Bracers of armor are your best bet, the ring will remove your monk abilities. In addition, alot of forms which will increase your defenses will be out of reach with both hands being used.
the ring is kind of a DM's call, so you should probably plan on no as a response. With an item that expensive that generally means not buying it. Bracers definitely work but are expensive.
A wand of mage armor is probably a better investment. Its pretty rare that someone in the party can't activate it for you. If there's regularly a wizard in your group, consider investing a grand in a pearl of power and having them use it for you.
The trick with AC is that the more you try to pile on one item the more expensive it gets. So what you want to do is add as little from as many different sources as possible.
Borrowing jiggies list with a few modification...
+4 750 gp/2 pp for wand of mage armor
ring of protection +1 (2,000gp)
amulet of natural armor +1 (2,000gp)
Headband of wisdom +2 (4,000)
belt of incredible dexterity +2 (4,000gp)
jingasa of the fortunate soldier (5,000gp - from Ultimate Equipment)
+2 to ring (6,000gp to upgrade from +1)
+2 to amulet (6,000gp to upgrade from +1)
10,000 GP PIIIILE UP!
+4 headband of wisdom (10,000 to upgrade headband from 2--->4)
+4 belt of dexterity (10,000 to upgrade headband from 2--->4)
+3 belt
+3 ring
For 2,000 gp you can get a Vibrant purple prism ioun stone: This stone stores one spell level, as a ring of spell storing (minor). Price: 2,000 gp.
Have a party member cast shield into it and then use it if you're in trouble.
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With Monks the competition for the neck slot is too high to probably worry about the amulet if natural armor. Chances are you'll want an amulet of mighty fists there.
If you're a Qinggong Monk, trade something out for the ability to cast Barkskin instead of the amulet. 10 mins/level for 1 Ki, and it starts with a better bonus than the Amulet of Natural armor. +2 at 4th level (the earliest you can take it), +3 at 6th level, by which time it will last as long as Mage armor from a wand. +4 at 9th. And all you give up is Slow Fall (or High Jump, if you want to keep Slow Fall).
The ioun stone for Shield is a good suggestion. There's also the Cloak of the Hedge Mage (Abjuration) which will let you case shield once per day. You give up the Cloak of Resistance, though, which is a big compromise.
And remember, you can always spend 1 Ki for a +4 Dodge bonus for 1 round if you find yourself in a bad spot.
The ioun stone for Shield is a good suggestion. There's also the Cloak of the Hedge Mage (Abjuration) which will let you case shield once per day. You give up the Cloak of Resistance, though, which is a big compromise.
Less of a problem for a Monk, though, who already has great saves. Also, the Abjuration cloak does let you cast Resistance at will. It only lasts for one minute, but it's something.
With Monks the competition for the neck slot is too high to probably worry about the amulet if natural armor. Chances are you'll want an amulet of mighty fists there.
Only if your punching things. Smashing faces with a temple sword is always an option, and its a bit cheaper too!
Anyways, the ring says as a heavy shield which infers you lose the bonus. Whether it has ACP is irrelevant, plenty of ways to hit 0 ACP with armor and shields. That said, I could see an view for otherwise. You can definitely use bracers of armor or mage armor though, almost necessary to stay effective. Ring of Deflection, Bracers of Armor, and Amulet of Natural armor are your usual means of raising defenses, with a few odds and ends there like the Jingasa and Ioun Stone.
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The ioun stone for Shield is a good suggestion. There's also the Cloak of the Hedge Mage (Abjuration) which will let you case shield once per day. You give up the Cloak of Resistance, though, which is a big compromise.Less of a problem for a Monk, though, who already has great saves. Also, the Abjuration cloak does let you cast Resistance at will. It only lasts for one minute, but it's something.
Good point. I actually have one of these on my Monk, because I came to the same conclusion about saves. I always forget to cast Resistance when buffing before an encounter, though.
It also gives Endure Elements once a day (so, essentially constant, since the duration is 24 hours), and Prestidigitation at will, which is great for my Monk's Vow of Cleanliness. It's a nifty item. I just know sometimes people get attached to the Cloak of Resistance, and I can't really blame them.
