Summary
- Efficient tanks in Baldur's Gate 3 require Heavy Armour for high defense.
- Heavy Armour offers pure defensive capabilities compared to other types.
- Selecting the appropriate Heavy Armour is crucial for tanks in the mid-to-endgame.
Armour is a critical element of a player’s arsenal in Baldur’s Gate 3, primarily since D&D mechanics dictate Armour Class and other defensive characteristics based on the armour that one wears. While Baldur's Gate 3 offers the usual slate of Light, Medium, and Heavy Armour for most characters, specific equipment provides additional benefits that can help carry characters through much of the game’s mid-game to the endgame.
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Key to a player’s heavy-hitting arsenal is substantial defense, which Heavy Armour almost always provides them. Compared to Light Armour and Medium Armour, which facilitate faster movement and stealth, Heavy Armour foregoes many benefits in exchange for pure defensive capabilities. For players looking for Heavy Armour to outfit their tanks and other heavy hitters, Baldur's Gate 3 provides some truly remarkable options.
Updated on March 22, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: With Larian Studios letting go of their involvement with Dungeons & Dragons titles, it’s once again up to Hasbro to take the charge in figuring out what exactly they should do with the beloved Baldur’s Gate 3 and the hit TTRPG franchise. Thankfully, players eagerly awaiting the company’s decision about their IP can still enjoy a complete experience with Baldur’s Gate 3, especially when a straightforward tank can offer a less complicated experience by focusing more on keeping the party alive rather than theatrics. With this in mind, players who are starting a new playthrough as a tank or leaning towards a vanguard-type character will need to equip their characters with the appropriate Heavy Armour. Thankfully, the Armour found in the beginning stages of the game are decent enough to ensure that the tank can keep the rest of the party alive.
25 Ring Mail Armour
Armour Class 14
|
Rarity |
Common |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
Disadvantage on Stealth Checks |
|
Where to Get |
Dammon, The Hollow in Emerald Grove (Act 1) |
Players who want a more affordable option that still enables their Baldur’s Gate 3 characters to wear Heavy Armour wouldn’t go wrong with the classic 
Ring Mail Armour. Serving as the first iteration of Heavy Armour that one can wear in their playthrough, this is a safe choice for the first parts of the game’s opening, where players are still configuring their party for their first tougher encounters.
Sold by Dammon in the Emerald Grove, the Ring Mail Armour is extremely accessible, making it the perfect safety net for those who need to ensure that their tanks are protected even if they haven’t secured much stronger armour pieces. It’s imperative that players who want tougher tanks secure much sturdier Heavy Armour, however, especially as the game ramps up difficulty in its later encounters.
24 Chain Mail
Armour Class 16
|
Rarity |
Common |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
Disadvantage on Stealth Checks |
|
Where to Get |
Roah Moonglow, Shattered Sanctum (Act 1) |
Players who want to equip their tanks with a mid-level Heavy Armour that won’t break the bank, the 
Chain Mail is a decent choice while saving up for more expensive and heavy-duty Plate Mail. Considered as the “intermediate” tier of Heavy Armour in the game, players who need their characters to pursue a bruiser or tank role can find this armour rather accessible, especially when Roah Moonglow in the Shattered Sanctum can sell it during the early parts of the game.
Players do need to take note that the Chain Mail comes with a common Heavy Armour debuff in that they get Disadvantage on Stealth Checks, meaning that tanks who wear this will likely either have to stay in the front lines or close to the enemy while the rest of the team tries to sneak up on the target. It’s still ideal that players secure more powerful pieces of armour soon, especially as they decide whether to help the Emerald Grove or the Absolute.
23 Ring Mail Armour +1
Armour Class 15
|
Rarity |
Uncommon |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
Body Aid: +1 STR Saves and Checks
|
|
Where To Get |
Vendors once players reach Level 2 to Level 4 |
Although Ring Mail is considered as one of the first types of Heavy Armour a character can encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3, taking this a step further via 
Ring Mail Armour +1 can give its wielder a fighting edge in situations where higher-AC gear can seem too expensive to come by. Thankfully, Ring Mail Armour +1 is often sold by vendors as soon as players reach Levels 2 to 4, making this one of the most accessible Heavy Armour for heavy-hitters who need adequate defenses.
However, while some argue that AC 15 for Heavy Armour might not be as beneficial when other Medium Armour might reach the same Armour Class without the Disadvantage to Stealth, Ring Mail Armour +1 does have an edge with Body Aid. This effect gives players a +1 bonus to STR Saves and Checks, making this armour a decent gear to wear for tanks who need that extra push in establishing their martial superiority.
22 Splint Armour
Armour Class 17
|
Rarity |
Common |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
- |
|
Where To Get |
A’jak’nir Jeera, Creche Y’llek |
Just because players might be looking for the best Heavy Armour in Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t mean that they always have to look for extremely intricate pieces. Sometimes, the “best” gear they can find are reliable pieces that they can get almost anywhere - something the 
Splint Armour embodies. This AC 17 Heavy Armour is among the first Heavy Armour variants players can obtain in the game, and it’s a surprisingly common type of Heavy Armour that can be found among heavily-armoured combatants.
