D&D 5E D&D's Top Magic Items

D&D Beyond has shared a data dump of the most popular magic items, weapons, and armor used by characters on its platform. They did this in April last year, so this is an update.

Amor hasn't changed, except for a tiny shifty at the bottom end where spiked and padded switched places. The top three are still leather, shield and chain mail. The top places are taken by 'starting gear', and as we know most DDB characters are low level.

Weapons have a shifted a little more, but not by much. The top 10 is still the same list, with a couple of items shifting positions. Daggers, shortswords, handaxes, and light crossbows rule the roost here.

When it comes to magic items, there's a greater shift again - but still, it's not a lot. Bag of holding is the clear leader, followed by ring of protection, cloak of protection, and boots of elvenkind.

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[Wepwawet]

I've been DM'ing 5E for like 5 years and I don't remember anyone replacing their leather armor with studded leather armor. Warriors with access to heavier armor do upgrade though.

Honestly I didn't even noticed that Studded Leather has +1 AC with no draw backs. More important things to think of, that's my excuse

I guess that players are happy to play their cool fantasy characters without generally looking for bonuses everywhere. As the game progresses they get to do more interesting things and armor simply becomes a background thing they never think about...

But from now on I will remind players of this option and make studded leather appear more often for them to grab.

 

[Coroc]

I've been DM'ing 5E for like 5 years and I don't remember anyone replacing their leather armor with studded leather armor. Warriors with access to heavier armor do upgrade though.

Honestly I didn't even noticed that Studded Leather has +1 AC with no draw backs. More important things to think of, that's my excuse

I guess that players are happy to play their cool fantasy characters without generally looking for bonuses everywhere. As the game progresses they get to do more interesting things and armor simply becomes a background thing they never think about...

But from now on I will remind players of this option and make studded leather appear more often for them to grab.

Well in my campaign it is linen AC11 and padded AC12 armor since neither leather (except as oil boiled hardened leather cuirass) nor studded leather (a misconception of brigandine which is available in my campaign as medium AC 13 max Dex +3) ever did exist.

 

[NotAYakk]

Well in my campaign it is linen AC11 and padded AC12 armor since neither leather (except as oil boiled hardened leather cuirass) nor studded leather (a misconception of brigandine which is available in my campaign as medium AC 13 max Dex +3) ever did exist.

See, it isn't the metal that makes studded leather extra tough.

It is that it is a prime armor lineage that was used to breed better leather armor.

After it has completed its service, this prime leather armor is sold and used to protect people.

The metal studs are just a way to declare, "this armor was so good, it was studded".

But I understand the confusion. It is an easy mistake to make. I hope that helps.