Honestly, there are a lot of ways to boost a Monk's AC. It's easier than boosting their to-hit. At 7th level, I cap out at around a 38 AC when fully buffed.
+1 Natural Armor (Nagaji) +2 Dex +3 Wis +1 Monk AC +1 Dodge +1 Ring of Protection +4 Mage Armor +3 Barkskin +4 Shield +4 Ki Point (dodge bonus) +4 Mobility (dodge bonus) = 38 AC against attacks of opportunity on a move
34 for the round against everything else. 30 passive without spending A Ki for the round. 19 if caught completely unprepared. I don't own a Dex belt (went Con and will probably add Str), and I don't yet have a Wis headband. Or a Dusty Rose Ioun Stone. Or use Crane Style. So there's lots of room for improvement. I've always felt AC is one of the Monk's strengths, though it does take putting all the outside components together to get there.
Now my to hit is another story entirely...
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With Monks the competition for the neck slot is too high to probably worry about the amulet if natural armor. Chances are you'll want an amulet of mighty fists there.Only if your punching things. Smashing faces with a temple sword is always an option, and its a bit cheaper too!
True!
EDIT - There's also the Necklace of Ki Serenity, the Amulet of Hidden Strength, the Necklace of Adaptation, and a certain Monk focused boon item, so there are other good options. I guess my point being, pretty much every Monk can give up a seldom used class feature (Slow Fall) to be able to cast Barkskin, and get a better bonus than the Amulet of Natural Armor. True, it's for a limited time, but in PFS, you can generally guess within an hour of when you're going to get in a fight. And often that's the whole scenario. Same theory as the Wand of Mage Armor. Why spend thousands of gold and take up an item slot for something that another ability can give you for free (or almost free in the case of a charge from a wand). If you have a low Ki build, or you've taken an archetype that swaps out Slow Fall and High Jump, I can see going with the amulet. Otherwise Barkskin is much more efficient (in PFS).
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One more item that hasn't been mentioned is the Snakeskin Tunic. +1 Armor bonus (won't stack with Mage Armor) +2 bonus to Dex +2 resistance bonus to saves vs Poison. 8,000 gp. It's likely not optimal, but if you have other plans for your Belt slot, it's an alternative to the ioun stone for raising Dex. Same cost, same Dex bonus. You get +1 AC unbuffed, and it's in a seldom used slot (Chest). I'll probably pick one up for my Nagaji, just for the image of him wearing a snakeskin shirt.
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Ok, here is the list of purchace order if you want to maximize you Armor Class as a monk:
1000g - Bracers of Armor +1
2000g - Ring of Protection +1
2000g - Amulet of Natural Armor +1
3000g - Bracers of Armor from +1 to +2
4000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2
4000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2
5000g - Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier
5000g - Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone
5000g - Bracers of Armor from +2 to +3
6000g - Ring of Protection from +1 to +2
6000g - Amulet of Natural Armor from +1 to +2
7000g - Bracers of Armor from +3 to +4
8000g - Snakeskin Tunic
9000g - Bracers of Armor from +4 to +5
10000g - Ring of Protection from +2 to +3
10000g - Amulet of Natural Armor from +2 to +3
10000g - Ring of Foe Focus
11000g - Bracers of Armor from +5 to +6
12000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity from +2 to +4
12000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom from +2 to +4
13000g - Monk's Robe
13000g - Bracers of Armor from +6 to +7
14000g - Ring of Protection from +3 to +4
14000g - Amulet of Natural Armor from +3 to +4
13000g - Bracers of Armor from +7 to +8
18000g - Ring of Protection from +4 to +5
18000g - Amulet of Natural Armor from +4 to +5
20000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity from +4 to +6
20000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom from +4 to +6
There are a few notes to be added to here:
- Bracers of Armor is expensive (16000g for +4). The alternative is to have some Potions of Mage Armor or a Wand of Mage Armor handy for a Wizard, Summoner, Sorcerer, or Witch to cast. Unless you are going long durations in scenarios, which is usually unlikely, you can save a lot of gold by going the Mage Armor route.
- Snakeskin Tunic gives +1 AC (Armor), as well as +2 Dexterity (Enhancement). This results in +2 to your Armor Class, though it is very dependent on two circumstances: Do you have an AC (Armor) Bonus (see above), and Do you have a Belt of Dexterity? If you say yes to either of those, the priority of this item drops significantly. If you say yes to both, you can ignore this item.
- Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier has a perk if you have a trait that coinsides with the bonus. As other people has said, the Faith Trait, Fate's Favored, increases the Luck bonus of any type by 1. This in turn, converts the Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier from a mid-priority, to high-priority in terms of gaining AC in comparaison to gold availibility.
- Ring of Protection is higher in the priority in terms with the relation to the Amulet of Natural Armor. Though both gives Armor Class at an equal gold rate, there are two distinct points that have to be made. First, the Ring of Protection gives AC (Deflection) while the Amulet of Natural Armor gives AC (Natural). When going against touch attacks, AC (Defection) will apply while AC (Natural) will not. Second, the Amulet of Natural Armor conflicts with the use of another Neck Slot item, the Amulet of Mighty Fists. Weigh the factors accordingly.
- The Ring of Foe Focus gives +2 AC (Untyped), but does have two issues to be pointed out. As per the Magical Item Use rule, it does take a Standard Action to designate a target to be your "foe". Moreover, it is only a single target, so its efficiency will be a bit less when there are multiple opponents on the field.
- Headband of Inspired Wisdom and the Monk's Robe both rely on the AC Bonus ability that a Monk have. If you decide to wear armor (note that Mage Armor is a magical effect that gives you AC (Armor) without wearing armor), you will lose your AC Bonus ability. This can possibly factor into purchasing options.
Other than that, there are also a few options that you can do that does not cost gold, but can affect how you play your character:
- Dropping Prone
- Fighting Defensively
- Total Defense
- Feats
Prone does three things by itself. It gives melee opponents +4 to their attacks on you. It also gives a -4 penalty to your attacks versus opponents in your attack range. However, it also gives a +4 to your Armor Class against Ranged Attacks. You can choose to drop prone as a free action. If you are in a pinch with a whole lot of archers, you can move and fall prone to try to get away. Next round, you stand, move, then fall prone. It may be somewhat inefficient in running away, but sometimes a few bonus to Armor Class counts.
Fighting Defensively is something you can do during your attacks. You take a -4 penalty to attack to gain +2 AC (Dodge). Make note that when you have at least 3 ranks in Acrobatics, the AC (Dodge) increases to +3.
Total Defense works like Fighting Defensivley, but does two differeing things. First you gain +4 AC (Dodge). Make note that when you have at least 3 ranks in Acrobatics, the AC (Dodge) increases to +6. Second, you can not attack or make an Attack of Opportunity when using the Total Defense action.
Feats can be used in a similar way to gain bonuses to your Armor Class. Dodge is the standard example, as it simply gives +1 AC (Dodge). Make note that AC (Dodge) Bonuses stack with other AC (Dodge) Bonuses. If you are going to the Fighting Defensively action, as a Monk, you have the option of obtaining Crane Style as early as the first level in Monk. Crane Style increases the bonus of both Fighting Defensively and the Total Defense Action by 1. Moreover, Crane Style reduces the penalty of Fighting Defensivley by 2, resulting in an overall -2 penalty to attacks. If you have 3 ranks in Acrobatics while using Crane Style and Fighting Defensively, your overall penalty/bonus becomes a -2 to attack/+4 AC (Dodge).
There are many other things you can do to help increase your overall Armor Class (Boots of Speed, Potion of Barkskin, etc), though what I give you here are a few options to help find what is right for you.
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That is the single Best breakdown of how to build a decent AC Monk I have ever seen. I follow ALL the principles you lay out when building monks and the problem is that there are a ton of GOOD Options but no BEST Options. People don't want to think about it, so they don't. Kudos for a great breakdown of a complicated issue. BTW I have seen REALLY good Monk AC's.
