When playing an Elder Scrolls title like Skyrim, particularly on higher difficulties, equipment, enchants, and skill distribution becomes more and more essential. With the numerous array of armor, shields, and unique items such as masks to attain in Skyrim, it’s easy to get confused on what to aim for. Below are three of the best armor pieces from each category: heavy and light armor, shields, and masks.
Skyrim Best Armor: Heavy, Light, Masks, and Shields Armor
Heavy Armor: Daedric, Stalhrim, Dragonplate
Heavy armor provides the best raw defensive utility in the game at the expense of dexterity. Reserved for the heavy-bruisers and Alteration school battlemages, this armor class comes at high cost, but high reward. The crème de la crème of Skyrim armors has always been Daedric armor, forged from the fires of the daedric forces themselves. This armor is most easily attained via smithing, requiring Daedric smithing and a bucketload of Ebony Ingots. The Daedric Armor boasts a defense stat of 108, with a massive 96 weight. Despite the armor having no set effect, its raw defense is enough to stagger through even the most perilous of dragon fire. The armor is enchantable, too, allowing for even higher rates of defensive utility.
In a close second is the Stalhrim armor, which can only be found in Skyrim’s Dragonborn DLC. Stalhrim armor requires the completion of the quest ‘A New Source of Stalhrim’ and a Smithing level of 80. Pieces can be forged via the use of Stalhrim, leather strips, along with Steel and Quicksilver Ingots. The armor boasts a defense rating of 102 compared to Daedric armor’s 108, but comes in at almost half the weight at 59. The armor has a passive frost resistance of 25%, too, so if your Daedric armor lacks frost resistance, this armor edges it out in frost-heavy fights.
Lastly comes the expensive Dragonplate armor, which boasts a defense rating of 102, but at a slightly higher weight of 64. The armor set has no passive resistances and requires a massive 100 smithing to create. The components, however, are much easier to come by than daedric armor, considering the occurrence of dragon fights in Skyrim’s open world as opposed to daedra. For those without the most legendary of heavy armor perks, however, Dragonplate is an excellent stop-gap before attaining daedric armor.
Continue on for more of the best armor in Skyrim, this time looking at light armor.
Skyrim Best Armor: Heavy, Light, Masks, and Shields Armor
Light Armor: Deathbrand, Ancient Shrouded, Dragonscale
Deathbrand armor, despite being a light armor, is arguably the best in the game, especially if players lack max-level Enchanting or Smithing. It’s easily attained from the Dragonborn DLC quest ‘Deathbrand.’ The armor boasts a 100 defense rating at a tiny 13 weight but really comes into its own with resistances and buffs. The full-set contains a +15 Stamina buff, +40 Carry Capacity, water breathing, and +40% damage from one-handed attacks when dual-wielding. Ideally, players should have high light and heavy armor smithing rating to wear the set, but also upgrade it to its full potential.
Coming in second is the Ancient Shrouded armor, which has 72 defense at 7.5 weight. The set can be found from the Dark Brotherhood side questline ‘Locate the Assassin of Old.’ The set as a bonus of +25 when fully worn, an immunity to poison, a sound muffle, +35% bow damage, and double sneak attack damage from one-handed weapons. For those inclined to sneak, this armor is perfect until the very endgame.
In third is Dragonscale armor, with similar perks as its heavy counterpart. The defense is 82 (111 if paired with a shield) and weighs 20 (26 with shield). The armor is made by an accumulation of dragon scales as opposed to bones and contains no passive resistance. Its overall lack of resistances and buffs places it in third, with the first two light armors having some of the best passive buffs in the game. It’s probably the best-looking set in Skyrim, though, so there’s that.
Keep going for even more of the best armor in Skyrim. Masks are up next.
Skyrim Best Armor: Heavy, Light, Masks, and Shields Armor
Masks: Konahrik, Hevnoraak, Otar
Masks are unique to Skyrim and have been features in no other Elder Scrolls title. These death masks belonged to mysterious entities known as the Dragon Priests, who must be fought in order to obtain their mask. There are 9 masks in-game, with the ninth and final mask, Konahrik, obtained after the player possesses the other 8 masks and completes a short quest chain. Upon completion, the Konharik mask summons a random Dragon Priest on the player’s location, a chance to knock back enemies, heal the player and allies, and grant a cloak of fire when near death. Overall, it’s the most badass Skyrim mask by a country mile, and worth the effort to attain.
In second comes Hevnoraak which grants a passive immunity to diseases and poison. Players can find Hevnoraak in Valthume, just south-east of Markarth or south-west of Rorikstead. Dragon priests are tough, so come prepared!
In third place comes the Otar mask, which can be found in Ragnvald, north of Markarth. The mask grants a 30% resistance to frost, fire, and shock.
On the next page we’ll finish off our look at the best armor in Skyrim with shields.
Skyrim Best Armor: Heavy, Light, Masks, and Shields Armor
Shields: Spellbreaker, Auriel’s Shield, Shield of Solitude
Shields are reserved for one-handed fighters, especially light-armored, block-heavy characters. Shields are also essential on higher-difficulties and are generally situational. Even so, no player should go without the legendary shield Spellbreaker, which grants a massive 50 magic damage ward against magic. The shield also grants a defense stat of 38 at 12 weight, with the shield being found at the end of the daedra quest ‘The Only Cure.’ The quest is obtained in a random encounter with one of the Afflicted or by speaking to a man called Kesh at the Shrine to Peryite. Magic damage is really nasty in Skyrim and often ignores armor, so Spellbreaker can be an essential tool for survival.
In second comes Auriel’s Shield, which stores the energy of blocked attacks which can then be released via a shield bash. This shield is found in the Skyrim DLC Dawnguard, boasting a pretty decent defense stat of 32 at 14 weight. The shield is located in the Forgotten Vale Forest, which can be accessed by placing a ruby paragon inside a pillar next to the Paragon platform in Forgotten Vale. This creates a portal that sends the player to the forest, where the shield is being carried by a Falmer Warmonger.
Lastly is the Shield of Solitude, which is found at the end of the quest ‘The Wolf Queen Awakened.’ The shield has a 35% damage block bonus, along with a +30% magic resist. To start the quest chain, speak to Falk Firebeard in Solitude.
That covers our picks for the best armor you can nab in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For even more tips and guides on the game make sure to search Twinfinite. If you’re playing on PC, make sure to take a look at our list of 20 Skyrim mods you can’t play without. You can also check out 10 other games to play, if you can’t get enough Skyrim.
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