Wearing Armor Without Proficiency in Baldur’s Gate 3: What Happens?

If you decide to equip armor that your character isn’t proficient with in Baldur’s Gate 3, prepare for significant drawbacks. You will suffer a disadvantage on all Ability Checks, Saving Throws, and Attack Rolls that involve either Strength or Dexterity. This means that any action requiring physical prowess, such as jumping, sneaking, attacking with a melee weapon, or making a Dexterity-based saving throw to dodge a trap, becomes much more likely to fail. Furthermore, and perhaps most debilitating for spellcasters, you will be unable to cast any spells whatsoever. This can severely cripple your character’s effectiveness in combat and exploration. In essence, donning armor you are not skilled in drastically reduces your overall ability to perform, making it a severe penalty that is almost always advisable to avoid.

Understanding Armor Proficiency

What Is Armor Proficiency?

Armor proficiency in Baldur’s Gate 3 determines whether your character can effectively wear and utilize different types of armor. Certain classes, backgrounds, and races grant proficiency in specific armor types. For example, a Fighter is usually proficient in all armor types (light, medium, and heavy), while a Wizard is typically only proficient in light armor. Your class and background choices directly affect your starting proficiencies.

Why Is It Important?

Armor is a crucial component of a character’s defense in Baldur’s Gate 3. Armor Class (AC) is a rating that measures how difficult it is for enemies to hit you. Wearing armor greatly enhances your AC, making you more resilient in combat. However, without proper proficiency, the protection offered by armor is effectively negated by the severe penalties incurred for wearing it. Therefore, proficiency ensures that your armor works in your favor instead of hindering you.

The Consequences of Ignoring Armor Proficiency

Wearing armor that you lack proficiency with comes with a wide range of negative consequences, impacting various aspects of gameplay:

Disadvantage on Ability Checks

Ability Checks determine your character’s success in performing actions that require certain abilities. These can range from climbing walls (Strength) and picking locks (Dexterity) to persuading someone (Charisma). A disadvantage makes the check much harder, as you’re effectively rolling two dice and taking the worse of the two results. Therefore, lacking proficiency in armor can severely hinder your character’s ability to perform many basic actions.

Disadvantage on Saving Throws

Saving Throws are crucial rolls that allow you to resist the effects of harmful spells, traps, or other negative effects. These are often categorized under Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. Wearing armor without proficiency places you at a significant disadvantage when attempting to resist such effects, making your character much more susceptible to debuffs and damage.

Disadvantage on Attack Rolls

Your Attack Rolls determine if your attack hits the target. A disadvantage here makes hitting your enemies considerably harder, therefore reducing your overall damage output in combat. This penalty is particularly noticeable for melee characters who rely heavily on attack rolls to inflict damage.

Inability to Cast Spells

Perhaps the most severe penalty is the inability to cast spells when wearing armor that you are not proficient in. This is especially crippling for spellcasting classes like Wizards, Clerics, and Sorcerers. Spellcasters rely heavily on their spells to damage, heal, and control the battlefield. Losing the ability to cast spells renders them almost useless in combat.

Gaining Armor Proficiency

While your starting class determines your initial armor proficiencies, you aren’t locked into them. You can gain additional proficiencies through several avenues:

Subclasses

Choosing a particular subclass at level 3 for certain classes, like a Cleric’s Domain, can grant you additional armor proficiencies. Be sure to review your subclass options carefully during level-up.

Race

Some races, like the Githyanki, start with proficiency in certain armor types. Your choice of race can be a significant factor in character optimization, especially if you aim for a particular build early in the game.

Feats

Feats are special abilities your character can acquire at certain levels. The Moderately Armored or Heavily Armored feats specifically grant proficiency in medium and heavy armor respectively. These are a great way to expand your character’s versatility.

Multiclassing

By multiclassing into a class that has more armor proficiency, you can bypass the restrictions of your first class. However, multiclassing needs careful planning to avoid losing out on class-specific features.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does wearing medium armor impose disadvantage on Stealth checks in Baldur’s Gate 3?

