Discover the best Barbarian Armour and Clothing in Baldur’s Gate 3, equipping your class with the top eight early and end-game choices.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has various powerful clothing and armour types. When choosing armor for your Barbarian, it is important to consider your character’s playstyle and the types of enemies you will be facing. The Barbarian class and subclasses reward in-your-face aggression and offensive damage potential. Your Rage class feature reduces damage and allows you to pressure the enemy, making the Barbarian one of the easiest and most effective classes in BG3. This guide and ranking explain and list the best armour and clothing in BG3 for the Barbarian, and how you can utilize them.
Best Armour & Clothing for Barbarian Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
Bonespike Garb is the best armour or clothing for the Barbarian in Baldur’s Gate 3 due to its damage reduction of 2, 15 temporary hit points on Rage, and that it keeps your Rage and movement bonuses. Bonespike Garb gives you the best offensive and defensive potential with clothing, which in combination with a high health pool and damage reduction makes up for the lower Armour Class (AC). Consider this a must-acquire item in Act 3 for those best overall for a Barbarian wanting to complete the hardest quest and boss fights in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Best Armour and Clothing for Barbarian Class in BG3:
- Bonespike Garb
- Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength
- Helm of Balduran
- Enraging Heart Garb
- Adamantine Scale Mail
- Cap of Wrath
- Haste Helm
- Bloodguzzler Garb
8 Bloodguzzler Garb
Bloodguzzler Garb features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): 10 + Dexterity Bonus
- Type: Clothing
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Location: Dropped by the Bulette in the Underdark Act 1.
The first item is the clothing chest piece Bloodguzzler Garb from Act 1. This clothing chest piece doesn’t require armour proficiency and benefits from the Unarmored Defense class feature, adding Dexterity and Constitution bonuses. So, if you have 16 Constitution (+3) and 16 Dexterity (+3), you can expect 16 Armour Class (AC) wearing just clothing.
The strength of Bloodguzzler Garb clothing is the Grievous Retribution perk. When an enemy damages the wearer, the wearer gains Wrath. Wrath is a condition where you have a +1 bonus to damage with melee weapons. This essentially incentivizes you to jump in the melee fray, take damage, and increase your damage. You can get this in the Underdark by killing the Bulette monster. Other item sets to give Wrath that you should look out for are Cap of Wrath, Enraging Heart Garb, and Linebreaker Boots.
If you are looking for an alternative very early, pick up the Scale Mail +1 medium armour from traders, which has 15 Armour Class (AC) and +2 Dexterity bonus but doesn’t have the offensive firepower of Bloodguzzler Garb.
7 Haste Helm
Haste Helm features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): None
- Type: Helmet
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Found inside the locked chest at Blighted Village X: 32 Y: 403 Act 1.
The Haste Helm doesn’t require proficiency and isn’t considered armour. The strength of this helmet is the Smooth Start passive, which gives momentum for three turns at the start of combat, increasing your movement speed by 1.5m while the effect remains.
Extra movement speed is extremely useful for the Barbarian, which is entirely melee-centered. Without Flying spells, potions, or the Misty Step spell, reaching the fight at turn 2 or 3 can be frustrating. This will help get you there, taking advantage of your melee damage and pressure, and it’s obtained in Act 1 very early in a locked chest near Blighted Village teleporter.
Something to remember: you need ALL your equipment not to be armoured to take advantage of Unarmored Defense. If even one piece is off, it will drop your AC, so be careful to check helmets and gloves. Also, look towards obtaining the Horns of the Berserker in Act 3, which Entharl Danthelion sells in Wyrm’s Crossing.
6 Cap of Wrath
Cap of Wrath features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): None
- Type: Helmet
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Dropped by Thudd in Grymforge Act.
The Cap of Wrath is a powerful helmet in Act 1 that helps generate Wrath. For this set to work, the wearer must be below 50% health, and then they gain Wrath for two turns. This is quite easy for a Barbarian who relies on high health, and lower AC. This item will help with your desire to get attacked to keep Rage proc active while giving you an offensive benefit when dipping below 50%.
Bloodguzzler Garb, Cap of Wrath, Enraging Heart Garb, and Linebreaker Boots all proc Wrath condition with various conditions. Keep Wrath and the +1 bonus damage for melee weapons is the key to getting the most out of your Barbarian’s damage and build.
5 Adamantine Scale Mail
Adamantine Scale Mail features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): 16 + Dexterity Modifier(max of +2)
- Type: Medium Armour
- Requirements: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Location: Adamantine Forge Act 1 with Scale Mail Mould and Minthral Ore.
Adamantine Scale Mail is next and is a late Act 1 Medium Armour chest piece with 16 Armour Class. You get to add your Dexterity modifier up to +2, bringing you to 18 Armour Class (AC) in Act 1. This will negate your Unarmored Defense bonus and should be used if you struggle with survivability or want to avoid many attacks at the expense of offensive sets.
