Discover the best Druid Armour in Baldur’s Gate 3, equipping your class with the top 10 early and end-game choices.
When choosing armour for your Druid, it is important to consider your character’s playstyle and the types of enemies you will be facing. You will have proficiency in light armour, medium armour, and shields. Some of the items and armor you find later in the game will have powerful set bonuses that aid in the Wild Shape or Spores subclass. In this guide, we explain the best armour for the Druid class and how to use it.
Best Armour for Druid Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
The best armour for the Druid class in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Armour of Moon Basking or Armour of the Sporekeeper. Armour of Moonbasking gives you temporary hit points and Armour Class (AC) while in Wild Shape. This is the cornerstone mechanic for Druids and increases your survivability dramatically while using Wild Shape. The second best choice is Sporekeeper, which aids the Spores subclass with additional class action and Haste Spores. Regardless of your Act and subclass, let us review the best armour for the Druid class.
Best Armour for the Druid Class in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3):
- Armour of Moonbasking: Best overall Druid Armor
- Armour of the Sporekeeper: Best for Spores Build
- Helldusk Armour: Heavy Armor any build can use
- Viconia’s Walking Fortress: Best shield in BG3
- Flame Enamelled Armour: Alternative medium armour in Act 3
- Adamantine Shield: Best Act 1 Shield
- Adamantine Scale Mail: Best Act 1 medium armour
- Barkskin Armour: Defensive early armor
- Glowing Shield: Starter shield
- Hedge Wanderer Armour: Best starter armour
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10 Hedge Wanderer Armour
Hedge Wanderer Armour features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Medium
- Armour Class: 13
- Proficiency Requirement: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Weight: 5.4 kg / 10.8 lb
- Value: 130 gp
- Where to Find: Sold by Arron in the Druid Grove of Act 1.
- Special Bonus: Balance, Nature +1
Head North to the Druid Grove to obtain Hedge Wanderer Armour when you start the game. This medium armour set provides 13 AC, a benefit to Dexterity Saving Throws, and Nature +1. Most likely, you will be using Wild Shape as your primary means of damage and survivability. When you Wild Shape as a Druid, your ability score hit points, and AC all become that of the creature you transform. As a result, the overall AC or bonuses aren’t as important as other classes in BG3.
Additionally, the +1 to Nature is a helpful bonus while exploring and fits with the Druid narrative. An alternative to the Hedge Wanderer Armour is to strip Lae’zel of her Githyanki Half Plate. This will provide 15 AC, but will also render Lae’zel without any armour. If you don’t plan on using her or Wild Shape, this is a viable early-game option.
9 Glowing Shield
Glowing Shield features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Shield
- Armour Class: +2
- Proficiency Requirement: Shield Proficiency
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Weight: 2.7 kg / 5.4 lb
- Value: 70 gp
- Where to Find: Chest behind the Goblin Camp X: -53 Y: 461 in Act 1.
- Special Bonus: Loving Protection
A simple way to increase survivability at the start of Baldur’s Gate 3 is by equipping a Shield. Early in Act 1, head behind the Goblin camp and lock for a buried chest containing the Glowing Shield. Once equipped, this Shield will grant +2 AC and the Loving Protection special feature. Loving Protection gives you 8 temporary hit points when you drop below 50% health. This is a helpful defensive passive that automatically triggers without activation.
As you start playing the Druid, you use a combination of Wild Shape, potions, and healing for survivability. When you Wild Shape, you gain hit points associated with your animal. If you reach 0 health, you transform back into your normal character. Combining this shield with Wild Shape animals gives you enormous health and survivability at the start of the game. Consider the Glowing Shield one of the best starter armour items for the Druid Class in Baldur’s Gate 3.
8 Barkskin Armour
Barkskin Armour features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Medium Armour
- Armour Class:12
- Proficiency Requirement: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Rare
- Weight: 5.4 kg / 12 lb
- Value: 420 gp
- Where to Find: Sold by Quartermaster Talli in Act 2 Last Light Inn.
- Special Bonus: Forest Aegis, Advantage on Constitution Saving Throws
For a passive way to boost your AC to 16 and increase your survivability, purchase Barkskin Armour in Act 2. Sold from the vendor Talli in the Last Light Inn, this medium armor passively boosts your AC to 16. Moreover, you gain an Advantage on the Constitution saving throws. This is uniquely important for the Druid, who relies heavily on concentration-based spells. When damaged, you must complete a constitution check to main concentration and thus the effect of your spell. While not the best overall armour or item, Barksin can be helpful if you’ve reached Act 2 without Adamantine Scale Mail.
7 Adamantine Scale Mail
Adamantine Scale Mail features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Medium Armour
- Armour Class: 16
- Proficiency Requirement: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Weight: 12 kg / 26 lb
- Value: 1,300 gp
- Where to Find: Crafted with Mithral ore in the Adamantine Forge in Act 1.
