Questions tagged [armor-class]
For questions about Armor Class (AC), the mechanical abstraction of how difficult it is to hit and cause damage to an opponent in D&D and related RPGs.
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If a monk increases their dexterity or wisdom modifier, does their AC increase as well?
I'm DM-ing an adventure, and my players are about to hit level 4, where the first ability score increase happens. If my monk chooses to increase their dexterity or wisdom, will their AC increase as ...
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maximize AC with full plate and tower shield
I know the max AC is without armor.
monk / fist of the forest / sorcerer / cha / con / dex to ac etc./ polymorph and spells. +-114AC
I would like to know of way's to max up AC with full plate.
For a ...
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Is there a balancing reason why you can not switch unarmored defense when multiclassing?
I have a monk player that multiclasses into a barbarian.
Since his constitution is higher than his wisdom he wants to use the barbarians unarmored defense feature.
According the the PHB page 164
If ...
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How do the prone condition and AC against ranged attacks interact?
So, this is just a clarification about how a character's AC interacts with the Prone condition aside from the Flat-Footed condition. Mostly because being prone gives you the ability to Take Cover and ...
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Trying to determine if there is a calculation for AC in DND5E that incorporates different material items worn at the same time
In D&D5eE - I want some homebrew rules involving calculating AC and their modifiers when mixing different materials of armor.
If a player has on a plate mail chest piece and studded leather ...
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Does a Lizardfolk benefit from wearing +1 leather armor?
I just realized a quirk of wording.
Lizardfolk Natural Armor:
You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to ...
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What character options (except spells) increase AC as reaction?
Some monsters, (e.g. the Death Knight) have a reaction called Parry which enables them to increase their AC.
Are there any character options that work the same way, i.e. increase AC as a reaction? I ...
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What is the lowest possible level that a PC get an AC of 39 without any magic items and with help from only one ally?
What is the lowest level AC a Player Character can have an AC of 39 (so a Tarrasque can't hit them without a critical hit) with help from at most one same-level ally?
No magic items may be used that ...
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Multiattack defense vs legendary actions
I have a question about DnD 5E Ranger Hunter Multiattack Defense feature.
Should you or do you get Multiattack Defense against legendary actions? For example, when you get a bite and two claw attacks ...
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How much would a +7 AC magic item be worth?
For context: A DM in this multi-DM run D&D 5e campaign I'm in said she would be doing very difficult sessions with very high level loot if we succeed in said sessions. Well, disregarding the fact ...
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What would be the impact if I allowed Barbarian's Unarmored Defense to stack with Lizardfolk's Natural Armor?
I am going to preface this question with the fact that yes, I am well aware they are separate AC calculations that you choose between. I am simply posing a theoretical question that warrants deeper ...
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Do bracers of armor stack with magic armor enhancements and special abilities?
I am aware that bracers of armor's armor bonus does not stack with the basics armour bonus, but I wonder:
1- does the armor effect of bracers of armor stack with the enhancement effect of an armor?
(...
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Can the Speed magic-weapon-special-ability add +1 AC modifier as Haste spell?
Can the Speed magic-weapon-special-ability add +1 AC modifier as a Haste spell does? Here the description:
When making a full-attack action, the wielder of a speed weapon may make one extra attack ...
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Does the AC bonus from artificer infusions affect the Shield Master feat?
The Shield Master feat contains this:
If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets only ...
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What bonuses are expected to be applied to armor class?
I found this list of bonus types:
"Ability", "Armor", "Circumstance",
"Insight", "Luck", "Morale", "Natural Armor", "Profane&...
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What is the armor class of a being in Gaseous form? [duplicate]
I was playing DnD 5e earlier today and one of my party members cast gaseous form upon itself and then got into a fight. While we know that the party member is currently protected from most forms of ...
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Natural Armor vs Mage Armor, which takes precedence?
I'm already aware of the interaction between Mage Armor and features that grant an alternative AC calculation such as a Monk or Barbarian's Unarmored Defense, or simply wearing Armor. However I haven'...
