Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Armor [50+ Hours Tested]

Every class has its combat skills that determine the playstyle and build you choose for the particular character, including a critical piece of equipment: Armor. 

---

Key Takeaways 

• Light Armors:
  • Shade Clinger: Provides a stealth bonus and benefits on saving throws.
  • Armor Of The Shopkeeper: Boosts spell save on necrotic damage and allows spore usage.
  • Elegant Studded Leather: Enhances initiative rolls and provides an extra shield spell.
• Medium Armors:
  • Elven Chain: Improves initiative rolls and offers saving throw benefits.
  • Armor Of Agility: Provides high dexterity, spares stealth check penalty, and a +2 bonus on saving throws.
  • Adamantine Scale Mail: Reduces all incoming damage, causes a backlash on melee hits, and grants critical strike immunity.
• Heavy Armors:
  • Blackguard’s Plate: Decreases all incoming damage and benefits wisdom saving throws with a penalty on stealth checks.
  • Reaper’s Embrace: Decreases incoming damage, activates a restraint skill, and imposes a disadvantage on stealth checks.
  • Adamantine Splint: Reduces damage, causes intense backlash on melee hits, and grants critical strike immunity with a disadvantage on stealth checks.
• Legendary Armors:
  • Helldusk: A legendary armor boasting high AC, internal retribution, fire resistance, and the ability to cast the Fly spell.

---

This guide follows the armor ranking from light to heavy and finally being legendary sets.

These are the armor preferences based on each class. 

Class	Proficiency
Bard	Light Armor
Barbarian	Light + Medium Armor, Shields
Cleric	Light + Medium + Heavy Armor, Shields
Druid	Light + Medium Armor, Shields
Fighter	Light + Medium + Heavy Armor, Shields
Monk	None
Paladin	Light + Medium + Heavy Armor, Shields
Ranger	Light + Medium Armor, Shields
Rogue	Light Armor
Sorcerer	None
Wizard	Light Armor
Warlock	None

Armor Proficiency Table.

Drow Studded Leather 

Quality	Rare
AC	12
Special Effects	Stealth +1 bonus
Weight	5.85 kg
Price	1000 gold

Drow Studded Stats table.

Players can find this in Underdark, located under the Blighted Village. Move towards the tower between Selune’s Fort and stumbled upon a chest in Lolth’s Cultist’s cache. The coordinates are x: 83, y:207. 

I would consider this one of the best Armor you can get early in your campaign.

ShadeClinger

Quality	Rare
AC	12
Special Effects	+1 gain to stealth checks Benefit on saving throws
Weight	4.5 kg
Price	561 gold

Shadeclinger Stats table.

You can locate this at Last Light Inn or by Quartermaster Talli merchant. 

Spidersilk 

Quality	Rare
AC	12
Special Effects	+1 gain on Stealth Check Benefits on Saving Throws
Weight	5.85 kg
Price	1,150 gold

Spidersilk Stats table.

You must locate Minthara NPC Boss in the Shattered Sanctum and defeat it to get this item.

Armor Of The Shopkeeper

Quality	Very Rare
AC	13
Special Effects	Malefic Funghi: Allows +1 Bonus to Spell Save on Necrotic Damage. Spore Sacks: in which you can use Bibberbang, Timmask, and Haste spores when imbued.
Weight	4.5 kg
Price	1,000 gold

Armor of the Shopkeeper stats table.

You must locate this in Philgrave’s Mansion or find it by the merchant Mystic Carrion.

Elegant Studded Leather

Quality	Very Rare
AC	14
Special Effects	Initiative Rolls get a +2 Bonus. Extra Shield Spell which gives you extra +5 AC when being hit.
Weight	5.85 kg
Price	2,000 gold

Elegant Studded Armor Stats table. 

This is one of the best Armors in the lightweight category. It is related to Return Rakath’s Gold Quest, where you must find this in The Counting House and locate the High-security vault. You will receive a key once the quest is completed. 