- Special Bonus: Magical Plate, Adamntine Backlast, Critical Immunity
The best armour for the Druid class in Act 1 is the Adamantine Scale Mail medium armor. Not only does this raise your AC to 16, but provides three passive benefits. When wearing Adamantine Scale Mail, won’t be struck by critical hits, and you reduce all incoming damage by 1. Moreover, you send melee aggressors Reeling for 2 turns when they attack you. Reeling is a helpful status effect that gives a -1 penalty to Attack Rolls for the reach turn that is remaining.
The downside to Adamantine Scale Mail is it’s challenging to get, and requires crafting in the Adamantine Forge. Moreover, you need to locate Mithral Ore and the specific Mould outlined in the picture above. Lastly, there are only two sources of Mithril Ore, so you need to be intentional with what you craft. If the Druid is your main character, craft this medium armor and the next item on our list, the Adamantine Shield.
6 Adamantine Shield
Adamantine Shield features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Shield
- Armour Class: +2
- Proficiency Requirement: Shield Proficiency
- Rarity: Rare
- Weight: 2.7 kg / 5.4 lb
- Value: 190 gp
- Where to Find: Crafted with Mithral ore in the Adamantine Forge in Act 1.
- Special Bonus: Adamantine Shield, Shield Bash, Critical hit immunity
The easiest way to add survivability with your Druid build is by equipping a Shield like the Adamantine Shield. Forged in fires of the Adamantine Forge, this shield provides a passive +2 to AC along with Shield Bash special feature. This passive feature uses a reaction to strike back at an enemy and potentially knock them prone. Once prone, the character skips their turn, giving you a powerful defensive tool.
However, both the Adamantine Shield and Scale Mail have critical immunity and Reeling status effects. Thus, this combination can be redundant, especially if you’re using Wild Shape frequently. Use the two in conjunction if you are playing on the highest difficulty, like Tactician or solo. Find, craft, and equip the Adamantine Shield for one of the best items in Act 1 for the Druid class.
5 Flame Enamelled Armour
Flame Enamelled Armour features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: 16
- Armour Class: Medium
- Proficiency Requirement: Medium Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Weight: 12 kg / 26 lb
- Value: 2,900 gp
- Where to Find: Chest at Wyrm’s Rock Fortress at X: -28 Y: 184 in Act 3.
- Special Bonus: Seldom Caught Unawares, Endurance by Fire, Fire Shield Warm Spell
After reaching Act 3, you can pick up a powerful medium armor set Flame Enamelled Armour. Found in a chest inside of Wyrm’s Rock Fortress, this medium armor grants 16 and 3 special features. The most notable special feature is Endurance by Fire. This special feature gives you resistance to fire damage and a +2 bonus to saving throws. Elemental resistance lowers damage from that element by half, immediately giving you an advantage in certain fights.
However, don’t sleep on the Seldom Caught Unawares bonus. This gives the welder a +2 bonus to Initiative Rolls. Intiative determines your order in combat, and is based on your Dexterity ability score, a dice roll, and other factors. One of the downsides to the Druids who aren’t at 16 Dexterity is a delay on your initial combat turn. This makes you vulnerable to incoming damage, crowd controls, and immobilization before you can get into Wild Shape. A +2 bonus to Initiative is a big advantage for a class that can be vulnerable on turn one.
4 Viconia’s Walking Fortress
Viconia’s Walking Fortress features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Shield
- Armour Class: +3
- Proficiency Requirement: Shield Proficiency
- Rarity: Legendary
- Weight: 2.7 kg / 5.4 lb
- Value: 760 gp
- Where to Find: Looted from Viconia, Shadowheart side quest, House of Grief.
- Special Bonus: Rebuke of the Mighty, Reflective Shell, Warding Bond
If you’ve reached Act 3 and want the best shield in the game, consider completing Shadowheart’s sidequest and killing Viconia for her shield. The Viconia’ Walking Fortress shield provides the most AC in the game, +3, and 3 additional special features. The most notable special feature is the Reflective Shell. Using a bonus action, this shell reflects any projectiles targeted at you back a their point of origin. While only lasting for two turns, this can be incredibly valuable, especially for the Spores subclass which doesn’t transform using Wild Shape.
Another combination you can use on your Druid with an ally companion is the Warding Bond spell. This spell targets an ally who gains resistance to all damage, a +1 bonus to AC, and Saving Throws. The interesting part of this spell is, you take damage equal to the target each time it’s hit. However, you can use the Druid’s massive health pool via Wild Shape and still protect your ally. Casting Warding Bond on the most vulnerable target, before Wild Shape for a powerful support skill.
3 Helldusk Armour
Helldusk Armour features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Heavy
- Armour Class: 21
- Proficiency Requirement: None (unique)
- Rarity: Legendary
- Weight: 20 kg / 40 lb
- Value: 8,000 gp
- Where to Find: Looted from Raphael in the House of Hope Act 3.
