The most important character stat in Skyrim, especially in combat, is defense. Thanks to a large number of armor points, the character can not only withstand more damage received, but also the armor affects the appearance of the hero. Many players are sensitive to what the hero looks like. So how to find the ideal option between the character’s appearance and his defense. How important is this parameter for different classes? What armor is suitable for which character class?

This article will describe everything related to armor. It will be useful for both novice players and more experienced ones who already understand the world of Skyrim.

Maximum protection

In TES 5: Skyrim, the maximum defense value is 567. This is the highest level of armor that can be found in the universe. Yes, you can install additional mods, but for now we are talking about a game without add-ons.

The highest level of armor is achieved when the character is equipped with a full set of armor. A full set of armor also provides nice buffs. +25 points for each piece of armor set from the same set. The result will be +100 armor units.

The calculation of damage received based on the character's defense is determined by a special proportion. For example, if the defense is equal to the maximum, 567, then the damage received will be reduced by 80%.
This means that if a player collects a full set of the best armor, then his character will receive only 20% damage.

Magic as a way to increase defense

It happens that it is quite difficult to find a complete set of armor, or the character’s outfit does not imply wearing a single set of armor. In this case, you can increase defense units using magic.

The best option would be to use the Dragon Skin spell. It increases defense to maximum for half a minute. Thus, the character will block 80% of the damage dealt to him. The spell will be useful for magicians who do not have the opportunity to wear heavy armor, and this spell will help them make up for the lack of protection.

To learn the Dragonhide spell, the player must learn the corresponding skills. As you study, the character will be able to use less powerful, but still effective spells, which are similar in effect to “Dragon Skin”. Here are the magic skill data: “Oak Flesh”, “Stone Flesh”, “Iron Flesh”, “Ebon Flesh”.

By the way, you can improve the Change perk with the help of special potions. They are quite difficult to find, and they are also extremely expensive, but an experienced alchemist can create a sufficient number of such potions.

Using the crafting system to increase defense

The process of creating game items is called “crafting”. In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, there are three crafting and upgrading skills. And so, in Skyrim you can craft alchemy, learn blacksmithing and enchantment.

It was previously written that you can increase the amount of armor by improving the Change skill, which enhances the spell that gives the hero the maximum defense value.

The blacksmithing skill will allow you to create any piece of armor. The only caveat is that to craft a high-class item, the character level must also be high. It is best if the skill level is one hundredth, as well as the level of wearing Light or Heavy Armor. But it all depends on what kind of armor you need to create. You also need to complete the “From the Depths” quest, which will allow you to learn the “Ancient Knowledge” talent.

It will speed up the leveling of blacksmithing skills, and will also provide an additional 15% armor when wearing the Dwemer armor set.

The process of increasing armor using enchantment is quite simple and perhaps familiar to many. A useful skill that allows you to set the same defense-increasing skill for each piece of armor. But besides this, it is possible to enchant clothes, rings and other things.
If the goal of achieving the maximum defense value has been achieved, then it makes no sense to further improve the armor, because you won’t be able to get more than 567 units - the game is created in such a way that it cannot be increased without mods.

Best light armor

Light armor is suitable for heroes who want to maintain mobility and at the same time have good protection. This armor allows you to perform covert actions, and it will not take up much space in your inventory. Yes, it will not provide the protection points that heavy armor can provide.

To achieve more protection from light armor, you should learn the skill of wearing “light armor” to level one hundred. You can also speed up development by learning from teachers and reading books. The skill will give more armor units when wearing a particular armor.
In the fifth part of Skyrim there are two sets of light armor that definitely deserve attention: “Nightingale Armor” and “Dragon Scale Armor”

Nightingale armor is a magical armor set that increases stamina and damage from one-handed weapons. You can get the armor by completing the “Reborn Triad” quest. You can get it from the Thieves Guild.
The maximum upgrade will increase stamina by 40 units, “Frost Resistance” by 50%, and also add 25% damage from one-handed weapons.

This set of armor will also be useful for thieves, as it increases the level of secrecy and simplifies the process of picking locks. Spells from the School of Illusions will cost 17% less.

Dragonscale Armor– the best light uniform in the game. You can reach protection level 567 with it much faster, since it has a large amount of protection. And many players will like its appearance.

