D&D 5E Lets Talk about Medium Armor

[Xeviat]

My issue is that it is as good as light or heavy armor at the lower levels, but then those get better than it. Since medium armor only has 1 upgrade for each kind, their AC gets left behind. Yeah, there's a feat for medium armor mastery, but that's only good if you have a 15 Dex (so that you get the 16 from the bump). Yes, it's the best AC for those without the Str/Heavy armor or the Dex to maximize light armor, but it also takes ability score points to maximize itself.

Again, at lower levels, it is equal to light or heavy. It falls behind when Dex characters can get Dex 20 and when Str/Heavy armor wearers can afford/find Plate. That's my chief complaint. Pushing for that 14 Dex still takes work.

 

[abirdcall]

Medium armour isn't supposed to be for those with high dex scores. If you are proficient with medium armour you are also proficient with light armour. So just wear the light armour.

I don't see the problem.

Medium armour lets you get to the same AC as someone with Dex 20 with only Dex 14. That's pretty good.

It's also completely okay for a medium armour wearer to have lower AC than someone with either 20 Dex or with high strength and heavy armour proficiency. A benefit of heavy armour proficiency is not needing to have a high dex for AC.

Everything working as intended.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I guess I don't see your issue.

At best, Studded Leather and DEX 20 is AC 17. Half-Plate and DEX 14 is also AC 17. Plate is AC 18. Overall, seems pretty well balanced to me. I guess maybe you think the DEX 14 is too much of an investment for Medium armor to perform at its best? Maybe instead of a DEX boost for MAM, allow the feat to boost the AC value of the armor worn by 1 point?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Conclusion:
1. If you rank the number of characters the three armor types are best for, Medium is best.
2. Medium armor requires lesser character investment to make it work, which is a good reason it shouldn't match/exceed the AC available to characters who do invest a lot.

So medium armor is best for people who don't care about armor? That's a lot like saying light crossbows are the best weapon for wizards. Even if it's true, it doesn't really matter.

As it stands, for anyone who cares about armor, light armor is better than medium armor. The only time where medium armor is superior is if you don't care enough to invest in using light armor to its full potential.

 

[Zardnaar]

Medium armor is really only good on a handful of classes. Barbarians, Arcana and nature Cleric, Hexblades off the top of my head

That's with the default array. Personally I think they messed up the armor system, light could top out at 17, medium at 18, and heavy at 19.

Some if the heavy armor should have +1 or +2 dex bonuses allowed.

 

[Shiroiken]

Before actually seeing it used in play, I had the same issue with medium armor. In play, I've found a lot of characters don't have access to heavy armor and don't max out Dex. Mostly Barbarians, many Clerics, most Druids, and some Rangers, plus a few odd character designs. In my current game, for example, one player has a githyanki wizard who can wear medium armor, but only has a +1 Dex.

 

[DND_Reborn]

So, is the beef with medium armor that it requires the +2 Dex bonus to really perform at its best?

I think we should take Dex out of the equation and look at what the armor actually does. Light caps at AC 12, medium at 15, and heavy at 18. Armor, for what the armor itself does, is balanced IMO.

Oddly, medium armor is the only type of armor worn in our current game. We have the following:

1. A rogue/fighter with DEX 16, MAM, and scale mail (AC 17, maxed). Tack on Dual Wiedler (AC +1) and magic armor +2 for AC 20 total.
2. A barbarian/fighter with DEX 14 and half plate (also AC 17, maxed). He has a shield and magic armor +1 for AC 20 total.
They are our two frontline battlers.

3. A bard/paladin with DEX 14 and breastplate (AC 16).
4. My cleric/wizard/rogue with DEX 14 and elven chain shirt (AC 15). She has buckler (AC +1) and magic armor +1 for AC 17 total.

The unarmored are:

5. The sorcerer/druid has AC 13 (sorcerer), DEX 12, and Bracers of Defense for AC 16 total.
6. The monk/bard with DEX 16 and WIS 16 for AC 16 total.

If AC is important to the player, then the Dex investment is also important IME.

Earlier, we did have a dwarven tank-type, plate+shield+defense style for AC 21, but he "retired" from the group and went in another direction.

 

[5ekyu]

Sorry, OP, my experience says Medium is fine and a strong option for very many classes and characters. I would not improve it without upping the others too.

 

[Blue]

My issue is that it is as good as light or heavy armor at the lower levels, but then those get better than it. Since medium armor only has 1 upgrade for each kind, their AC gets left behind. Yeah, there's a feat for medium armor mastery, but that's only good if you have a 15 Dex (so that you get the 16 from the bump). Yes, it's the best AC for those without the Str/Heavy armor or the Dex to maximize light armor, but it also takes ability score points to maximize itself.

I think you covered your counter-point as well, the opportunity cost. For light armor to get better than medium armor takes several ASI/feats. That same number of ASI/feats can get you the medium armor proficiency and +3 Dex mod. So right there these are equal. And if a character is not willing to invest to improve their AC, why should their AC be the same as characters who are investing to improve it?

Heavy armor is a bit different - it does require the 15 STR, but it also requires the rarest proficiency and gold costs that will delay it's ultimate AC for a number of levels compared to the others, and disadvantage on Stealth vs. light armor. Those two offsets aren't as big a deal as saving an ASI, but they are still something.

 

[Blue]

So medium armor is best for people who don't care about armor? That's a lot like saying light crossbows are the best weapon for wizards. Even if it's true, it doesn't really matter.

Every single character cares about AC. If you want to pretend that only front-liners do, then cross off all the ranged attackers whom light armor gives a good AC as well, all the casting clerics with heavy armor who want to be protected, etc. But I can tell you we often have squishies in the back line targeted, be it to kill them off or to break concentration.

It isn't at all the same as weapons for non-weapon wielders - those get used infrequently while every character gets attacked.

As it stands, for anyone who cares about armor, light armor is better than medium armor. The only time where medium armor is superior is if you don't care enough to invest in using light armor to its full potential.

You are exactly right, now follow your statement to it's conclusion.

Unless your character build invests heavily in DEX, Medium Armor is superior to Light Armor. Your valor bard who's boosting CHR, your clerics who's domain don't grant heavy armor and will never have have a reason to increase DEX - but are still up there casting spirit guardians (or just don't want to be hit to keep up concentration buffs), and so on. There are plenty of classes that are not served by pumping all of their ASIs into DEX but still don't want to be hit.