Summary
For every character, there’s a perfect set of armor inThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. If a player chooses to go down the tankier route and make a close-combat, heavy-damage Dragonborn, chances are they’ll most likely invest perks in the heavy armor skill tree. Heavy armor is great for two-handed fighters who like to stay close up and personal and dish out a ton of damage while being able to sustain a lot as well. A player’s stamina may be affected as a result, but most people won’t mind as long as they can tank through most blows and swing their weapon with immense gusto to take out the many foes standing in their way.
Thebest Skyrim heavy armorwill suit such character builds. Wearing a full set is also a great bonus, provided the player has unlocked the perks within the heavy armor skill tree that grants powerful boosts when wearing only heavy armor. There are manygreat Heavy Armor sets inSkyrimthat players can invest in, with the vast majority of them doing a great job of negating most of the damage inflicted on the Dragonborn and letting them power through the battlefield in style.
Updated on June 17, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:There’s no question about the fact that Skyrim is one of the best games ever released and, arguably, the best installment in its series. The game offers players tons of options regarding the companions they want to tag along, the armor, weapons and spells they can use against their enemies, and the order in which they discover the various populations across the land. While heavy armor can be burdensome to players who are looking to create a Thief build that sneaks past most enemies and can pickpocket almost anyone, it can be great for those who want a Warrior build to decimate every creature in Skyrim effortlessly.
34Ebony Mail Armor
Goes Extremely Well With The Regular Ebony Armor
As the artifact of the Daedric Prince Boethiah, theEbony Mail Armoris not only great for offering considerable protection, but also for looking amazing while wearing it. Besides, it has a ton of lore behind it for players who want to learn more about the land of Skyrim and its deities. It can be looted from the body of the Champion of Boethiah at Knifepoint Ridge during the quest Boethiah’s calling. Players who have visited this location before starting said quest should not be alarmed if the passage leading to the Champion is blocked with boulders, as it will only be unlocked once the quest is started. The Ebony Mail Armor can be upgraded at work benches using Ebony and Guts and the Arcane Blacksmith perk. The Ebony Smithing perk doubles the possible improvement made on this weapon, so players should keep that in mind.
The additional effect of this armor allows players to move more quietly, and any opponent that gets too close to the Dragonborn takes 5 poison damage per second. However, this is only applicable while crouching or during combat. It should also be mentioned that while players are brawling and wearing the Ebony Mail Armor, it will cause their opponent to become poisoned which is counted as a non-brawl attack. This will trigger nearby NPCs and guards to become hostile towards the player. Also, since enemies standing closeby become poisoned, this armor’s Stealth capabilities can quickly be rendered useless. However, having a high enough Sneak skill can counteract this.
33Shellbug Helmet
Available In Full Armor Through The Use Of Mods
TheShellbug Helmetis a rather peculiar-looking Heavy Armor piece that comes with the Dawnguard expansion. It can be forged at a blacksmith’s forge by using x2 Shellbug Chitins and x2 Iron Ingots. It can also be upgraded with a Shellbug Chitin at any workbench and benefits from the Advanced Armors smithing perk.
If this piece of armor is to be categorized, it can be considered to be a piece of Falmer armor, so it can be paired with a Falmer Armor set, and it works rather well. The Shellbug Helmet has the third-highest base armor rating of any helmet in the game, which makes it formidable for Warrior builds. Players who want to wear a full version of this armor will want to download the “Completed Shellbug Armor” mod developed by Okralord, as it looks amazing and works very well with this headpiece.
32Silver Armor
Part Of The Alternative Armors - Silver Creation Club
TheSilver Armoris one of the best-looking heavy armor sets in the entire game. This armor is part of the Alternative Armors - Silver Creation Club content. While it doesn’t have the best armor rating in the game, it does provide decent protection and has an overall appearance that is great.
It can be obtained by finding a couple of confession notes throughout Whiterun and then going to Lund’s Hut.
Players should have honed their lockpicking skills at this point, as the armor is locked inside a chest at the end of Lund’s bed.