You can get it thanks to the crafting system. To create, you need: dragon scales, iron ingots and strips of leather. In addition, you should unlock the “Dragon Armor” perk and level up your blacksmithing skill to 100.

Battle of the heavyweights. Best Heavy Armor

There are no significant differences between the types of armor. After all, as already mentioned earlier, the maximum threshold for a hero’s defense is 567. It doesn’t matter what kind of armor gave this value - you won’t be able to do more. But with the help of heavy armor it will be possible to achieve maximum protection faster. And plus, you can experiment with incomplete armor sets.

There are two sets of heavy armor that are higher in performance than other sets - “Daedric Armor” and “Azidal Armor”.
The first set of armor is the best among the heavy ones. It has the highest protection rates. The appearance is also quite nice. The character looks quite nice.

It is possible to craft Daedric armor using ebony ingots, Daer hearts (they can be obtained as a reward for completing special quests) and leather strips. To create it you will need a blacksmithing skill level of over 90.

Azidal's armor is awarded for completing the "Excavation" quest. Armor can be enchanted to have an effect that paralyzes opponents. You will need to pay 25% more for the skills of the school of witchcraft, but their range of action is much greater.

A character of the Dovahkiin class will receive an improvement in the “enchantment” skill by ten points if he is equipped with a full set of Azidal armor.

Let's go, friend! In honor of the release of Skyrim Special Edition, an updated version with HD textures, we are releasing a series of articles on this topic. The first will be an article about choosing and finding the best weapons and armor. And, since I prefer speed and lightness, we will start with one-handed weapons, shields and light armor.

So that you don’t have any unnecessary questions, Skyrim Special Edition includes all the additions to the original game, so all the items described below will be available to you.

The best one-handed weapon in Skyrim

Undoubtedly, the most powerful weapon with base damage is the dragon weapon, but it is also significantly heavier (except for daggers, where a dragon bone dagger is only 0.5 kg heavier). Conceding one unit of base damage, a Stalhrim mace or ax will be much lighter and overall better, with the exception of swords, where the vaunted Daedric blade has greater base damage and almost the same weight.

All of these weapons can be enchanted, but you can't enchant unique artifacts (in most cases), so some of the weapons below may only be good if you don't have that specialization.

Mace of Molag Bal 16 18 “Steals 25 units of magic and 25 strength per hit. Soul Capture." The weapon is forged from ebony, it is 1 kg lighter than nameless samples, and has the base damage of a dragon. You can get a task with it in an abandoned house in Mokarte.

Miraak's Sword 16 3 "Steals 15 strength per hit" An incredibly light sword, only 3 kg and damage to the most powerful dragon weapons. Unfortunately, you can only get it at the end of the game, during the main storyline (taking into account the presence of the Dragonborn add-on).

Mehrunes' razor 11 3 "Instant death occurs with a 1.5% chance." 3.5 kg lighter than the dragon dagger, but 2 less base damage. Despite this, due to its effect, it makes the dagger a good option for the left hand. You can start the quest by visiting the museum in Dawnstar.

The best light armor in Skyrim

The two most powerful light armor available from crafting sets in the game are Stalhrim (with the Dragonborn add-on) and Dragonscale. The difference between them is small, and if one element of armor is better, then the other is worse.

Stalhrim boots, bracers have the same base armor parameter as dragon armor.

Not everything is clear with the breastplate and helmet.

The breastplate is 3 kg lighter, but has 2 less armor. It makes sense to wear Elven gilded armor, the armor class is lower by 6, but its weight is 6 less.

The shield is undoubtedly made of dragon scales - the weight is 4 lighter, losing only 1 in armor.

The helmet is 2 kg lighter, but has 1 less armor. But in terms of armor, any other light helmet pales in comparison to the Masks of Dragon Priests. Krosis, Volsung or Miraak (Dragonborn) will suit you. You can collect all 8 main masks and go to the past, where you will awaken the heavy mask of the leader. Krosis is the best freely available, to get it go to Double-Headed Peak.

