The 15 Best Armor For Rogues 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 Rogues, their backstories and playstyles mainly have them don light armor and use all sorts of trinkets and armor to become a thief, assassin, or even a pirate.

Rogues deal a ton of damage, which means their armor is their first and last line of defense if they don’t have any magical protection cast on them. 

Even the Arcane Trickster needs reliable armor, as their spells can’t protect them from everything.

Rogue Armor Proficiency

• Light armor

Best Armor for the Rogue in 5e

15. Leather

Armor Class (AC): 11 + Dexterity modifier

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 10 lbs

Cost: 10 GP

Explanation

Leather is your starting armor as a Rogue. It performs okay, but if you want to survive, you should look to upgrade to Studded Leather as soon as you can.

14. Bracer of Flying Daggers

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

This armband has thin daggers strapped to it, and as an action, you may pull two magic daggers from the bracer, immediately hurling them and performing a ranged attack with each dagger.

A dagger will vanish if it isn’t hurled immediately, and it disappears right after hitting or missing. The bracer will never run out of daggers.

Explanation

Rogues don’t have many ranged options other than thrown weapons, so having a replenishable 2d4 dagger-throwing machine helps if you can’t get to your target.

The Bracer of Flying Daggers allows Rogues to deal decent ranged damage without worrying about throwing their daggers away.

13. Studded Leather

Armor Class (AC): 12 + Dexterity Modifier

Strength: –

Stealth: –

Weight: 13 lbs

Cost: 45 GP

Explanation

Rogues often work towards picking up Studded Leather as their main armor.

It gives them no disadvantage on stealth and scales well with their Dexterity, and in most cases, you can blow all your cash to afford it.

12. Amulet of Health

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Your Constitution score rises to 19 while wearing this amulet. It will have no effect on you if your Constitution is at 19 or higher before wearing it.

Explanation

Rogues need high Dexterity and Charisma to function well, especially as a Face, so they often neglect their Constitution.

The Amulet of Health takes care of their neglected Constitution, giving them a much-needed HP boost for those times they do get hit.

11. Hat of Disguise

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing this hat means you can use an action to cast Disguise Self from it. The spell will end if the hat is removed.

Explanation

Rogues might not love their hats as much as Bards do, but they sure benefit all the same when it comes to the Hat of Disguise.

Not being seen is part of your job as a Face, but with the Hat of Disguise, being seen doesn’t matter anymore, so you can cause serious havoc without anyone ever finding out it was you.

10. Spies’ Murmur

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

This headpiece is crafted from dark metal and is worn curved around the ear. Knowing a creature also wearing a Spies’ Murmur within 1 mile of you allows you to telepathically communicate with each other.

Using a bonus action allows the other creature to hear everything you hear for 1 hour. This effect can be ended by using a bonus action if you become incapacitated.

Explanation

Feel like playing in a spy movie? If so, go ahead and get you and one of your party members the Spies’ Murmur.

Being able to inform your party about current developments without speaking allows you to walk into infiltration scenarios with newfound confidence.

Just ensure the Whispers Bard isn’t the one with the other earpiece!

9. Glamoured Studded Leather

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Armor (studded leather)

Description

Wearing the armor, you will gain a +1 bonus to AC. You may also use a bonus action to speak the command word of the armor, which will assume a set of normal clothing or other armor.

You may decide what it looks like, including its accessories, color, and style, but the armor will retain its bulk and weight. This illusory appearance will last until you use this property again or if you remove the armor.

Explanation

Just like Bards, Rogues have the Charisma and Dexterity to pull off Glamoured Studded Leather, working well if they plan on infiltrating an area or speaking to a potential target.

This armor might not be the strongest, but it provides some much-needed utility that can help a party obtain vital information in certain situations.

8. Ring of Evasion

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Ring

Description

This ring has 3 charges, regaining 1d3 expended charges each day at dawn. Failing a Dexterity save while wearing the ring means you can use your reaction to expend 1 charge to succeed on the save instead.

Explanation

Rogues are proud of their high Dexterity, but things don’t always go as planned, especially when you’re just about to stab that Orc in the neck.

