Fallout 4 has a wide variety of gear to collect, but perhaps none as useful and memorable as its expansive selection of armor sets. Venturing into the heart of the nuclear-ravaged wasteland requires one to get decked out in the best possible armor lest they fall prey to the Commonwealth's cruelest enemies. Choosing, customizing, and upgrading a set of armor is one of the best parts of the game.
With super mutants, gigantic insects, and ravenous Death Claws lurking, one must find or craft the right armor sets for survival. Fallout 4 comes with a lot of excellent armor sets that players should immediately try to get their hands on, and there are also some great options in the DLC expansions. Some are down to business, while others are walking fashion statements and protective gear.
25 Mantis Armor (Legendary)
+ Agility, + Perception
This two-piece legendary armor set, comprised of the Mantis Left Greave and the Mantis Left Armguard, is certainly one of the best in Fallout 4; however, it is so rare that most do not know it exists. The complete set offers the sole survivor a 10% chance to disarm melee attackers on hit and a +1 to their Agility and Perception stats in Fallout 4.
Fallout 4: The Best Power Armor Build (Perks, Weapons, & Armor)
To create the most efficient Power Armor build in Fallout 4, invest in Perks that extend the lifespan of Fusion Cores, and opt for heavy weapons.
This unique heavy leather armor set can be purchased from the traveling caravan merchant Lucas Miller. While it comes at a pretty steep financial cost, it is certainly worth it, especially in the early to mid-game.
24 Nuka-Girl Space Suit (Costume)
+ Charisma, + Ability To Breathe Underwater
The Nuka-Girl Space Suit is a good option for those who want more 'pizazz' in their outfits, along with specialty Damage Resistance. It can be looted from a mannequin inside the amusement park sector of the Nuka World DLC in Fallout 4. It bears all the trademarks of typical 1950s Sci-Fi movies still loved by audiences today, making it quite unique among Fallout 4's armor sets.
Unfortunately, the suit is not very good in a conventional firefight; it does boast a very high resistance to both Energy and Rad damage, making it a solid choice when going up against foes wielding energy weapons. The glass bowl helmet also allows them to breathe indefinitely underwater.
23 Wastelander's Armor
+ Agility, + Damage Reduction, + Perception
One of the easiest armor sets to get early, the Wastelander's Armor, can be bought from the robotic vendor Percy in Diamond City. This armor can be one of the first ones you buy to upgrade your default gear, giving you a temporary solution for dealing with higher-level enemies. This set comes with only two pieces, which both provide these benefits:
- Torso - + 1 Agility, +1 Perception
- Right Leg - Reduces damage from Super Mutants by 15%
This armor is great for those looking to only use lighter gear, as the Weight of both these pieces is extremely low compared to other armor. Protection against Super Mutants will help you deal with Fallout 4's most common early threats, while the other stat boosts will help you flee from danger that is too much for you to handle at early points of your adventure.
22 Rescue Diver Suit (No Category)
+ Breathe Underwater
While not the toughest set of armor in Fallout 4, there are many advantages to the Rescue Diver Suit, which make it a must-have for wasteland explorers. First, it allows the player to spend as much time underwater as needed without having to surface. Second, it's extremely mobile and a great alternative to using a complete set of Power Armor in Fallout 4.
The suit can be acquired after completing the 'Changing Tide' quest in the Far Harbor DLC. In addition to looking unique and extremely cool, it offers 250 points of rad resistance, which is perfect for wading into high-radiation areas without having to bulk up with power armor.
21 Protector's Armor
+ Damage Reduction From Humans & Super Mutants
There aren't many early-game armor sets that offer much damage resistance against enemies you'll encounter in the Wasteland. While many pieces of protective gear offer basic damage reduction, the Protector's Armor is a great addition to your collection to deal with early threats. This armor's Left and Right Arm pieces give you a 15% damage reduction against humans and Super Mutants.
Both humans and Super Mutants are among the most common types of enemies you face during the first group of missions in the game. As you learn to increase stats early in Fallout 4, this armor can offer you simple protection against enemies you face during the first few quests you take on. To obtain the Protector's Armor, buy it from the NPC Arturo Rodriguez in Diamond City to make combat much easier.