Legendary light armor of Skyrim

If you don’t enchant armor yourself, then you will be interested in the legendary sets, and if you don’t have the DLC installed, the best you can get is a scolding from the Dark Brotherhood, or rather its old version in the faction quest “Find an Assassin from the Past”. Her kits have, if not the same parameters, then a little bit better.

Owners of the Dragonborn expansion will have access to two more powerful sets.

Defense is one of the most important parameters of a character in, in addition, armor largely determines the appearance of the character. What's the balance between security and attractiveness? Is the protection rate important? How much does it reduce damage taken?

This guide covers everything you need to know about armor in Skyrim. It will be useful to anyone who is looking for the best protection - both in terms of quantity and appearance. Guide for all versions of the game, including .

Maximum armor level

In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim there is such a thing as a maximum defense rating. It is 567, and this is the highest level of armor that can be obtained without resorting to the use of mods.

Of course, to achieve this figure you need to wear a full set of armor. At the same time, Skyrim has bonuses when wearing armor elements from the same set: +25 for body armor, helmet, gloves and boots. There is no bonus for the shield. Total +100, which is very good.

How exactly does defense level affect damage received? There is a balance in the game between protection and actual damage reduction. If the character's defense is 567, then physical damage received is reduced by 80%.

Thus, when wearing the best armor in the game, the character will receive only 20% of the damage, that is, only a fifth of the physical damage dealt.

How to increase defense using magic

If the character does not yet have the necessary items to achieve maximum protection or, according to the player’s plan, should not wear a full set of armor, he can use magic.

The best option is the Dragonhide spell. It provides maximum protection for 30 seconds, that is, it increases the protection indicator to 567 and due to this reduces physical damage inflicted on the character by 80%. This spell is very useful for magicians who cannot afford heavy luggage.

Of course, Dragon Skin is one of the two best spells from the school of Change. To master it, you will have to develop the corresponding skill. Therefore, for some time the character will be able to effectively use simplified versions of this spell:

• Oakflesh;
• Stoneflesh;
• Ironflesh;
• Enbonyflesh.

Interestingly, the effect of these spells can be greatly enhanced if the Alteration skill is not high enough. To do this, you need to use skill enhancement potions. They are quite rare and expensive, but with some skill, an experienced alchemist will be able to provide himself with a good supply of such “flasks”.

How to increase your defense using crafting

There are several skills in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim that allow you to craft and upgrade items. This process in games is usually called “crafting” (from the English word “Craft”). Here are three crafting skills:

• Alchemy;
• Smithing;
• Enchanting.

As mentioned above, alchemy can be used to increase knowledge of the school of Change, which in turn enhances the effect of spells that increase armor.

Smithing allows you to forge almost any set of armor in Skyrim, but the best items require a high level of skill. Ideally, you should have level 100 Smithing, level 100 Light or Heavy Armor (depending on what you want to forge), and complete the Unfathomable Depths quest to get the Ancient Knowledge talent.

The latter accelerates the development of Blacksmithing and gives a bonus of 15% armor when wearing a full set of Dwemer armor.

Enchanting is another useful skill that makes it easier to achieve maximum defense. Everything is very simple here: each item worn on the character must be enchanted with the same Fortify Smithing effect. It is important to understand that enchantments are applied not only to elements of armor, but also to clothing and jewelry (rings, amulets).

If a character has reached the maximum defense level (567), then further increasing this indicator does not make any sense, since the percentage of reduction in physical damage received, in principle, cannot be higher than 80%. Alas, that's the game.

The best light armor in Skyrim

Light armor is very convenient for characters who want to find a middle ground between mobility and protection. They do not take up much space in your inventory and do not interfere with the use of stealth. Of course, light armor is almost always inferior in effectiveness to heavy armor, but this is the price for the advantages mentioned above.

To get more protection from Light Armor, you should improve the corresponding skill to 100 as early as possible. In principle, it grows on its own if you use light armor, but development can be accelerated by reading books and paying teachers for lessons. The higher the skill, the more armor any armor set will provide.

If we talk about specific sets, then in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim there are 2 most valuable sets: Nightgale Armor and Dragonscale Armor.

Nightingale armor. A magical set of light armor that increases Stamina and improves damage dealt with One-Handed weapons. Nightingale armor can only be obtained as a reward for completing the last mission of the Thieves Guild - “Trinity Restored”.