I'd like to make a few modifications to this order-of-purchases, to make it a bit more practical...
Ok, here is the list of purchace order if you want to maximize you Armor Class as a monk:
2 Prestige - Wand of mage armor
2000g - Ring of Protection +1
2 Prestige plus 2000g - Wand of shield plus Cracked Vibrant Purple Prism
4000g/6000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2
4000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2
5000g - Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier
5000g - Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone
6000g - Ring of Protection from +1 to +2
10000g - Ring of Protection from +2 to +3
12000g/18000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity from +2 to +4
12000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom from +2 to +4
13000g - Monk's Robe
14000g - Ring of Protection from +3 to +4
18000g - Ring of Protection from +4 to +5
20000g/30000g - Belt of Incredible Dexterity from +4 to +6
20000g - Headband of Inspired Wisdom from +4 to +6
25000g - Bracers of Armor +5
-11000g - Bracers of Armor from +5 to +6
-13000g - Bracers of Armor from +6 to +7
-15000g - Bracers of Armor from +7 to +8
A few things to note:
-Bracers of Armor are a terrible purchase. Receiving mage armor all the time is not much of a problem. If you're having trouble finding someone who's willing to spend a 1st-level spell slot past level 4 or so to raise a party member's AC, that's why you've got the wand. If you still can't make that work, your party has bigger problems.-The Ring of Foe Focus is similarly terrible, because of the standard action required for a mere +2 AC, when shield grants +4.
-The same goes for the Amulet of Natural Armor. Just be a Qinggong Monk, or see about finding a party Druid or Summoner to help you out.
-The above list does not go into feats, feats like Dodge or Additional Traits for Fate's Favored.
-The cost of the Belt of Incredible Dexterity is somewhat deceptive, because you probably want to boost multiple physical stats. When you do so, the cost per stat goes up.
-Matt
Would using the scarf count as a shield and cause the monk to lose his Monk AC Bonus?
As far as I can tell it doesn't. Its not wielding a shield or as wielding a shield. You can get a shield bonus without wielding a thing.
Would using the scarf count as a shield and cause the monk to lose his Monk AC Bonus?
The Monk would keep his Monk AC Bonus, because receiving a shield bonus to AC is different than carrying a shield.
-Matt
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A few things to note:
-Bracers of Armor...
-Ring of Foe Focus...
-Amulet of Natural Armor...
-The above list does not go into feats, feats like Dodge or Additional Traits for Fate's Favored.
-The cost of the Belt of Incredible Dexterity is somewhat deceptive, because you probably want to boost multiple physical stats. When you do so, the cost...
- Bracers of Armor is expensive (16000g for +4). The alternative is to have some Potions of Mage Armor or a Wand of Mage Armor handy for a Wizard, Summoner, Sorcerer, or Witch to cast. Unless you are going long durations in scenarios, which is usually unlikely, you can save a lot of gold by going the Mage Armor route.
- Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier has a perk if you have a trait that coinsides with the bonus. As other people has said, the Faith Trait, Fate's Favored, increases the Luck bonus of any type by 1. This in turn, converts the Jingasa of the Fortunate Soldier from a mid-priority, to high-priority in terms of gaining AC in comparaison to gold availibility.
- Ring of Protection is higher in the priority in terms with the relation to the Amulet of Natural Armor. Though both gives Armor Class at an equal gold rate, there are two distinct points that have to be made. First, the Ring of Protection gives AC (Deflection) while the Amulet of Natural Armor gives AC (Natural). When going against touch attacks, AC (Defection) will apply while AC (Natural) will not. Second, the Amulet of Natural Armor conflicts with the use of another Neck Slot item, the Amulet of Mighty Fists. Weigh the factors accordingly.
- The Ring of Foe Focus gives +2 AC (Untyped), but does have two issues to be pointed out. As per the Magical Item Use rule, it does take a Standard Action to designate a target to be your "foe". Moreover, it is only a single target, so its efficiency will be a bit less when there are multiple opponents on the field.
