Armor and Shields

Adventurers have access to a variety of armor types, ranging from leather armor to chain mail to costly plate armor, with several other kinds of armor in between. The Armor table collects the most commonly available types of armor found in the game and separates them into three categories: light armor, medium armor, and heavy armor. Many warriors supplement their armor with a shield.

Armor Proficiency. Anyone can put on a suit of armor or strap a shield to an arm. Only those proficient in the armor’s use know how to wear it effectively, however. Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor. 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.

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

Heavy Armor. Heavier armor interferes with the wearer’s ability to move quickly, stealthily, and freely. If the Armor table shows “Str 13” or “Str 15” 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.

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

Shields. A shield is made from wood or metal and is carried in one hand. Wielding a shield increases your Armor Class by 2. You can benefit from only one shield at a time.

Descriptions

Non-basic shields, and attachments are described below.

Armor Spikes. These short, sharp spikes can be added to any suit of armor. When you use the attack action to grapple a creature, the target takes 1d3 piercing damage if your grapple check succeeds.

Buckler. A small metal shield held in a fist grip (not strapped). You can benefit from only one shield at a time.

Buckler, strapped. A buckler strapped to the forearm, allowing the hand to hold an item. As it must be strapped, it takes 2 round to don and doff. You gain the buckler’s AC bonus only if you choose to have disadvantage on attack rolls made with weapons held in that hand.

Locking Gauntlet. The fingers of this armored gauntlet are equipped with locking braces designed to keep the wearer from being disarmed.

While holding a weapon in the gauntlet, the wearer can use an action to lock the braces with a free hand. Thereafter, the gauntlet wearer cannot be disarmed. When a weapon is locked in place, the gauntlet wearer cannot put it down or use the hand for anything else. Unlocking the gauntlet also requires another action with a free hand.

Pavise. Also called an “archer shield”, a pavise is a convex shield with a prominent central ridge. This shape, and a spike or other balancing post that folds out from the bottom, allows the pavise to stand on its own and provide cover to someone who crouches behind it.

Placing a pavise (or picking it up from a placed position) requires an action. Once placed, the user no longer gets a shield bonus but can claim half cover while behind it, or three-quarters cover while prone behind it. This cover bonus does not protect against melee attacks, and only applies to attacks coming from a cone-shaped region expanding in the direction the device is placed against.

Reinforced Gorget. A reinforced gorget is a metal collar that protects the wearer’s neck and clavicle region. This protective device grants immunity to the special mechanics of garrotes and similar.

Tower Shield. A tower shield is much larger and heavier than a standard shield, standing nearly as tall as the person who wields it. In addition to the normal benefit to your Armor Class, you gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity saving throws. You can also perform a special version of the Dodge action by hunkering down behind a tower shield. The benefit of this Dodge is not lost if you are incapacitated or if your speed is otherwise reduced to 0.

Armor rules

This part collects the rules that affect armors.

Getting Into and Out of Armor

The time it takes to don or doff armor depends on the armor’s category.

Don. This is the time it takes to put on armor. You benefit from the armor’s AC only if you take the full time to don the suit of armor.

Doff. This is the time it takes to take off armor. If you have help, reduce this time by half.

Sleeping in Armor

Sleeping in light armor has no adverse effect on the wearer, but sleeping in medium or heavy armor makes it difficult to recover fully during a long rest.

When you finish a long rest during which you slept in medium or heavy armor, you regain only one quarter of your hp. If you have any levels of exhaustion, the rest doesn’t reduce your exhaustion level.