The 12 Best Armor For Druids 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 Druids, their backstories and playstyles mainly have them don lighter armor (the occasional medium armor piece) and use basic or magical shields.

Druids are one of the most important spellcasters in the game, using their large spell slot pool for utility, offense, and control spells. So armor up with whatever you can get; you’ll need it to help save your party from death!

Druid Armor Proficiency

• Light armor
• Medium armor
• Shields

Note: Druids won’t use shields or wear armor made from metal.

Best Armor for the Druid in 5e

12. Leather

Armor Class (AC): 11 + Dexterity modifier

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 10 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Leather armor is your starting Druid armor, but if you can, picking up Hide instead is preferable.

11. Studded Leather

Armor Class (AC): 12 + Dexterity Modifier

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 13 lbs

Cost: 45 GP

Explanation

Studded Leather is the best nonmagical armor you can get on a Druid.

However, it only becomes viable after raising your Dexterity past a +2 modifier.

10. Hide

Armor Class (AC): 12 + Dexterity modifier (max 2)

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 12 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Hide has the same AC as Studded Leather yet costs 35 GP less, making it an excellent early-game alternative.

However, once your Dexterity exceeds a +2 modifier, switching to Studded Leather would be the wiser call.

9. Shield

Armor Class (AC): +2

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 6 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Druids struggle quite a bit with their AC since they can’t wear most armor presented to them.

Since you’ll just need a free hand or a focus in one hand, the other is perfect for a shield with a free +2 AC.

8. Sentinel Shield

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Armor (shield)

Description

Holding the shield gives you advantage on initiative rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks. The shield is also decorated with the symbol of an eye.

Explanation

The Sentinel Shield is the perfect defensive item to ensure they’re never caught unaware.

It’s vital for Druids possessing control spells like Spike Growth to get their spells out as quickly as possible, hence the advantage on initiative rolls.

7. Ring of Animal Influence

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Ring

Description

The ring has 3 charges, regaining 1d3 charges each day at dawn. While you wear the ring, you may use an action to expend a charge to cast one of these spells:

• Animal Friendship (save DC 13)
• Fear (save DC 13) only targeting beasts with Intelligence 3 or lower
• Speak with Animals

Explanation

Druids already have decent Animal Handling skills due to their high Wisdom, but with the Ring of Animal Influence, they now have even more effective ways to tame or frighten animals.

This ring lets Druids cast spells without having to expend spell slots and allows them to have an even broader portfolio of spells, all without attunement.

6. Amulet of Health

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Your Constitution score rises to 19 while wearing this amulet. It will not affect you if your Constitution is 19 or higher before wearing it.

Explanation

Druids mainly use Wisdom for their spellcasting and Constitution for their Concentration on spells and extra durability.

By picking up an Amulet of Health, you can set your Constitution to a reasonable amount, allowing you to raise your Wisdom even higher or focus on other ability scores you might need.

5. Ring of Spell Storing

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Ring

Description

Spells cast into the ring are stored (up to 5 levels worth of spells may be stored in the ring at one time), holding them until the attuned wearer decides to use them.  

When the ring is found, it can contain 1d6 -1 levels of stored spells (chosen by the DM).

Any creature is able to cast a spell of 1st to 5th level into the ring by simply touching it as the spell is cast. Doing this makes the spell have no effect other than being stored in the ring.

However, if the ring cannot hold the spell, it will be expended without effect. The level of the spell slot used to cast the spell will determine how much space it takes up.

Wearing the ring lets you cast any spell stored within it. The spell will use the slot level, spell attack bonus, spell save DC, and spellcasting ability of the original caster but is otherwise treated as a normal cast spell.

A spell cast from the ring is no longer stored within it, freeing up space in the ring.

Explanation

The Ring of Spell Storing has a lot of uses, but the best way to use it would be to pump it with defensive spells to increase your durability.

Spells like Absorb Elements or Shield work exceptionally well when put into a Ring of Spell Storing.

4. Cloak of Protection

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Gain +1 bonus to AC and saving throws while wearing the cloak.

Explanation

A Cloak of Protection is an easy-to-find AC bonus for Druids looking to become more tanky.

It works for almost any playstyle, and since it isn’t that rare, DMs often reward their players with it in the early game.

Note: I recommend combining it with the Ring of Protection for a nice +2 bonus to AC and saves, which will keep you alive for quite some time. Just watch out; both pieces require attunement!

3. Robe of Eyes

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

This robe is adorned with eyelike patterns, and wearing the robe lets you gain the following benefits:

• It lets you see in all directions and gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight
• Gain darkvision to a range of 120 feet
• See invisible creatures and objects, as well as being able to see into the Ethereal Plane to a range of 120 feet

The robe’s eyes cannot be averted or closed, and even though you can avert or close your own eyes, you aren’t considered to be that so while wearing this robe.

A Light or Daylight (cast within 5 feet) spell cast on the robe causes you to be blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each turn, you may make a Constitution save (DC 11 for Light and DC 15 for Daylight), ending the blindness if successful.

Explanation

With the Robe of the Eyes and your high Wisdom, there’s no chance any enemy will ever sneak up on your party again.

Though it can be “disabled” quite effectively, remember that most creatures don’t have the means to cast these spells in the early game, but that also depends if your DM isn’t feeling particularly devious in that session.

2. Hide of the Feral Guardian

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (studded leather)

Description

This leather armor is believed to be a gift from Melara, who bestowed it to a long-forgotten archdruid, the champion of the natural world before the terrors of the Calamity.

Dormant (The armor in its dormant state gives the following benefits):

• +1 AC bonus
• Being transformed by an effect replacing your game statistics with a creature gives you a +1 bonus to damage and melee attack rolls, retaining the benefits of this armor
• As an action, you can cast Polymorph on yourself, transforming into a Giant Owl and retaining your Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence scores. This ability can’t be used again until the next dawn

Awakened (If the armor reaches its awakened state, it gives the following benefits):

• +2 AC bonus
• Being transformed by an effect replacing your game statistics with a creature gives you a +2 bonus to damage and melee attack rolls
• Casting Polymorph using this armor lets you transform into a Cave Bear (use the Polar Bear statistics)

Exalted (If the armor reaches its exalted state, it gives the following benefits):

• +3 AC bonus
• Being transformed by an effect replacing your game statistics with a creature gives you a +3 bonus to damage and melee attack rolls
• Casting Polymorph using this armor lets you transform into a Guardian Wolf

Explanation

The Wild Shape Druid tends to make other Druids feel left out, so if you’ve run out of spell slots or just want a part of the action, pick up the Hide of the Feral Guardian.

The armor’s ability to transform the Druid into animals without any cost is perfect for a Druid who wants to be a useful spellcaster and a close-range terror.

1. Dragon Scale Mail

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armor (scale mail)

Description

This armor is made of the scale of one kind of dragon, and while wearing the armor, you will gain a +1 bonus to AC. 

You also get advantage on saving throws against Frightful Presence as well as breath weapons of dragons, and have resistance against one damage type on the table below.

You may also focus your senses as an action to magically discern direction and distance to the closest dragon within 30 miles, which is the same type as the armor. This special action cannot be used again until the next break of dawn.

Explanation

Most adventurers understand that Druids can’t wear traditional Scale Mail, but Dragon Scale Mail is made from dragon scales, which isn’t a metal!

Dragon Scale Mail is the perfect late-game Druid set, especially if you have higher Dexterity. The additional damage type resistance also gives you some much-needed durability.

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 or light armor, as medium armor will give you more AC, but there aren’t many options, unlike with light armor.

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!