THE 13 BEST Elden Ring Early Game Armors

In Elden Ring, armor isn’t a single item but rather a set comprising individual pieces like helmets, chest armor, leg armor, and gauntlets. This allows players to mix and match different armor sets to meet their character build and fashion preferences. Combining different sets not only enhances protection but also makes your character stand out in online PvP.

Before we delve into the list of the best early game armor sets in Elden Ring, it’s crucial to consider the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot consumable item. Consuming this item boosts your character’s discovery, which is valuable for getting armor items by defeating enemies or discovering them in the game world. Using the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot will significantly improve your chances of getting the armor sets you’re aiming for.

You can refer to our War Dead Catacombs Walkthrough guide in Elden Ring to learn how to acquire the Silver-Pickled Fowl Foot consumable item.

This guide will highlight the top 13 best early game armor sets in Elden Ring and where to find them, helping you quickly acquire these valuable pieces. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

Similar Read: Best Elden Ring Spells

Best Early Game Armors Comparison

No.	Name	Physical Damage	Strike	Slash	Pierce	Magic	Fire	Holy	Immunity	Robustness	Focus	Vitality	Poise	Weight	Lightning Defense
1	Cleanrot Set	28.5	31	26.3	33.5	24.9	25.3	26.5	150	159	66	77	58	35.7	22.6
2	Raptors Black Feathers Armor	8	8.8	9.5	9.5	10.2	10.2	9.5	57	35	60	60	58	7.7	10.9
3	Sage Armor	11.9	10.8	10.8	6.9	23.9	22.4	23.9	76	46	141	150	15	9.8	23
4	Knife Armor	11.4	10.9	12.4	12.4	8.8	9.5	11.4	28	46	23	23	19	9.2	6.7
5	Royal Remains Set	23.6	23.6	25.5	23.6	19.1	20.4	17.8	84	135	57	27	44	25.3	16.2
6	Twinned Armor Set	27.4	25.4	29.6	25	23.5	23.5	21.5	83	135	53	135	50	30	19
7	Carian Knight Set	23.5	21.6	24.5	23.5	24.5	23.5	23.5	66	110	50	55	40	25.1	19.1
8	Raging Wolf Set	25.9	23	25.9	24.9	19.8	22.1	18.5	75	131	42	42	42	24.2	13.8
9	Briar Set	25.5	22.6	26.5	24.6	21.7	24.6	21.7	113	140	86	80	47	28.1	17.8
10	Knight Set	24.6	23.6	26.5	26.5	21.7	21.7	17.8	66	120	43	43	51	25.3	19.1
11	Raya Lucarian Soldier Set	20.4	21	21.3	21.3	24.1	24.6	22.5	149	99	129	129	36	19.6	25
12	Banished Knight Set	35.5	29.2	36.4	33.5	26.5	26.5	26.1	149	197	91	160	72	41.6	25.6
13	Tree Sentinel Armor	18.4	15	18.7	17.5	13	17.1	14.1	67	90	42	46	39	18.9	12.6

Cleanrot Set

Cleanrot Set is the top early game armor in Elden Ring due to high immunity and robustness. Provides Physical Damage Negation of 28.5 and defense against magic, lightning, etc. Visit Swamp of Aeonia, defeat Cleanrot Knights for the full set. Knights are challenging, so bring your best weapons. Random spawn may extend farming to 20-30 minutes, but the complete Cleanrot armor set is worth it.

Physical Damage	28.5	Immunity	150
Defense against Strike	31	Robustness	159
Defense against Slash	26.3	Focus	66
Defense against Pierce	33.5	Vitality	77
Magic Defense	24.9	Poise	58
Fire Defense	25.3	Weight	35.7
Holy Defense	26.5	Lightning Defense	22.6

Raptors Black Feathers Armor

Raptors Black Feathers offers unique fashion over high defenses. It’s a dark, standout outfit with a distinctive look. Easily accessible without story progression, but a boss fight is required. Head to Sage’s Cave, defeat enemies and bosses (no spoilers), then enter the cave.