20 Devastator's Armor (Heavy Armor)
+ Damage Resistance, + Energy Resistance
For a strong and reliable set of heavy armor, players will not want to miss out on the Devastator's Armor, which is easily accessible and boasts an array of lifesaving features that can improve your overall combat in Fallout 4.
The legendary effects of this armor provide it with ballistic Damage Resistance and Energy Resistance, like many other armor sets. However, what sets it apart from other options is its ability to slow down time when player health drops below 20%.
On your last legs in the middle of battle, this can make the difference between survival or imminent death. Therefore, it is considered to be one of the best armor pieces in the game, as vouched for by FreakEasy Gaming.
The YouTuber showcases how to get the Chestpiece and Right Greave of the Devastator's Armor, directing players to Goodneighbnor, which is not too far from Diamond City. It is also close to several familiar landmarks, such as Cobot House, Pickman Gallery, Old North Church, and the USS Constitution.
Upon reaching the city, go to 'Guns Gun Guns,' a shop run by KL-E-0, a robotic vendor who will sell both pieces to you for Bottle Caps in Fallout 4. The table below shows all the unique abilities of the set that players will possess upon buying it:
Devastator's Armor Set |
Effects |
Chestpiece |
|
Right Greave |
|
19 Raider (Power Armor)
+ Damage Resistance, + Energy Resistance
Raider Power Armor doesn't stack up well against other Power Armor variants; it boasts insignificant stats compared to its mightier counterparts. All the same, this interesting and unique armor set can be looted from Raiders.
Raider power armor fits the scrappy aesthetic of survival in Fallout 4's post-apocalypse wasteland very well - with the appearance of scrap metal that was once seemingly used to build a Power Armor frame.
Though it may not hold up well to the difficulty of playing Fallout 4 in Survival Mode, for a casual playthrough, it could make a deeply immersive and thematically appropriate choice.
Fallout 4: The Best Melee Build (Perks, Weapons, & Armor)
To create the best melee build in Fallout 4, focus on stats and Perks that improve your melee weapons, and make you more durable in close combat.
18 Apocalypse Armor (Unique Wearable)
+ Energy & Damage Resistance When Health Is Low
To access this very rare and useful armor set in Fallout 4, players must track down a character known as the Scribe, an NPC who randomly appears throughout the game. With speech skills that are high enough and a settlement with 10 or more , the Scribe can be convinced to the group, at which point he'll set up an armor shop in whatever settlement he's ordered to stay in.
The Scribe will then offer the Apocalypse Armor chest piece - the first part of the armor available for sale. Following this, players need to travel to Goodneighbor and visit Hotel Rexford to recruit one of the best ghouls across the history of the franchise, the Vault-Tec rep, in the same manner, and his vendor store will offer the Apocalypse left greave.
It doesn't look like much, but its Damage Resistance is fantastic. Plus, it has two rare effects not seen in other armors. First, time will slow for players as they accrue more damage while damage resistance climbs at the same time.
17 Disciples Metal Armor (Heavy)
+ Damage Resistance, + Energy Resistance
The Disciples are one of the major factions in Fallout 4 that one will encounter during a playthrough of Fallout 4's Nuka World DLC - they can either make for powerful allies or intimidating foes. Part of their daunting nature can be ascribed to the visually unique armor they wear. Like something out of Mad Max, the faction definitely looks the part of a nuclear wasteland.
While the Disciples Metal Armor is useful as it offers an impressive base Damage Resistance of 122 and an Energy Resistance of 140, a full set is incredibly heavy and can be quite burdensome for the sole survivor.
16 Elder Maxson's Battlecoat (Unique Clothing)
+ Perception
During the main story, the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout 4 has an important role, and by extension, the leader of the East Coast Brotherhood of Steel, Elder Maxson, plays a crucial part in the story. It's his coat, however, that can offer the sole survivor an interesting alternative armor set.
Enhancing Maxson's Battlecoat with the Ballistic Weave upgrade gives the stylish coat a surprisingly competitive set of stats while maintaining its innate low carrying weight. The only catch is that it can't be pickpocketed from Elder Maxson, meaning one will have to get their hands dirty to acquire it.
