Heavy vs Light armor : V

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:09 am

Is there any difference between going heavy and light armor besides heavy gives your more defense? I know it makes more noise but if you aren't sneaking is there any reason not to go heavy armor? It has the same exact perk as Light armor so that it wont slow you down, doesn't that make light armor kinda useless? Only thing light armor seems to offer that heavy armor doesn't is the stamina regeneration. Is there anything else separating the two? Any reason i should go Light armor on a sword shield nord?

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:09 pm

Just choose what suits your play style.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:39 am

Look at the perks. Now look at perk requirements.

Heavy has a reflect damage perk. Light has increased stamina regen. The no weight perk is at a higher skill prereq in heavy than it is for light.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:25 pm

what? How does it effect my play style if there is no difference besides numbers lol

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 8:32 am

You can sprint for longer in light armor, and I believe you move slightly faster at default so that you can evade attacks faster.

As you mentioned in perks heavy doesn't give you the stamina regen, but instead gives you unarmed combat. Also the top tier light perk is an attack evade, whereas the heavy perk is reflected damage. I feel not getting hit is better than reflecting damage when hit.

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 11:18 pm

It affects movement speed, unless you are under the steed stone, or upgrade the perk.

As for your character, since you use a shield, I would base the decision on how often you try to sneak. If you used dual wield attacks, I would say stick with heavy because of the additoinal defense.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:00 am

There is no reason to wear light armor unless you simply like how that particular armor looks. Heavy armor is better in every way, if you're a stealth character it's hindrances are overcame quite easily. It's movement limitations can also be triumphed fairly easily as well.

Defense wise, after everything is accounted for light armor can get to be just as strong as heavy armor. But you have to invest more perks into it...

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:36 am

Always preferred Light Armor.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:36 am

The only downside for me personally with HA is the fact that to get weightless armor your have to waste two perks. Half fall damage and a bonus to unarmed combat are a waste.

Im going Heavy Armor right now but I like the Light Armor perk tree much more especially for its 50% bonus to stamina regen. It just didnt feel right with my Axe and board Orc.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:51 am

There is no reason to wear light armor unless you simply like how that particular armor looks. Heavy armor is better in every way, if you're a stealth character it's hindrances are overcame quite easily. It's movement limitations can also be triumphed fairly easily as well.

This is actually not true at all. The reverse is in fact true if you do smithing and armor perks. Light has stamina regeneration and attack evades that heavy does not. You can hit the armor cap in either.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:09 pm

This is actually not true at all. The reverse is in fact true if you do smithing and armor perks. Light has stamina regeneration and attack evades that heavy does not. You can hit the armor cap in either.

Heavy armor has damage reflect which is better than evade because well it does damage back. I believe the % are the same as well. And in all honesty, stamina is never really an issue for me. If it becomes one, I find more than my share of stamina pots laying around.

The only downside for me personally with HA is the fact that to get weightless armor your have to waste two perks. Half fall damage and a bonus to unarmed combat are a waste.

Im going Heavy Armor right now but I like the Light Armor perk tree much more especially for its 50% bonus to stamina regen. It just didnt feel right with my Axe and board Orc.

You could take the steed stone and ignore those two perks. I refuse to take them myself. Once I level all the skills I actively want, I'm heading for the steed stone myself.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:53 am

Heavy armor has damage reflect which is better than evade because well it does damage back. I believe the % are the same as well. And in all honesty, stamina is never really an issue for me. If it becomes one, I find more than my share of stamina pots laying around.

Well I guess that's opinion then, as I'd far prefer to not be hit than do damage when hit. But I play on master and getting hit is a really bad idea regardless. Almost all melee attacks can be avoided/minimized via play.

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:32 pm

Well I guess that's opinion then, as I'd far prefer to not be hit than do damage when hit. But I play on master and getting hit is a really bad idea regardless. Almost all melee attacks can be avoided/minimized via play.

Hmm understandable. That would depend on the amount reflected then, they both have a 10% chance and both are melee only. So if it reflected ALL that damage I would still find it better. But if it's not 100% reflection then I would like it marginally less depending on how low it got.

Heavy armor also has the 50% less to stagger. Which comes in handy.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:46 am

Heavy armor is in my opinion better, more so while leveling. While it is possible to hit the cap with light armour, heavy armour does it sooner and until light armour does cap (by which point you're gunna be so OP it doesn't really matter anymore) heavy armour gives superior defense. The problem with heavy armour is it's encumbrance of course, eventually you can get rid of that but then light armour gets faster stamina regeneration (tho faster stamina regeneration is no biggie at all if you have the respite perk in restoration).

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:46 pm

As an in your face melee fighter who goes toe to toe with just about everything, I'd only go light if I could make up the difference with a shield, and if I felt like sneak was essential. If my primary attack was ranged light might make sense.

Otherwise I don't think going light makes sense. I think that's realistic. If you're going to be meleeing everything you SHOULD be wearing the heaviest armor you can stand.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:10 am

The only downside for me personally with HA is the fact that to get weightless armor your have to waste two perks. Half fall damage and a bonus to unarmed combat are a waste.

Im going Heavy Armor right now but I like the Light Armor perk tree much more especially for its 50% bonus to stamina regen. It just didnt feel right with my Axe and board Orc.

Go for the Steed stone if that is your main issue. No weight armor and +100 carry capacity. You still lose out ont he stamina regen, but you can upgarde the armor for that rather than additional damage protection.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:08 am

I can see no reason to not use heavy armor for any class really. With enchanting you can turn heavy into nice mage gear or negate the sound for sneaking. It comes down to roleplay for me as to what armor type my characters use.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:25 am

I prefare HA, cuz it fitts in Style perfectly to my 2 Hd Hammer. All ohter things dont intrest me much. The Playfeeling is all, the Numbers can alway be corrected be the propper Style of Play. imho

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:31 am

It really comes down to what you like. Stats are pretty meaning less after a certain point in the game. Light Armor can give you enough protection to last through any battle, Heavy Armor can be Perked to remove the weight penalties and enchantments can make it perform like light armor in the areas where light armor excels.

So, which armor is the best? What ever armor you want your character to wear and use in the game is the best armor out there.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:25 am

Heavy is mostly better, but I'm going light with my next character who'll be a Ranger type.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:30 am

End game there isn't a huge difference but for some things like Shield/One Hander I give a small preference to Light because of the Stamina regen perk.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:14 am

I always opt for light armor, I don't like being slowed down and it's much easier to sneak, though I have to admit to liking the aesthetics of the ebony armor.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:31 am

You can hit the armour cap in either so I guess technically light armour provides the best protection if you take the dodge perk (might well be wrong but I'm not sure that reflect nulifies the damage like it did in Oblivion - you still take the damage but the enemy takes a equal amount too).

Heavy armour is frustrating early game since the stamina drain is so high unless you grab the steed stone.

Really though I'd just wear whatever since end game I appear to have nearly unlimited stamina in either type of armour.

» Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:34 pm

Though I'd wonder how a person who is good at wearing heavy armor wouldn't be fantastic at wearing light armor. It's as if the light pants don't chafe enough for your defense style. :tongue: