Exploring the Lands Between in Elden Ring is not for the faint-hearted, and those who venture out into the world without being fully prepared will quickly find themselves meeting their match even in some of the game's easiest enemies. Preventing this sad fate often means finding a good set of armor to keep the Tarnished alive in their journey.

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While the statistics of the armor such as its defense, poise, and weight may be the most important factors in choosing what to wear, one intangible that is just as important is how the armor looks, as aesthetics in a game as stylish as Elden Ring can be just as important to some players as any mechanical advantage.

10 Hoslow's Set Is The Best Of All Worlds

Hoslow's Set from Elden Ring

A suit of armor that may not be the most mechanically useful and trades stats for style is the armor worn by Juno Hoslow, an NPC players can defeat during the Volcano Manor questline.

Overall, the set is quite balanced, with decent statistics all around, but the main draw of this particular suit of armor is its style, as the sophisticated silver and red style stands out from many of the more rugged and aesthetically bereft armors available.

9 Black Knife Armor Is The Best Choice For Assassins

One of the many Black Knife Assassins in Elden Ring

While defense is an incredibly important stat for any suit of armor in Elden Ring, for those who are confident in their dodging abilities and are willing to compromise in terms of sheer armor value, the Black Knife Set is an intriguing choice.

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The main value of this suit of armor, beyond looking incredibly stylish, is its ability to muffle the wearer's movement. While sneak attacks may not win the battle on their own, getting the drop on enemies can be a massive advantage in any encounter.

8 Blaidd's Armor Gives The Wearer A Wild Style

Elden Ring Blaidd

While it is far from the most powerful armor in the game, the armor the player gains by slaying Blaidd during the course of Ranni's questline is still a pretty decent set, especially for players who place value on style with its dark steel and wolf-fur cloak.

The armor itself is relatively light, making it suitable for characters not going down the heavy armor route, and its balanced stats will be suitable for a good portion of the early and mid portions of the game.

7 The Royal Remains Provide Steady Healing

Ensha of the Royal Remains in Roundtable Hold Elden Ring.

With decent all-around stats, the Royal Remains Set wouldn't be particularly notable, if not for the one thing that sets it apart - its ability to provide slow and steady healing when the player is low on health.

This set of armor can be obtained by the player after defeating Ensha of the Royal Remains. It is a strong choice for many builds, however, the gothic horror style may not be to every player's tastes.

6 The Crucible Sets Grant The Wearer Plenty Of Poise

Crucible Sets in Elden Ring

There are two sets of Crucible Knight armor available in Elden Ring, the Crucible Axe Set, and the Crucible Tree Set. The former can be obtained by defeating Crucible Knight Ordovis, while Crucible Knight Siluria guards the other.

Both sets are comparable in terms of stats, with only minor differences, and feature some very decent poise compared to other, similar armors. The main deciding factor between the two is which the player thinks looks better, as each one has a slightly different style.

5 The Scaled Set Is Strong on Defense

Scaled Set in Elden Ring

Transitioning from the early to the mid-game areas usually means making an armor upgrade, and by the point players make it to Volcano Manor, they may find themselves in need of something with a bit better defense, which is where the Scaled Set comes in.

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This set can be obtained by defeating Old Knight Istvan in the Volcano Manor questline, and it boasts some very decent stats without being too heavy, making it suitable for many different builds.

4 Banished Knight's Armor Is One Of The Best Common Sets

Banished Knight Set in Elden Ring

For players looking to go down the heavy armor route while dressing themselves up like the iconic medieval knight, look no further than the Banished Knight Set. With a strong amount of defense in addition to the rest of its stats, this armor will be more than enough to get players through the mid-game.

This set can be found by killing the Banished Knight enemies that can be found in many different areas of the game, with their earliest appearance for most being in Stormveil Castle, with others being found in various locations around the map.

3 General Radahn's Set Requires Defeating A Great Warrior

A player wearing Radahn's armor Elden Ring

Known as the Red Lion General, Starscourge Radahn is a powerful demigod located in Caelid and one of the late game's most difficult fights. Defeating this boss will require the player to put all of their skills and abilities to work, and even then, they should expect to face this powerful warrior more than a few times.

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The reward for doing so is one of the best armors in the game, with great defensive stats and poise. It is also one of the more aesthetically pleasing late-game sets, with burnished bronze and a great red mane of fur on the helmet.

2 The Bull-Goat Armor Boasts Massive Stats

Bull-Goat Set in Elden Ring

Boasting the highest defensive stats in the game, the Bull-Goat Set is an easy contender for the top spot, and purely in terms of the mechanical advantages it provides the players, it may indeed be the best option available.

Where this set struggles is in its looks, which are done in by the rough design and two massive horns protruding from the armor's chest piece. That and the heavy weight of the set are the only factors that may cause a player to reconsider using this particular armor.

1 The Veteran's Set Matches Great Stats And Excellent Style

Veteran's Set in Elden Ring

While it may not be quite a match for the Bull-Goat Set in terms of defense, the Veteran's Set is one of the best all-around sets in terms of stats and weight, making it the ideal choice for players who haven't dedicated their build to a heavy armor style.

The armor itself is also quite stylish, being based on the Banished Knight Set but with some added elements such as the burgundy cloth tabard and the long wolf-fur cape. It is also the mark of a skilled player, as obtaining it requires defeating Commander Niall, one of the game's more difficult boss battles.