Studded Leather Armor
Light armor: AC 12 + DEX. No stealth penalty. Best light armor — with 20 DEX, provides AC 17 matching heavy armors.
Studded Leather Armor (Light)
Studded leather is reinforced with metal rivets, offering the best protection among light armors.
Stats:
Don/doff time: 1 minute to don, 1 minute to doff.
Assessment: Studded leather is the gold standard for light armor users. With a high Dexterity (+5 modifier at 20 DEX), it provides AC 17 — matching splint armor without stealth disadvantage or Strength requirements. This makes it the endgame armor for Rogues, Rangers, DEX-based Fighters, and any character who relies on Dexterity.
Comparison: At 20 DEX, studded leather (AC 17) beats half plate (AC 17) because half plate imposes stealth disadvantage and caps the DEX bonus at +2. For characters with DEX 14 or lower, medium armor is typically better.