Your Guide to Chain Mail in D&D 5e (& How Other Armor Types Measure Up)

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All about chainmail & how to equip the best armor for your character
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Are you wondering if chain mail is a good armor choice for your character in Dungeons & Dragons 5e? We can help you figure it out! Chain mail is a type of heavy armor; it requires heavy armor proficiency to wear and imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks, but is more protective than light or medium armor. In this article, we’ll cover all the perks of chain mail armor, plus the other types of armor in the game—and how they compare to one another.

What is chain mail in 5e?

Chain mail is armor made from interlocking metal rings laid over quilted fabric for extra protection. It’s classified as heavy armor, sets your armor class to 16, weighs 55 lb., and costs 75 gold. Your character needs a Strength score of 13 or higher to equip it.

Section 1 of 7:

Chain Mail Overview & Statistics

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  1. D&D 5e features a variety of different types of armor (categorized by light, medium, and heavy) for characters. This includes chain mail, which involves a suit of armor crafted with connecting metal rings and a layer of quilted fabric underneath. As heavy armor, chain mail imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks. [1]
    • Armor class (AC) : 16
    • Weight : 55 lb.
    • Cost : 75 gold pieces
    • Minimum Strength score to wear it : 13
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Section 2 of 7:

Which classes can wear chain mail?

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  1. Proficiency determines which skills and equipment your character has trained in and knows how to use. Without proficiency in heavy armor (or any kind of armor you equip), you’ll have disadvantage on any Strength or Dexterity-based ability check, saving throw, or attack roll, and you won’t be able to cast spells. [2]
    • By default, the two classes that automatically have proficiency with heavy armor are fighters and paladins. If you’re playing one of those classes, you can equip chain mail.
    • Certain cleric subclasses also grant heavy armor proficiency at level 1: the Forge, Life, Nature, Order, Tempest, Twilight, and War domains.
Section 3 of 7:

Is chain mail a good type of armor?

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  1. In fact, chain mail is a common starting armor automatically given to fighters, paladins, and clerics with heavy armor proficiency, so you’ll likely end up using it if you play those classes. It tends to become less desirable as you gain levels, however, since both splint and plate armor offer more protection (unless you find magical chain mail armor). [3]
    • At low levels, chain mail is much less expensive than splint and plate (which cost 200 gold pieces and 1,500 gold pieces, respectively).
    • Chain mail is also lighter than splint and plate (weighing 55 lb. to splint’s 60 lb. and plate’s 65 lb.), which means you’re less likely to become encumbered while wearing it.
    • At 30 gold pieces, ring mail costs less than chain mail—but it’s also much less protective, so chain mail is the better choice.
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Section 4 of 7:

Best Chain Mail in D&D 5e

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  1. While the basic chain mail is a great starter armor, you may be able to find suits of chain mail with magical enchantments (or made from powerful, magical materials) that come with extra protections or abilities your character can use. Magical armor is generally better than nonmagical armor in 5e, so keep your eyes out for armor sets such as: [4]
    • Chain Mail +1, +2, or +3: This armor adds an additional magical bonus to your AC based on the number in its name (for example, chain mail +2 adds a +2 AC bonus).
    • Adamantine Chain Mail: Adamantine armor converts all critical hits to regular attacks, which can save you from taking a ton of damage in the long run.
    • Mithral Chain Mail: Mithral armor offers all the protection of regular heavy armor without imposing disadvantage on Stealth checks.
    • Armor of Resistance: There are many different types of resistance armor (armor of fire resistance, acid resistance, and so on), and each set grants resistance to one type of damage.
    • Efreeti Chain: Efreeti chain is a legendary suit of chain mail armor that’s incredibly powerful; it adds a +3 bonus to your AC and complete immunity to fire damage.
Section 5 of 7:

