Mixing light and heavy armor

[imaginepageant]

I'm mixing light and heavy armor for the first time since my first playthrough, when I didn't know any better. The reason I'm doing it now is that I couldn't find any light armor combos for a character I'm semi-roleplaying, but found some heavy armor items that look great on her. I'm not sure yet exactly what outfit I'll end up using, but it'll likely be a combo of Ancient Nord gear, Stormcloak Officer gear, Gauntlets of the Old Gods, Boots of the Old Gods, the Helm of Yngol, or (if I can get over the roleplay-breaking aspect of it because this character would never actually join the Thieves Guild) the Thieves Guild Hood.

The character's main skills are Archery, Sneak, Restoration, Smithing, and previously Light Armor, but now I'm leveling and putting perks into Heavy Armor as well. I'm also working her up to Enchanting, but she's not quite there yet.

SO THE POINT OF THIS POST IS: do you guys have any advice on mixing light and heavy armor for this sort of build?

 

[AS88]

The tip that I have is - don't worry about it. I've played characters mixing light and heavy armour before and actually enjoyed it on expert. Without specialising in one type, enemies hit harder in battles, and the challenge is noticeable but not prohibitive. You do have to think on your feet a little more, but there's no fun in having every battle turn out like a formality.

Not particularly helpful, but there you go

 

[Two Bears]

If you're into roleplaying, then don't worry about the stats, because they're not going to be good. Typically, mixing armor types gives you the worst of both worlds, combining the clunkyness and noise of heavy armor with the less effective protection of light armor, and without most of the perks that make either set attractive. So go for the look you like and don't worry about your numbers.

 

[Psiberzerker]

If you're going to do it, I suggest using a Light Cuirass (Body) to minimize how much it slows you down, or get the Steed Stone. You won't be able to benefit from any of the "All _Armor (Chest Head, Arms, Legs)" perks like Wind Walker, or Tower of Strength, so stick to Agile Defender, and Juggernaut exclusively. If you're going for an 80 perk build, you can work both Armor skills this way (I usually do Light first, then switch to, or supliment Heavy pieces.) Once you're up there, with Smithing, you can actually use either, or both interchangeably without ruining your build's focus, but it's more of a risk at low-mid levels, or lowcapped builds like any of mine.

 

[Orcs Are Your Friends]

This was one of the questions I had in my head, and I'm glad imaginepageant asked. As far as looks go, I wanted to sport light armor, but wear a heavy helmet (either a Dwarven helmet or a dragon priest mask). I was going for a metal-masked superhero look, but I didn't want to go down in two hits or something. Going down in two hits isn't very superheroish, know what I'm saying?

 

[Kory Stukenborg]

Try to keep their skill points leveled out to the same so one is not dominant over the other. If you're seeing one skill rise greater than the other one, try to get the lower skill up. For example: say my heavy armor is 68 and my light armor is 50. Put on all light armor temporarily to level them out, then switch back to mixing.

 

[imaginepageant]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys!

The tip that I have is - don't worry about it. I've played characters mixing light and heavy armour before and actually enjoyed it on expert. Without specialising in one type, enemies hit harder in battles, and the challenge is noticeable but not prohibitive.

Hadn't even thought of how making the game more difficult could be an advantage, so I'm glad you pointed that out. I'm playing this character on expert instead of master since bows, when in direct melee battle, are relatively weak weapons, so having a little extra challenge in terms of weaker armor might actually be good.

If you're going to do it, I suggest using a Light Cuirass (Body) to minimize how much it slows you down, or get the Steed Stone.

Definitely something to think about. I love my Lord Stone, but I was prepared to take the Steed Stone to make up for a heavy cuirass's slow speed. The noise is also an issue for me, being a sneaker, but so far I've just gone slower than normal and haven't had many problems. But yeah, basing an ensemble around a light cuirass would take care of all of that.

 

[imaginepageant]

Try to keep their skill points leveled out to the same so one is not dominant over the other. If you're seeing one skill rise greater than the other one, try to get the lower skill up. For example: say my heavy armor is 68 and my light armor is 50. Put on all light armor temporarily to level them out, then switch back to mixing.

This reminds me of old SNES RPGs where I would swap out party members to make sure they were all staying on par with their levels.

 

[orca45]

In my case, I never mixed them. I wear light armor. Right now, I am wearing the Nittingale armor, a mage-hood, light gloves and boots from Dawnguard + my dragonbone dagger and bow. It does look perfect. After too many tries, this is the best setup that I got so far. The beige color of the mage hood match the beige color of the gloves and boots and weapons, living in the center, the kind of black Nittingale armor only. I do look hansome in it .. .lol ...
Just to let you know, I killed a vamp masqueraded as a common citizen close to Windhelm and he had a black vampire hood un-enchanted .... AWESOME ... finally, I can use that hood with my Nittingale and instead gloves and boots from the Dawnguard, I will wear Thalmor gloves and boots, so I will look completely black ...

