As an avid Dark Souls 3 player with over 300 hours logged, I‘ve tried on my fair share of armor sets. From knightly plates to robes woven with sorcery, fashion souls is arguably as important as combat viability when it comes to armor selection.
In this guide, I‘ll be counting down my picks for the top 10 best armor sets in Dark Souls 3 based on a balance of aesthetics, defenses, resistances, and weight. I‘ll also include information on where to find each set along with any lore tidbits I can sprinkle in. Let‘s get started!
10. Black Hand Armor
The Black Hand Set features flowing black robes etched with silver accents. A sinister mask obscures the face while metal plates protect the shoulders and waist.
This light armor set has average physical defenses but high dark resistance thanks to the Silver Knight lineage of its wearer. It‘s perfectly suited for pyromancers and dark magic builds.
You can find the full Black Hand Set on a corpse in the Untended Graves, an optional area hidden behind Champion Gundyr‘s boss arena.
9. Dragonscale Armor
Encrusted in grey and white scales, the Dragonscale Set is said to have belonged to Nameless King himself. With high fire resistance and decent physical protection, it‘s an excellent choice for dragon-slaying quality builds.
After felling the Nameless King atop Archdragon Peak, you can purchase this armor from the Shrine Handmaid. Expect to part with a hefty 45,000 souls for the full set!
8. Lothric Knight Armor
Boasting gold accents and white cloth drapes, the Lothric Knight Set combines chivalric elegance with battle-ready defenses. It has the highest lightning resistance in the game along with solid physical protection.
Farm the red-caped knights throughout Lothric Castle to collect the entire set. It‘s perfect for paladin and cleric builds seeking lightning absorption.
7. Sunset Armor
Few armor sets in Dark Souls 3 can match the gorgeous blend of golds and crimsons decorating the Sunset Set. Originally worn by the Lion Knights of Forossa, it offers excellent fire and dark resistances.
To grab this armor, you‘ll need to defeat the invader Yellowfinger Heysel just past the giant crab in Road of Sacrifices. It‘s ideal for pyromancer fashion.
6. Mirrah Chain Armor
This suit of interlocking grey chains provides modest defenses while weighing nearly nothing. Hailing from Mirrah like the swordmaster Lucatiel from Dark Souls 2, it permits extremely fast rolls.
You‘re guaranteed to obtain the armor from the Handmaid after giving her Easterner‘s Ashes found along the Road of Sacrifices. Dexterity builds benefit most from the mobility.
5. Firelink Armor
Evoking the ashen silver and cloth bands of the Firelink Shrine, this armor possesses excellent all-around resistances including dark, bleed, and frost. It also grants bonuses to souls acquired.
To grab the Firelink Set, you need to find the Fire Keeper‘s Eyes in the Untended Graves and the Profaned Capital and offer them to the Fire Keeper. Her soul then manifests the armor.
4. Antiquated Plain Garb
The Antiquated Plain Set features flowing blue robes wrapped around metal plating. Originally worn by early sorcerers from Dragon School, it boasts incredibly high magic resistance and frost damage negation.
Simply progress Yoel and Yuria‘s questline to completion and the set will be available for purchase from the Handmaid. It‘s perfectly fashioned for sorcery builds.
3. Black Iron Armor
Encased in dark metal plates engraved with spikes, the Black Iron Set is one of the heaviest in the game. What it lacks in mobility, it makes up for with colossal physical defense and strike absorption.
To obtain this juggernaut gear, you need to kill Knight Slayer Tsorig beside the Smouldering Lake. It excels when tanking hits with greatshields.
2. Faraam Armor
Bearing intricate gold leafing atop durable silver metalwork, the Faraam Armor Set rings familiar to those who played Dark Souls 2. It has excellent all-around defenses along with strong dark resistance.
You can grab this iconic armor by traversing the Grand Archives to find it hidden behind an illusion wall. The hood also doubles as one of the best helms around.
1. Iron Dragonslayer Armor
Topping off my list is the Iron Dragonslayer Set from The Ringed City DLC — truly the pinnacle of badass armor design in Dark Souls 3. Modelled after the fan-favorite boss, it boasts phenomenal physical defense alongside solid resistances.
To earn this gear, you‘ll need to best Dragonslayer Armour for the second time at the Ringed Inner Wall. Expect a grueling fight, but the reward is well worth it for heavy builds!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it – my personal picks for the cream of the crop when it comes to armor in Dark Souls 3! Keep in mind your own playstyle and build when choosing protection that suits you best. Mixing and matching is also highly encouraged for veterans going for optimized min-max fashion.
What armor sets would you add to this list? Which ones look coolest to you? Let me know in the comments below!
