I'm role-playing a patriotic Nord, and I feel Daedric armour just makes my character look like a ROARRR SO EVIL kind of guy. I was so comfortable "getting into" the role when I was wearing steel plate and hide armour... it felt more Norse. Now I'm carrying a huge red-glowing spiky mace and evil looking plate all of my body.

Anyone else having trouble "getting into" their role due to aesthetics?

...Dont wear it then. You have a choice you know.

Oh really, I thought it was binded to my character.

Cynicism aside, I think the lack of endgame armour aesthetics is just pathetic. And I *want* good stats on my armour, I do want the best I can get. But if it means waltzing around in demonic [censored] then perhaps you're right...

So don't wear it?....you can wear whatever armor you want, and with proper perks and enchants, there isn't much difference in them.

If you desire min/maxing then you will most likely never be pleased by looks in any game.

Try dragonplate i guess. It's not the best but its close

It's the fantasy equivalent of the real world choice between full riot gear (ugly, best protection) and a camo pants, black tanktop B-movie commando outfit (badass, minimum protection).

Smithing. Pretty much make any armor able to hang at later levels. Then again, by the time your in later levels, you shouldn't even need the higher armors, or their ratings. Your already a demi god by level 25-30.

Since there is a armor cap, you can use any armor you like, with the right perks.

find armor you like and upgrade it. armor has four levels, and even iron armor would have decent stats at legendary. not to mention armor perks.

With perks even steel armor puts you way over the armor cap... so wear it anyways...

Don't wear it?

Really, the stats aren't SO damned different that it forces you into anything. I've heard people used Iron Armor the entire game. It's not far-fetched at all to use Steel Plate the entire game, you just need to keep it improved.

Yeah, I'm on like my 4th or 5th character and 2 or 3 builds away from making my Nord Trapper, which will only wear fur armors. I intend on wearing fur throughout his whole game. Obviously smithing would behoove me. So, in short, go smith some things.

Why don't you pretend your character has done the things you've seen and experienced? He happens to have a set of mythic armor from the realm of the daedra, because he's an adventurer. You don't NEED to wear that armor for most of the stuff in the game. At end game levels what you wear only matters when you're fighting something that's very important. When it comes time to be the hero, put on the armor and weapons of the gods, but when you're riding around the land wear what you want. In Oblivion I wore what looked good to me and saved my Champion's armor for when it was necessary to use, and I had a good reason for having it.

Your title is wrong, caring about MIN/MAXING ruins a sense of role playing. Your need to have the best possible equipment ruins the sense of role playing.

^ Smithing. The max armor is 80% damage reduction, which equates to something around 600 armor (I forget the exact number). With high level Armor Skill, armor perks, and smithing, you shouldn't have any problems with lower end armor.

I don't really look at Daedric armor as being evil. It's just designed to be a very intimidating set of armor, the kind of armor that says "Don't mess with me if you want to walk away". Which is should. Steel armor is really just saying "Yeah, I mean business".

My Redguard is level 38 and rocking fur armor the whole time. Forget about stats, its about the roleplay. He gets his ass handed to him at times but challenge is part of what makes games enjoyable...for me at least.

My sneaky archer wears only leather armor. Anything else looks just meh.
Keep your steel armor, upgrade it and you'll be fine.

Agree totally with u OP. It is lamentable that high end gear in games often have to be outlandish or garish.

Here is your problem with your roleplaying. I gather you want all the high end equipment, right?

Ok, so what you do is wear only the armor that your character will wear. Develop your characters personality and then stick to that and do not deviate from what your character likes. Stick to what you want them to have or wear, that will help you roleplay better. This is what I do and its great not everybody of mine needs to wear the best and have the best. :thumbsup:

If you finish with the companions the ancient nord armor at the skyforge is comparable to ebony almost, certainly so with improvements, and it fits your RP style.

So your complaining about the way it looks.

Its Daedric Armor, its worn by the Daedric Princes, most of whom are evil. Thats the way it looks dont like it, dont wear it.

Thats just so [censored] stupid. :facepalm:

Yes but that is just one build. I have people in fur, ebony, elven, dwemer, daedric and cloth it all just depends on the personality I want to make. I have done done any quest but I will definitely use that armor too.

As a patriotic Nord Steel Plate armor is what you want. You'll hit the soft armor cap in the game fairly easy with the heavy armor perks and upgraded to legendary stats at the smith..

Dragon Armor has an aprorpiate aesthetic for a nord warrior.

Also from what I understand there is ancient nord armor that looks like Iron that you can learn to craft from doing Companion quests.