- Special Bonus: Armour Proficiency, Infernal Retribution, Prime Aegis of Fire, Fly
It is hard not to rank the Helldusk Armour the best for every build in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the Druid has slightly better options. What makes Helldusk Armour so powerful and universally used is the Helldusk Armour Proficiency. This bonus allows any class or build to equip this heavy armor and automatically gain proficiency. Thus, you can gain 21 AC outside of Wild Shape by equipping the armor along with 3 other benefits.
This begs the question, why isn’t Helldusk Armour the best for the Druid class in Baldur’s Gate 3? Simply put, you aren’t as reliant on AC as other builds, especially in Act 3 with alternative armor sets. The Druid has not only Wild Shape a powerful defensive tool, but temporary hit points. On the Spores subclass, you can consistently obtain 40+ temporary hit points on turn one. This bonus, along with Wild Shape HP, outweighs the raw strength of the Helldusk Armour AC.
Helldusk Armour is still worth obtaining and using towards the end of the game. However, the Sporekeeper and Moonbasking are slightly better for Druid builds, and let us examine why.
Related:
2 Armour of the Sporekeeper
Armour of the Sporekeeper features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: Light
- Armour Class: 13
- Proficiency Requirement: Light Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Weight: 4.5 kg / 9 lb
- Value: 1,400 gp
- Where to Find: In the Philgrave’s Masnion from Mystic Carrion in Lower City Act 3.
- Special Bonus: Malefic Funghi, Spore Sacks
The Cricle of the Spores Druid’s number one priority in Act 3 is to obtain the Armour of the Sporekeeper. This is the most powerful armor for the Druid Subclass, due to increased utility spells like Biberbang Spores, Tinmask Spores, and Haste Spores. Haste Spores alone make the item worth obtaining, allowing you to cast a cloud that hastens allies. Any creature that enters will have +2 AC, double movement, and an additional action. This ability can be used as a bonus action, thus allowing you to have two actions per turn while inside the cloud or Hasten Spores.
The key to the power of the Spores subclass is the Symbiotic Entity skill. When activated, which consumes a Wild Shape charge, you gain 4 temporary hit points per Druid level. At the BG3 max level of 12, you gain a staggering 48 hit points. This is why, Armour of the Sporekeeper is more powerful than Helldusk Armour. Every Wild Shape charge activated gives you nearly the same health as a Wild Shape animal or over half your HP. Combine that, with the utility, increased necrotic damage, and additional skills, Armour of the Sporekeeper is the second-best armour for the Druid class in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, there is one slightly better for the true shapeshifter at heart.
1 Armour of Moonbasking
Armour of Moonbasking features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Armor Type: 11
- Armour Class: Light
- Proficiency Requirement: Light Armour Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Weight: 4.5 kg / 9 lb
- Value: 1,400 gp
- Where to Find: Trader, Voiceless Penitent Bareki, Undercity Ruins, Lower City Act 3 (X: -157 Y: 939).
- Special Bonus: Lunar Beastial Vitality, Lunar Bestial Fortitude
The best armour for the Druid class is Armour of Moonbasking due to the dramatic increase in survivability gained while activating Wild Shape. When activated, you gain 22 temporary hit points and those gained by your specific animal. If you transform into an Earth Myrmidon, you gain 103 base HP and another 22 temporary HP! Even if you reach zero health, you can transform back into your normal self, and Wild Shape again for yet another 125 HP.
Even though Moonbasking has a lower AC of 11, you gain +2 AC while transformed. If we use the Earth Myrmidon example, that creature has a base AC of 18. While transformed, you will have 125 HP with 20 AC. That is only one lower than Helldusk Armour! Lastly, you can purchase this armor from a vendor immediately after reaching the Lower City. Rush to the Voiceless Penitent Bareki, and purchase Moonbasking, you will have the best armour in Baldur’s Gate 3 for the Druid class!
Druid Armour Proficiency Explained
The Druids class starts with proficiency in light armor, medium armor, and shields. Armor proficiency in Baldur’s Gate 3 determines which types of armor a character can wear effectively. Equipping armor without the required proficiency will incur penalties, while proficiency grants benefits such as increased Armor Class (AC) and the ability to cast spells without restriction.
Light armor provides the least protection, but it has powerful Druid-specific set bonuses. Unlike medium armour, you are not capped on AC based on your Dexterity. If you have 16 Dexterity, you can get a +3 bonus. Light armour is a good choice, depending on the set bonuses.
Medium armor provides more protection than light armor but is also weaker in later stages of the game. Medium armor is great starting, but you will be capped at a +2 bonus from your AC. Until you get powerful set bonuses, medium armour is your priority.
Shields provide additional protection by increasing your AC passively. They can be used with any type of armour, including light, medium, and heavy. Druids who use a shield will gain a +2 bonus to their AC.
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