How much does armor effect? Light vs Heavy

[kamatsudash]

Hi,

 

Just wondering - just how much effect does armor and the related armor skills have in relevance to the damage that you take?

 

I ask because looking at the armor values at UESP, it's indicating there's not that much difference between the base armor values of each armor. I know that as armor skill increases so does the max amount of armor that you will actually have. However, is the amount the armor increases the same for both Light or Heavy armor? Or does Heavy Armor actually get more armor out of each skill point it increases by?

 

To illustrate, taken from values at UESP here are the base armor values for the top 2 Light and Heavy armors, as well as the base armor value with the +25% armor perk applied (and yes, UESP lists Shields for Dragonscale & plate, even though I've read reports here there are none):

 

Light Armor

Glass Armor w/ Shield: 103

Glass Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 128.75

Dragonscale Armor w/ Shield: 111

Dragonsale Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 138.75

 

Heavy Armor

Dragonplate Armor w/ Shield: 136

Dragonplate Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 170

Daedric Armor w/ Shield: 144

Daedric Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 180

 

So when you look at it this way - Heavy armor only provides a base increase of 33 armor without the increase from perks and skill being taken into account, and an increase of 41.25 armor with just the perk counted as well (as both armor skills have a +25% armor value perk if wearing all light/heavy armor). So just how much effect does the small base armor increase actually do?

 

So at max skill level, just how big is the actual difference in armor values between say Daedric and Dragonscale armor? (I'd test, but don't have access to my comp right now.. so can't play and test).

 

Hmm, looking at the calculation on UESP.. and using my poor maths skills, this is what I get @ 100 skill & both +25% perks:

 

Dragonscale Armor w/ Shield: 233.1

Daedric Armor w/ Shield: 302.4

 

So that's a difference of 69.3 armor - not taking into account any enchantments or smithing upgrades mind you. Is that difference going to make that much difference? Hmm, looking at UESP's calcs on the same page that's an additional 8.316 damage reduced by going from Light to Heavy armor. Surely that can't be right and I'm missing something...

 

This maths is indicating it would be nearly as easy/possible to play a fully light armor weapon & shield warrior as heavy armor weapon & shield warrior, as the damage you would take is only increased slightly... but everywhere I read I see people saying that if you want to melee you have to go heavy armor and only go light armor if you want to be a thief or archer character (or something similar / mix of).

 

Is armor just "pick what you like" or is there some significant benefit to Heavy over Light for a S&S melee character that I'm just not seeing? (or I'm so bad at maths I've completely borked the calculations? Which I wouldn't be surprised at).

[formalrevya]

Hi,

 

Just wondering - just how much effect does armor and the related armor skills have in relevance to the damage that you take?

 

I ask because looking at the armor values at UESP, it's indicating there's not that much difference between the base armor values of each armor. I know that as armor skill increases so does the max amount of armor that you will actually have. However, is the amount the armor increases the same for both Light or Heavy armor? Or does Heavy Armor actually get more armor out of each skill point it increases by?

 

To illustrate, taken from values at UESP here are the base armor values for the top 2 Light and Heavy armors, as well as the base armor value with the +25% armor perk applied (and yes, UESP lists Shields for Dragonscale & plate, even though I've read reports here there are none):

 

Light Armor

Glass Armor w/ Shield: 103

Glass Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 128.75

Dragonscale Armor w/ Shield: 111

Dragonsale Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 138.75

 

Heavy Armor

Dragonplate Armor w/ Shield: 136

Dragonplate Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 170

Daedric Armor w/ Shield: 144

Daedric Armor w/ Shield +25% perk: 180

 

So when you look at it this way - Heavy armor only provides a base increase of 33 armor without the increase from perks and skill being taken into account, and an increase of 41.25 armor with just the perk counted as well (as both armor skills have a +25% armor value perk if wearing all light/heavy armor). So just how much effect does the small base armor increase actually do?

 

So at max skill level, just how big is the actual difference in armor values between say Daedric and Dragonscale armor? (I'd test, but don't have access to my comp right now.. so can't play and test).

 

Hmm, looking at the calculation on UESP.. and using my poor maths skills, this is what I get @ 100 skill & both +25% perks:

 

Dragonscale Armor w/ Shield: 233.1

Daedric Armor w/ Shield: 302.4

 

So that's a difference of 69.3 armor - not taking into account any enchantments or smithing upgrades mind you. Is that difference going to make that much difference? Hmm, looking at UESP's calcs on the same page that's an additional 8.316 damage reduced by going from Light to Heavy armor. Surely that can't be right and I'm missing something...

 

This maths is indicating it would be nearly as easy/possible to play a fully light armor weapon & shield warrior as heavy armor weapon & shield warrior, as the damage you would take is only increased slightly... but everywhere I read I see people saying that if you want to melee you have to go heavy armor and only go light armor if you want to be a thief or archer character (or something similar / mix of).

 

Is armor just "pick what you like" or is there some significant benefit to Heavy over Light for a S&S melee character that I'm just not seeing? (or I'm so bad at maths I've completely borked the calculations? Which I wouldn't be surprised at).

 

 

Well for the most part the perks are pretty much the same with the exception of two in heavy and two in light.

 

Tower of strength makes you 50 percent harder to stagger and reflect blows turns 10 percent of the damage back towards the attacker <-heavy armor

 

Windwalker makes your stamina regenerate 50 percent faster and deft movement makes 10 percent of attacks aimed at you miss <- Light armor

 

This is the key advantage to playing with heavy armor if you're doing a pure melee sword and shield character, Heavy armor perks make you a more effective engine of destruction than light armor would. So there not a real big advantage to one over the other without the perks involved.

 

But personally it was purely an aesthetic choice for me. I thought the daedric armor looked awesome, so I went with daedric.

[bobfish09]

I couldn't answer this for sure, but using the Nightingale armor I never felt under-protected. I regularly ran around with a shield though and used it quite a lot to block attacks.

 

I think magic resistance is more important than armor value tbh.