However, with the Ring of Evasion, all these troubles can be erased by simply expending a charge.

7. Winged Boots

Rarity – Uncommon (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing these boots gives you a flying speed equal to your walking speed. The boots can be used to fly for up to 4 hours, all at once, or used in several short flights using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration.

If you’re flying when the duration expires, you’ll descend at 30 feet per round until you’ve landed. The boots will regain 2 hours of flying capacity for every 12 hours they aren’t being used.

Explanation

Most Rogues only dream of flying, but with the Winged Boots, surveillance and spying have never been easier, especially when you combine it with the Cloak of Invisibility.

You should abuse the fact that Winged Boots are uncommon, as having flight early in the game can be a life-changer for your party.

6. Boots of Elvenkind

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing these boots makes your steps make no sound, no matter what surface you move across. You also gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks that rely on moving silently.

Explanation

Boots of Elvenkind are a no-brainer for any Rogue looking to be extra stealthy.

The boots work pretty well with the Cloak of Elvenkind, and since that’s also an uncommon item, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get your hands on both items!

5. Gloves of Thievery

Rarity – Uncommon

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

The Gloves of Thievery are invisible while worn. Wearing them means you gain a +5 bonus to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and Dexterity checks to pick locks.

Explanation

Rogues often become thieves, so the Gloves of Thievery fits their flavor perfectly.

Even if Rogues don’t specifically choose to become a thief, having a bonus to Sleight of Hand allows a party to think of different ways to play around certain quests or problems that are bound to arrive.

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

A Cloak of Displacement helps balance the low AC Rogues tend to have because of their lack of armor.

Even though their Dexterity might be at 20, Studded Leather can only do so much, and Cloak of Displacement gives a Rogue just enough defense to escape dangerous situations unscathed.

3. Boots of Speed

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing these boots lets you use a bonus action to click the boot’s heels together. Doing this doubles your walking speed, and creatures that make opportunity attacks against you will have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Clicking your heels together again ends this effect. After the boots’ property has been used for a total of 10 minutes, their magic will cease to function until you finish a long rest.

Explanation

Rogues often use hit-and-run tactics due to their poisons, thrown weapons, and sneak attacks, but the Boots of Speed make these tactics much easier to perform.

Double your movement means traveling twice as far and having more than enough movement to escape a sticky situation if an attack doesn’t go as planned.

2. Cloak of Invisibility

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

Wearing the cloak lets you pull down its hood over your head and become invisible. While invisible, anything you’re wearing or carrying is also invisible.

When you stop wearing the hood, you become visible, and pulling the hood up or down requires an action.

The cloak’s maximum duration is 2 hours, so deduct the time you’re invisible using increments of 1 minute.

After being used for 2 hours, the cloak stops functioning. If a period of 12 uninterrupted hours passes without the cloak being used, 1 hour of duration is regained.

Explanation

A Rogue is often the designated Face of the party, which isn’t a surprise given their dextrous stats and natural charisma.

That’s why the Cloak of Invisibility works so well, as it gives a Rogue one of the most powerful utilities in the game, and when combined with the Boots of Elvenkind, I wouldn’t worry about the Rogue ever being found.

1. Cloak of Arachnida

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Wondrous item

Description

This cloak is made from black silk interwoven with silvery threads. Wearing it lets you gain the following benefits:

• Resistance to Poison damage
• Climbing speed equal to your walking speed
• Ability to move down, up, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, leaving your hands free
• You cannot be caught in any sort of webs and can move through webs as if they were difficult terrain
• Use an action and cast the Web spell (save DC 13). This web fills twice the normal area, but once used, it can only be cast again after the next dawn

Explanation

The Cloak of Arachnida is an excellent utility-based piece for a Rogue, giving a much-needed resistance, the ability to outmaneuver their enemies, and a free spell.

It might be quite challenging to obtain, but with all the extras it gives you, it fits well with a Rogue’s flavor and does well to provide him with more tools to undermine his enemies.

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 stealthy boots or speedy boots, as stealthy boots work better for Rogues that do a lot of infiltration. In contrast, speedy boots work well for engaging and disengaging enemies (or running away from them).

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!