AC, Tumble and dual wielding questions

[Aremah]

AC
Armor, Natural, Deflection. Am I missing any type of AC bonus or is this it? I know that deflection bonuses don't stack (only the highest considered), and armor is just that, but how is it with natural? Does it stack?

Tumble
Besides the ability to tumble (which is later nullified by Spring Attack), the skill is said to give +1 AC every five ranks. Is this bonus permanent or only in given situations? What kind of AC does it count as? Natural?

Dual Wielding
I've heard dual wielding gives an extra attack with the off hand, but how exactly is the attack amount calculated? Given the animation, is there an attack that is considered with both weapons at once as far as game mechanics are concerned?

I'm asking because I'm wondering (assuming I'm wielding alike weapons in both hands) whether it might not be more beneficial to have the better weapon in the off hand, to nullify the damage penalties, but this all depends on the number of attacks made with each hand.

[Xandax]

Tumble AC is permenant. Had it with my Paladin wearing full plate.

When using dual wield, your off-hand has its own attack bonus, which is used (IIRC). You will make 1 extra attack at this off hand bonus (without being hasted).
The animaiton of your character has nothing to do with the attack swings - so disregard thoese.

[Gauda]

about ac you also have cover bonus, insight bonus and circumstance bonus

[Baedden]

Dodge bonuses to AC do stack, up to +10.

[shift244]

AC

AC[deflection] as you know, only counts with the highest value. But that is not all true. There are exceptions. Body armor provides deflection AC and you can only have one of these. Shields do to and WILL stack with body armor. Cloacks do as well, and WILL stack with both body armor and shields. Bracers or armor, rings/amulets of protection will not stack with body armor. This is what I seem to notice in NWN.

AC[natural] works like deflection armor, in that only the highest will count. So amulets of natural armor should not stack with other natural armor values either. But the highest natural armor value will stack with the deflection values.

AC[dodge] is any additional armor that are added due to character mobility. All such AC stack upon each other and will be increased with spells like Haste. However, this AC type will only be added into your "active" AC in a round upon your turn to move, ie. anyone who beats your initiative will be able to attack you without you gaining this AC value. This AC is also lost when stunned, paralysed, entagled or otherwise rendered immobile. Dodge ACs stack over deflection and natural AC. Situational ACs are often dodge AC and they work in the same manner.

AC[enchantment] is a magical AC that will stack on top of all AC. Such AC are benefits of additional AC from body armor, sheilds, spells etc.

Tumble
Tumble AC should be considered Dodge AC, but I'm not too sure here, as the only characters that I've played with Tumble are "mobile combatants" with very good reflex and high initiative. Might come back after I check the actual rules.

Dual weilding
With your off hand, you get a bonus attack at your highest Base Attack Bonus, plus whatevery attack bonuses and penalties that may apply. The Imp 2 Weapon Fighting Feat gives you a second attack with the off hand at a -5 penalty. This is the same as a second attack with your main hand at +1, when your BAB reaches +6 (+6/+1).

note: In the original NWN (without expansion) the max value of any bonus is +10. So with all the AC types, your nett AC is cannot go beyond 40. But with the inclusion of the expansions, and patches (esp for HOTU), this limit/cap has been increased (or removed altogether).

[Gauda]

What I find rather wierd is tha the bonus from headband of intellect and ring of clear thoughts stack. Ability bonuses shouldn't stack unless noted otherwise, like the hammer of thunderbolt the artifact where the bonuses from the gauntlets of ogre strenght and the girdle of giant strenght stack when you wear it.

Man I wish you could find that weapon in NWN (you could make it in bg2, though it was named Crom Fayer there, and somewhat more powerful). Sword of Kas would be cool to find too, beyond doubt the most powerful sword which was ever to be forged in dungeons and dragons

[Aremah]

shift244 - Thanks

Gauda - Yeah, that hammer rocked. Along with the Flail of Ages (fully upgraded) and the Holy Avenger (which can be found both in IWD2 and NWN - or SoU - but are pretty weak compared to the BG2 one, especially when it was further upgraded in ToB). Personally, I can't wait to get the Celestial Fury (called Divine Fury in NWN) but I fear it won't be as easy as it looks, as it seems to be a random treasure.

[Aremah]

I just noticed that my Tumble ranks fell to 0. The AC bonus is there, but the ranks in the skill screen (in game, not the levelling up one - that one shows it correctly) show 0. Could this be because of Spring Attack (which nullifies Tumble) or is it a bug?

[t.a.j.]

Maybe you're wearing heavy armor?
Armor check penalties are allready figured into the value you see in you skills screen.

[Aremah]

I am, but it's been the same for the last 3 levels, and I've been adding points into Tumble every time. I think it's the Spring Attack (after all, Tumble checks don't get made if you move around without provoking attacks of opportunity).