Poll: Advice on Skyrim

[Dandark]

So now that Dawnguard has come out I have decided to make a new character for it.
I have made a female Nord who use one handed weapons, achery/crossbows and restoration. What I am having trouble deciding on is whether or not to use Light or heavy armour.

Although I am using archery, I don't want to specalize in sneak, I will not be investing into it's perk tree at all so im not worried about that. I don't know whether im going to want the extra mobility from light armour or the extra toughness from heavy armour.

I haven't used light armour past elven so if anyone can give me examples of good light armour I would probably use later on in the game then that would be great.

My question is this, for this One handed weapon, restoration magic using, archery/crossbow shooting character do you think it would be better to take light armour or heavy armour?

 

[Zhukov]

It will make bugger-all difference.

You might as well just go with whichever one you think looks better.

 

[Kimarous]

I play a Fast-Heal / Daedric Mace duel-wielder myself and I use Light Armor. Besides the fact that it looks better to me, I find it more functional, as I don't get encumbered nearly as fast and I'm more mobile. I will admit, however, that I have never really liked Heavy Armor and cannot really speak to its benefits.

 

[Scrustle]

Light armour is really good, that's what I use. It lets you run faster, but most importantly it's way lighter. You can carry way more with it. There's only 3 light armour sets past Elven. Scaled, Glass and Dragon Scale. Elven and Scaled have the same armour rating if you have Gilded Elven armour, and it's still lighter than Scaled, so you can just skip that set. Glass looks really cool. It almost looks like it should be a heavy set. It provides good protection, especially if you have a high skill level. You can't get Dragon Scale unless you have smithing at level 100, so that's not really a reason to switch to light armour. You also gain the ability to craft Dragon Bone armour (the heavy version) at the same time, so there's no real advantage in terms of when you can get it.

I think heavy tends to look better, because it's mostly platemail, while light is mostly leather and skins. But Elven, Glass and Dragon Scale have a more platemail style, so it's all fine for me.

Basically the main choice you are making between the armour styles is protection vs. a slight movement advantage and the ability to carry more. As long as you have some potions and a healing spell, and you don't attempt to take on an enemy way out of your league, light armour will keep you alive easily. You're stamina also lasts longer in light armour, but it's only really noticeable when you're sprinting across long distances.

 

[IrishBerserker]

I used Heavy Armour on my Nord character because I usually just run into fights swinging, so I like the protection it gives me.

If you're worried about the Heavy Armour weighing you down you could use the "Steed Stone" (which is found in Haafingar Hold a little bit west of Solitude). This stone gives you +100 to carrying capacity and no movement penalties for armour (applies to both Light and Heavy.

Or if you're patient enough and you raise the Heavy Armour skill up enough there is a perk called "Conditioning" that you can get at Lvl.70. This perk reduces/removes the weight of armour you're wearing and removes the speed penalties. If you want this Perk you have to get the perks "Fists of Steel" and "Cushioned". I like both of the perks but you might not find them as useful as I do.

There is also a perk in Light Armour, called 'Unhindered", that does the same thing as the Heavy Armour perk. You get this perk at Lvl.50, so you get it sooner than the Heavy Armour perk and you only have to get one other perk called "Custom Fit".

So you're choice kind of depends on how much damage protection you want and as Zhukov said what you think looks better.

 

[Dandark]

Thanks for the advice, now it just comes down to which looks better and there is only one way to find out.

TO YOUTUBE!!!

 

[Indecipherable]

If you are looking at it on the basis of which is the most min-max worthy, Light Armour simply wins. With enough smithing and the right feats/skills light armour has the same damage resistance as heavy but comes with less penalties.

If you go check out a few wikis you can see there is a maximum amount of armour the game will consider - above that and you get no returns. Suffice to say almost every armour in the game can reach this, light or not.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Doesn't matter at all, Skyrim is sadly one of those RPG games that averages everything out so nothing is a big decision, whatever parts of animals you end up covering yourself with will at best make a stylistic impact rather then anything else.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Thanks for the advice, now it just comes down to which looks better and there is only one way to find out.

TO YOUTUBE!!!

In which case, likely heavy Daedric armour wins. It's also stronger than heavy Dragonbone armour, even though you learn to craft it ten points before.
Unless that's changed in Dawnguard; I'm on PC so I won't know for another month.

Also Daedric weapons are the strongest you can get... again, unless Dawnguard has changed that.

 

[Brendan Stepladder]

I like using light armor, as I hate being a sluggish hunk of metal.

 

[Doclector]

I'd say heavy armour. If you're not going for sneak, there's little reason not to. There is a slight difference in movement speed, but not one that's going to greatly effect you in combat.

 

[Fappy]

Thanks for the advice, now it just comes down to which looks better and there is only one way to find out.

TO YOUTUBE!!!

In which case, likely heavy Daedric armour wins. It's also stronger than heavy Dragonbone armour, even though you learn to craft it ten points before.
Unless that's changed in Dawnguard; I'm on PC so I won't know for another month.

Also Daedric weapons are the strongest you can get... again, unless Dawnguard has changed that.

The new Dragonbone weapons are slightly stronger and give light armor wielders the chance to upgrade weapons on the level of heavy armor wielders (assuming you just got the light armor smithing perks).

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

I play on master so in order to keep it even more difficult I use light armour and go swinging in with a greatsword.
I'm guessing by your post that you have it on Xbox, in which case I guess mods don't really factor in.
So... I'd go for the style that you like best, but also remember if you're going to take smithing then it's sort-of wise to go for heavy armour alongside it, as the game is completely fucking broken in that regard and all light weapons are shit.

 

[Fijiman]

I personally use heavy armor, but it may be wise to have a combination of both heavy and light armors if only until you get into the higher leveled armors. Also, what one-handed weapon do you plan on using?

 

[The White Hunter]

I have a full suit of daedric armour and I love it but it's purely aesthetic after a certain point since with the steed stone and upgrades you can render weight invalid and after that it's a matter of choic really.

But I personally think that the heavy armour looks cooler. =]

 

[miketehmage]

I usually don't wear armor, but when I do I use heavy armor.

Just pick up the conditioning perk and then it's just flat out better than light armor due to it being weightless.

 

[Vegosiux]

Daedric on Lydia, Nightingale on me and so help me, I'm never taking that off again, ever, unless the situation calls for being naked.

In the name of the looks. But yeah, really, it doesn't matter which way you go, go with what looks good to you.

 

[Fishyash]

If you're willing to enchant/upgrade your armour it doesn't really matter.

You will literally just have to see the perks and find which ones are more appealing to what you want to do.

 

[Easton Dark]

Nightengale armor is best armor. It looks the best and still has enough defense with perks to give you near invulnerability.

Forget all of those poser armor sets.