armour choice when you have no armour skills

soulclaw

If I have not gotten around to spending points on the armour passives is there any reason not to wear plate for the best armour rating or there some unwritten effects to wearing the armour even if you do not spend points on the relevant skill?

Tidelurker

I haven't leveled very far yet, but it looked to me like those passives are very powerful and worth investing in eventually. I'd still wear medium (physical damage, dodging, and sneaking) or light (magical abilities), just so you can keep leveling your skill in them for the long-term.

For the short-term though, I suppose you could wear heavy or whatever is best. There are no extra effects or speed limitations for the armor type your character wears.

Swordmage

The only reason not to just wear plate would be so that you can level another armor skill line (but that can be done by just mixing in one of the light or medium armor pieces -- I do remember finding a nice light armor belt with an exploration XP bonus).

Xionar

I personally level with a mixture of all 3 armor types, this way you level all 3 at the same time, even if not spending skill points in them. In this manner you can respec later at a different point in time if you choose to swap armor preferences around, without having to skill it up again.

Hawke

Yep, follow this and it might be of use to you. http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/63690/the-new-character-what-skill-to-take-guide#latest

As far as default abilities, I dont think there is any. But most of the time the armor comes flavored, like light armor will have something magicka related on it, and heavy will have HP related... not the rule, but a pattern.