Question regarding AC

[Akalee]

This is a post made by one of our guildy.

I wanted to know how accurate this post is. Please post your thoughts, thanks.

"Form of Defense VII : Increase AC by 189
Form of Defense VIII : Increase AC by 216

27 AC difference doesn't seem like alot, right? However, the mechanics of Form of Defense work very differently than Conventional AC.

Spell AC (AC from Buffs and Spells) are in fact treated as non-softcapped AC. IE, treated on a 1:1 basis similar to Shield AC.

For Warriors, once they exceed the AC Softcap (somewhere around 2000), they recieve a softcap return of 2.9 added AC = 1 raw AC. This is confirmed from Dev information and posts.

In other words,

1 AC from Form of Defense = 1 Raw AC = 2.9 AC worn above Softcap.
27 AC FOD = 27 Raw AC = 78.3 Worn AC.

So, let's take the Unneksteel-Plate Spaulders as an example...

AC 90, hp 1174 are the base stats on AC. We're not going to discuss Heroic Agility (which is currently parsed to equal ~ 5 ac worn for each point), Heroic Dexterity (which increases the chance of parry and block), or Heroic Strength (which increases the effectiveness of Shields).

Let's say our Warrior in question was wearing a Korafax level shoulder like War-touched Pauldrons of Zek (AC 81, hp 935).

It would seem that upgrading those shoulders would increase AC by 9, and hp by 239. An significant increase in tanking? Yes. A massive increase? No.

However, if you apply the improvement from FOD VII to FOD VIII, then translated to gear stats, the upgrade is more along the following...

Unneksteel-Plate Spaulders, AC 168.3 (90 base + 78.3 from FOD VII > FOD VIII), HP 1174
War-touched Pauldrons of Zek, AC 81, hp 935.

Effective improvement? +87 AC, +239 HPs. For a point of comparison, Darkheart Earring from the Tower of Discord is 68 AC, 1005 HPs.

Having a warrior upgrade from FOD VII > FOD VII is like giving the warrior 2 more 30 AC augs + 1 27 AC aug, or the additional AC from 1.27 more Darkheart Earrings. How many hours would most melee camp a mob to upgrade an aug from 25 to 35 AC? What if you could upgrade from an augment from 30 AC to 117 AC? That's what Form of Defense VIII does."


I really doubt this info is accurate, that FoD VII and FoD VIII would be such a big difference.

[Abazzagorath]

Its not accurate. *shrug*

Buffed ac does not raise your softcap.

[Uhaen]

If we assume that spell AC is soft-cap AC: the math looks correct, but have your guildy go parse the results of an additional at most 1.5% increase in AC and let us know the spread difference. 29 AC meant a lot back in Omens, but let's be practical in today's game: how often is that 29 AC going to turn a DI5 into a DI4? Or a 9 into an 8? At this point in time, the inflation is so heavy that if you can parse a difference that beats out the percent error, I'd be heavily impressed.

That's not to say I'd suggest not upgrading your character, because best-of-the-best is the mentality that gets most raiders where they are; however, you're not likely going to see one less DI20 on a raid boss with 29 extra AC.