As a hardcore fan with over 200 hours poured into Elden Ring, I‘ve tested a wide range of armor sets for my Samurai builds. I‘ve suffered many deaths along the way, but learned what works – and what gets you killed!
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll be rating the top armor sets I‘ve discovered for Samurai classes based on damage negation, resistances, weight, and overall viability. I‘ll also provide detailed stats for comparisons, locations to obtain, and pairing suggestions to help you put together resilient Samurai fit for conquering the Lands Between. Time to suit up!
My History as an Elden Ring Samurai Connoisseur
I still remember the fateful night I bought Elden Ring and booted it up for the first time. I was immediately drawn to the Samurai class during character creation. I loved the nimble playstyle, menacing uchigatana starter weapon, and ornate Land of Reeds starting armor.
Over 200 hours later across multiple NG+ cycles, hundreds of site of grace rests, and dozens of built characters, the Samurai continues to be my favorite build. I‘ve endlessly tweaked my armor combinations to maximize my damage output while still retaining resistance to the Lands Between‘s many dangers.
Why listen to me? Not only have I played the game significantly, but I have also achieved the following using my expert Samurai builds:
- Completed 4 consecutive playthroughs with over 200 hours played
- Reached max player level of 713
- Defeated all main bosses including Malenia solo melee
- Unlocked full achievements in Steam
- Maxed out Katana weapon classes to access all skills
- Tested nearly every armor set in the game on my Samurai
- Dabbled in PvP duels testing many setups (over 50 duels)
- Help friends struggling with builds via co-op sessions
While I still have much to learn, I believe this credentials qualify me to provide well-informed Samurai gameplay tips! Now let‘s analyze Elden Ring‘s armor options.
What Makes a Good Samurai Armor Set?
Before rating individual sets, let‘s define what attributes make an armor set effective for Samurai builds:
Damage Negation – Higher physical damage negation boosts survival against frequent melee attacks. Solid elemental negation is key too for magic and fire.
Resistances – Extra robustness and immunity prepares a Samurai to endure statuses like bleed, frost, and poison in battle.
Weight – Lightness and medium weights retain mobility for Samurai‘s hit-and-run style. Heavy armor hinders stamina regen speed.
Poise – Decent poise prevents interrupting attacks while executing weapon skills.
Aesthetics – Samurai builds deserve appropriately themed appearance befitting a warrior!
Now let‘s see how popular Elden Ring armor rates on these criteria.
Elden Ring Samurai Armor Tier List
I‘ve classified the armors best suited for Samurai into a handy tier list grouping them by overall viability:
S-Tier (Elite)
These best-in-class armor sets provide the ideal blend of offense and defense to dominate enemies as a Samurai. They lean towards high damage negation and decent poise without being overly heavy. I use these sets once I‘m higher level and have endurance to wield them.
Bloodhound Knight Armor
My personal favorite! This rugged set worn by savage Bloodhound Knights excels in physical damage negation paired with a huge robustness boost. The chest piece, gauntlets, and leggings each provide significant protection on their own too making it versatile to mix and match. Downside is the 29.5 weight which requires significant endurance investment.
Where to Find: Dropped rarely from Bloodhound Knights
Tree Sentinel Armor
Recognizable golden armor covering Tree Sentinel field commanders. Superb holy damage negation plus high immunity and focus make this very balanced. Tall feathered pauldrons and intricate details give a royal knight vibe. Quite heavy at 30.1 units though.
Where to Find: Dropped from Tree Sentinel bosses
A-Tier (Strong)
Still highly effective for Samurai without being overly bulky. These provide excellent melee damage resistance with moderate weight costs. Typically more accessible since acquired earlier than S-tiers.
Ronin‘s Armor
My go-to for brand new Samurai builds! Light 21.1 unit weight with solid physical defense and heavy immunity boost. Looks perfectly match the Ronin samurai aesthetic. Lacks poise but makes up for it in mobility. Found mid-game from Yura‘s quest line.
Cleanrot Armor
Stylish white and maroon armor once worn by Malenia‘s Cleanrot Knights. Better against holy and fire damage than physical, but a welcome addition of vitality and robustness buffs. Pairs nicely with Hand of Malenia katana on themed builds!
Where to Find: Dropped by Cleanrot Knights in late game areas
Bull-Goat Armor
Legendary heavy set worn by brawny nomads provides crazy high poise of 84 for a 30 weight cost! This super-armor allows executing weapon skills without interruptions. Lacking in magic defense however. Bull-Goat greaves are particularly good on their own.
Where to Find: Found in late game areas after defeating invader
B-Tier (Balanced)
The bread and butter. Reliable medium armor choices offering moderate defenses, reasonable weight, and obtainable fairly early on. Great for general gameplay before acquiring specialty end-game gear.