 

[Panthera]

Well I don't know your build so it may differ much and not being helpful at all... I play on legendary also semi-roleplay. I wear clothes or armor (light/heavy) depends of what I'm doing... I want blend with surrounding or task I'm doing (example: while in cities I wear clothes, when I'm doing some mercanary job I wear armor or something that will give me somewhat protection - just for show ).

I noticed as a stealth character leveling armor is very slow procedure so I don't bother at all anymore. I just smith what ever I have into legendary quality but I don't spend any perks into light/heavy armor. My main protection is shadow - you can't hit or even kill something you don't see!

 

[Psiberzerker]

Definitely something to think about. I love my Lord Stone, but I was prepared to take the Steed Stone to make up for a heavy cuirass's slow speed. The noise is also an issue for me, being a sneaker, but so far I've just gone slower than normal and haven't had many problems. But yeah, basing an ensemble around a light cuirass would take care of all of that.

Then you want Light Boots too, since the Weight (Light, or heavy, not the nominal weight stat) of these also adversely effects the Detection computation, as well as the speed you're moving. I like to hold Block, or an Arrow nocked (Assuming you don't have Block Runner, or Ranger perks) to slow down even more on those critical backstabs where failure most likely =death.

 

[imaginepageant]

Then you want Light Boots too, since the Weight (Light, or heavy, not the nominal weight stat) of these also adversely effects the Detection computation, as well as the speed you're moving. I like to hold Block, or an Arrow nocked (Assuming you don't have Block Runner, or Ranger perks) to slow down even more on those critical backstabs where failure most likely =death.

I actually decided to go with the Ancient Nord Armor for the cuirass, because it just looks so damn awesome on her. I was using the Ancient Nord Boots as well, but maybe I'll switch those out to a light pair; I didn't know the foot gear affected detection as well. Thanks for that!

 

[Panthera]

I actually decided to go with the Ancient Nord Armor for the cuirass, because it just looks so damn awesome on her. I was using the Ancient Nord Boots as well, but maybe I'll switch those out to a light pair; I didn't know the foot gear affected detection as well. Thanks for that!

Actually I don't think it does... somewhere I've read that that is not anymore the case like it was in Oblivion when you take off your boots to be harder for NPC to detect you (because of zero weight).

Noise Level. Factors influencing the amount of noise you make are:
Movement Speed: running is noisier than walking. Moving very slowly generally makes little noise. Extra noise from running is negated by the Silence Perk.
Armor: moving in armor makes more noise, the combined weight of all equipped armor is correlated with its volume.

from UESPwiki

 

[imaginepageant]

Armor: moving in armor makes more noise, the combined weight of all equipped armor is correlated with its volume.

Wouldn't that mean that all armor - cuirass, boots, gauntlets, and helmet - would factor into what noise you make when moving?

I had thought that only the cuirass affects weight and speed, since my stamina seems to deplete at the same rate when sprinting wearing nothing as it does when wearing only boots, gauntlets, and helmet, but not a cuirass.

 

[Panthera]

Wouldn't that mean that all armor - cuirass, boots, gauntlets, and helmet - would factor into what noise you make when moving?

I had thought that only the cuirass affects weight and speed, since my stamina seems to deplete at the same rate when sprinting wearing nothing as it does when wearing only boots, gauntlets, and helmet, but not a cuirass.

That is how I understand it. Maybe because it's the heavier than helmet, boots and gauntlets even if you combine them together.

 

[Psiberzerker]

Noise Level. Factors influencing the amount of noise you make are:
Movement Speed: running is noisier than walking. Moving very slowly generally makes little noise. Extra noise from running is negated by the Silence Perk.
Armor: moving in armor makes more noise, the combined weight of all equipped armor is correlated with its volume.

Right, but INCLUDE being the operative word. I don't remember the entire calculation, but another factor is whether you're wearing light, heavy, or no (Cloth shoes count as none) footwear, not to mention whether you're standing in the light, and if the target is facing you. Just because the Wiki doesn't specifically list it doesn't mean it ain't in there.

 

[Panthera]

Right, but INCLUDE being the operative word. I don't remember the entire calculation, but another factor is whether you're wearing light, heavy, or no (Cloth shoes count as none) footwear, not to mention whether you're standing in the light, and if the target is facing you. Just because the Wiki doesn't specifically list it doesn't mean it ain't in there.

Look like I said before... I really can't remember where I've read it but it said that footware doesn't effect like it did in oblivion. It's just an overall armor weight what makes noise. Btw if you heavily invest in sneak tree it doesn't much matter... I swap between thieves guild armor, nordic carved armor and master illusion robes... and I don't have any problem being undetected. Also there are enchantments like muffle or fortify sneak if sneaking is problem in heavy... I mean mixed armor.