So i have played in a few campaigns now that were all very homebrew based and i recently found a group to find just the basic dnd 5e with me, so i wanted to play as a fighter and wanted to choose chain mail and shield for my character (im basing it on a mini i had made last year which i will use in the campaign), now the question that arouse in my head was. isnt 18 AC a bit too powerfull especially at level 1? and this isnt counting anything i get from my race (its nothing AC related, its a race where the main part is i am really strong against posions and always have advantage on death saves)
So is 18 AC normal at level 1 for a fighter or did i do something wrong
the only thing im really losing out on is having disadvantage on stealth rolls which i dont think will be that important bc i dont plan to be stealthing around everywhere with this char as im already doing taht in my own campaign with my char. and especially with the shield since i took the dueling fighting style and using a spear i dont think there is really anything im missing out on
Sure, and I didn't mean to present it as a problem. It's just that when you take the +2 on armor class that comes with the shield, you're giving up on 2h weapons and, assuming you have a shield in one hand and a spear in the other hand, you won't have a free hand for other things if you need it. Again, it's all give and take. I'm just showing how stacking all of your chips in the AC build is one of several good options for a low-level fighter.
It’s a part of the Fighter’s starting gear, so clearly the devs feel it’s an acceptable AC for a new character. Keep in mind that especially in tiers 1 and 2 you can easily become the focus of two to three times as many attack rolls as you make in a round, so it balances out. Heavy armor users are supposed to be tanky.
I can see how it can be jarring for the DM when you go up against the kinds of monsters a level 1 PC typically faces. Most of them are going to have a VERY hard time hitting an 18 AC. And this is a good thing because as The_Ace_of_Rogues said earlier, level 1 PCs are very fragile, and it doesn't take too many hits to put a level 1 PC down. It all evens out pretty quickly.
Your AC is where it should be for a L1 sword & board. You'll need it if you want to be a successful meat shield tank. Get a plate when you can and you'll be even better!
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Hello to anyone kind enough to read this
So i have played in a few campaigns now that were all very homebrew based and i recently found a group to find just the basic dnd 5e with me, so i wanted to play as a fighter and wanted to choose chain mail and shield for my character (im basing it on a mini i had made last year which i will use in the campaign), now the question that arouse in my head was. isnt 18 AC a bit too powerfull especially at level 1? and this isnt counting anything i get from my race (its nothing AC related, its a race where the main part is i am really strong against posions and always have advantage on death saves)
So is 18 AC normal at level 1 for a fighter or did i do something wrong
it's on the high side, but not unreasonable. The fighter is giving up a little bit by strapping on so much armor, so it is give and take.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
the only thing im really losing out on is having disadvantage on stealth rolls which i dont think will be that important bc i dont plan to be stealthing around everywhere with this char as im already doing taht in my own campaign with my char. and especially with the shield since i took the dueling fighting style and using a spear i dont think there is really anything im missing out on
Sure, and I didn't mean to present it as a problem. It's just that when you take the +2 on armor class that comes with the shield, you're giving up on 2h weapons and, assuming you have a shield in one hand and a spear in the other hand, you won't have a free hand for other things if you need it. Again, it's all give and take. I'm just showing how stacking all of your chips in the AC build is one of several good options for a low-level fighter.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
It’s a part of the Fighter’s starting gear, so clearly the devs feel it’s an acceptable AC for a new character. Keep in mind that especially in tiers 1 and 2 you can easily become the focus of two to three times as many attack rolls as you make in a round, so it balances out. Heavy armor users are supposed to be tanky.
alright, i thank yall for your responses, if my dm doesnt like it then ill see what ill do instead, but again. thanks
It’s literally a part of the RAW starting package for Fighter; honestly if your DM doesn’t like it that’s a bit of a flag imo.
I can see how it can be jarring for the DM when you go up against the kinds of monsters a level 1 PC typically faces. Most of them are going to have a VERY hard time hitting an 18 AC. And this is a good thing because as The_Ace_of_Rogues said earlier, level 1 PCs are very fragile, and it doesn't take too many hits to put a level 1 PC down. It all evens out pretty quickly.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Your AC is where it should be for a L1 sword & board. You'll need it if you want to be a successful meat shield tank. Get a plate when you can and you'll be even better!