I am looking for suggestions on magic items that can help a character avoid or boost AC against ranged touch attacks. Thanks.
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Increase Dex
Take Combat Expertise
Take Dodge
Deflection Bonuses
the spell "Ray Deflection" from the Spell Compendium would prevent any and all rays
Crystal of Arrow Deflection, Lesser grants a +5 bonus against ranged attacks (Magic Item Compendium)
Monk AC boosts, with commensurate Wis increases
and finally:
Miss Chances, a la Blur, Displacement, Mirror Image, concealment, Invisibility, and the like.
-t
Mirror Image is the gold standard, of course.
Mirror Image is the gold standard, of course.
Hogarth nailed it in one. Anything that gets you Mirror image is ideal. Displacement or invisibility are pretty good also and perhaps a little more widely available.
In a pinch just obscuring mist (maybe fog horn) prevents ranged anything... but onscures everything.
At higher levels, a multiple attacking bad guy can go through your mirror images pretty quick. I played a fighter/wizard 12th level PC with mirror image and it only took a round or two before they were all gone; I should have taken blur (plus you cannot receive any sneak attacks with blur cast on you due to its concealment). At low levels, though, I highly recommend mirror image. Once the enemy can take 3 attacks per round, it nearly takes more time to cast the spell than it's duration.
Umm... a round or two means 5 missed touch attacks, blur has an 80% chance of getting hit on the first attack. Also, many of the most dangerous effects are standard action ranged touch, a single miss is enough. Also, if you burn one round and force them to burn 2 or even 1 1/2 then you are ahead.
Which is why we have Greater Mirror Image and displacement.
If you think you'll have a lot of rogues to deal with a lesser cloak of displacement gives a constant 20% miss chance... not great but enough to kill any sneak attack and possibly avoid an occasional surprise attack.
If you are a cleric Entropic Shield would be a cheaper blur for you against ranged attacks.
Other armor bonuses to look for:
Insight
Sacred (fairly widely available)
Circumstance (only one spell I know gives this -- Holy Star)
Profane
Untyped (defense weaponry is good)
Not quite what one might expect, but improved invisibility can be your friend after you've boosted your touch AC.
Human Paladin W Charisma 16 base + Tower Shield Proficiency + Shield Specialization + Shield Ward + Divine Shield = At level 4, your touch AC with only a tower shield is 15, 18 with Divine Shield. Assuming decent Ring of Protection, Dexterity, and Charisma Boosts, you could be looking at Touch AC 21 at level 4.
Currently have a Dragonborn Paladin/Platinum Knight who's breaching Touch AC 26 at level 7. I expect his level 20 Touch AC to be around 35.
Project Image or other illusions, summoned creatures in the way, wall of force, darkness or blindness to the toucher, polymorph to a Fine size (+8 AC, +16 to hide) or swarm (Dark Discorporation invocation), spell turning, spell immunity, charm the toucher, etc.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Here's a build for you (warning it's a bit long)
Class Levels:
Favored Soul 5
Mystic Wanderer 1
Heartwarden 9
Spelldancer 2
Comtemplative 1
Feats:
Shaky (flaw)
Noncombatant (flaw)
Dodge (bonus)
Mobility (bonus)
Spell Focus (enchantment) (1st)
Weapon Focus (whip) (3rd)
Iron Will (bonus) Otugyh Hole location from Complete Scoundrel (3,000 gp)
Combat casting (6th)
Endurance (9th)
Persistent Spell (12th)
Spells Known
1st:
Conviction (Morale bonus on save throws)
Shield of Faith (Deflection bonus on AC)
Divine Favor (Luck bonus on Attack and Damage -- me only)
Protection from (Deflection bonus and resistance bonus AC/saves)
Cure Light Wounds
*Blank spell known*
2nd:
Elation (+2 morale bonus to Dex and Str, + 5 ft morale bonus spd)
Divine Protection (+1 morale bonus to AC)
Lesser Restoration
Cure Moderate Wounds
Silence
Living Undeath (-4 to Cha, immunity to criticals and sneak attack)
3rd
Grace (+2 sacred bonus Dex + 10 ft Spd - 20 Hide -- me only)
Holy Storm (-4 spot, listen, search, ranged combat, 2d6 to evil no save/resistance)
Shield of Warding (blessed shield gives sacred bonus to AC and Saves)
Mass Resist Energy (energy resistance 30 for everyone)
Mark of Doom (No save/resistance, 1d6/caster level damage if they do anything aggressive)
Cure Serious Wounds
4th
Sheltered Vitality (Immune to fatigue, exhaustion, ability drain/damage)
Neutralize Poison
Recitation (+2 Luck bonus on AC, Attacks, Saves - +3 if same deity)
Restoration
Divine Power
Delay Death (don't die at -10 hp, still disabled)
5th
True Seeing
Divine Agility (+10 Enhancement to Dex)
Triad Spell (Cast 3rd level spell or lower 3 times on one slot)
Raise Dead
Righteous Wraith of the Faithful (extra attack +3 morale bonus to Attack and Damage)
Revivify (raise dead within 1 round, no level lost) OR
Lifeward (Immunity to death spells, negative energy, energy drain, death effects, armor count as ghost touch)
6th
Heal
Call Faithful Servants
Vigorous Circle (Fast Healing 3 to group)
Chasing Perfection (+4 enhancement bonus to all stats)
Greater Blindsight (blindsight out to 60 ft)
Greater Dispel Magic
7th level
Mass Spell Resistance
Mass Restoration
Holy Star (spell turning, +6 circumstance bonus AC, Attack)
Fortunate Fate (contingent Heal)
Shield of the Archons (Immunity to attacks -- personal)
*Blank spell known*
8th
Holy Aura
Mass Deathward
Stormrage (flight speed and lightning attack each round -- personal)
Greater Spell Immunity (Up to 8th level spells)
*Blank Spell Known*
9th
Miracle
True Resurrection
Mass Heal
Greater Visage of the Deity (Multiple bonuses, personal)
The basic idea is to use the spelldancer ability to presist all your spells for the day starting with sheltered vitality which makes you immune to fatigue and exhaustion (important because the spelldancer ability can fatigue and exhaust you if you aren't careful)...mystic wanderer adds your CHA bonus as a scared bonus to AC as long as you don't wear actual armor (can still use bracers of armor).
All told after accounting for magical items I had a touch AC of 93(ish) at level 20 with a minimum save throw of +43, and immunity to everything (including actual death -- one of the spells lets you go below negative 10 HP).
And yes my DM and I double checked everything to make sure I wasn't doubling up on bonus types, or miscalculating the totals.
That's very impressive. I can see trotting out Power Word: No on it just the same. ;)
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concur on the impressive statement.
persistent Greater Visage, Divine Power, Stormrage, and Divine Favor were enough on my cleric to render him all but unkillable, though.
and as DM, unless for an absolute twink-er-iffic one-shot, Power Word: No becomes the default.
really? 90+ touch ac? and invulnerable to all "you die or are otherwise screwed" effects? wow.
-t
Yeah it started off as a "well what if..." statement and grew from there. The character was a real blast to play however, and not for the mechanics of it. She grew up in a temple of Sune, never attended classes or what not. When she asked why she was there the clerics typically smiled and said, "Because Sune wishes it."
Almost never did anything offensive, and generally stuck to simply buffing the party and applying diplomacy and good sense (character was a lesser Aasimar, we go into the cold north... using a form of the cold weather exposure rules, and my character, in a simple dress remembers, "Oh yes! We need to get you poor humans and halflings some winter clothing! You'll freeze up here!").
There is however one big weakness to that build...
Anti-magic field, good bye buffs good bye butt.