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How can I maximise my social skills without sacrificing armour class as a Monk/Ranger (Fey Wanderer)?
I have a level 10 character (Monk/Ranger Fey Wanderer) in mind that I would want to make head of time, ready for a future game (should the opportunity arise).
The Fey Wanderer at level 3 gets '...
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Is there a way to add my Strength modifier to my Armor Class?
It's an age old question -- how can I make it as hard as possible for enemies to hit me, so I can slaughter them without even the slightest jostling of my coif? Typically, for those wanting to proceed ...
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Do Bracers of Defense stack with a shield?
In AD&D (1e or 2e) would Bracers of Defense stack with a shield?
The relevant text from the AD&D DMG (p. 139) is:
Their magic bestows an effective armor class equal to actually wearing armor ...
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If a level 7 Beast Master Ranger equips their Primal Companion with chainmail barding what is the new AC?
If a level 7 Beast Master Ranger were to give their Beast of the Land Primal Companion barding armor, what is the new Armor Class? For example let's use chainmail barding. It seems that the new AC ...
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Do bonuses to AC stack?
The Warforged get +1 to AC from their Integrated Protection feature.
The forge domain cleric can use the feature Blessing of the Forge to enchant their armor for another +1 to AC.
The Soul of the ...
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Is this unarmored defense option balanced
One of the conceits of a campaign I am running is that in some areas classes like the fighter or paladin would not rely on heavy armor.
Is the following option balanced?
Unarmored Warrior
...
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As a Fairy Rune Knight, what are my options for being strength based and still having a good armor class?
The Fairy race, first printed in the adventure Supplement Wild Beyond the Witchlight, is a flying race that has the following restriction on the use of its flying speed:
Because of your wings, you ...
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My player character is wearing 2 types of armor, how do I decide which calculation is the one to use?
I've read the other questions about stacking AC which I know can't be done according to the rules, but then the rules also say that you can wear chain shirt under leather, so it contradicts itself ...
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I want to know how my 5e homebrew compares to RAW, but don't really know where to begin [closed]
Alright, strap in because I've got an overly complex homebrew that I want to see how it compares to RAW. The problem is that I don't really know where to start this comparison or how to make it easier ...
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In the first "Eye of the Beholder" game, does lower AC mean the target is harder to hit?
I am not sure whether character adjustment in the first Eye of the Beholder game works accurately. I see that AC depends only on DEX:
DEX
AC (Human Male)
3
14
4
13
5
12
6
11
7–14
10
15
9
16
8
...
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Best option after attuning to Shield of Missile Attraction
Let's say the party tank has picked up, and attuned to, a Shield of Missile Attraction, which states the following:
While holding this shield, you have resistance to damage from ranged
weapon attacks....
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Is this homebrew magic item that lets you add your Wisdom modifier to your AC (while attuned) balanced as a rare magic item?
I recently had an idea for a new item in 5e. This item is a cloak that lets you add your Wisdom modifier to your AC (requires attunement). I was thinking of making it a rare magic item, and I was ...
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Is it true that Reckless Attack renders AC boosts less effective?
I saw someone arguing recently that
A) Barbarians should always RA.
and
B) Assuming A) is true ... then it's a waste of time for a Barbarian to try to boost their AC.
I assume that the case for B) is ...
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How does the Armor of Agathys spell interact with characters in heavier armor?
New DM here. I have a player running an Oath of Conquest paladin. He makes a pretty convincing argument that as he increases his armor class, he becomes harder to hit, and Armor of Agathys triggers ...
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Are there any ways for a martial class to reduce an enemy's armor class?
I recently had a player express interest in playing a martial character (d&d 5e) who could somehow reduce an enemy's AC. My understanding is that the flavor they were going for is based on things ...
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Can you stack AC bonuses with an Artificer's Infusions?
Can you stack AC bonuses with an Artificer's Infusions?
I get that you can't use the same Infusion on multiple items. However... does the Enhance Defense Infusion and Repulsion Shield Infusion stack ...