All D&D 5e Armor Types

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  1. Light armor is generally made from flexible, lightweight materials, offering some protection while still maintaining the wearer's mobility. D&D experts Legends of Avantris say that all armor in 5e sets the wearer’s armor class from a baseline of 10 to a higher number (representing added protection), and light armor adds your character’s Dexterity (DEX) modifier to that base number. Light armor options include: [5]
    • Padded: Padded armor is crafted from quilted layers of cloth and batting. It sets the wearer’s AC to 11 + their DEX modifier, weighs 8 lb, and imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks.
    • Leather: Leather armor includes a breastplate and shoulder pads made from stiffened leather, with the rest of the suit made from softer materials. It sets the wearer’s AC to 11 + their DEX modifier and weighs 10 lb.
    • Studded leather: Studded leather is a suit made from tough leather, reinforced with metal spikes or rivets. It sets the wearer’s AC to 12 + their DEX modifier and weighs 13 lb.
  2. Medium armor is more protective than light armor but not quite as bulky and protective as heavy armor, allowing for a little flexibility but impairing movement more than light armor does. As such, wearing medium armor means you can add your character’s DEX modifier to the armor’s base AC, but only to a maximum of 2. Medium armors include: [6]
    • Hide: Hide armor is crafted from thick furs and pelts. It sets the wearer’s AC to 12 + their DEX modifier (max +2) and weighs 12 lb.
    • Chain shirt: A chain shirt is made from interlocking rings and worn between layers of clothing or leather. It sets the wearer’s AC to 13 + their DEX modifier (max +2) and weighs 20 lb.
    • Scale mail: Scale mail consists of a leather coat and leggings covered in overlapping pieces of metal. It sets the wearer’s AC to 14 + their DEX modifier (max +2), weighs 45 lb, and imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks.
    • Breastplate: Breastplate includes a fitted metal chest piece paired with fine, durable leather. It sets the wearer’s AC to 14 + their DEX modifier (max +2) and weighs 20 lb.
    • Half plate: Half plate features shaped metal plates that cover most of the wearer’s body but don’t offer much leg protection. It sets the wearer’s AC to 15 + their DEX modifier (max +2), weighs 40 lb, and imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks.
  3. As the name suggests, heavy armor is the bulkiest and heaviest armor available. It offers the most protection, typically covering the wearer’s entire body while designed to prevent incoming attacks of all kinds. According to Legends of Avantris, heavy armor doesn't add a DEX modifier bonus, instead setting your AC to a static number—and it won’t punish you for a negative DEX modifier. Heavy armors include: [7]
    • Ring mail: Ring mail is leather armor with heavy rings sewn into it. It sets the wearer’s AC to 14, weighs 40 lb, and imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks.
    • Chain mail: Made from interlocking rings, it sets the wearer’s AC to 16, weighs 55 lb, imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks, and requires 13 Strength to equip.
    • Splint: Splint features strips of metal attached to a leather backing, worn over cloth padding. It sets the wearer’s AC to 17, weighs 60 lb, imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks, and requires 15 Strength to equip.
    • Plate: Plate features curved metal plates that lock together and cover the wearer’s entire body. It sets the wearer’s AC to 18, weighs 65 lb, imposes disadvantage on Stealth checks, and requires 15 Strength to equip.
  4. Shields are considered a type of armor in D&D 5e, since they’re used as protection against incoming spells and attacks. Any character proficient with shields can wield one, and get a +2 bonus to their AC just for having a shield in hand during fights. A basic shield weighs 6 lb., although there are also magic shields you might find in your adventures. [8]
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Section 6 of 7:

How to Choose an Armor Type to Wear

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  1. Since light armor adds your character’s full DEX modifier to its base AC value, any character with a high DEX modifier will probably get the most protection from a suit of light armor. Generally, this means having a DEX modifier of +3 or higher (since the limit for medium armor is +2). [9]
    • For example, if your character’s DEX modifier is +5 and they equip a suit of studded leather armor, their armor class (AC) would be 17—12 (the base value for studded leather) + 5.
    • The best type of light armor is studded leather, which has the highest base AC value and therefore offers the most protection. If you can’t afford studded leather at low levels, opt for leather armor instead.
    • Classes that typically use light armor include rogues, bards, artificers, druids, and warlocks.
  2. Medium armor adds your character’s DEX modifier to its base AC value, but only to a maximum of +2—which means if your character’s DEX modifier is +4, for example, they’ll still only add +2 of that to their base AC when wearing medium armor. So, medium armor is best for characters with proficiency and a DEX modifier of +1 or +2. [10]
    • For example, if your character’s DEX modifier is +2 and they’re wearing a breastplate, that means their armor class would be 16—14 (the base value for breastplate) + 2.
    • The best type of medium armor depends on whether you value the Stealth skill. If you don’t want disadvantage on Stealth, opt for breastplate. If you don’t mind disadvantage, Half Plate is ideal.
    • Classes that typically use medium armor include barbarians, clerics, rangers, artificers, plus some paladins and fighters.
  3. Heavy armor doesn’t rely on Dexterity to raise your character’s armor class—the armor itself is all the protection you need. So, if your character has heavy armor proficiency and a low or negative DEX modifier, heavy armor could be the ideal armor type for them. [11]
    • For example, if your character’s DEX modifier is -1 and they’re wearing plate armor, their armor class would still be 18 (the base value for plate armor).
    • The best type of heavy armor is indisputably plate, but plate armor can be expensive and cumbersome at lower levels—so you may find chain mail or splint preferable.
    • Classes that typically use heavy armor include fighters, paladins, and certain clerics.
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Section 7 of 7:

How to Get Armor Proficiencies

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  1. Want to start wearing chain mail (or some other type of armor) but don’t have the proficiency to do it? For starters, try taking the appropriate feat (which is an optional perk you choose while leveling up) to gain armor proficiency. Feats include Lightly Armored (for light armor), Moderately Armored (for medium armor), and Heavily Armored (for heavy armor). [12]
    • Note that to choose the Moderately or Heavily Armored feats, you must be proficient with light or medium armor first, respectively.
  2. Multiclassing means taking levels in an additional class that has the proficiency you want. To get heavy armor proficiency, you can multiclass into fighter, paladin, or any of the cleric subclasses mentioned above. For light or medium armor, just choose a class with that proficiency instead. [13]
    • Note that before multiclassing into a new class, your character must have a 13 or higher in that class’s core ability score.
    • For example, you must have a Strength score of 13 or higher to multiclass into fighter or a 13 in Wisdom to multiclass into cleric.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
      2. ↑ https://5thsrd.org/adventuring/equipment/armor/
      3. ↑ https://5thsrd.org/adventuring/equipment/armor/
      4. ↑ https://5thsrd.org/gamemaster_rules/magic_items/armor_1_2_or_3/
      5. ↑ https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
      6. ↑ https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
      7. ↑ https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
      8. ↑ https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
      9. ↑ https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/how-to-play/armor/
      1. ↑ https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/how-to-play/armor/
      2. ↑ https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/how-to-play/armor/
      3. ↑ https://rpgbot.net/dnd5/how-to-play/armor/
      4. ↑ https://5thsrd.org/rules/multiclassing/

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