Elven Chain

Quality	Rare
AC	14
Special Effects	Initiative Rolls get a +2 Bonus. Benefits on Saving Throws.
Weight	9 kg
Price	510 gold

Elven Chain stats table. 

This piece is located at Rivington General. You must unlock Chapter Three to get access. 

Yuan-Ti Scale Mail

Quality	Rare
AC	15
Special Effects	Adds High dexterity modifier. Spares Stealth Check penalty. Initiative Rolls get a +1 bonus.
Weight	12 kg
Price	704 gold

Yuan-Ti Scale stats table. 

Locate this in Last Light Inn in Chapter Two. 

Armor Of Agility

Quality	Rare
AC	17
Special Effects	Adds High dexterity modifier. Spares Stealth Check penalty. +2 bonus on Saving Throws.
Weight	24 kg
Price	2,900 gold

Armor of Agility Stats table.

You can buy it from Gloomy Fentonson in the Stormshore Armoury. 

Adamantine Scale Mail

Quality	Very Rare
AC	16
Special Effects	Magical Plater: decreases all incoming damage by one. Adamantine Backlash: when you get a melee hit, the attacker gets a -1 Roll on the remaining turns. Critical Strike Immunity: If attacked, the attacker cannot critically hit you.
Weight	12 kg
Price	1,300 gold

Adamantine Scale Stats table. 

You can easily forge this in the Adamantine Forge in the Underdark. You need two materials for the combinates:

1. Mithral Ore (Found at Ore Veins from Grymforge)
2. Scale Mail Mould (Found in Grymforge at x: -618, y: 264)

However, this has a slight disadvantage: it grants -2 on Stealth Checks, a major problem for my stealth playthrough. But if it does not bother you, you can go ahead. 

Blackguard’s Plate

Quality	Very Rare
AC	19
Special Effect	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Benefits on Wisdom Saving Throws. There is a penalty on Stealth Checks.
Weight	20 kg
Price	6,400 gold

Blackguard’s Plate Stats table. 

Players can easily locate this in Bhaalist Crypt. 

Armor Of Persistence

Quality	Very Rare
AC	20
Special Effects	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by two. Legendary Persistence: Grants additional Resistance.
Weight	20 kg
Price	6,400 gold

Armor of Persistence stats table.

You can buy it from Dammon at the Forge of Nine location. 

Reaper’s Embrace

Quality	Very Rare
AC	19
Special Effects	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Repear’s Rigidity: A skill is activated that restraints you from moving against your will. There is a disadvantage to Stealth Checks.
Weight	20 kg
Price	6,400 gold

Reaper’s Embrace stats table. 

You must complete the Quest Defeat Ketheric Throm. After defeating the boss, you can claim this item. It is located on coordinates x: 866, y: -22. 

Adamantine Splint

Quality	Very Rare
AC	18
Special Effects	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Intense Adamantine Backlash: when you get a melee hit, the attacker gets a -3 Roll on the remaining turns.  There is a disadvantage to Stealth Checks. Critical Strike Immunity: If attacked, the attacker cannot critically hit you.
Weight	19 kg
Price	3,800 gold

Adamantine Splint Stats table. 

You can locate it at the Grymforge by coordinates x: -593, y: 309. It is related to the Adamantine Forge Quest. You need two materials for the combination:

1. Mithral Ore (Found at Ore Veins from Grymforge)
2. Splint Mould (Found in Grymforge at x: -597, y: 309)

Helldusk

Quality	Legendary
AC	21
Special Effects	Grants you a Proficient title while wearing it. Internal Retribution: If your Saving Throw is successful, you will receive additional Burning for three turns. Prime Aegis of Fire: Grants fire resistance and also decreases three incoming damage. Cast Fly Spell: Grants you to touch a creature giving it the ability to fly.
Weight	20 kg
Price	8,000 gold

Helldusk Stats table.

You must loot this from Raphael in the House of Hope. You can access this in Chapter Three. Helldusk is considered the best in the game for multiple reasons. 

