Armor of Invulnerability DnD 5e: Become the Ultimate Tank 

Last Updated on November 5, 2023

What Is the Armor of Invulnerability? 

The Armor of Invulnerability is a legendary suit of magical armor that not only grants the wearer resistance to all forms of nonmagical damage but once per day can grant total immunity to nonmagical damage for 10 minutes.  

Who Can Wear Armor of Invulnerability? 

The Armor of Invulnerability does not restrict the character classes that can attune to it, however, the Armor of Invulnerability is still a suit of heavy armor

Only a character with proficiency in Heavy Armor can wear it without incurring the following penalties.

If you wear armor that you lack Proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or Attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can’t cast Spells.

The Armor of Invulnerability’s rarity makes it highly unlikely that a character can expect to acquire a suit at lower levels, and setting out to obtain this magic item could even form the focal point of an entire adventure or campaign arc.  

How Good Is the Armor of Invulnerability? 

This combination of an always-on buff (which is immensely powerful in and of itself) with a powerful temporary effect with a pretty great duration makes the Armor of Invulnerability one of the most effective defensive magic items in all of D&D 5e. 

Nonmagical damage doesn’t just mean bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from attacks made with nonmagical weapons.

It’s ANY attack that isn’t explicitly magical — like an Ancient Red Dragon’s claws and breath weapon, for example — is going to have its damage halved or, if you’ve activated your armor, reduced to 0. 

Obviously, powerful enemies wielding weapons are going to hit you like normal.  Still, wearing this armor and activating its special ability virtually guarantees that you can tear through huge hoards of creatures. 

However, just because you can’t take nonmagical damage while the Armor of Invulnerability is active doesn’t mean you can’t be restrained, grappled, knocked prone, or otherwise immobilized.

Harry Menear( Expert Contributor // Editor )

I played my first tabletop RPG (Pathfinder 1e, specifically) in college. I rocked up late to the first session with an unread rulebook and a human bard called Nick Jugger. It was a rocky start but I had a blast and now, the better part of a decade later, I play, write, and write about tabletop RPGs (mostly 5e, but also PBtA, Forged in the Dark and OSR) games for a living, which is wild.