What are your thoughts on which armor type is the best?

I've been playing Skyrim for a few months now and i'm at level 64 (had to start over twice).

I started off as an Imperial heavy armor/one-handed specialist (warrior stone).

My other character was a Nord barbarian light armor/two-handed speacialty (with the thief stone).

Is it worth spending perks on smithing and enchanting since the armor cap is only 567?

I usually play mage type characters. If I'm playing a pure mage armour isn't a factor, if I play a battlemage or a spellsword I always go with light armour, prefer the look and the freedom of movement it affords my character. I think heavy armour tends too look to bulky and unless your playing as a "tank" type character isn't really worthwhile.

I prefer heavy. It looks better.

I'm more of a nightblade than a mage. My magic is not that great lol. I stick with light armor although I have the conditioning perk for the heavy. But I usually give my follower heavy armor to use them as a tank like you said.

But then you prefer the warrior type characters I believe: Enter room/dungeon smash everything in sight, leave, rinse and repeat! LOL

I do prefer warriors. But I take my time in dungeons and play around with my foes. But nothing like a good smashing though, ha.

Being that most of my characters are archers, Ive always gone with light armor just because its light and faster to move around than heavy, But after starting to RP I now go with whatever looks best and fits my RP build.

If the skills are maxed it doesn't matter but light armor allows better bonuses before it is maxed.

Have always preferred heavy armor. IMO, had the best looking through the TES games and I always preferred the added protection. However, in Skyrim are heavy armor's advantages of having more protection completely disregarded with the improvement system. Not to mention the perks are rubbish as well (fullset armor for added unarmed damage? Too bad unarmed damage is worthless to begin with).

At least the heavy armor still takes the cake in terms of aesthetics. Then again, that's about the only thing that differs any armor from one another in Skyrim.

I don't think there is a 'BEST' armor, sure you could probably pick one with the highest AR & enchantments & call that the best on stats. But it's all really down to personal preference really.

I normally roll sneaky or finesse style characters, so i prefer light armor for sneaking or being maneuverable to keep away from enemies lunges in a fight or jink past them when the going gets too tough.

Heavy armor is nice as well on certain builds, but i don't want to have to use the Steed stone to make it viable early on, so i have to take that into account. As you'd suspect, i don't use it much.

Unless you're playing on a modded (SkyRe, or others) Heavy armor is too good, when compared with light, or cloth.. You can even negate its weight, and sound (which removes the speed p[enalty, and stamina usage).. I blast through the game on my heavyily armored characters, and play for fun on Legendary, whereas my Light armor, or mage characters i get owned on Master, and usually endup on Expert, after 20-25 lvls on Adapt to gain some perks.. Its unreal how much easier it is with Heavy armor...Love my 2k Armor Rating Dragonbone and Daedric sets!!!

Now if you8 play some sort of modded game, that better balances perks, and such, this is on more equal ground.. I love SkyRe, and will never go back to a vanilla Skyrim.

For starters, I wouldn't recommend the Thief Stone if doing any handed combat. There's absolutely no benefit to the experience earned with armor, regardless of what you select, because you have to get beaten up pretty bad in order to see any benefits of the armor skill.

This is why most people hit the armor cap early, because it's just easier to boost the rating via alchemy than it is to level up the skill.

As for the question of which is better: light armor. While you'll take more damage when it, the speed of wearing it makes it much easier to avoid damage in the first place. I can't stand how slow my character moves with heavy armor.

Of course, the Steed Stone fixes this up, trading off the experience gain of the Warrior/Thief stone.

I never saw or felt any difference in movement between heavy and light.

I know you're more agile in light, but I couldn't feel the difference.

I'm like that character in the "Armorers Challenge".

I tend to go with Heavy.

Currently playing as a mage-type-build using ([dual] enchanted robes, ring, necklace and Vokun) ebony boots and gauntlets. Eventually, il put 5 perks in Juggernaut, and 1 in Fists of Steel; I really like the unarmed kill scenes and for strange some reason, beating people to death is really satisfying.

In terms of Smithing, the perks i use are Steel Smithing, which then allows me to get Arcane Blacksmith perk. Arcane blacksmith allows you to Smith any Enchanted item, which is awesome! You can wear any armour you like without using valuable perks. Find or buy ebony or daedric armour, enchant it, then Smith it. Bish, bash, bosh, bob's your mother's brother!

When combined with Alchemy (5 perks in Alchemist, 1 in Physician, 1 in benefactor) and Enchanting (5 Perks in Enchanter, 1 Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter and Extra effect) you can make some fantastic combinations of potent robes, jewelry and seriously powerful armour.

No, you're just another smasher!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4gN_yc_7ug

I almost always prefer heavy.

Great link, are you the guy in the cape or the Orc?

Heavy Armour looks better, Light is probably better due to better perks, esp the windwalker perk, but end game there little difference once you reach armour cap.

I'm the oversized Orc putting the beat down on mages.

I kinda knew that! LOL

I believe the so called "armor cap" is not the end all to armor rating.. I can see huge differences in my character when i wear my 2,000armor deadric/dragonbone, vs wearing 580 armorof an unsmithed daedric/dragon armor...Ive tested, and tested this again, and again, and everytime the higher armor rating consistantly takes FAR less dmg,.. Very noticably so! I do not belive its a hard cap, and more of a soft cap, where anything beyon 580 armor just suffers diminishing returns...

In reguards to saving perks, theres really no need.. At certain stages, you wont be able to spend some points, due to not having eno-ugh advancment in certain skillsets, and will allow to spend perk points.. Not to mention, now you have the ability to make them legendary, and reallocate those points as much as you may desire...

I don't tend to go that deep with it. IMO heavy svcks, slows you down and looks awful. You can also get light up to the armour cap if you so desire.

thats my point...you can make heavy weight nothing, and remove the movement penalty with a standing stone, or a perk...The one and only positive to light armor, is the stamina buff...There just too many benefits to heavy armor..

And as i mentioned previously, the "armor cap" doesnt seem to be a hard cap... Put on armor at 567 and take a few shots from any melee enemy...Now try it with twice as much armor, vs the same enemy, and tell me theres no difference in dmg taken..

Edit: I like the way much of the armor looks in this game..Especially if youve modded with "aMidianBorne" textures... Wow.. Just WOW!

With the Blacksmithing Skill neither is better or worse. Without Blacksmithing skill heavy is better. Although you could just train your character with both armour styles....there's no penalty for doing so.