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Ring Mail

Ring mail is crude armor consisting of leather with heavy rings sewn into it. The rings help deflect blows from weapons. This is the weakest and cheapest heavy armor, offering the same AC (14) as many medium armors but without allowing any Dexterity bonus. Ring mail is typically worn by poor soldiers, militiamen, or warriors who can't afford better heavy armor. While it provides heavy armor's benefit of not requiring Dexterity, its low AC and stealth disadvantage make it one of the least popular armor choices.

At a Glance

Type
Armor
Cost
30 gp
Weight
40 lbs
Heavy ArmorStealth Disadvantage

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MechanicsCommon MistakesDM TipsFAQSources

Mechanics

Armor Class: 14. Heavy armor doesn't let you add your Dexterity modifier to your AC. You can don ring mail in 10 minutes and doff it in 5 minutes. Donning with help reduces time by half. No Strength requirement. Stealth Disadvantage: You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while wearing this armor. Wearing armor without proficiency imposes disadvantage on ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls involving Strength or Dexterity, and prevents spellcasting.

Common Mistakes

Common Mistake
Not realizing ring mail has the same AC as scale mail but without Dex bonus
Common Mistake
Thinking ring mail is a good choice for low-level characters (scale mail is usually better)
Common Mistake
Forgetting to apply stealth disadvantage
Common Mistake
Confusing ring mail with chain mail (chain mail has AC 16)
Common Mistake
Not understanding that medium armor is usually superior to ring mail for characters with any Dexterity

DM Tips

DM Tip
Ring mail is generally the worst armor choice in the game - rarely optimal
DM Tip
Only useful for characters with heavy armor proficiency and very low Dexterity (8-9)
DM Tip
The 30 gp cost is cheap but scale mail (50 gp) is almost always a better investment
DM Tip
Perfect for poor soldiers, militiamen, or bandits in your world
DM Tip
The 40 lb weight is substantial
DM Tip
Characters with 12+ Dexterity get better AC from scale mail (14+1=15 vs ring mail's 14)
DM Tip
Consider ring mail as the lowest tier of military equipment in your setting
DM Tip
Rarely appears in treasure hoards because it's not desirable
DM Tip
NPCs in ring mail are low-tier warriors or guards

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & Further Reading