31Madness Armor
Part Of The Saints & Seducers Creation Club
TheMadness Armorhas a very peculiar look to it, as it features a giant humanoid face that covers the entirety of the chestplate area. This armor set is part of the Saints & Seducers Creation Club content and strangely enough, it resembles Ornstein’s armor from the OriginalDark Souls—at least in a few design aspects and shades of yellow.
Players will be able to craft the Madness Armor after learning the Madness Smithing skill through Evethra’s Journal. With a decent armor rating, and an intimidating appearance, this armor is definitely worth the effort.
30Ancient Nord Armor
A Decent Suit Of Armor That Looks Amazing
TheAncient Nord Armorsetis quite rare to find and complete. While most draugr will wear pieces of the set, most of them don’t drop the armor as loot. Luckily, the armor is there more for its appearance than its utility.
One of the key ways of getting this armor set is to find it at Forelhost or purchase itfrom Aela The Huntress. Random pieces of it may be found all across Skyrim, typically in Nordic Ruins. It will certainly look nice on an armor stand. Despite being an okay-ish set, it has a high crafting requirement. It can only be made at the Skyforge with the Daedric Smithing perk.
29Iron Armor (Regular And Banded)
Classic Armor That Is Useful In The Early Game
Iron Armoris just a copy of Ancient Nordic armor, but it’s much more common and has its own distinct look. The regular type in particular is very easy to find early in the game, with some pieces available in Helgen as soon as the game starts.
There’s also a banded version of iron armor, which is a bit better in terms of armor rating but still clearlya beginner’s armor set in Skyrim. All in all, it’s a set that the Dragonborn will likely wear when the game begins but will soon graduate out of. The bonus is that iron armor can be crafted without any Smithing perks or levels.
28Ebony Spell Knight Armor
The Strongest Variant Of The Spell Knight Armor
The best version of the Spell Knight Armor that players can find in the game is the one made of Ebony, as one would expect. This suit of armor has a very regal look that will serve as a piece of eye candy for players who love playing this game in first person.
Depending on the choices they make in the questline associated with this suit of armor, they’ll get a version of theEbony Spell Knight Armorwith different enchantments. Regardless of what choice players make, there’s no denying that they’ll be rewarded with a great suit of armor that looks pretty amazing to boot.
27Imperial Armor (Regular, Officer’s Helmet, And Closed Helmet)
A Variant Of The Iron Armor With A Unique Look
Imperial Armoris another variant of iron armor. It has the same base armor rating of 60 but has a unique appearance to it. It also comes in three different types, depending on the kind of helmet the Dragonborn chooses to go for. The closed helmet type is the best variant, as it provides the most armor.
This is another extremely early-game heavy armor set inSkyrim.It won’t serve the player well past a few levels, but it can be a nice starting armor for just about any character build that relies heavily on heavy armor. To craft it, the Steel Smithing perk is required, as well as level 20 of Smithing.
26Iron Plate Armor
One Of The Iron Alternative Armors Added Via The Now-Defunct Creation Club
The Creation Club armor sets feature a unique quest that players must complete before getting their hands on some ofSkyrim’s best heavy armor, and theIron Plate Armoris one such set that players can acquire in the game. In terms of looks alone, this armor set is something players will love to wear if the base armor sets are getting too grating on the eyes.
The Iron Plate Armor may not last players for too long, but it is a perfectly serviceable suit of armor that is viable in the early- and mid-game. It’s decent at absorbing damage and lets the Dragonborn look incredibly intimidating as they cleave their way through the many foes standing in their way.
25Falmer Armor
Surprisingly Effective Armor Despite How Little It Covers
TheFalmer Armorseems like a rather impractical suit of armor to wear while trying to avoid blows. It leaves the midriff of the Dragonborn wide open for attacks while also blocking their vision with one of the most impractical designs in the game.
However, for some reason, even this baffling designdidn’t prevent the Falmer Armor from having a respectable armor ratingin the game. Of course, this armor is easily outclassed by most of the other heavy armor inSkyrim.
