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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lacyon" data-source="post: 4512875" data-attributes="member: 63046">What the DMG says (p. 184) is that a monster's defense is 12 + level if the monster has an average ability score for it's level. If the governing ability score is higher or lower than the average for it's level, increase or decrease the defense as applicable. In your example, an average level 3 brute has a 16 as it's highest in the Dex/Int pair (unless Dex/Int is it's attack stat). Since your Brute has a 16, you don't need to modify it's Reflex or AC from what's listed in the table (15). If you'd decided to give him an 18 Dex, he'd get a 16 Reflex instead, because 18 Dex is two points higher than usual for a level 3 monster. The DMG doesn't specify armor applying directly. My guess is that some form of armor, thick hide, or other protection is assumed into the baseline AC calculations in the chart. If your monster is wearing heavier armor than usual for his kind, it might make sense to boost his AC by an appropriate amount. (As usual, if the little boosts you're giving a creature start piling up across the board, consider treating it as a higher level).</blockquote>