should not be high. Heavy equipment such as big armors and shields aren't what you want to carry around.
-) WIS to AC with an already good base score buffed to ridiculous levels by the basically everlasting Owl's Insight means excellent defense, especially combined with the SS inherent survivability skills, DR 30, and a wand of Mirror Images for emergencies

Take Spellcasting Prodigy and Blood Magic (your healing spells, especially Extended Regeneration and a +1 Regen cloak will soak up the health loss without issues). Telthor Companion is also a good choice. Get Extended, Quickened and one between Empowered and Maximised spell metamagics, one or two points in UMD (will be enough with your CHA) and a Wand of Mantles.

Congratulations. You just have yourself an extremely strong character.

I'd like to see the faces of those claiming SS is weak when they see this one played.

[kkrazlite]

93?! C'mon.. They are jiving us. Kkrazlite is known for it in some circles

I saw his screenies of AC in the low 80's but never higher than that.

80 something AC is still ridiculous... There's no need to exxagerate

93 is possible in JEGS specifically getting past 85 A.C. is almost impossible on the actual server.

[Wyatt]

Totally interested in trying a spirit shaman monk of the long death if that kit is ever implemented. Seems like it might go well together and though I am a caster "virgin" I'd be willing to give it a try if the rp piqued my interest.

[Sputnik]

93 is possible in JEGS specifically getting past 85 A.C. is almost impossible on the actual server.

Well, why didn't you say so?

Here's the thing: The legal upper limit is around 80 AC, as has been discussed... 85 AC is only reached by using atleast one exploit.

Equipping a shield before shapechanging is how this is done. Doing so of course cancels the monk AC and wisdom AC... but shapechange cheats that away, while keeping a decent bonus from the shield.

There may be another dirty trick used as well, but I don't know it.

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

Invoker is on the spot. I'd just add one thing - pick Aasimar - I think that one is pretty much obvious.

[kkrazlite]

93 is possible in JEGS specifically getting past 85 A.C. is almost impossible on the actual server.

Well, why didn't you say so?

Here's the thing: The legal upper limit is around 80 AC, as has been discussed... 85 AC is only reached by using atleast one exploit.

Equipping a shield before shapechanging is how this is done. Doing so of course cancels the monk AC and wisdom AC... but shapechange cheats that away, while keeping a decent bonus from the shield.

There may be another dirty trick used as well, but I don't know it.

Well said and explained. Although i have found the combination of monk and spirit shaman to be very buggy on the live server. Lots of numbers, stats and spell seeming to change effectiveness due to different things. Still working on a list of examinations towards it though before i decide to throw it to the devs.

[Wyatt]

Invoker is on the spot. I'd just add one thing - pick Aasimar - I think that one is pretty much obvious.

Only if you want an ecl +1 race AND a 20% exp penalty for nearly all of your time playing as it has neither spirit shaman nor monk as a favored class...

[AlfarinIcebreaker]

Yeah, but the bonus to Charisma and Wisdom (the only essential abiilities) are hard to pass up on.

[mrm3ntalist]

Well said and explained. Although i have found the combination of monk and spirit shaman to be very buggy on the live server. Lots of numbers, stats and spell seeming to change effectiveness due to different things. Still working on a list of examinations towards it though before i decide to throw it to the devs.

A good project to work on, is to balance shapechange.

Make the other shapes stronger and limit the ridiculously high AC that one can get with the combination of monk and Nightwalker for example.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Rhifox]

and limit the ridiculously high AC that one can get with the combination of monk and Nightwalker for example.

If there's any nerf there it should be to the monk/shaman multiclassing, not shapechange. Horned Devil and Nightwalker are the only shapechange forms that are useful and nerfing them would just make shapechange worthless. The problem with monk/shaman + shapechange is in the monk/shaman combination. BG has Monk/Druid banned for exactly this reason, just whatever devs decided to implement that ban forgot that Shaman benefits from multiclassing with Monk just as much as druid. Either both should be banned or neither.

And I'd be in favor of neither and just removing or nerfing Owl's Insight. That's really where the problem lies.