From the Site of Grace, cross the lake to reach a dark cave between hills. Explore hidden walls and chests to find Raptors Black Feathers chest piece and Skeletal Mask. Combine for a great character look. One chest also contains Raptor Talons, a weapon causing bleeding with Strength and Dexterity scaling.

Physical Damage	8	Immunity	57
Defense against Strike	8.8	Robustness	35
Defense against Slash	9.5	Focus	60
Defense against Pierce	9.5	Vitality	60
Magic Defense	10.2	Poise	58
Fire Defense	10.2	Weight	7.7
Holy Defense	9.5	Lightning Defense	10.9

Sage Armor

Sage Armor is ideal for Intelligence Wizard Builds, offering damage negation and style. Perfect for Magic character builds, enhancing immunities, magic defense, and equipment load.

Requirements: unlock a torch for the dark location where Sage armor is found. You’ll also need strong weapons to handle enemies. Head to Stillwater Cave, south of Liurnia of the Lake Regions.

Skip Stormveil Castle if not visited yet, then head towards the lake. Outside the cave, you’ll spot a jellyfish creature. Enter the cave and follow the path to Stillwater Cave from the Site of Grace.

Physical Damage	11.9	Immunity	76
Defense against Strike	10.8	Robustness	46
Defense against Slash	10.8	Focus	141
Defense against Pierce	6.9	Vitality	150
Magic Defense	23.9	Poise	15
Fire Defense	22.4	Weight	9.8
Holy Defense	23.9	Lightning Defense	23

Black Knife Armor

Black Knife Armor is tailor-made for Stealth character builds, designed for sneaking up on enemies and eliminating them from the shadows. It consists of a single chest piece offering lightweight and balanced defense, though not the highest stats. Its unique stealth effect compensates for the modest defense.

First Secret Medallion Location

To unlock this armor, visit the Village of the Albinaurics, grab the Haligtree Secret Medallion right piece from a pot along the straight path. Then head to Castle Sol’s main entrance and reach the top to spawn Commander Niall. Acquire the Left Medallion. Next, go to Grand Lift of Rold and use the secret Medallion.

Second Medallion Location

This will awaken a secret boss, but you don’t have to fight. Escape the boss and proceed to Ordina Liturgical Town. At the entrance, go left and return to the building. In the alleyway at the end, you’ll find a corpse containing the Black Knife armor.

Location to Use the Medallion

Black Knife Armor offers Physical Damage Negation of 11.4 and Magic Damage Negation of 8.8, making it a solid choice for newcomers in Elden Ring seeking armor for a stealth playstyle.

Black Knife Armor Location

Physical Damage	11.4	Immunity	28
Defense against Strike	10.9	Robustness	46
Defense against Slash	12.4	Focus	23
Defense against Pierce	12.4	Vitality	23
Magic Defense	8.8	Poise	19
Fire Defense	9.5	Weight	9.2
Holy Defense	11.4	Lightning Defense	6.7

Royal Remains Set

The Royal Remains Set is a unique and eerie-looking armor, once worn by a soul-less king. Its bone and skull appearance suits the dark world of Elden Ring. Ideal for character builds focused on combat and killing.

To unlock this armor set, head to Roundtable Hold, unlocked after a storyline quest for Melina. If you haven’t discovered it yet, go to Lake-Facing Cliffs in the Village of Albinaurics. Interact with a Site of Grace to access Roundtable Hold.

In Roundtable Hold, face Ensha of the Royal Remains, a tough opponent. Use magic and strong weapons for the best chance of success. If needed, you can retry by loading the area. After defeating the NPC, re-enter Roundtable Hold and access an item on the left side of the table to claim your complete Royal Remains armor set.

The armor provides decent defenses, with a total Physical Damage Negation of 23.6, suitable for early-level players. Its legendary effect gradually replenishes HP when it drops below 18%, which proves invaluable during challenging quests where your HP falls below this threshold.