1. Having an AC value of 21, the highest in the game, provides strong protection to your character. 
2. Internal Retribution is a unique skill that inflicts burning to your enemy for the next three consecutive turns. This greatly affects your offensive power against enemies. 
3. You also qualify for Fire resistance. This enables you to receive less damage from fire-based attacks, providing extra resilience in certain fights. 
4. On top of this, you also get to cast Level 3 Fly Spell. This allows your character to enter flight mode, where you get an aerial-based tactical advantage. This will also open new doors for strategic opportunities in battles against opponents.  

Best Armors Compared

Armor	Quality	AC	Special Effects	Weight	Price
Light Armor
Drow Studded Leather	Rare	12	Stealth +1 bonus	5.85 kg	1,000 gold
ShadeClinger	Rare	12	+1 gain to stealth checks Benefit on saving throws	4.5 kg	561 gold
Spidersilk	Rare	12	+1 gain on Stealth Check Benefits on Saving Throws	5.85 kg	1,150 gold
Armor Of The Shopkeeper	Very Rare	13	Malefic Funghi: Allows +1 Bonus to Spell Save on Necrotic Damage. Spore Sacks: in which you can use Bibberbang, Timmask, and Haste spores when imbued.	4.5 kg	1,000 gold
Elegant Studded Leather	Very Rare	14	Initiative Rolls get a +2 Bonus. Extra Shield Spell which gives you extra +5 AC when being hit.	5.85 kg	2,000 gold
Medium Armor
Elven Chain	Rare	14	Initiative Rolls get a +2 Bonus. Benefits on Saving Throws.	9 kg	510 gold
Yuan-Ti Scale Mail	Rare	15	Adds High dexterity modifier. Spares Stealth Check penalty. Initiative Rolls get a +1 bonus.	12 kg	704 gold
Armor Of Agility	Rare	17	Adds High dexterity modifier. Spares Stealth Check penalty. +2 bonus on Saving Throws.	24 kg	2,900 gold
Adamantine Scale Mail	Very Rare	16	Magical Plater: decreases all incoming damage by one. Adamantine Backlash: when you get a melee hit, the attacker gets a -1 Roll on the remaining turns. Critical Strike Immunity: If attacked, the attacker cannot critically hit you.	12 kg	1,300 gold
Heavy Armor
Blackguard’s Plate	Very Rare	19	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Benefits on Wisdom Saving Throws. There is a penalty on Stealth Checks.	20 kg	6,400 gold
Armor Of Persistence	Very Rare	20	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by two. Legendary Persistence: Grants additional Resistance.	20 kg	6,400 gold
Reaper’s Embrace	Very Rare	19	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Repear’s Rigidity: A skill is activated that restraints you from moving against your will. There is a disadvantage to Stealth Checks.	20 kg	6,400 gold
Adamantine Splint	Very Rare	18	Magical Plate: Decreases all incoming damage by one. Intense Adamantine Backlash: when you get a melee hit, the attacker gets a -3 Roll on the remaining turns. There is a disadvantage to Stealth Checks. Critical Strike Immunity: If attacked, the attacker cannot critically hit you.	19 kg	3,800 gold
Legendary Heavy Armor
Helldusk	Legendary	21	Grants you a Proficient title while wearing it. Internal Retribution: If your Saving Throw is successful, you will receive additional Burning for three turns. Prime Aegis of Fire: Grants fire resistance and also decreases three incoming damage. Cast Fly Spell: Grants you to touch a creature giving it the ability to fly.	20 kg	8,000 gold

All Armors Comparison Table.

Which One Is The Best?

I would consider Helldusk the best Armor for a mid-to-end game playthrough.

During my playthrough, I came across quite a few armor sets. I could loot the NPC’s bodies to get most of my Armor. I recommend you check out chests and hidden places to get your hands on rarer chests. Helldusk Armor is undoubtedly the best Armor you can get during your campaign. 

Getting to this Legendary Armor is difficult; players only get it during the endgame. Therefore, I recommend trying other Armor sets until you can get the Helldusk for your character.

Up Next:

• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Tank Class.
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Builds.
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Fighter Build.