The 12 Best Armor For Paladins 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 Paladins, their backstories and playstyles mainly have them don heavy to medium armor, as well as using a shield with their customary sword or mace.

Paladins don’t solely act as the tank of a party, acting as secondary spellcasters, using their magic mainly for buffs or offense. You could think of the Paladin as a large magical shield, protecting their party from harm!

Paladin Armor Proficiency

• Light armor
• Medium armor
• Heavy armor
• Shields

Best Armor for the Paladin in 5e

12. Chain Mail

Armor Class (AC): 13 + Dexterity modifier (max 2)

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 20 lbs

Cost: 50 GP

Explanation

Chain Mail is a Paladin’s starting armor. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. We all start somewhere, and at least you’re starting with something that won’t catch fire (laughs in Druid)!

11. Studded Leather

Armor Class (AC): 12 + Dexterity Modifier

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 13 lbs

Cost: 45 GP

Explanation

Paladins can go for Finesse builds, and when they do, Studded Leather is the way to go.

Raising your Dexterity that high and picking up a shield will still land you with some respectable AC, especially when your Dexterity hits 20.

10. 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

Mizzium Armor is a lot like Adamantine Armor, only better.

It’ll give you some much-needed defense against those pesky saves and crits enemies usually throw when you’re low HP.

9. Belt of Giant Strength

Rarity – Rare, Very Rare, or Legendary (all requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing the belt changes your Strength score with that granted by the belt. Having Strength equal to or greater than that of the belt mitigates any effects of the belt.

Six varieties of the belt exist, corresponding with and having rarity according to the six kinds of true giants.

Explanation

Most Paladins will use weapons that utilize Strength, and when you start looking at the numbers, raising your Strength past 20 makes it unable to miss.

That means, with your high AC, high weapon damage (since you’ll probably be using a Longsword with the Dueling Fighting Style), and high Strength, enemies don’t stand a chance when facing you in melee.

8. Shield

Armor Class (AC): +2

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 6 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Most Paladins who don’t go for the Great Weapon Master Feat will use a one-handed weapon and a shield.

Get the dueling Fighting Style and enjoy some juicy extra damage and the +2 AC from your shield.

7. 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

Spells aren’t widespread in the early game, but come mid-late to late game, you’ll wish you had a Spellguard Shield.

In most cases, your DM won’t gift you the Spellguard Shield for nothing, so you should expect to fight something that has a lot of spell attacks up its sleeve!

6. Efreeti Chain

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Armo (chain mail)

Description

Wearing this armor lets you gain a +3 bonus to AC, gives you immunity to Fire damage, and means you understand and speak Primordial. 

You can also stand as well as walk across molten rock like it were solid ground.

Explanation

Efreeti Chain can turn out to be the go-to armor for Paladins who want an excessive amount of AC, and when combined with the Battering Shield, things get out of hand.

The immunity to Fire damage is great, especially if you plan on venturing through some particularly demonic areas, and the ability to speak Primordial can be awesome flavor, especially with your high Charisma.

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 are able to 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 spellcaster 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 Displacement

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing this cloak projects an illusion that makes it look like you’re standing in a place close to your actual location, giving creatures disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

Taking damage will stop this function until the start of your next turn. This property is also suppressed while you are restrained, incapacitated, or unable to move.

Explanation

Paladins already have remarkably high AC, but when coupled with the Cloak of Displacement, they essentially place a never-ending disadvantage on attack enemies.

That means the only way you can manage to hit a Paladin is by incapacitating him. Still, most normal enemies will have difficulty surviving when they get close to a Paladin.

3. Plate

Armor Class (AC): 18

Strength: 15

Stealth: Disadvantage

Weight: 65 lbs

Cost: 1,500 GP

Explanation

Full Plate is the go-to armor for heavy armor fanatics, as well as Life Clerics.

It provides 18 AC, and when combined with a shield, it gives you a total of 20 AC, which is crazy considering you’re only using basic armor found throughout the world.

Explanation

Almost every Paladin decides to take Plate armor, as it’s their best nonmagical option out there. It might be expensive, but it’s worth the GP!

2. 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.

1. Amulet of the Devout

Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3) (requiring attunement by a Cleric or Paladin)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing the holy symbol lets you gain a bonus to both spell attack rolls and saving throw DCs of your spells. The amulet’s rarity determines the bonus.

Wearing the amulet lets you use your Channel Divinity feature without having to expend one of the feature’s uses. Once this property has been used, it cannot be used again until the next break of dawn.

Explanation

Even though the bonus you get to your spell attacks and save DCs is based on the spell’s rarity, getting an extra use of Channel Divinity makes the Amulet of the Devout one of your best item choices.

It also fits well with the Harness Divine Power class feature; you won’t make a mistake by picking up an Amulet of the Devout.

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 heavy armor or light armor, as heavy armor works best if you plan on being on the frontline, tanking hits, while light armor is great for finesse builds.

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!