Best Armor In Act 1 & How To Get Them

Regardless of build, Armor is one of the most important items in Baldur’s Gate 3 as it is the main provider of the Armor Class (AC) stat which is the minimum number that enemies must roll to successfully land an attack. There are technically four types of Armor, these being Clothing, Light Armor, Medium Armor, and finally Heavy Armor.

Heavier types of Armor typically provide more AC at the cost of stealth, and characters must also possess the correct Armor Proficiency to wear heavier options. While the absolute best Armor is naturally found in Act 3 of the game, there are nonetheless some great Armor options in Act 1, as long as players know where to look or reach a high enough level.

Updated on December 20, 2024, by Joe Grantham: Due to the requirement of proficiency in order to wear the heavier types of armor, players need a wider variety of options to choose from when selecting what to wear in Act 1. As such, this list has been updated to include clothes and robes that are typically worn by wizards and sorcerers. These light options still offer some protection and there is always the option to cast the Mage Armor spell to raise a character’s AC, making them harder to hit.

13 Blazer Of Benevolence

Perfect For Bards

• Location: A reward for rescuing Volo from the Shattered Sanctum.

For Bards in BG3, there are a few items they will want to acquire early on in Act 1, including a hat located near Alfira, and the Blazer Of Benevolence. This Light Armor, not only looks great on Bards who love the attention, but it also provides a bonus to their Bardic Inspiration. When casting this spell to grant bonuses to allies, they will also gain 4 temporary HP, helping to keep them alive.

To don this magnificent outfit, they will need to save a fellow Bard by the name of Volo. He has been captured by goblins at the Shattered Sanctum. The quest is called Rescue Volo, and upon completion, they will be rewarded with the blazer.

12 Chain Mail +1

Great AC As Early As Level 4

• Location: Bought from merchants while between Levels 4 and 6.

For tanks such as Paladins, Clerics, and some Fighters, having high AC is of the most importance, as it means enemies are less likely to land their attacks. An AC of 17 provided by the Chain Mail +1 Heavy Armor is more than enough in Act 1, and it can be put to use as early as Level 4.

Upon reaching level 4, Act 1 merchants such as Roah Moonglow at the Shattered Sanctum and Damon at the Emerald Grove will begin to sell this Armor, so as long as one of them is still alive, and players save up enough gold, they should be able to obtain it.

11 Spidersilk Armor

Decent AC & A Stealth Bonus

• Location: Looted from Minthara in the Shattered Sanctum.

While Minthara’s Spidersilk Armor is nothing to get too excited about, it does provide an advantage to stealth gameplay and also happens to look fantastic. A solid Armor Class of 12 is perfectly fine for Act 1, and the advantage to Constitution Saving Throws will help players stay alive in some situations.

To get this Light Armor, players have two options. The easiest is to kill Minthara, who is one of the three main bosses in the Goblin’s Shattered Sanctum hideout. The other option is to talk with her and attempt to recruit her, but by the time she is able to join the party in Act 2, better Armor will be available.

10 Poisoner’s Robe

Deal Bonus Poison Damage With Poison Spells

• Location: Looted from the Phase Spider Matriarch in the Whispering Depths.

If players are constructing a build all about dealing Poison damage, then the Poisoner’s Robe is incredibly strong for Act 1 armor in Baldur’s Gate 3​​​​​​. Dealing an extra 1d4 damage with every Poison spell, will add up significantly throughout a fight, especially as there is a Cantrip which deals Poison damage for free.

To don this elegant, yet deadly robe, players will need to be at a high enough level to beat the Phase Spider Matriarch in the Whispering Depths. This is a location found beneath the Blighted Village. One way to get there is by clicking on the well in the village. The fight is far from easy, but killing the spider eggs before hand will help.

9 The Oak Father’s Embrace

Undead Take Radiant Damage When Attacking The Wearer

• Location: Found in the Owlbear nest on a headless skeleton.

The Oak Father’s Embrace armor can be extremely powerful if used correctly. This is because it is excellent when fighting the Undead, as they will take Radiant damage when they attack. However, if players forgot to swap this armor out for something else when facing Beasts, they would be shooting themselves in the foot as they would end up taking more damage.

One of the best things about The Oak Father’s Embrace is that it can be found very early on in Act 1. Players simply have to reach the Owlbear cave and inside there is a headless skeleton with the armor.

8 Splint Armor +1

Great AC of 18 & Take 1 Less Piercing Damage

• Location: Bought from merchants while between levels 6 and 8.

There isn’t anything too fancy about Splint Armour +1, but it is certainly a solid option for tanks during the latter stages of Act 1 and the start of Act 2. With a high AC of 18, any character wearing this Heavy Armor will be hard to hit, and they will even take 1 less Piercing damage. Small though it may seem, buffs like this can sometimes make the difference, especially on BG3’s hardest difficulties.