Besides high Armour Class (AC), the Adamantine Scale Mail reduces all damage by 1, the wearer cannot be critically struck, and you can send melee attackers reeling. Reeling is a status effect that reduces attack rolls by -1 for two turns. Adamantine Scale Mail can be forged in The Adamantine Forge within the Underdark, then Gymforge. Forging this armour requires the Scale Mail Mould and one Mithral Ore – and remember, there are only two Mithral Ore in the game. You can forge weapons and armour, including heavy, so make your decision carefully.
4 Enraging Heart Garb
Enraging Heart Garb features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): 10 + Dexterity Bonus
- Type: Clothing
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Sold by Lann Tarv in the Moonrise Towers Act 2.
Enraging Heart Garb is a clothing chest piece that gives a benefit to Rage and a boost to Constitution by +2. This set comes with 10 + Dexterity and Constitution modifiers, so you can expect 15 to 16 Armour Class (AC), depending on your ability score. You can purchase this from the trader Lann Tarv in the Moonrise Towers in Act 2.
The strength of Enraging Heart Garb is the Ruintamer Heart special feature that gives two turns of Wrath while Raging. Wrath gives a +1 bonus to damage with melee weapons and increases your offensive potential. With another +2 to Constitution, you can get another +1 Armour Class (AC), assuming you aren’t wearing any armour due to Unarmored Defense passive. This is a fantastic mid-gear clothing chest piece, making it one of the Best in Baldur’s Gate 3 for a Barbarian.
3 Helm of Balduran
Helm of Balduran features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): None
- Type: Helmet
- Requirements: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Legendary
- Location: Found on an altar X: 636 Y: -964 in The Dragon’s Sanctum during Act 3.
Helm of Balduran is a medium armour legendary helmet coming in late Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3. If you are going to go the armor route, this is a must-have item due to its passives and special perks. You heal yourself every turn, which you can combine with the Ring of Regeneration and Sword of Chaos for constant healing.
The Helm of Balduran also gives +1 Armour Class (AC) and Saving throws, prevents you from being Stunned, and prevents critical hits. This might be the best item for solo or lone wolf play because the Barbarian has such a high initiative with the Feral Instinct class feature at level 7 that gives +3 Initiative, and you cannot be Surprised. With high Initiative, self-healing passively, and better Armour Class (AC), this item set is a go-to for and of the Best Clothing or Armour gear for the Barbarian in Baldur’s Gate 3.
2 Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength
Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): 0
- Type: Gloves
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Location: Stolen from a pedestal in the Archive of the House of Hope.
Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength is the best offensive gear set for the Barbarian due to increasing Strength to 23. You can expect to see this very late in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 3 in the House of Hope, but it will increase your damage substantially. The Gauntlets require no proficiency and give +1 to Strength saving throws. The Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength are your number one late-game target for the highest damage Barbarian Build in Baldur’s Gate 3.
1 Bonespike Garb
Bonespike Garb features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armour Class (AC): 10 + Dexterity Bonus
- Type: Clothing
- Requirements: None
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Location: Purchased from Exxvikyap at Rivington General in Rivington during Act 3.
The Bonespike Garb is an Act 3 clothing chest piece with good defensive capabilities. Bonespike Garb comes with the standard 10 Armour Class (AC), and Slabjaw Determination, which gives 15 temporary hit points whenever you Rage. The defensive potential also improves with Exoskeletal Endurance, which reduces all incoming damage by 2. When a melee attack strikes the wearer, the attacker takes 3-piercing damage. This allows for high defensive capability without sacrificing any class passive features using light, medium or heavy armour.
The Bonespike Garb is one of three Bonespike item sets and makes a powerful combination of Bonespike Helmet and Boots. The helmet gives damage in a 3m radius when you activate Rage. The Bonespike Gloves make your attacks ignore Resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage. Put all three of these together for a powerful Act 3 Barbarian gear loadout. These items are easy to obtain in Act 3 without the need for complex puzzles or near-the-end items, so make sure to purchase them straight away in Act 3.
Note, previously this guide listed Helldusk Armour, however, that was in error. While the armour does give you the highest AC, it reduces damage and damage reduction from Rage. An alternative for the high Armour Class is Medium Armour Adamantine Splint Armour. This will help you avoid attacks without reducing your Rage effectiveness.
Should Barbarians Wear Armour?
Barbarians tend to use clothing versus armour because of the class feature called Unarmored Defense, which allows them to calculate their Armour Class (AC) using their Dexterity and Constitution modifiers instead of wearing armour. This means that Barbarian can potentially have a very high Armour Class (AC) without wearing any armour.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has many clothing item sets that benefit Rage, Barbarians‘ main class feature, and mechanic. However, you should consider wearing a few medium armour items and one heavy piece. Barbarians have Light and Medium Armour proficiencies and can add Heavy Armour proficiency via the Heavily Armoured feat.
Whether to wear armour or clothing on a Barbarian in Baldur’s Gate 3 depends on your character’s strengths, weaknesses, and playstyle. If you have high Dexterity and Constitution scores, you may be better off not wearing armour so that you can use Unarmored Defense. However, if you have low Dexterity and Constitution scores or want to maximize your Armour Class (AC), you may want to wear armour.
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