The 10 Best Armor For Artificers in D&D 5e [Ranked]

The world of D&D lets adventurers pick and choose between various armors, shields, and defensive trinkets.

However, some armors stand out above the rest, fitting an adventurer’s background, build, flavor and simply giving more useful stats to that character.

In the case of Artificers, their backstories and playstyles mainly have them don light armor, medium armor and use shields to boost their overall AC.

Artificers are the tinkerers of D&D, living to modify different items and turn them into their own. While other classes might struggle to get the items they want, Artificers use their knowledge to obtain armor items others can’t.

Artificer Armor Proficiency

• Light armor
• Medium armor
• Shield

Best Armor for the Artificer in 5e

10. Scale Mail

Armor Class (AC): 14 + Dexterity modifier (max 2)

Strength: –

Stealth: Disadvantage

Weight: 45 lbs

Cost: 50 GP

Explanation

As an Artificer, Scale Mail will usually be your starting armor.

It has pretty good AC to start off, and since you’ll most likely not need stealth for a while, it gives you enough time to get a piece of armor that you want if you do want to make use of stealth.

9. Shield

Armor Class (AC): +2

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 6 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

With the Shield, you can hold your spellcasting focus in one hand and your Shield in the other.

It gives you a nice and easy +2 AC bonus without having to go looking for any other items.

However, if you want to use ranged weapons like a crossbow or bow, you won’t have a hand to use Shield, so it won’t fit in.

8. Mithral Armor

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Armor (medium or heavy)

Description

A Mithral breastplate or chain shirt can be worn under normal clothes, as it is extremely light and flexible.

If the armor usually imposes disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks or has a Strength requirement, its Mithral version doesn’t.

Explanation

If you want to use armor with high AC, but you’re put off by the disadvantage on stealth and the Strength requirement, you can always get Mithral Armor.

You might not need Mithral Armor, but if you’re playing an Infiltrator, it helps to go looking for it.

7. Shield of the Hidden Lord

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (shield)

Description

The Shield of the Hidden Lord is of celestial origin, serving as a prison for Gargauth, a pit fiend whose mortal followers revere it as a god. 

Gargauth’s evil has warped the shield’s appearance over time, twisting its celestial motif and designs and deforming it into a fiendish face that moves in disturbing ways.

Holding the shield gives you a +2 bonus to AC and resistance to Fire damage.

The shield has various properties like Sentience, Gargauth’s Personality, and Freeing Gargauth.

Explanation

Much like Living Armor, the Shield of the Hidden Lord is a very flavorful item, giving the wielder powerful buffs like gaining +2 AC and resistance to Fire damage.

However, the shield also gives you access to spells, a frightening aura ability, and can speak to entities in Common or Infernal in a deep, hollow whisper.

This shield might not be the best item on this list, but it can really complete a build and provide some useful benefits.

6. Animated Shield

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (shield)

Description

Holding the shield and speaking its command word with a bonus action makes the shield animate. It leaps into the air and starts to hover in your space, protecting you as if you’re wielding it (your hands are free).

It remains animated for 1 minute until you’re incapacitated, die, or until a bonus action is used to end its effect. When this happens, the shield will fall to the ground or into your hand if one of your hands is free.

Explanation

If you want a shield but still want to fight using a two-handed weapon or a ranged weapon, you should take Animated Shield.

You’ll be protected by a shield, but without the shield ever being in your hands, and with a 1-minute duration, it’s safe to say that it’ll last you through an entire battle.

All in all, picking up the Animated Shield is a great way to dish out more damage using your desired weapon but also being able to have a shield at the same time.

5. Armor of Invulnerability

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (plate)

Description

Gain resistance to nonmagical damage while wearing this armor. You can also use an action to make yourself immune to damage for 10 minutes or until you’re no longer wearing the armor.

Once this special action has been used, it cannot be used again until the break of the next dawn.

Explanation

Physical damage, especially in campaigns with limited magic, will be the most prevalent damage type in your campaign.

The only issue with the Armor of Invulnerability is that it’s a Legendary item, so you’ll only be able to obtain it in the late game, where there’ll be more magic.

However, to counteract this, you can always pick up the Spellguard Shield or a Mantle of Spell Resistance.

4. Half Plate

Armor Class (AC): 15 + Dexterity modifier (max 2)

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 6 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Half Plate is any ordinary Artificer’s go-to armor. 

It doesn’t have any disadvantage on stealth and has pretty decent AC, especially if you have a Shield and 14 Dexterity.

There’s not much to say about Half Plate other than to take it if you can’t make up your mind.

3. Living Armor

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (any)

Description

To attune to this armor, you must wear it for the entire attunement period, feeling as the tendrils on the inside burrow into you.

Wearing the armor gives you a +1 bonus to AC and bestows you with resistance to Necrotic, Poison, and Psychic damage types.

Symbiotic Nature – While attuned to you, the armor cannot be removed, and your attunement cannot be voluntarily ended. It can only be ended by a spell that ends the curse, detaching the armor from you.

The armor will require you to feed it fresh blood, and immediately after finishing any long rest, you must take 1 level of exhaustion or feed half of your remaining Hit Dice to the armor (rounded up).

Explanation

Living Armor functions by creating a symbiotic relationship between the wearer and the armor, similar to Venom.

The +1 to AC is good, but when you see that it also gives you Resistance to Necrotic, Poison, and Psychic damage, you understand that this armor is exceptionally powerful, especially against the undead.

However, the armor comes with a dark twist, as it yearns for fresh blood and cannot easily be removed except by magical means.

The Living Armor is one of the most intriguing armor out there, especially with all the different scenarios it can put the wearer and their party in.

2. Mizzium Armor

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Armor (heavy or medium, but not hide)

Description

This armor is magically reinforced with the enhanced metal alloy mizzium, made in Izzet foundries. Wearing the armor means any critical hit against you will become a normal hit.

When subjected to magical effects allowing you to make a Strength or Constitution save to only take half damage, you will instead take no damage on a successful save.

Explanation

If you think Adamantine Armor is powerful, wait until you get your hands on Mizzium Armor.

Not only will you become immune to critical hits against you, but the fact that you take zero damage from Constitution and Strength saves for half damage means certain damage spells simply won’t work on you.

Mizzium Armor can also be put on medium armor, meaning you’ll have a field day if you want to avoid crits!

1. Spellguard Shield

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (shield)

Description

Holding this shield gives you advantage on saving throws against spells as well as other magical effects. Spells have disadvantage against you.

Explanation

Normal shields are exceptional in the early and mid-game, but the longer a game goes on, the more enemies you face will start using spells.

When that time comes, be sure to pick up the Spellguard Shield to stop any unnecessary spells from reaching you or your party.

Final Thoughts

For the most part, each class in D&D has its most used or beloved armor that is both iconic and functional.

Though some of these armors might not be the best D&D armor overall, they remain the best option for that character at the moment.

A good example would be the choice between a set of medium armor or light armor, as medium armor works best for most scenarios, while light armor gives builds like the Infiltrator extra room to operate efficiently.

In the end, whether you decide to take a conventional or unconventional armor, as long as you like it and it fits your playstyle, you should roll with it!