Radahn‘s Lion Armor
Distinct bright red armor of the legendary Starscourge Radahn. Strong physical defense with medium 25.5 weight and a bit of extra poise. The fur around the pauldrons makes us feel like a lion! Appears after defeating Radahn boss.
Tree Sentinel Armor
My favorite starting armor for new Samurai thanks to excellent all-around defenses, vitality boost, and iconic ornate Japanese style befitting a warrior. Easy to obtain right from the Samurai class too! Just don‘t get caught fat rolling.
Banished Knight Armor
Rugged medium set worn by disgraced warriors provides nice physical damage negation for only 23.6 weight cost. The unaltered chest specifically grants a focus buff. Full helmet with face cover oozes mystery.
C-Tier
I only recommend these armor sets situationally or for specialized builds. Too many shortcomings in key areas to be well-rounded picks. Can work in the early game though!
Fire Prelate Armor
Worn by fanatical fire monks and priests, this set unsurprisingly excels in fire damage negation – but falls short protecting against holy, magic, lightning. Super heavy requiring massive endurance too. The fire monk helmet is awesome looking though!
Exile Armor
Edgy black armor with gold trim worn by dishonored exiles. Strong against strike damage specifically and low weight, but lacking in other areas. The chest piece does give a huge poise boost for breaking enemy poise with attacks.
Eccentric‘s Armor
Garish mix-matched armor that‘s如 ironically bad at protecting against physical damage compared to elemental. Very lightweight with glass cannon damage output when dual wielding curved swords potentially. More style over substance.
Where to Find: Edgar the Revenger invasion reward.
Comparing Stats of Top Samurai Armors
Let‘s analyze the damage negation and resistance stats across the top sets side-by-side to compare:
Damage Negation
The Bloodhound Knight and Tree Sentinel sets clearly have the best physical melee defenses. Meanwhile the Ronin‘s and Cleanrot armor provide more balanced elemental protections. Make sure to equip pieces strong against enemies you struggle with.
For example, Fire Monks and Ancient Dragons are popular roadblocks where high fire defense from Cleanrot or magic negation from Ronin‘s would excel. Mix and match them based on the area enemies!
Resistances & Weight
Here the Bloodhound Knight pulls ahead again with a massive 172 robustness translating to resisting bleed, rot, frostbite etc. Bull Goat wins for highest poise tied to hyperarmor on attacks. Ronin‘s has great immunities, while Cleanrot boosts vitality.
Considering weight, the lighter Ronin‘s and Banished Knight sets enable more dodging and maneuverability for just over 20 units. Bull Goat and Bloodhound Knight push 30 units slowing stamina regen.
Where To Get the Armors
Half the battle is knowing where to get your hands on the hottest Samurai armors out there. Here‘s a quick cheat sheet:
Many sets come from semi rare enemy drops or completing certain NPC questlines. Pursuing these specific objectives allows you to acquire the armor naturally through gameplay.
Some of my favorite combinations include:
- Ronin + Uchigatana + Bow – Classic wanderer samurai
- White Reed + Hand of Malenia – Blood loss machine
- Bull Goat + Greatsword – Hyperarmor colossus
- Cleanrot + Flamedance + Fire Spells – Battle fire dancer
- Bloodhound Knight + Claws – Blood frenzy beast
Try out different pairings until you find your favorite!
Key Tips for Wielding Samurai Armor Sets
Through countless hours theorycrafting, grinding, and fighting powerful foes wearing these armor sets, I‘ve learned a few key tips:
Balance Weight With Endurance Investment
Heavier S-Tier armor sets require heavy Endurance and Stamina investment to wield without fat rolling or chugging green blossoms. Make sure to level Endurance if using heavier gear. Medium sets around 20 weight are more forgiving.
Use Situational Sets Against Certain Enemies
Keep different armor sets in your inventory to swap based on upcoming enemies. Wearing high magic negation against sorcerers and mages can make a world of difference compared to well-rounded sets.
Mix and Match Your Favorite Pieces
Don‘t be afraid to combine your favorite head, chest, arm, and leg pieces across sets brand your own unique Samurai style. As long as you stay under 70% equip load for medium rolling it works!
Closing Thoughts on Elden Ring Samurai Armor
And those are my expert picks for the best armor pairings for Samurai builds! Let me know if this guide helps you put together a winning set to take on the dangers of the Lands Between. I‘m happy to answer any questions in the comments too.
If you are struggling against certain bosses, look into tailoring armor specialized to counter them. The right resistances and damage negation make winning so much smoother.
Now get out there, suit up, and start adventuring Tarnished! This world won‘t explore itself. Where your travels take you with a proper Samurai armor build is up to you.
