[Top 5] Skyrim Best Heavy Armor Sets (How To Get, And What Each Set Is Good For)

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Updated:

19 Jul 2022

Heavy armor offers the best defense for infantry tank playstyles. While heavy armor does slow you down, it will take a lot more damage in a fight, especially with multiple enemies. You can level up your skills through the multiple trainers in Skyrim or be brave and take damage when you fight. Using a shield while enduring the blows will also help upgrade your Block skill as well as heavy armor skill.

Investing in the heavy armor skill tree will reward you as you go into mid-game. Perks like Conditioning at level 70 heavy armor skill will remove the weight penalty of heavy armor. This will allow you to reach the full potential of the heavy armor you are wearing

5. Ahzidal's Armor

Ahzidal's Armor is a unique heavy armor found in the Dragonborn DLC. As you explore Solstheim, you’ll come across a Dunmer named Ralis Sedarys at an excavation site. He will ask you to fund his excavation for Ahzidal's relics. The 11000 gold you spend for this excavation will make this armor the most expensive one in the game.

Ahzidal's Armor bears identical appearances to the ancient Nord armor but it has a higher armor rating while weighing more. This armor is great for upcoming mages who need a boost in their armor due to their spell-absorbing abilities. Both of Ahzidal's rings will give you a boost on frost spells and frost runes respectively! Most interestingly, Ahzidal's boots are the only armor piece in the game enchanted with waterwalking abilities!

Why Ahzidal's Armor is great

Great for mages who plan to take on spells head-on with the magicka absorption
Questline is easy enough for you to get this armor early to mid-game

Ahzidal's Armor details: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Ahzidal%27s_Armor

How To Get the Ahzidal's Armor: Skyrim SE - Ahzidal's Armor Set - Unique Armor Guide

4. Ebony Armor

Ebony Armor is one of the best forgeable heavy armor that you will come across during mid-game. It looks sleek and mysterious with the engravings on the armor pieces. Even if you are not a heavy armor use, ebony armor pieces are still worth a lot of gold!.

The full armor can also be completed with two different Daedric artifacts: Ebony Mail from Boethiah and The Masque of Clavicus Vile. The Ebony Mail allows your sneaking to go unnoticed while nearby enemies will get poisoned. The helmet from Clavicus will give you speech skills and help regenerate your magicka. All these enchantments are not what you’ll usually find it on heavy armor too!

When you reach level 80 with the Dragonborn DLC, you’ll get approached by the Ebony Warrior who wishes to be sent to Sovngarde through a fight to the death. He is one hell of an opponent with elemental resistance and immunity to a number of shouts and spells. Shouting him off a cliff will just result in him coming back for more so be ready before you meet him.

Why Ebony armor is great

An elite armor that is Easily forged or bought with gold
Daedric artifacts with enchantments gives a huge boost mid-game

Ebony Armor details: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Nightingale_Armor

How To Get the Ebony Armor:

3. Stalhrim Armor

Another armor specially with the Dragonborn DLC is the Stalhrim Armor. For years, the Skaal have been using them for burial rituals before learning how to preserve the frost properties while forging it into armor and weapons. Other frost enchantments can also be stacked with Stalhrim’s natural properties.

Stalhrim can be forged into heavy armor or light armor. The heavy armor has the same armor rating as the Dragonplate armor but it is heavier. The frost properties that come with it do compensate for the extra weight. You can pick up any Stalhrim armor pieces throughout Solstheim from level 35 onwards or mine it with an Ancient Nordic Pickaxe.

Why Stalhrim Armor is great:

Frost resistant properties are helpful against mages and boss fights who use frost spells
Stalhrim pieces are valuable so you get good coin when you sell it

Stalhrim Armor details: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Stalhrim_Armor_(Skyrim)

How To Get the Stalhrim Armor:

2. Daedric Armor

If your aim in the game is to intimidate, Daedric Armor is the best thing to own because wearing the full armor will give you an intimidation buff. It’s aesthetically menacing and sinister with its sharp edges and glowing red undertones. While it is terrifyingly beautiful, it does come at a cost - Daedra hearts, which are hard to come by.

To get Daedra hearts, you need to kill a Daedra and they are usually difficult to defeat. There is no doubt that this is a late-game armor but it will be worth waiting for the best-looking armor in the game. After reaching level 49, you can start finding Daedric armor in chests after defeating a legendary dragon or a boss.

Why Daedric Armor is great

The closest thing you have to wear to look like a Daedra to intimidate people
It is the highest-rated heavy armor in the game that is forgeable and enchantable

Daedric Armor details: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Daedric_Armor_(Skyrim)

How To Get the Daedric Armor:

1. Dragonplate Armor

Dragonplate armor is one of the strongest armor in the game and it takes the cake on this list for its armor rating and weight. While Daedric Armor is the best in terms of armor rating but it is 20-point heavier for a 6-point armor rating difference without the shield. Materials for Dragonplate Armor can be acquired early in the game and accumulated as you progress, unlike Daedra hearts which are hard to come by.

Staldhrim Armor is also a strong contender for the top spot as it has the same armor rating with less weight. However, Stalhrim can only be found and bought on Solstheim or mined with a special pickaxe after completing a quest. All these are still much harder to come by when comparing it to dragonbones which can easily be looted after killing a dragon.

Why Dragonplate Armor is great