How to properly figure out AC?

[FSHSchmo]

Looking over my players character sheets they all seem to have mid to high 20 AC... making it obviously impossible for anything to hit them unless they crit... which leads to me to believe I have something set up wrong. I'll use my Ranger for the example. She is wearing scale mail and currently has an AC of 26. When I click the glass next to the AC I have been listing 14 for the armor then adding in the max 2 dex modifier. Do I put the number listed for AC in the PHB under scale mail or does that spot stay blank? I tried to Google how to properly figure AC but could not get a concrete answer.

[GunnarGreybeard]

Should be 4 for the armor iirc and not the whole 14, you add the # over 10 for the AC. So it would be 16 (4 for armor, and Full for the Dex, in this case 2) or 18 (another 2 for that) with shield.

[FSHSchmo]

Should be 4 for the armor iirc and not the whole 14, you add the # over 10 for the AC. So it would be 16 (4 for armor, and Full for the Dex, in this case 2) or 18 (another 2 for that) with shield.

Gotcha, I read that but it didnt quite click... makes sense now!