Armor - Baldur's Gate III Guide - IGN (2024)

Armour in Baldur's Gate 3 technically comes in four categories: Clothing, Light Armour, Medium Armour, and Heavy Armour. Not every character can wear every type of armour, and how Armour affects your AC (Armour Class) depends on the armour's type and individual stats. Here's everything you need to know about Armour and Armour Class in BG3.

Armour and Armour Class in BG3 Explained

AC (Armour Class) is basically the rating of how hard it is to hit you in BG3. The higher the number, the you are to hit. While wearing nothing, your AC is 10 + your Dexterity Ability Score Modifer (read more about ability score modifiers on the Abilities <meta />page.) Armour provides additional protection.

If you encounter a +1 or +2 piece of Armour, it will grant additional AC - so you can actually find Clothing that will still give you a bonus, for example.

Here's how each type of armour affects your AC, but know this is a very basic breakdown of the different Armour Types, and more specifics can come with each unique piece of gear.

Clothing

Any character can wear Clothing in Baldur's Gate 3 without penalty. It generally provides no additional bonus to your AC unless you find a +1 or +2 variety. Uncommon or rarer clothing may come with additional effects.

Light Armour

Light Armour generally provides between 11 to 14 plus your Dexterity Ability Modifier to your AC. So, if your Armour gives you +12, and your Dexterity modifer is +3, your total AC would be 15. Light Armour is generally the best choice for Dex-based characters. Uncommon or rarer Light Armour may come with additional effects.

Medium Armour

Medium Armour usually provides more base AC than Light Armour, but you will only get a maximum of +2 to your AC from your Dexterity Ability Score in most cases. Uncommon or rarer Medium Armour may come with additional effects.

Heavy Armour

Heavy Armour provides the most base AC out of all of the armour, but doesn't add Dexterity modifiers to the final number in most cases. This is the best armour for characters with low Dex. However, most Heavy Armour causes you to roll with Disadvantage on Stealth checks! This means you will roll twice and use the lower number.

Armour Proficiency

Armour Proficiency can be gained with Classes, but some Races and even Feats also grant Armour Proficiency.

Which Armour Is Best?

The answer to this question doesn't have an easy answer, as there is no real answer. Everything is going to come down to what your character is going to need. Players must look at their character's strengths and stats to determine which Armour will benefit them the most - in general, the armour you're proficient with because of your Class is the Armour you should use!

See Best Armor and All Rare and Legendary Armor <meta />for more detailed suggestions.

List of Armour

There are dozens upon dozens of different types of armour and different iterations of armour in Baldur's Gate 3. These are just examples of what to look for, but you can also see a list of All Rare and Legendary Armor

List of Light Armour

Here are some examples of Light Armour available in the game:

• Druid Leather Armour
• Faded Drow Studded Leather Armour
• Drow Studded Leather Armour
• Leather Armour
• Padded Armour
• Studded Leather Armour
• Small Mail Armour
• Simple Robe

List of Medium Armour

Here are some examples of Medium Armour available in the game:

• Chain Shirt
• Githyanki Half Plate
• Half Plate Armour
• Hide Armour
• Scale Mail Armour
• Slippery Chain Shirt
• The Oak Father's Embrace
• Dark Justiclar Mail
• Breastplate
• Scale Mail of Devotion

List of Heavy Armour

Here are some examples of Heavy Armour available in the game:

• Chain Mail Armour
• Ring Mail Armour
• Adamantine Splint Armour
• Splint Armour
• Plate Armour
• Flawed Helldusk Armour