[RPG] Can a Beast Master ranger armor their animal companion with barding

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I was reading about the Barding rule on page 155 of the PHB, and I was just curious if a Beastmaster Ranger could armor up their companion? If so, how would that stack with the Ranger's proficiency bonus added to their companion's AC?

Best Answer

Barding. Barding is armor designed to protect an animal’s head, neck, chest, and body. Any type of armor shown on the Armor table in this chapter can be purchased as barding. The cost is four times the equivalent armor made for humanoids, and it weighs twice as much.

If you look at that description of Barding from the PHB, it can be reasoned that any animal can wear Barding, regardless of the animal's exact purpose. I figure this because it says "armor designed to protect an animal's head, neck, chest, and body." It does not specify anything about the animal itself.

The armour does not add to the animal's natural AC, but rather it provides an alternative way to calculate the animal's AC (you choose whichever you prefer).

As for the bonus to AC that the animal companion gets by being a beast master ranger's companion: that stacks with the armor, because it is a special bonus to AC, and usually bonuses will stack.

Hope that helped!