No, medium armor does not inherently impose disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a common misconception, and in contrast, it only affects your movement speed. Certain items or special armor might have this penalty, but not the type itself.

2. Can I remove the disadvantage on Stealth checks from medium armor with a feat?

Yes, the “Medium Armor Master” feat can remove this disadvantage from stealth checks for all standard medium armors, but as mentioned, medium armor does not inherently impose a disadvantage on stealth checks.

3. Does wearing armor influence my encumbrance penalty in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Your encumbrance penalty is separate from your armor’s proficiency. Encumbrance depends on the total weight of equipment, whereas armor penalties only apply when wearing armor without proficiency.

4. What is the best type of armor in Baldur’s Gate 3?

The “best” armor depends on your play style and build. Helldusk Armor is widely considered the most powerful armor, giving high AC and added fire resistances. However, armor requirements differ from class to class, and this armor is an endgame level set.

5. How does AC work in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Armor Class (AC) determines how hard you are to hit. When you’re not wearing armor, your base AC is 10 + your Dexterity modifier. Armor provides additional AC, making you more difficult to hit.

6. Is it worth it to wear armor I am not proficient with just for the AC?

No, it is almost never worth it to wear armor you are not proficient with. The penalties are too severe and outweigh any potential increase in AC that armor might provide. The inability to cast spells is a major drawback.

7. Can I gain heavy armor proficiency if my class doesn’t have it?

Yes, you can gain heavy armor proficiency through certain feats, multiclassing, or by wearing specific armor, such as the Helldusk Armour, which allows this proficiency automatically.

8. Does armor proficiency apply to shields?

Yes, armor proficiency includes shields. If you are not proficient with shields, you will suffer the same disadvantages as wearing armor you aren’t proficient with, including disadvantages on saving throws, checks, and attacks that use Strength or Dexterity.

9. Do magical armors also impose proficiency penalties?

Yes, magical armor still follows the same proficiency rules. If you’re not proficient with the type of armor, magic won’t negate the penalty.

10. What is the difference between light, medium, and heavy armor?

Light armor offers the least AC but doesn’t hinder movement. Medium armor provides better AC but may restrict Stealth if not addressed. Heavy armor offers the best AC but typically reduces movement significantly. The requirements to wear them also differ from class to class.

11. If I’m a Paladin, do I need to worry about armor proficiency?

No, Paladins are proficient in all armor types from the start, along with shields. This allows Paladins to equip any type of armor from the beginning without penalty, making them incredibly resilient.

12. Is there a way to tell what type of armor my character is proficient with?

Yes, your character sheet clearly displays all your proficiencies, including armor types. The armor itself also lists its armor category (light, medium, or heavy). Be sure to read this carefully.

13. What happens if I multiclass? Do my armor proficiencies stack?

When multiclassing, you do not stack armor proficiencies. Instead, you gain only the proficiencies of the new class as they are listed. For instance, if your class A has a heavy armor proficiency and you multiclass into class B which does not have heavy armor proficiency, you would keep the heavy armor proficiency from your first class, but gain the proficiencies of class B if it has something that class A does not.

14. Can I bypass proficiency requirements by using specific magical items?

Some rare and powerful magical items can grant you proficiency in certain types of armor or shields, but these are not common. Some, like Helldusk armor, directly give you proficiency.

15. If I respec my character, will my armor proficiencies change?

Yes, respeccing your character will reset your proficiencies based on your new class and subclass. This allows you to reconfigure your character’s armor proficiencies if you choose a different direction, for example, swapping from a Wizard into a Cleric will provide you with the armor proficiencies a Cleric has access to.

Understanding armor proficiency is crucial for maximizing your character’s effectiveness in Baldur’s Gate 3. Always ensure your character is proficient in the armor they are wearing to avoid significant penalties. Make wise character choices and use feats and multiclassing options to become as powerful as possible.