At maximum upgrade, full Nightingale armor increases stamina by 40, improves cold resistance by 50%, and adds 25% additional damage to all attacks with one-handed weapons.

But that is not all. Nightingale armor is useful to any thief: it improves the effectiveness of Sneaking, makes Lockpicking easier by 25% and reduces the cost of Illusion spells by 17%.

Dragonscale Armor. In terms of its protection indicators, this light armor is the best in its class. It is the easiest way to achieve the maximum level of protection. Plus she looks really cool.

You can get dragon scale armor only through crafting. In this case, you will need the following resources: dragon scales (“drops out” only from killed dragons), iron ingots, strips of leather. You will also need to raise your Blacksmithing skill to 100 and unlock the Dragon Armor perk.

The best heavy armor in Skyrim

Due to the fact that the game has a defense threshold, there is no fundamental difference between light and heavy armor, since in the end everything will be the same: 567 defense and an 80% reduction in physical damage. However, heavy armor allows you to reach the maximum faster, and also leaves room for experimentation with incomplete sets.

As with light armor, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has 2 sets of armor that can be considered the most effective: Daedric Armor and Ahzidal's Armor.

Daedric armor. This set of equipment has a very high armor value, in fact it is the best armor in Skyrim, if you do not take into account the content of official add-ons. She also looks very impressive.

Daedric armor can be forged from ebony ingots, Daedra Hearts and Leather Strips. To do this, you need to have a developed Blacksmithing skill (at least 90) and an open perk with the appropriate name.

Armor of Azidal. Can be obtained by completing the mission “Excavation” (Unearthed). The armor has several very useful enchantments. First of all, it gives a chance that opponents attacking the player character will be paralyzed. Conjuration and rune spells cost 25% more but have increased range.

And if you attach 4 items from the set to Dovahkiin at once, he will receive an increase of 10 points to his Enchantment skill.

How to forge the best armor in Skyrim

Not all armor sets can be crafted. For example, Nightingale armor and Azidal's set can only be obtained by completing certain tasks. An experienced blacksmith does not necessarily need to go through them, because he can get maximum protection without leaving the forge.

Daedric Armor (Heavy Armor):

• perk “Daedric armor”;
• Level 90 Blacksmithing;
• 10 leather strips;
• 17 Ebony Ingot;
• 5 Daedra hearts.

Dragon Plate Armor (Heavy Armor):

• perk “Dragon Armor”;
• Level 100 Blacksmithing;
• 6 Dragon Scales;
• 6 Dragon Bone;
• 10 leather strips.

Dragonscale Armor (Light Armor):

• perk “Dragon Armor”;
• Level 100 Blacksmithing;
• 14 dragon scales;
• 4 leathers (Leather);
• 2 iron ingots (Iron Ingot).

Leather strips can be cut from leather at a special workbench or purchased from merchants (average price - 3 gold per piece). Iron ingots are available for about 7 coins from the very beginning of the game, and Ebony ingots are available only after reaching level 27 (cost approximately 150 gold).

The fastest way to get a lot of Daedra Hearts is to clear the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon in the White Coast area (The Pale).

Dragon scales and bones can only be obtained in one way - by killing dragons. Fortunately, there are definitely no problems with them in Skyrim.

Armor is a protective covering used to protect a person from various types of weapons, both melee and ranged (for example, bows). Armor was used to protect both soldiers and war animals such as war horses (horse armor was called barding).

Armor has been used throughout history and was made from a variety of materials; starting with the simplest leather armor, personal armor evolved to and then to armor. For most of military history, the production of metal armor in Europe was the most technologically advanced process. The production of armor was responsible for the development of many technologies in the ancient world, such as wood working, mining, metal refining, vehicle production (such as chariots), leather working, and, later, decorative metal working. This production influenced the development of the Industrial Revolution, and influenced the commercial development of metallurgy and engineering.

Armor technology was the most influential factor in the development of firearms, which revolutionized the battlefield.

Materials

Over the centuries, a wide variety of materials have been used to make armor: hides, leather, bones, linen, wood, bronze, iron plates. The armor's resistance to penetrating impact depends on the thickness of the steel - 2mm thick steel can withstand 3 times more impact energy than 1mm thick steel.

