OVERALL RATING: A-TIER

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Barkskin 5e

In the 2014 rules, Barkskin was arguably one of the worst 2nd-level spells in the game. It required Concentration, ate your Action, and provided a mediocre Armor Class (16) that barely competed with standard medium armor. Players avoided it like the plague.

In the 2024 update, Barkskin has received one of the most aggressive buffs in the entire Player’s Handbook. It is no longer a trap option; it is now a premier defensive buff for Druids, Rangers, and their squishier allies. Below, we break down the math of the new AC calculation and explain why the removal of Concentration changes everything for the Moon Druid meta.

What Does Barkskin Do in 5e?

Barkskin is a transmutation buff that sets a floor for a creature’s Armor Class (AC). When you cast it on a willing creature, their skin hardens, granting them an AC of 17.

This spell does not provide a bonus (like +1 or +2) to AC. Instead, it uses a threshold mechanic:

• If the target’s AC is lower than 17: Their AC becomes 17.
• If the target’s AC is 17 or higher: The spell has no effect on their AC.

Because the spell sets the AC to a specific number, it supersedes calculations derived from Armor or Unarmored Defense (such as a Monk’s Wisdom or Barbarian’s Constitution modifiers). However, it allows the creature to retain the benefits of shields if the shield bonus pushes their total AC above 17, though the spell wording suggests a flat replacement.

Spell Rating: Barkskin

Overall: 🛡️ A-Tier (Defensive Staple)

Contextual Performance (1-10)

• Combat: 9/10. This spell solves the primary defensive weakness of the Druid class: poor AC in Wild Shape. By setting AC to 17 without Concentration, a Druid can turn into a Brown Bear (normally AC 11) and become significantly tankier while maintaining a powerful concentration spell. It is also an excellent buff for Wizards or Sorcerers who lack armor proficiency.

• Exploration: 2/10. While the spell mentions the skin looks like bark, it does not explicitly grant advantage on Stealth checks in forests. However, having decent AC helps if you trigger a trap that requires an attack roll.

• Social: 1/10. Maybe a Treant would like you more if they saw you with Barkskin? But no, in general, Barkskin is not going to help you in social encounters.

Core Metrics (1-10)

• Raw Power: 8/10. 17 AC is mathematically equivalent to wearing Splint Armor (Heavy Armor, 200 GP) or Half Plate with a +2 Dexterity modifier (Medium Armor, 750 GP). Getting this level of protection for a 2nd-level spell slot is high value, especially on beasts with low AC.

  Let’s look at just how powerful moving up to 17 AC can be when you’re up against a Bugbear Stalker.

  Assumptions for Damage Calculation:

  • Attacker: Bugbear Stalker (Multiattack: 2 attacks)
  • Weapon: Javelin (Melee)
  • Attack Bonus: +5
  • Average Damage on Hit: 13.5 (3d6 + 3)
  • Critical Hit Damage: 24 (6d6 + 3) — 5% critical hit chance (Natural 20)

  Target AC	Roll Needed (d20)	Hit Chance	Expected Damage (Per Round)
  13	8+	65%	18.6
  14	9+	60%	17.3
  15	10+	55%	15.9
  16	11+	50%	14.6
  17	12+	45%	13.2

  That’s a ~10-30% damage reduction for a full hour, with no Concentration requirement.

• Versatility: 7/10. It works on anyone. You can cast it on yourself, your familiar, an escort quest NPC, or the party Wizard. It remains useful from Level 3 well into Tier 3 play.

• Efficiency: 10/10. It lasts for 1 hour, requires no Concentration, and uses a Bonus Action. It basically has zero opportunity cost in combat other than the spell slot itself. That’s a bigger deal for Rangers, who have fewer spell slots to work with, and might have to weigh whether the slot is better used on Barkskin or Pass Without Trace.

• Upcast Scaling: 1/10. The spell creates a flat AC 17 regardless of the slot level used.

Playstyle and Synergy

• Playstyle: This is a “Pre-Combat” or “Turn 1” buff. For Moon Druids, it is mandatory: Cast Barkskin before the fight, then Wild Shape (Bonus Action). You are now a Dire Wolf with 17 AC. Because you only have 1 bonus action per turn, don’t wait for a fight to break out — you can’t cast Barkskin and then transform in on turn 1 that way.

• Party Synergy: High. It pairs perfectly with low-Dexterity, unarmored allies. If your Sorcerer refuses to learn Mage Armor or invest in Dexterity, this spell fixes their survivability issues for an hour.

How to Use Barkskin in 5e

Here are the optimized ways to utilize Barkskin under the 2024 rules:

1. The Moon Druid tank. This is the primary use case. As a Bonus Action, cast Barkskin. On your next turn (or the same turn if you are a Circle of the Moon Druid), Wild Shape into a beast with high HP but low AC. You essentially gain Heavy Armor proficiency while being a bear.

2. The Ranger skirmisher. Rangers often rely on light or medium armor. If you are building a Strength-based Ranger (using a Greatsword or Polearm) and dumping Dexterity, your AC will suffer. Barkskin allows you to dump Dexterity entirely while maintaining a respectable 17 AC.

3. Protecting the VIP. In escort missions, NPCs often have an AC of 10 or 11. Casting Barkskin on them drastically increases their survivability without requiring you to maintain Concentration.

4. Use it when you can’t wear armor. This is a very niche circumstance, but if your party is forced to fight without wearing armor, Barkskin can be a clutch spell to use.