To get this armor, players will need a decent amount of gold, but they will more importantly need to have reached at least level 6 for merchants to sell it. This is possible by taking almost every fight in the first Act, and then players can purchase it from any of the Act 1 merchants they left alive.

7 The Graceful Cloth

Grants +2 Dexterity & Many Other Dexterity Related Bonuses

• Location: Sold by Lady Esther, Rosymorn Monastery Trail.

For players with a build focused on Dexterity who also don’t have the proficiency to wear proper armor, The Graceful Cloth is an absolute must. In many ways, it’s incredible that this item of clothing can be found in Act 1, as it not only increases Dexterity by 2 but comes with a whole host of additional benefits. For example, players can jump further and have a higher success chance on Dexterity Saving Throws. With the Cat’s Grace spell, Dexterity Checks also become easier, and fall damage is halved.

As long as players have the coin, The Graceful Cloth can be bought from Lady Esther on the mountain trail that overlooks Rosymorn Monastery, where players will find a Githyanki creche.

6 Infernal Robe

Fire Resistance & An Anti-Cold Shield That Damages Attackers

• Location: Rewarded by Mizora for killing Karlach near the Risen Road.

For characters with no armor proficiency, the best clothing option is arguably the Infernal Robe, especially if players know they will be facing off against Fire spells or other forms of Fire damage. This is because they will only take half the damage, and they can even cast a Fire Shield on themselves that reduces incoming Cold damage and burns any melee attackers fool enough to come close.

However, the Infernal Robe comes at a cost, as after recruiting Wyll, players must kill the highly loveable Karlach in order to be rewarded by Mizora. Wyll is found at the Emerald Grove, and Karlach is by the Risen Road.

5 Scale Mail +2

High AC For Medium Armor

• Location: Bought from merchants after hitting level 7.

For high AC from Act 1 Medium Armor, look no further than Scale Mail +2, which also takes 1 less damage from the common damage type of Slashing. It also grants a plus 1 bonus to Initiative Rolls, which means players have a better chance of having their turn earlier in combat.

It is also fairly easy to acquire as players just need to reach level 7 and then Scale Mail +2 will show up in the inventories of Act 1 merchants. Level 7 can be achieved by clearing most areas in Act 1, but players don’t need to worry about doing everything.

4 Padded Armor +2

High AC For Light Armor & Take 2 Less Bludgeoning Damage

• Location: Bought from merchants after hitting level 5.

Padded Armor +2 is arguably the best Light Armor in Act 1, with an AC of 13 which can be increased quite a lot by characters with a high Dexterity stat. It also reduces incoming Bludgeoning damage by 2, which is nothing to quaff at against certain enemies.

To find Padded Armor +2, players will first need to reach level 5, which doesn’t take long at all, and then it can be purchased from various Act 1 merchants. For example, Roah Moonglow, or Dammon the Infernal Mechanic at the Emerald Grove will both have it in stock.

3 Adamantine Scale Mail

Attacking Enemies Deal Slightly Less Damage, Can’t Crit, & Are Sent Reeling

• Location: Forged at the Adamantine Forge in the Underdark.

The Adamantine Scale Mail not only has a high AC of 16 but is also jam-packed with effects, such as the ability to prevent enemies from landing Critical Hits, making it the best Medium Armor in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3​​​​.

As with the other Adamantine items, however, the Adamantine Scale Mail must be crafted at the Adamantine Forge, in the Grymforge area of the Underdark. Players will need to find the Scale Mail Mould and one Mithral Ore to forge it.

2 Plate Armor +1

The Highest AC In Act 1

• Location: Bought from merchants after hitting level 8.

In terms of AC, players will find no better option in Act 1 than the Plate Armour +1, which means they will rarely get hit by early-game enemies who must roll a 19 or higher. Although the reduction of 1 Piercing damage is unlikely to make the biggest difference, it can occasionally prove useful, especially against groups of enemies using the best Piercing weapons.

However, for the Plate Armor +1 to show up in the inventories of Act 1 merchants such as Dammon and Roah Moonglow, players must reach level 8. To reach level 8 this early, players will need to scour almost the entire map, which means finding and clearing all the hidden locations in Act 1 of BG3.

1 Adamantine Splint Armor

Attacking Enemies Deal Less Damage, Can’t Crit, & Are Sent Reeling

• Location: Forged at the Adamantine Forge in the Underdark.

In all of Act 1, players will find no better Armor than the Adamantine Splint Armour, which requires Heavy Armor proficiency to be worn. Not only does it have a high AC of 18, but the additional effects of reducing any damage received by 2 and preventing crits are game-changing this early on.

Unlike other items that are found or looted, this Heavy Armor must be crafted at the Grymforge like all the other Adamantine items. The Grymforge is an area in the Underdark, which is one of the ways to reach Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3. Even if players prefer to take the Mountain Pass in the end, it can be a good idea to first visit the Grymforge for this strong Armor.