Characteristics of armor

For the nobility, full armor was made individually. Most armor was purchased "as is", but some armor was customized to suit the individual wearer. The cost of armor varied greatly depending on the era and place, and included both the cost of manufacturing and the cost of decorating the armor. In the 8th century, chain mail cost 12 oxen; by 1600, a horseman's armor cost 2 oxen. A typical full plate suit of armor cost approximately £1 in 14th century England, with a warrior earning around 1 shilling per day (1/20 of a pound) during the same period. Thus, the armor cost approximately 20 days of service. But plate armor was only available to those who could buy it: the nobility, landowners, and mercenary professional warriors who were the bulk of armies in the Medieval period. Soldiers of lower rank wore significantly less armor. Full plate armor made the wearer virtually invulnerable to sword blows, and also provided significant protection from arrows, maces, and even early firearms. The sword blade could not penetrate the relatively thin plate (only 1 mm). Additionally, while arrows from bows and crossbows, as well as early firearms, could penetrate plates, especially at close range, later improvements in steel processing techniques and armor design made this method of attack much more difficult. As the pinnacle of development, the hardened steel armor was almost impregnable on the battlefield. Knights were more vulnerable to polearms, such as halberds, and blunt weapons, such as maces or war hammers, whose blows caused damage without piercing armor, and resulted in injuries such as fractures, internal hemorrhages, and/or traumatic brain injuries. Other tactics aimed to strike at the spaces between pieces of armor, using daggers, spears, and the points of other weapons, hitting the eyes or joints.
Contrary to common misconceptions, well-made medieval “battle” armor (as opposed, primarily, to the ceremonial “ceremonial” or “tournament” armor favored by kings and nobles of later years) did not restrict the movements of its owner any more than modern military equipment. It must be remembered that the knight had been trained to wear armor since adolescence, and he was able to develop the technique and stamina for running, crawling, climbing ladders, as well as mounting a horse without a crane. Full medieval plate armor supposedly weighed about 30 kg, and was on average lighter than modern military equipment (up to 50 kg).

History of armor

Many factors have influenced the development of armor throughout human history. The most significant factors in the development of armor include the economic and technological needs of production. For example, plate armor first appeared in Medieval Europe, when waterwheel-powered hammers made plate formation faster and cheaper. Likewise, modern militaries generally do not provide their soldiers with the best protection, as it would be extremely expensive. Throughout time, the development of armor has paralleled the development of weapons on the battlefield, and armorers have sought to create better protection without sacrificing mobility.

Mail armor

Chain mail is made of iron rings connected to each other, which can be riveted or welded. Mail is believed to have been invented by the Celts in Eastern Europe around 500 BC. As the Celts moved west, chain mail began to spread with them. Most cultures that used chain mail used the Celtic word "byrnne" or variations thereof, implying the Celts as the creators. The Roman army used chain mail throughout most of its history. Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the infrastructure for making plate armor was largely lost in Europe, leaving chainmail to be the best armor available during the Early Medieval Period.

Transition to plate armor

Gradually, small additional plates or discs of iron were added to the chain mail to protect vulnerable areas. By the end of 1200 in this way the knees were protected, and two round discs (rondels) protected the armpits. There are many known ways to improve the protection of chain mail, and in all likelihood, armorers experimented with various options for protection. Reinforced leather and pinned devices were used to protect parts of the arms and legs. A plate jacket appeared - armor made of large plates sewn onto a textile or leather jacket (sometimes quite long).

Early plate armor in Italy and elsewhere in the 13th to 15th centuries was made of iron. Iron armor could be carburized or tempered to produce a harder surface. Plate armor became cheaper than chain mail by the 15th century because it was less labor intensive to make, and labor became much more expensive after the bubonic plague epidemic in Europe in 1348-49, although it required more metal to produce. Mail continued to be used to protect those parts of the body that could not be adequately protected by plates, such as the armpits, elbows and groin. Another advantage of the armor was that the spear support could be mounted directly on the chest plate.

Probably the most recognizable style of armor in the world is plate armor, associated with the knights of the European Late Middle Ages.