Just having Splint Armour as base can be enough for a Fighter or a Paladin to enter the frontlines with confidence, as AC 17 is not an easy number to reach by enemies in the beginning stages of the game. By the time players find Plate Armour for their tank, it’s very likely that another party member has Multiclassed into a Class with Heavy Armour Proficiency, making the Splint Armour a decent hand-me-down from one character to the next until players find Heavy Armour pretty or potent enough to replace it.
21 Chain Mail +2
Armour Class 18
|
Rarity |
Rare |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
Superior Material: Take -2 Slashing Damage
|
|
Where To Get |
Vendors once players reach Level 7+ |
Compared to the more straightforward Chain Mail Armour players can find in their Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, the 
Chain Mail +2 isn’t just a decent upgrade with its AC 18 provision but also a rather visual level-up with its more regal appearance. Compared to the rather mundane link of chains in the original armour type, the Chain Mail +2 enjoys a default steel on blue robes color scheme, with a decorative tabard with accents on top and a single pauldron on the right side, giving a much-needed stylistic “oomph” to the wearer.
Despite its Rare status, the Chain Mail +2 becomes a regular feature among vendors should players reach Level 7, making this a decent “starter” Heavy Armour by the time players reach the mid-part of the game.
20 Plate Armour
Armour Class 18
|
Rarity |
Common |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
- |
|
Where To Get |
A’jak’nir Jeera, Creche Y’llek |
At first glance, 
Plate Armour being a Common Heavy Armour will likely render it one of the last things on a player’s mind when it comes to the best Heavy Armour in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, it’s its Common nature that makes the Plate Armour stand out in parties, as this essentially guarantees that the team’s heavy-hitters - especially the Fighter and the Paladin - have the best-possible armour available to them while they’re still on the lookout for gear with their ideal effects.
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As is typical of other Heavy Armour, Plate Armour does give its wearer a Disadvantage on Stealth Checks. However, its default AC 18 does mean that players who wear this are naturally more difficult to hit. Its rather stylish appearance of steel with golden details over a blue dress suit covering greaves and leggings, complete with green sash, can give the impression of a well-equipped adventurer.
19 Ring Mail Armour +2
Armour Class: 16
|
Rarity |
Rare |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
|
|
Where To Get |
Vendors in Act 2 and Act 3 |
Among the Heavy Armour players will encounter in their Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough, the Ring Mail Armour may be the first they find. Likewise, its 
Ring Mail Armour +2 variant is this piece of gear's strongest and rarest type. Giving the appearance of metal rings fortifying a vest, the Ring Mail Armour is the closest to a “civilian” wear that players can have while still retaining Heavy Armour's strength.
At its core, Ring Mail Armour +2 offers 16 AC. This is leagues behind the other stronger Heavy Armour on the list, but it remains the highest-AC offering among lower-tier Heavy Armour that tanks and melee specialists may encounter in the mid-game.
18 Chain Mail +1
Armour Class: 17
|
Rarity |
Uncommon |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
|
|
Where To Get |
Merchants at Character Level 4 to 6 |
Among the first practical pieces of Heavy Armour a player can acquire in their Baldur’s Gate 3 would be the 
Chain Mail +1, especially with how its 17 AC far outclasses the more common Ring Mail Armour (14 AC) and even the base Chain Mail Armour (16 AC) in terms of default Armour Class. The Chain Mail’s green tabard over a layer of chain link armour makes thematic sense as a step-up for the 
Chain Shirt +1 (14+DEX Mod, Medium Armour), and its knightly design makes for a decent build-up to the bulkier Plate Armour.
Players can start getting the Chain Mail Armour +1 from Merchants by the time they get to much higher levels in the game. This Armour is likely the cheaper choice by the time shops also have the Plate Armour in their possession, making it a more frugal shopping option.
17 Adamantine Splint Armour
Armour Class: 17
|
Rarity |
Rare |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
|
|
Where To Get |
Crafted in the Grymforge during "The Adamantine Forge" (Quest) via the Splint Mould and Mithral Ore |
When players finally reach the Grymforge in their Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough, they can craft various Adamantine armaments via 
Mithral Ore and the Splint Mould. With Adamantine being the equivalent of the favored Tolkien Mithril, the 
Adamantine Splint Armour boasts some of the best defenses in Heavy Armour in the early game.
Acquiring this armour gives players a nifty 17 AC. However, its prominence as a Heavy Armour comes with its Intense Adamantine Backlash that resembles potent Illithid Powers, wherein opponents who miss hitting the player will experience Reeling for 3 turns. This property debuffs enemies with -1 to Attack Rolls, making striking its user and nearby allies much harder.
16 Rippling Force Mail
Armour Class: 17
|
Rarity |
Rare |
|---|---|
|
Effects |
|
|
Where To Get |
Rustic Chest (Loot) in the Last Light Inn's second floor |
One of the best reasons Martial Classes excel in fighting up close is their capability of striking back, whether through Reactions or during their turn. With 
Rippling Force Mail, Martial Classes have more incentives for getting struck multiple times while being surrounded, especially when its Force Absorption effect can slowly build up for not just lesser damage taken but also repel attacks back at opponents.
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Its AC 17 isn't as high compared to other Heavy Armours that can reach AC 20 or 21, but this AC is perfect for characters who don't want to stay as a damage sponge and instead just want to be protected when fighting up close. In that regard, this Heavy Armour suited for Fighters who want to outmaneuver foes up close without risking too much retaliation.