Physical Damage	23.6	Immunity	84
Defense against Strike	23.6	Robustness	135
Defense against Slash	25.5	Focus	57
Defense against Pierce	23.6	Vitality	27
Magic Defense	19.1	Poise	44
Fire Defense	20.4	Weight	25.3
Holy Defense	17.8	Lightning Defense	16.2

Twinned Armor Set

The Twinned Armor set offers medium weight and a striking warrior appearance. It’s easily obtainable early in the game as part of D Hunter of the Dead’s storyline quests. Here’s how to get it at the Roundtable Hold:

1. Complete the three main boss questlines in the game.
2. Talk to Fia at the Roundtable Hold, find her in one of the bedrooms.
3. Exhaust her dialogue until she rewards you with a Dagger.
4. Follow the quest objectives, and at the end, you’ll receive the Twinned Armor set.

Killing D Hunter to loot the armor is not recommended as it may prevent you from playing his questline.

The Twinned Armor Set offers excellent Damage Negation, with Physical Damage Negation of 27.4, making it the ideal choice for players seeking medium-weight armor. The combination of gold and silver in the armor adds to the warrior aesthetic.

Physical Damage	27.4	Immunity	83
Defense against Strike	25.4	Robustness	135
Defense against Slash	29.6	Focus	53
Defense against Pierce	25	Vitality	135
Magic Defense	23.5	Poise	50
Fire Defense	23.5	Weight	30
Holy Defense	21.5	Lightning Defense	19

Carian Knight Set

The Carian Knight set is a top choice for the best early game armor in Elden Ring, offering a royal appearance and excellent Damage Negation stats, perfect for Mage or higher Intelligence builds.

To unlock the Carian Knight Set, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Church of the Cuckoo, a library encountered during a third primary boss battle.
2. Instead of entering the library, head to a secret location to acquire the complete set.
3. Start from the Cathedral and take the path from the Graveyard.
4. Cross the bridge to the other part of the location.
5. Avoid confrontations with enemies along the way.
6. Reach a gap between the walls, jump down, and go to a tomb.
7. Interact with the item to receive the full Carian Knight armor set.

You can pair this armor with the Carian Shield, obtained after the 4th boss fight, to maximize defense and perform parries.

The Carian Knight set offers promising stats for early players, with medium weight and a Physical Damage Negation of 23.5, making it an excellent choice for beginner characters.

Physical Damage	23.5	Immunity	66
Defense against Strike	21.6	Robustness	110
Defense against Slash	24.5	Focus	50
Defense against Pierce	23.5	Vitality	55
Magic Defense	24.5	Poise	40
Fire Defense	23.5	Weight	25.1
Holy Defense	23.5	Lightning Defense	19.1

Raging Wolf Set

The Raging Wolf armor set is designed for soul players, particularly those focused on Dexterity character builds, but it can benefit other players as well. The unique effects of wearing this armor are especially useful for Dexterity builds. It’s worn by the first Tarnished visitor in the Roundtable Hold, known as Vargram, the Bloody Wolf.

Acquiring the Raging Wolf Set is not easy, as it involves completing a series of quests as part of the main storyline. You’ll need to speak to the Queen at Volcano Manor to get started. Follow the quest objectives carefully to increase your chances of getting the complete Raging Wolf armor set. Volcano Manor is a legacy dungeon encountered during Rya’s questline.

This classic soul armor set offers impressive stats, with a total Physical Damage Negation of 25.9, making it ideal for players looking to protect their characters effectively.

Physical Damage	25.9	Immunity	75
Defense against Strike	23	Robustness	131
Defense against Slash	25.9	Focus	42
Defense against Pierce	24.9	Vitality	42
Magic Defense	19.8	Poise	42
Fire Defense	22.1	Weight	24.2
Holy Defense	18.5	Lightning Defense	13.8

Briar Set

The Briar Set offers a balanced defense and a stylish appearance for medium-high-level players. This medium-weight, rusty leather armor won’t hinder the performance of fast-paced characters.

To obtain the Briar Set, you’ll need to purchase it from the Palm Reader at the Roundtable Hold using Runes. These Runes can be obtained through various farming strategies if you don’t have enough. The Briar Set includes four individual pieces, providing excellent Damage Negation to help you survive encounters in Elden Ring.

With a Physical Damage Negation of 25.5, the Briar Set allows you to withstand powerful attacks from bosses and enemies in the game.

