Armor Class is one of several factors in BG3 that will determine your survivability. This determines if the attack roll of the opponent will be successful or not. This is calculated based on the armor’s protective ability and specific bonuses, such as a character’s Dexterity modifier. The higher the number of your armor class, the less the chance for any attack to land successfully on you.
So, to ensure your characters survive the battles, they must have a higher Armor Class in BG3. However, it is a bit more complicated than this. We have covered the complete mechanics of Armor Class in detail below.
How does Armor Class work in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Armor Class in BG3 is primarily determined by the armor you have equipped on your character. The armor is variable depending on the character classes. Some of the classes are allowed to have proficiencies with the beefiest armor in the game, while others cannot equip any sort of armor. However, classes with Heavy Armour proficiency can equip any armor in the game.
There are mainly three types of armor in BG3: Light Armour, Medium Armour, and Heavy Armour. Shields also play a vital role in the determination of Armor Class. The calculation of Armor Class is based on three main things: Armor, Shields, and your Dexterity modifier.
Dexterity is directly affected by the type of armor you have equipped. The heavier the armor is, the more awkward it will be for your character to move around, and their dexterity decreases. Following is the method to calculate the Armor Class for any kind of armor in BG3.
- No Armor: 10 + Dexterity Modifier
- Light Armor: Armor’s Rating + Dexterity Modifier
- Medium Armor: Armor’s Rating + Dexterity Modifier (limited to max out at +2)
- Heavy Armor: Armor’s Rating only. No Dexterity modifier.
Dexterity and Armor Class
A Dexterity Modifier is a natural trait your character will have. You can invest ability points in the dexterity to increase its modifier value. This stat affects several skills in fights, one of which is armor class. With certain armors, Baldur’s Gate 3 adds the bonus from your Dexterity modifier into the mix and raises your Armor Class.
Clothing provides the base 10 Armor Class points along with the addition from your Dexterity Modifier. Padded Armor counts in the Light Armour Category will take your Armor Class from 10 to 11. Overall, the Light Armor division will give you a max of 12 base points of Armor Class along with the Dexterity Modifier.
The Medium Armour also increases the base Armor Class points from 12 to 15, along with the Dexterity Modifier. However, as the Medium Armor carries significant weight, it will affect Stealth with heavier sets. You can only get a +2 points as a bonus with Medium Armor. This bonus, combined with the best Medium Armor Set, will give you a total Armor Class of 17 in BG3.
Heavy Armour class in BG3 is the big boy territory where players will have to let go of the Dexterity Modifier. You depend solely on the AC rating of the armor to survive attacks. Heavy Armor affects Dexterity quite badly. As such, you will receive a disadvantage to your stealth and won’t get any bonus to your Armor Class. This type of armor is best for tanks of the party in BG3 who will be in the thick of combat.
Impact of Shields and Helmets on Armor Class
Shields play an important role in contributing to the Armor Class points. They give you +2 Armor Class points irrespective of the protective quality of the shield. If the character is proficient in using shields, then these can make a huge difference in protective ability in the game.
Shields also affect your Dexterity, but not as much as heavy armour. One more thing to note is that not all the classes are proficient with shields. So, consider your class before transforming your build into a damage-absorbing tank.
Helmets play a little role in increasing your armor Class in BG3. Equipping a low-level helmet (below Medium Helmet) will grant you a +1 bonus to Dexterity Saving Throws, while equipping a Medium or Heavy Helmet will save you from Critical Hits.
Impact of Armor Proficiency on Armor Class
Each armor in BG3 has its own unique proficiency. To explain this sentence in the easiest way possible, not all classes can equip all kinds of armor. They can only equip the armor they are proficient in. Otherwise, it will end up in heavy penalties. If Wizard tries to wear any armor from light to heavy class, they won’t be able to cast spells at all. Similarly, a Barbarian with Heavy Armour gets a severe disadvantage on their Attack and defense rolls. Clothing is the only piece of gear that every class can equip without suffering any consequences.
Below is a list of Armour Classes and their proficiency with various character classes in BG3.
- Light Armour: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock
- Medium Armour: Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger
- Heavy Armour: Cleric, Fighter, Paladin
Ways to Increase Armor Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
You can try several combinations to increase your Armor Class rating in BG3. Some of them might be unconventional, while most require you to choose the correct Character Class. However, it all comes down to your preference, whether you want to go with a low Armor Class or a High.
- Pick a Character Class with proficiencies with all armor types, including Shields.
- Start with Light Armour if you care about your speed and other Dexterity-related movements. Equip a light shield to have a Saving Throw bonus on your side. Equipping any selection of Helmets can help, as all of them are a great choice.
- If you are not a stealth-focused character, then start off with Medium Armour. You will receive a maximum of +2 bonus to your Armor Class and will be decently protected from attacks in BG3.
- If you want to go with a tank build in BG3, then throw on the heaviest armor set you can find. If your character has Proficiency with Shields, then equip one as well, and it will add to your Armor Class points.
The highest Armor Class that you can attain from an armor is 19 in BG3. Reaper’s Embrace is a very rare heavy armour that provides 19AC out of the gate. You can eventually increase it beyond 20 by using a good shield with the build at the cost of dexterity.
