Hello everyone I am starting a campaign next week as a Dwarf Battlesmith. I have taken Origin Feat Tough so I get a +3 HP every level up planning on using a Shield + a Battleaxe/Warhammer

Basically trying to be the crazy mad scientist frontline Dwarf. I know I could go armorer and just have heavy armor proficiency but I like the spell list and everything else about the Battlesmith more for what I want the character to do.

We are starting at level 3 so in one level I can choose a feat. Initially my plan was to go War Caster

This would bump my INT to 20 as its currently 19 which I know is huge but I am unsure what would be better early on having the ability to use heavy armor or getting the advantage on con saves and the 20 int

Here is info on my character currently this is 2024 rules 5.5e and 5.5e expanded rules

Race: Dwarf
Feat: Tough

Level: 3
HP: 36
AC: 14 (will be 16 with shield)

STR: 13
DEX: 14
CON: 16
INT: 19
WIS: 15
CHA: 13

Proficiency in: Con, and Int saves. Arcana, Insight, Investigation, Perception checks

ac eventually becomes worthless, sure if you can somehow get fullplate it'll last you for a bit but by level 10+ most monsters will just tear through that armor like its a tin can

Nah not really. There's better feats out there. It's 1 AC different compared to half plate

I would personally take a first level Fighter dip for the armor proficiency, con save proficiency, second wind, and fighting style + weapon mastery

I feel like I'm missing something with 14 dex even if wearing light armour you would have over 14 base AC with medium even higher your build seems to scream just use medium.

Isn't plate armor an 18 AC? Half plate is 15.

Half Plate adds dexterity modifier up to +2. So Half-Plate is 17AC provided you have at least 14 Dexterity.

Extra AC is always cool for a tank but the best hvy armour has a 15 str requirement. Some of the new caster feats in arcana unleashed are also pretty damn good too...

Artificer already gets Con save proficiency, and its spells and magic items are more valuable than anything they'll get from Fighter.

oh yup forgot that heavy doesnt get the dex bonus.

yea was gonna say the 1 level of fighter means Im always a level behind on getting magic items and spells

Oh yea i forgot about the STR requirment..I never use heavy armor classes before so completely forgot it doesnt get the dex bonus and also has the str requirements.

Seems like im just way better off sticking to half plate

If your fighting stuff that shreds high AC to regularly even at high levels something is wrong because that DM is making encounters that invalidate tank builds that rely on AC.

more normal is more enemies not constantly running into high plus to hit enemies constantly at most it's the bosses and even then they shouldn't be always hitting over 20AC.

like at level 10 a appropriate boss enemy is like a young red dragon and that is +10 so just under half the time it should be missing.