AC softcap and low level hardcap discussion

[Vivitron]

I ran some tests on my bard which were too underpowered to tell me much but it seems right to post here anyway.

All tests at 166 dex / 121 agi against the same 14-88 hitting sarnak champion in burning woods.

I ran the first parse about half an hour (watching how long I could keep it up without heals and within my patience), and then before running the following parses decided to hit-match instead of time-match them; the first parse happened to be 256 hits so I took the first 256 hits from each of the others. All parses were done facing away from the sarnak.

Parses were: 1297 ac unbuffed (+380 gear), 1400 ac unbuffed (+455 gear), 1445 ac (1400 setup but add arch shielding and guard -- my self buffs). No AC in offhand, although I was wearing 20 ac Nature's Melody prime hand in all parses.

1297 ac; 256 hits; 8493 total damage:

Count Damage
    127 14
      9 17
      7 21
      9 25
      7 29
      6 33
      4 37
      2 41
      5 45
      6 49
      9 52
      8 56
      9 60
      6 64
     12 68
      5 72
      4 76
     11 80
     10 84

1400 ac; 256; 7932 total damage:

Count Damage
    127 14
     13 17
      5 21
      9 25
      7 29
     10 33
     12 37
      6 41
      7 45
      5 49
      3 52
      7 56
      8 60
      6 64
      7 68
      4 72
      4 76
      5 80
      7 84
      4 88

1445 ac (1400 + arch shielding + guard); 256 hits; 8322 total damage:

Count Damage
    135 14
      3 17
      6 21
      4 25
      4 29
     11 33
      4 37
     10 41
      6 45
      8 49
      6 52
      6 56
      9 60
      7 64
      5 68
     10 72
      9 76
      6 80
      5 84
      2 88