Until about 1400 a complete set of plate armor was developed in the armory workshops of Lombardy. Heavy cavalry dominated the battlefield for centuries due in part to their armor.

In the early 15th century, small "hand guns" began to be used on the battlefields of the Hussite Wars, in combination with gorod tactics, allowing infantry to defeat armored knights on the battlefield. At the same time, crossbows became powerful enough to pierce armor. Rather than eradicating armor as a class, the threat of firearms stimulated improvements in the protective properties of armor. This was a 150 year period in which better and more metallurgically advanced steel armor was used due to the danger posed by firearms. Thus, firearms and armored cavalry were "menace and retribution" together on the battlefield for almost 400 years. By the 15th century, plate armor in Italy was almost always made of steel. In Southern Germany, gunsmiths only began to harden their steel armor at the end of the 15th century.

The quality of the metal used to make armor deteriorated as armies became larger and armor was made thicker, requiring the breeding of riding horses. If during the 14th-15th centuries armor rarely weighed more than 15 kg, then by the end of the 16th century armor weighed 25 kg. The increasing weight and thickness of armor of the late 16th century gave a significant increase in strength.

During the appearance of the first pistols and arquebuses, firearms had a relatively low bullet speed. Full armor or breastplates actually stopped bullets fired from short distances. The breastplates were sighted during testing of the armor. The point of impact of the bullet was often surrounded by an engraving to indicate it. This was called "proof". Armor often bore the manufacturers' insignia, especially if it was of good quality. Crossbow arrows, if still in use, rarely penetrated good armor, nor did any bullet except those fired at close range.

In fact, rather than rendering armor obsolete, the advent of firearms stimulated the development of armor in its later stages. For much of the period, the armor allowed riders to fight while constantly in the crosshairs of arquebusiers without becoming easy targets. Full suits of armor were commonly worn by generals and royal commanders until the second decade of the 18th century. This was the only way to be safe away from the battlefield from distant musket fire.

The horses were protected from spears and infantry weapons by steel plate "bard" protection. This gave protection to the horse and enhanced the visual impression of the mounted knight. Later, elaborately crafted bards were used in ceremonial armor .

The computer game Skyrim requires the gamer to have good equipment that allows him to defeat even the most dangerous opponents.

Every player wants to get excellent armor that will not allow opponents to cause damage to him. There is no ideal option for everyone, but each class should use the appropriate type of equipment. What is the best armor in Skyrim?

How to create better armor?

Heavy sets of armor are suitable for warriors, but it will be difficult to move quietly and quickly in them. For this reason, archers and scouts should choose the light type. The situation is similar with magicians. But heavy armor is the most popular in the game. Therefore, we will tell you how to get the best version. This method is also suitable for other types of equipment.

First you will need to level up by mastering blacksmithing, alchemy and enchanting. In the process of leveling up, you need to learn how to make Daedric armor, because they are considered the best for a warrior.

• We brew a potion designed to increase enchantment and drink it (it will take half a minute to act).
• We enchant a set of things to increase alchemy and put them on.
• Once again we brew a potion to increase enchantment, drink it, and enchant the next set of things.
• We put it on, take a new set of clothes and put an enchantment on it that will increase the blacksmithing skill by 29 percent.
• We brew a potion to further increase blacksmithing. We put on a blacksmith's kit and drink the resulting liquid, which maximally improves our skills.
• We quickly make Daedric armor and improve it before the effect of the spells and potions wears off.

The resulting set makes you a serious threat to the world of Skyrim. The most terrible opponents will only be able to scratch you, but nothing more.

It is not easy to complete all the listed actions on time. You can spend at least an hour on them, but the result will please you.

How to get good armor at the beginning of the game?

When you have dozens of hours of play behind you and your character’s level is high, creating decent armor will not be difficult. But at the beginning of the game you cannot get such armor. Let's find out where to get good clothes for the first time.

When you first arrive in Whiterun, stop by the Prancing Mare Inn. Utgerd the Unbroken sits in the corner - it is her armor that will be useful to us. We must quickly deal with her and take away the armor, but at the same time avoid death at the hands of the guards. Save, then set the difficulty to minimum. The hero must have 40 coins. If you don't have them, take them from Utgerd - she pays for winning a fist fight.