Feats can be used in a similar way to gain bonuses to your Armor Class. Dodge is the standard example, as it simply gives +1 AC (Dodge). Make note that AC (Dodge) Bonuses stack with other AC (Dodge) Bonuses. If you are going to the Fighting Defensively action, as a Monk, you have the option of obtaining Crane Style as early as the first level in Monk. Crane Style increases the bonus of both Fighting Defensively and the Total Defense Action by 1. Moreover, Crane Style reduces the penalty of Fighting Defensivley by 2, resulting in an overall -2 penalty to attacks. If you have 3 ranks in Acrobatics while using Crane Style and Fighting Defensively, your overall penalty/bonus becomes a -2 to attack/+4 AC (Dodge).
Qinggong Monk and the variable stats with the Belf of Physical Might are stuff that are also worth noting. Qinggong Monk I have never used before and forgot that they can use a Ki Point to obtain Barkskin. To further add to this, a standard monk can also use a Ki Point to gain +4 AC (Dodge) for 1 round. I tend to forget limited resourced abilities in my calculations. As for the Belt of Physical Might, remember the cost of the Belt is 10000g/40000g/90000g, so to obtain a Belt of Physical Might +4, you have to burn through pretty much half you total accumulated gold income for your character.
For Feats and Traits, I can give the options, but some are very circumstantial, like Race or Combat Requirements:
- Combat Expertise - -1 Attack/+1 AC (Dodge) and another -1/+1 per 4 BAB. At Level 11, you are looking at -3 Attack/+3 AC (Dodge). This stacks with Fighting Defensively, but not the Total Defense action, as you have to be attacking to gain the benefit.
- Djinni Style - Gives you +2 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunities. Must have at least a use of Elemental Fist to have this bonus.
- Guardian of the Wild (Elf) - Must have Attuned to the Wild. Attuned to the Wild selects a Favored Terrain, which in turn, results in +2 AC (Dodge) in that Terrain.
- Mobility - +4 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunity. Only applies on Attack of Opportunity that trigger during moving in or out of Threatened Squares.
- Underfoot (Halfling) - +2 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunity of larger opponents. Stacks with Mobility.
- Reach Defense - +2 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunity from opponents that are not adjacent. Can be used as a requirement for Mobility rather than Dodge.
- Dodge - +1 AC (Dodge). Clean and simple.
- Defensive Weapon Training - +2 AC (Dodge) from a single Fighter Weapon group.
- Earth Child Style (Dwarf/Gnome) - +6 AC (Dodge) against Giants instead of +4 AC (Dodge).
- Kirin Style - Swift Action to make a Knowledge Check on a Single Creature. Success gives +2 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunity from that Creature.
- Low Profile (Small Race) - +1 AC (Dodge) against Ranged Attacks.
- Lost in the Crowd - +1 AC (Dodge) when threatened by 2+ Opponents.
- Monkey Shine - Part of the Monkey Style tree. When you successfully use Stunning Fist, you can enter the target's space. You gain +4 AC (Dodge) against that opponent.
- Osyluth Guile - When Fighting Defensively or using the Total Defense action, select one visible opponent. Add your Charisma Modifier to AC (Dodge) against that opponent until your next turn.
- Shadow Dodge (Norgober worshipper) - Gain a cumulative +1 AC (Dodge) per 10 feet of moving in and out of shadowed areas.
- Shield of Swings - Deal 1/2 Damage from a 2-Handed Full-Attack action to gain +4 AC (Shield).
- Snake Style - Use an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use that roll for your AC or AC (Touch).
- Snapping Turtle Style - +1 AC (Shield) when having 1 hand open.
- Snapping Turtle Clutch - Part of Snapping Turtle Style tree. The bonus applies to AC (Touch) as well.
- Snapping Turtle Shell - Part of Snapping Turtle Style tree. Increase bonus from +1 to +2.
- Taldan Squire - +1 AC (Dodge) when within 10 feet of an injured ally with the Mounted Combat feat.
- Angelic Flesh (Aasimar) - Must take the Steel Affinity. +1 AC (Natural).