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Does magical armor enhancement bonus increase the armor’s maximum dexterity?
Do magical armor enhancement bonuses increase the maximum DEX mod allowed for an armor?
If so, awesome! If not, are there other ways to optimize AC through a DEX driven character?
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Spread out AC or consolidate?
Imagine a Party with 4 characters. Each one has different AC:
14 AC/48 HP (squishy caster)
15 AC/50 HP
16 AC/50 HP
17 AC/54 HP (the tank)
The Party picks up a Ring of Protection +1. Who "should&...
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How to calculate constitution based armor class for a Loxodon barbarian in 5e? [duplicate]
Loxodons have natural armor that is calculated using "12+con_mod"
Barbarians have unarmored defence calculated using "10+dex_mod+con_mod"
One of my players wants to be a Loxodon ...
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Apply force armor from mage armor/inertial armor/etc. against touch attacks?
I want to cast a spell or manifest a power that provides a +4-or-greater bonus to AC that lasts hours/level or longer, and have it apply to touch attacks.
The mage armor, luminous armor, and greater ...
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How can I reliably increase our giant ape's AC to 16 (or better)?
A tactical problem to solve based on last night's session
Tactical Situation
Wizard polymorphs warlock (8th level) into a Giant Ape. (Did T-Rex last time, looking for variety and higher INT (7 vs 2); ...
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Can you lower your AC on purpose?
For roleplaying reasons I would like to make a NPC appear weaker than it actually is. When the players first fight it, it should seem to have a very low AC and miss many attacks.
Is this possible in ...
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Summon spells and AC
The summon spells introduced in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything include an armor class calculation, but it's unclear from the description if the AC should include the dexterity modifier or not.
For ...
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Are there any rules or guidelines that demonstrate how many hit points an increase in AC is worth?
I am trying to determine if I should increase the base hit points, or the starting AC for my monsters to make them a bit more challenging for my players due to the size of the party (7-8 players).
Is ...
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Does wearing magic items with armor affect AC negatively?
If I’m wearing a set of full plate armor and I replace the gauntlets with gauntlets of ogre strength do I lose the AC provided by the full plate as I’m no longer wearing a full set of full plate ...
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What is the chance of being hit?
As a companion to this question, what is the expected chance of being hit by an average monster of your level?
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Is Armor Class a difficulty class (DC)?
Frightened talks only about DCs:
[...] You take a status penalty equal to this value to all your checks and DCs [...]
Compare it to Clumsy:
[...] You take a status penalty equal to the condition ...
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Does losing Dex to AC also apply to CMD?
Relevant rules:
CMD:
...Any penalties to a creature's AC also apply to its CMD. A flat-footed creature does not add its Dexterity bonus to its CMD...
blind:
...The creature cannot see. It takes a –...
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Natural 20 vs higher AC
If a character or creature has an AC that with all bonuses requires a 20 to hit does that mean that every hit is a crit? Or alternately the creatures AC is so high that with all bonuses no hit would ...
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How does defense work? [closed]
I'm new to D&D and I want to make a new character, he is a warlock with 11 hp and 13 armor class. What should I do when I get attacked? Damage - defense?
I don't have the books, I'm using D&D ...
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How do I explain to an AD&D player that items that increase Armor Class in D&D 5e are overpowered?
Context:
I have recently started a campaign with a new player that comes from an AD&D background. He wishes to convert and import his character to the campaign. We did this once, and I helped him ...
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What is the AC of a sprite familiar (from the Find Familiar spell) if it is dismissed to a pocket dimension and then caused to reappear as an action?
The most recent Sage Advice Compendium erratas the find familiar spell so that familiars are now stripped naked when dismissed to a pocket dimension. The Pact of the Chain warlock can summon a Sprite ...
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Can a character wear both chain mail and leather armor to get a higher AC?
Background
I am reading the Goblin Slayer light novel. In it the main character wears leather armor over plate or chain to both stack his AC and to confuse his (not very intelligent) enemies into ...
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