Armor Class in DnD 5e can sometimes be a bit confusing for new players. There are a lot of numbers and modifiers flying around, as well as types of armor to consider. The good news is that calculating Base AC is super simple and barely even counts as math.
To find out what your base AC is, all you do is start with 10 and add your DEX modifier from the left side of your character sheet.
Base AC = 10 + Dexterity Modifier
That’s it! Now you know your Base AC and can build on your Armor Class from there.
Your character’s AC is affected by what type of armor you wear, spell effects, or an ability that your character has. Check out our list of Armor in DnD 5e or our Mage Armor spell guide to learn more.
Kendra has always been a hardcore fantasy nerd. Growing up in the worlds of Tolkien, Sanderson, Jordan, and Abercrombie, DnD & board games just came naturally. She and her husband, Bryan, started GameCows.com in 2018 as a fun passion project that just took over their lives. An avid board gamer since childhood and chronic DnD chronicler for more than two decades, she loves to play, write, travel, and learn dead languages.