- Cautious Fighter (Halfling) - When Fighting Defensively or using the Total Defense action, +2 AC (Dodge)
- Armor of the Pit (Tiefling) - +2 AC (Natural)
- Ironhide (Dwarf/Half-Orc) - +1 AC (Natural)
- Rod of Flailing - 1/day - +4 AC (Deflection), +4 Saves (Resistance) for 10 Minutes. Costs 50000g, or roughly half your overall gold.
- Rod of Balance - When Fighting Defensively, the base bonus of AC (Dodge) is 4 instead of 2. Costs 15000g.
- Boots of Speed - 10 rnds/day - Haste. Haste increases AC by 1. 12000g.
- Dervish (Qadria Campaign Trait) - +1 AC (Dodge) against Attacks of Opportunity when moving out of or within a threatened area.
- Expert Duelist (Taldor Campaign Trait) - +1 AC (Trait) when adjacent to a single enemy. This does not apply to AC (Touch) or AC (Flat-Footed).
- Halflings, Gnomes, and Wayangs gain +1 AC (Size) due to their Small Sise.
- Underfoot (Alternate Halfing Racial Trait) - +1 AC (Dodge) against Larger Creatures.
- Defensive Training (Dwarf/Gnome) - +4 AC (Dodge) against Giant subtype.
- Armored Scales (Nagaji) - +1 AC (Armor)
- Bond to the Land (Alternate Gnome Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) in a single Favored Terrain.
- Warden of Nature (Alternate Gnome Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) against Abberation, Ooze, and Vermin subtype.
- Deep Warrior (Alternate Dwarf Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) against Abberation subtype.
- Saltbeard (Alternate Dwarf Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) against Aquatic and Water subtype.
- Sky Sentinel (Alternate Dwarf Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) against Flying creatures.
- Wyrmscourged (Alternate Dwarf Racial Trait) - +2 AC (Dodge) against dragons.
- Scaled Skin (Alternate Tiefling Racial Trait) - +1 AC (Natural)
- Celestial Crusader (Alternate Aasimar Racial Trait) - +1 AC (Insight) against Evil Outsiders.
There might be more stuff that give bonuses to Armor Class, but the ones I listed are what can be used via race, or stuff that can usually be used by Monks.
Note that with Styles, it does take a Swift Action to activate a style. You can only have one style active at any given time, unless you are a Master of Many Styles Monk archetype.
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Rotok, if you are rather dedicated to this matter, I would recommend digging through this thread from late last year, starting about 1/2 way through. I posted about a dozen monk builds in there, some of the full builds capping off around 77 AC (and some theory crafts past 85).
Cao Phen covered itemization fairly well. I would add rod of balance to his list, personally.
The build is equally important though. Is this character already made? Do you have access to blood of angels and/or the advanced race guide?
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Just a reminder, AC (Dodge) and AC (Untyped) are usually the only things that stack. Makes sure that something like a Bracer of Armor +1 and Mage Armor are being used at the same time.
Though AC (Dodge) can be stacked through the roof, there is a major flaw to it. If you are flat-footed, you do not add your AC (Dodge) to your Armor Class. Feinting, Suprise Rounds, and Invisibility are good examples of when you are flat-footed. You can partially circumvent this by getting the Blind-Fight and Improved Blind-Fight. Worshippers of Torag are also not flat-footed at the start of combat via the Defensive Strategist Religion trait from the Faiths of Purity Companion booklet. Feinting still works against them, though.
When I play a druid in a party with a monk, I just consider myself to have gotten two animal companions to spell up.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8
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Here are the AC bonuses for my 11th level Champion of Irori, though I haven't really concentrated on it.
Normal AC 21
- Base 10
- Dex +1
- Monk +3 (monk's robes)
- Wis +3
- Armor +4 (mage armor)
Conditional modifiers
- Deflection +4 (smite evil)
- Dodge +1-3 (+1 per adjacent enemy, flowing monk)
- Dodge +1 (boots of speed)
- Sacred +3 (if adjacent to two or more enemies and no allies, Champion of Irori)
- Natural Armor +2 (1 minute per day, rune of armor)
- Combat Expertise +3
Caps out around 37 (41 if I spend a ki point) and drops by two if I get enlarged.