How should my archer upgrade armor (if at all)?

[Sere]

Now that my Bow has been upgraded, I am considering the armor.
Since my goal is to always stay out of melee, it hasn't really been a problem.

What suggestions do folks have, and why?

I do not want a max Dex of only 4. It needs to be at least 5, and 6 is great. And it MUST be PFS legal.

For example, the Mithral Shirt is Dex 6 (Core p466). It actually seems better to go Mithral Shirt than Studded Leather +1, especially as it is clearly labelled non-magical. So when I do enchant it, it will cost the smaller first tier amount.

[Chris Mortika]

That depends on what sort of magical enhancement you want on it. The first enhancement must always be a +1 AC. So, if your archer wants the light fortification property, he'll need to spend (4K - 1K =) 3,000 gp to enhance the +1 leather armor, while he'll need to spend 4,000 to give the mithril chain shirt both the +1 AC and light fortification properties.

Also, bear in mind that the character's Fame score needs to be high enough to support the entire price of the item.

[Sere]

OK, Chris, thanks.
So what if you were an archer, what armor would you want? Where would you start?

[Tharg The Pirate King]

well it all depends on class as well. I play a Zen archer so for me, I can buy Dex belt +6 for 36000 and +6wis helm for 36000gp and get more ac than if I bought armor. Also have natural armor amulet, bracers of armor and rings of deflection, but stat boosts add ac faster and cheaper.

[Sere]

Tharg The Pirate King wrote:

well it all depends on class as well. I play a Zen archer so for me, I can buy Dex belt +6 for 36000 and +6wis helm for 36000gp and get more ac than if I bought armor. Also have natural armor amulet, bracers of armor and rings of deflection, but stat boosts add ac faster and cheaper.

OK, that definitely makes sense for a monk [with experience].

But I am an L2 Rogue and a looong way from getting that kind of equipment. Right now I have 1500 gold.

So I am trying to figure out how to start. Original equipment is just simple studded leather armor (25g, +3 AC).

[doctor_wu]

I would go for a mithral shirt.

[Steelfiredragon]

I'd also go for the mythral shirt.

or agile mythral breastplate

[Tangaroa]

In PFS, it usually pays to buy armor in order of cost:

Mithral Chain Shirt 1100
Upgrade Chain Shirt +1 armor 1000
Ring of Prot +1 deflection 2000
Amulet of Natural Armor +1 natural 2000
Cracked Vibrant Purple Ioun Stone (loaded with a shield spell, +4 shield) 2000
Upgrade Chain Shirt +2 armor 3000
Vibrant Dusty Rose Prism +1 insight 5000

...and so on. Incremental costs are much easier to bear in PFS, and much easier to achieve with Prestige limits.

Sere wrote:

For example, the Mithral Shirt is Dex 6 (Core p466). It actually seems better to go Mithral Shirt than Studded Leather +1, especially as it is clearly labelled non-magical. So when I do enchant it, it will cost the smaller first tier amount.

If I understand your line of thinking, you need to take care. Fame caps to spending limits apply to item totals, not to differences in costs. So you can't upgrade from a +1 chain shirt to a +2 chain shirt until you can afford a 5100 gp total from Fame.

[Gilfalas]

Save up for Celestial Armor. Best rogue/archer armor in the core book. If you absolutely MUST have better armor right now, Mithril Chain Shirt best bet.

If money is no object (eventually) then bracers of Armor are probably the best archer armor, but it is extremely pricey and stops you from using bracers of Archery, which I assume you will want to do.

[Sere]

Thanks, that list is helpful.

Tangaroa wrote:

If I understand your line of thinking, you need to take care. Fame caps to spending limits apply to item totals, not to differences in costs. So you can't upgrade from a +1 chain shirt to a +2 chain shirt until you can afford a 5100 gp total from Fame.

Yes, I understand that. Right now, I am limited to 1500 gold (both because that is what I have and that my fame allows).

[Sere]

That's the thing -- it isn't a MUST. At least not at this level. I do figure the adventures will get harder!

Celestial Armor 22,400 gold! Wow - it will be a little while.

Gilfalas wrote:

If money is no object (eventually) then bracers of Armor are probably the best archer armor, but it is extremely pricey and stops you from using bracers of Archery, which I assume you will want to do.

I assume I want to also, if I survive long enough to be able to.... :-)

[Sere]

Steelfiredragon wrote:

I'd also go for the mythral shirt.

or agile mythral breastplate

The breastplate, agile or not, is medium armor, which appears to reduce speed. Not an option for me, but thanks.

[Sere]

Right now it is sounding like
A) stay in studded leather (+3AC, 5Dex, -1P, 20 lbs),
B) swap for the Mithral Shirt (1100g, +4AC, 4Dex, 0P, 10lbs) now,
C) wait & get a Ring+1 after the next mission.
D) Ioun Stone shield spell?

The Ring would improve Touch AC where the armor does not.
I was surprised that even natural armor does not improve Touch AC.

Need to investigate the ioun stones -- This might better than the ring.

[Jiggy]

Sere wrote:

Steelfiredragon wrote:

I'd also go for the mythral shirt.

or agile mythral breastplate

The breastplate, agile or not, is medium armor, which appears to reduce speed. Not an option for me, but thanks.

Remember that mithral armor counts as one category lighter for all purposes except proficiency. So a mithral breastplate will let you move at full speed. It also qualifies for a rogue's light-armor-only Evasion ability.