Question - Is there a level-based AC cap?

[Ransurian]

I've always assumed that stacking AC is always a good thing, even for low-level characters. However, I recently stumbled across a (somewhat old) thread that mentions a level-based AC cap, which quotes an EQ dev that used to work on "core game mechanics." Here's the thread in question.

https://www.project1999.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=48312

"Re: Feed back on soft cap

Kavhok
EQ Designer
Posts: 14

Your AC cap was lowered. That was absolutely and unequivocally a nerf. I didn't mean in any way to imply otherwise.

Let me give a more full explanation of what happened, though. Here's how the AC formula used to work before the patch immediately preceding PoP:

The AC from your items was added up, but the value used for it was hard capped based on your level. This was the same for all classes. Once you had 289 raw AC from items (or 385 as a cloth class, since they get less effect from item AC), that was it. More AC from items wouldn't do anything.

After this, it added your class bonuses (including the monk bonus, which is equivalent to your level + 5 in raw item AC), defense skill bonus, agility bonus, and the AC from spell buffs.

Total AC at this point was capped again, this time based on class. In the Kunark-era code, this was a hard cap, but sometime during Velious it was changed to a soft cap for melee classes only. The return was fairly small, though.


The pre-PoP patch did a few things:

- The cap on item AC was no longer used except at lower levels (twinking was a concern since that was before recommended level items were in heavy use)."

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What does all this mean? Is it meaningless to equip Cobalt / Blood Ember / etc at lower levels? Does anyone have the slightest clue what the numbers are in terms of a formula for calculating an AC cap based on level?