Armor and Shields

Source: Expanded Weapons & Armor

No Armor

Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Damage Properties Weight
Base Armor Class 10 + Dex modifier
Barbarian 10 + Dex modifier + Con modifier
Monk 10 + Dex modifier + Wis modifier
Spiked Clothing 20 gp --- --- --- 1d4 piercing --- 3 lb.

Light Armor

Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Damage Properties Weight
Padded 5 gp 11 + Dex modifier --- Disadvantage --- --- 8 lb.
Leather 10 gp 11 + Dex modifier --- --- --- --- 10 lb.
Studded Leather 45 gp 12 + Dex modifier --- --- --- --- 13 lb.
Brigandine 1500 gp 13 + Dex modifier --- --- --- --- 15 lb.
Light Spiked 2000 gp 14 + Dex modifier Str 11 --- 1d6 piercing --- 18 lb.
Light Carapace 10000 gp 15 + Dex modifier Str 11 --- --- --- 20 lb.

Medium Armor

Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Damage Properties Weight
Hide 10 gp 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- --- --- --- 12 lb.
Chain shirt 50 gp 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- --- --- --- 20 lb.
Scale mail 50 gp 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- Disadvantage --- --- 45 lb.
Breastplate 400 gp 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- --- --- --- 20 lb.
Half plate 750 gp 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- Disadvantage --- --- 40 lb.
Laminar plate 1500 gp 15 + Dex modifier (max 2) --- --- --- --- 35 lb.
Medium Spiked 4000 gp 16 + Dex modifier (max 2) Str 13 Disadvantage 1d8 piercing --- 45 lb.
Medium Carapace 15000 gp 17 + Dex modifier (max 2) Str 13 Disadvantage --- --- 50 lb.

Heavy Armor

Armor Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Damage Properties Weight
Ring Mail 30 gp 14 --- Disadvantage --- --- 40 lb.
Chain mail 50 gp 16 Str 13 Disadvantage --- --- 55 lb.
Splint 200 gp 17 Str 15 Disadvantage --- --- 60 lb.
Plate 1500 gp 18 Str 15 Disadvantage --- --- 65 lb.
Lamellan plate 2000 gp 18 Str 15 --- --- --- 60 lb.
Heavy Spiked 6000 gp 19 Str 17 Disadvantage 1d10 piercing Heavy 70 lb.
Heavy Carapace 20000 gp 20 Str 17 Disadvantage --- --- 75 lb.

Shields

Shield Cost Armor Class (AC) Strength Stealth Damage Properties Weight
Buckler 5 gp +1 --- --- 1d4 bludgeon Deflect 2 lb.
Round 10 gp +2 --- --- 1d6 bludgeon --- 6 lb.
Tower 1500 gp +3 Str 17 --- 1d8 bludgeon Heavy 45 lb.

Armor Properties

The armor table shows the cost, weight, and other properties of the common types of armor worn in the worlds of D&D.

Adamantine. An adamantine suit of armor is reinforced with adamantine, one of the hardest substances in existence. The adamantine version of an armor costs 10000 gp more than the normal version. While you're wearing it, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.

Armor Class (AC). Armor protects its wearer from attacks. The armor (and shield) you wear determines your base Armor Class.

Armor Proficiency. If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can't cast spells. You cannot be disarmed of your armor.

Damage. A creature wearing spiked armor of any variant or wielding a shield can use a bonus action to make one melee weapon attack with the armor spikes or shield at a target within 5 feet of it, and at the start of each of their turns, they can deal damage while wearing spiked armor to one creature grappled by them with the armor spikes. The damage equals the damage die in the damage column, and you use your Strength modifier for the attack and damage rolls.

Deflect. When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with an attack while you are wielding a deflecting weapon, you can reduce the damage as a reaction by 1d4 plus your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage).

Heavy. Small or Tiny creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls with heavy weapons. Small and Tiny creatures may craft versions of these weapons that are more suited to them, with the size of all damage dice reduced by one die size (3d4/2d6/1d12 -> 1d10 -> 2d4/1d8 -> 1d6 -> 1d4 -> 1d1).

Mithril. Mithral is a light, flexible metal. A mithral chain shirt or breastplate can be worn under normal clothes. The mithril version of an armor costs 1000 gp more than the normal version. If the armor normally imposes disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks or has a Strength requirement, the mithral version of the armor doesn't.

Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by the amount stated in the armor class column. You can only gain the armor class increase from one shield at a time. If your character starts with a shield, that shield is a round shield.

Stealth. If the Armor table shows "Disadvantage" in the Stealth column, the wearer has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Strength. Armor can interfere with the wearer's ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. If the strength score is less than the score in the Strength column for an armor type, the armor reduces the wearer's speed by 10 feet unless the wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than the listed score.

Battlerager

The battlerager barbarian can use all spiked armor variants for its class features, and can rage while wearing heavy armor, ignoring the restriction. The damage for all of its subclass features is reflected in the damage column of the respective armor types, replacing the damage the features normally deal.