Physical Damage	25.5	Immunity	113
Defense against Strike	22.6	Robustness	140
Defense against Slash	26.5	Focus	86
Defense against Pierce	24.6	Vitality	80
Magic Defense	21.7	Poise	47
Fire Defense	24.6	Weight	28.1
Holy Defense	21.7	Lightning Defense	17.8

Knight Set

The Knight Armor Set, reminiscent of the Souls series, is considered one of the best early game armor sets in Elden Ring. It’s a heavyweight armor set that provides excellent damage negation, making it ideal for facing tough bosses and enemies.

Comprising four pieces, the Knight Set offers a total Physical Damage Negation of 24.6, along with 21.7 Magic and Fire Damage Negation, which is unique for heavyweight armor. To acquire this set, you’ll need to purchase it from the Husk Maidens in the Roundtable Hold for a total of 15,000 Runes.

Physical Damage	24.6	Immunity	66
Defense against Strike	23.6	Robustness	120
Defense against Slash	26.5	Focus	43
Defense against Pierce	26.5	Vitality	43
Magic Defense	21.7	Poise	51
Fire Defense	21.7	Weight	25.3
Holy Defense	17.8	Lightning Defense	19.1

Raya Lucarian Soldier Set

The Raya Lucarian Soldier Set, worn by Raya Lucarian Soldiers in the game, is not only aesthetically pleasing but also relatively easy to obtain, making it a great choice for new players.

To acquire this set, you can farm Raya Lucaria Knights in the Liurnia of Lakes area. These are low-level enemies and should be relatively easy to defeat with your preferred weapons. It should take around 10-15 minutes to collect the complete Raya Lucarian Soldier armor set.

Physical Damage	20.4	Immunity	149
Defense against Strike	21	Robustness	99
Defense against Slash	21.3	Focus	129
Defense against Pierce	21.3	Vitality	129
Magic Defense	24.1	Poise	36
Fire Defense	24.6	Weight	19.6
Holy Defense	22.5	Lightning Defense	25

Banished Knight Set

The Banished Knight Set is an excellent choice for players seeking a balance of defense and resistance, especially those focusing on Strength builds. This heavy armor offers outstanding defense stats and is available in the early-mid game, depending on your campaign and map progression.

To get the complete set, you should use the Silver Pickled Fowl Foot to increase your discovery rate. There are two versions of the Banished Knight Set: altered and unaltered, with no differences in stats. For the altered version, visit the Cathedral of Dragon Communion in the southwest region of Caelid, where you can find a Banished Knight guarding the Church. Defeat him to unlock pieces of the set, and repeat this process at nearby Site of Grace locations to collect the entire Banished Knight Set.

Physical Damage	35.5	Immunity	149
Defense against Strike	29.2	Robustness	197
Defense against Slash	36.4	Focus	91
Defense against Pierce	33.5	Vitality	160
Magic Defense	26.5	Poise	72
Fire Defense	26.5	Weight	41.6
Holy Defense	26.1	Lightning Defense	25.6

Tree Sentinel Armor

The Tree Sentinel Armor boasts the highest Damage Negation stats, with a Physical Damage Negation of 35.5, making it ideal for early-level players. However, getting this powerful armor set is a daunting task, as it involves navigating the treacherous Auriza Hero’s Grave dungeon.

This dungeon is filled with relentless enemies and deadly defense puzzles, making it nearly impossible to solo. To acquire the complete Tree Sentinel armor set, consider summoning other players for co-op assistance. Teamwork is essential to infiltrate the dungeon, solve the puzzles, and secure this formidable set.

Physical Damage	18.4	Immunity	67
Defense against Strike	15	Robustness	90
Defense against Slash	18.7	Focus	42
Defense against Pierce	17.5	Vitality	46
Magic Defense	13	Poise	39
Fire Defense	17.1	Weight	18.9
Holy Defense	14.1	Lightning Defense	12.6

State Box for Tree Sentinel Armor

In Elden Ring, armor is a crucial aspect of your character’s build, offering both protection and unique attributes. This guide provides valuable insights into getting the best early game armor sets that suit your playstyle and enhance your defenses. We’d love to hear about your favorite armor sets for tackling PvE and PvP challenges in the comments below.