   This might be because an ooze melted your gear, the terms of a duel dictate no armor as a rule, or you’re simply caught off guard when relaxing in town. When all your normal AC modifiers vanish, Barkskin becomes very attractive indeed.

5. Camouflage. The spell’s description explicitly mentions how the target’s skin takes on a “bark-like appearance.”

   While there’s no explicit mention of this aiding with stealth checks, some DMs might agree that skin that looks like trees would help camouflage a creature moving amongst trees. You just might have to strip down or alter your clothes so they don’t ruin the effect.

What Are the Rules for Barkskin in 5e?

Before we get into the rules, here’s the most important official clarification from Wizards of the Coast:

Obviously, this is from the 2014 version of the spell (hence the mention of “16 AC”) — but the same concept applies, except your AC floor is now 17 with the 2024 version of the spell.

Some of the rules clarifications below are, to some extent, specific reiterations of this general ruling:

• Barskin does not stack with anything. It just means that your AC can’t be lower than 16. If it’s already not lower than 16, Barkskin does nothing. To be clear:

  • You do not add your Dexterity modifier to Barkskin when calculating your AC — Barkskin isn’t involved in AC calculation at all (Sage Advice)

  • Barkskin does not stack with armor

  • Barkskin does not stack with a shield

  • Barkskin does not stack with bonus AC from partial cover

Other rules to keep in mind include:

• Barkskin sets a floor, it does not add. The spell states the target has an AC of 17 “if its AC is lower than that.” It does not change the calculation of your AC; it simply replaces the final number. You do not add Dexterity or Shields on top of Barkskin unless your DM rules that the Shield creates a separate bonus that applies after the floor is set (which is a common house rule, but strictly speaking, the spell sets your total AC to 17).

• It works on Wild Shapes. You retain the benefit of spells while in Wild Shape (PHB 2024, pg. 81). Since the spell no longer requires Concentration, you do not have to worry about making Constitution saving throws to keep your bark armor up when you get hit.

• It doesn’t end if you don better armor. It just stops doing anything useful. If you put on Plate Armor (AC 18), your AC becomes 18 because 18 is not “lower than” 17. The spell effectively goes dormant until you take the armor off.

Is Barkskin 5e a Good Spell?

Yes, the 2024 version of Barkskin is an excellent spell. It has moved from F-Tier to A-Tier.

• No Concentration: This is the game-changer. Previously, a Druid had to choose between having AC or casting an offensive spell like Call Lightning. Now, you can have both.

• +1 AC boost: That equals a 5 percentage point reduction in your chance to be hit while Barkskin is active. If that brings you from 65% chance of being hit to a 60% chance, that’s a 7.7% damage reduction — more significant than you might think.

• Bonus action economy: Moving the casting time to a Bonus Action allows you to stay mobile and active. You don’t have to waste your first turn just putting on your “armor.”

Barkskin 5e DM Tips

Because the spell sets a flat AC of 17, it can trivialize low-level encounters if the whole party has it. However, remember that it is a touch spell with a 1-hour duration.

If you are running a stealth encounter, consider whether “bark-like skin” imposes any penalties. While the rules don’t strictly enforce it, a creature covered in rigid bark might make more noise or look out of place in a noble’s court (imposing Disadvantage on Charisma checks, perhaps).

Conversely, reward creativity: if a player uses Barkskin to blend in against a tree to hide from a patrol, grant them Advantage on their Stealth check.

Both of these examples definitely fit into the Dungeon Master Guide’s suggestions on when to grant advantage/disadvantage: “Circumstances not related to a creature’s inherent capabilities provide it with an edge” and “some aspect of the environment contributes to the character’s chance of success” (DMG 2014, pg. 238).

DnD 5e Barkskin FAQ

1. Does Barkskin stack with a shield? No, Barkskin sets your AC to 17 “if its AC is lower than that.” It does not say “your base AC becomes 17.” Therefore, if you have AC 12 and hold a +2 shield (total 14), Barkskin sets your final AC to 17, not 19.

2. Does Barkskin require concentration in 2024? No. In the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Barkskin has a duration of 1 hour with no concentration required.

3. Can I cast Barkskin on myself? Yes, the range is Touch, and you can always touch yourself (unless you are restrained or incapacitated in a way that prevents it).

4. Does Barkskin work with Unarmored Defense? No. Unarmored Defense (Monk/Barbarian) offers an alternative AC calculation. Barkskin offers a specific AC value (17). You choose one or the other; you do not stack them. If your Unarmored Defense is 15, Barkskin raises you to 17. If your Unarmored Defense is 18, Barkskin does nothing.

2014 Barkskin (Legacy Version)

The text below covers the version of Barkskin found in the 2014 Player’s Handbook. I have preserved this section for players running legacy campaigns or using older modules that haven’t updated to the 2024 rule set.

If you are playing with the 2024 rules, use the guide at the top of this page.

You touch a willing creature. Until the spell ends, the target’s skin has a rough, bark-like appearance, and the target’s AC can’t be less than 16, regardless of what kind of armor it is wearing.

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a handful of oak bark)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
School: 2nd-level transmutation

Player’s Handbook 2014, pg. 217


Matt Zane
Author, DnD Lounge
Matt Zane started DnD Lounge in 2021. Matt began playing DnD 5e in 2015, and has been DMing since 2017. He loves optimization, but also enjoys looking for creative ways to use spells and abilities that follow the spirit and letter of the rules. He also eschews pure optimization in favor of a more balanced approach, where building a character is primarily about serving an interesting story arc and party dynamics rather than maxing out DPR.
Last Updated: December 21, 2025

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