information in the AC, clarification and input

[Arteker]

first :
A hard cap is a hard cap (you get no benefit at X point). AC in EQ used to have a hard cap until like PoP or right before PoP when it was removed.

A soft cap is a reduced benefit per point after X point. AC DOES still have soft caps.

A point of diminishing returns is the mathematical point where graphing AC versus mob attack where the benefit per point reaches X (where X is undefined, you have to define it yourself). That is dependent on context and your opinion of what "diminished returns" means to you, since you get diminishing returns from 1 ac onward, technically.

For the OP:

1) AC as in the ac on the item itself has zero affect on avoidance rates.

2) A small portion of your visible displayed ac affects avoidance, which is derived from agility stat (very small), mod2 of +avoidance, and possibly some small fragment of defense skill which itself hasn't been really parsed for an avoidance portion, but I believe most of us assume defense skill just goes into mitigation.

Cap +avoidance at 100. Get improved dodge skill item. Get a +dodge% item. Keep your defensive skills like dodge maxed. Max combat agility aa. Equip a shield and use shield block, or 2h staff and staff block. Stack up on +heroic agility. That's all you can do as a caster. Your avoidance is maxed. More ac just reduces average hit size.