What is the point of mixing armor types?

Jagetron · July 2015

I am fairly new to elder scrolls online. And one of the things I see a lot of in different builds and so forth on the internet, is the mixing of armor types. So I am wondering what is the benefit from doing this? It would make since if you were able to get effective passives from both types, but most of them require a full set of that type or the more that you have the better. For example, I just started a dark elf character, dragonknight, and I want to focus on magicka and use staff, and with my thinking I should use all light armor, right? So why do I see builds that are 5 heavy, 2 light? or 5 light and 2 heavy? should I be doing this too?

newtinmpls · July 2015

Um.... 1-looks.

2-using 5 light (around the edges), and a heavy and a light (chest and legs) allows for leveling up all armor types, having an extra boost of protection ('cause the med & heavy give more protection), getting the light armor passive AND getting the undaunted passive.

And then there is looks.

MissBizz · July 2015

I do it for the levelling of all armor types while levelling, now I do it for the extra protection plus undaunted...

Not for looks. Lol

bowmanz607 · July 2015

You get regen and cost reduction along with crit. Heavy gives more armor and healing received. Also there is an undaunted passive that gives you more max resources for using multiple armor types

Jagetron · July 2015

Also, for the purpose of leveling and getting through to level 50, is it ok to use both stamina and magicka. like if I use a destruction staff and sword and shield for better balance. I understand that it is better to specialize when your a higher level and fit into a certain role, but for the " in game/ pve" part is it ok? will it hurt me or hold me back if I try to use both up to level 50 or so? Or do I only need to worry about focusing on one or the other when I am a high level/ in veteran ranks?

bowmanz607 · July 2015

no u should be fine while leveling. it is even possible to use a magika based tank. in fact a dk with sword and board with a staff on back is a normal choice. for comparison i currently have a templar in non-vet running a swoard and board/resto staff setup.

newtinmpls · July 2015

MissBizz wrote: »

I do it for the levelling of all armor types while levelling, now I do it for the extra protection plus undaunted...

Not for looks. Lol

You are totally breaking my immersion here

chevalierknight · July 2015

Move health

Rosveen · July 2015

Armor passives, Undaunted passives, higher armor rating, looks.

pWn3d_1337 · July 2015

Reason 1: Undaunted bonus, only relevant in endgame (you don't have the passive early). +1/2% to max all attributes per armor class worn, 5/1/1 resulting in +6% when you have the perk at 2/2.

Reason 2: Leving armor skills up, just using 1 part of each class is enough to get the skill to 50 when you are V14.

Reason 3: Light Armor is weaker, but gives boosts to casters, but 2 important boni (crit and penetration) require you to wear at least 5 parts. So when 7/7 light only gives litte (only the smaller boni are per part) compared to 5/7 light you put on Heavy armor because it's stronger, or 1 Heavy and 1Medium because of reasons #1 and #2.

Dagoth_Rac · July 2015

Heavy Armor gives 4x the protection of Light Armor and Medium Armor gives 3x the protection of Light Armor. You are likely to die very easily in 7/7 Light Armor, especially against physical attacks. So adding some Heavy and Medium to your build is often about survivability. Also, the only passives that require more than 1 piece are:

a). Spell Critical buff = 5 pieces of Light
b). Spell Penetration buff = 5 pieces of Light
c). Weapon Damage buff = 5 pieces of Medium
d). Reduced cost of blocking = 5 pieces of Heavy

So you do get bonuses from just 1 piece with most armor passives. For example, 1% extra health for each piece of Heavy, reduced cost of stamina skills, roll dodge, sneaking, and sprinting for each piece of Medium. Increased stamina regen for each piece of Medium. Increased health regen and healing received for each piece of Heavy.

Another consideration is set bonuses. While crafted sets can be made in any armor type, dropped sets only come in one armor type. Worm Cult is always Light, Stygian is always Medium, Soulshine is always heavy, etc. So depending on your build and playstyle, you may want to mix some pieces of them in there to get set bonuses you want. Most people always try to keep 5 Light, though, to not lose the spell crit or spell penetration bonuses.

Finally, the Undaunted Mettle passive becomes available eventually giving you 2% bonus magicka/stamina/health for each different type of armor worn. That is 6% bonus if you wear three different types of armor.

Jagetron · July 2015

Does it matter what pieces I wear, when it comes to head wear, shoulders, torso, legs, belt gloves, and boots? so if I wear 5 light and 2 heavy, does it matter where they are?

pWn3d_1337 · July 2015

It only does matter in that some parts have high armor values as others. For example the chest has the highest armor so if you use only 1 heavy part it's best to use the chest if it's possible depending on set combination you want to use.

Stannum · July 2015

Jagetron wrote: »

Does it matter what pieces I wear, when it comes to head wear, shoulders, torso, legs, belt gloves, and boots? so if I wear 5 light and 2 heavy, does it matter where they are?

It matters. Chest gives more armor, belt - less. So for mximizing armor you should mix in such way:
Medium based = heavy torso, light belt + 5 medium
Heavy based = Medium gloves, light belt + 5 heavy
Light based = Heavy torso, medium legs + 5 light

rb2001 · July 2015

1. Looks (I personally mix and match between armor and racial styles and have my preferred look).
2. "Full set" in ESO often means 5. That means you can wear 5 light pieces, gain all of the bonuses therein, and then you have 2 extra slots to wear heavy/medium for more protection (I do not do this personally).
3. Hybrid ish builds. Don't listen to the PVPers. You can play whatever you want in PVE and dungeons.
4. Dropped sets. You might have your 5 light pieces on, but then you find a ring, a necklace and medium shirt of the same set. You can put them on.

dRudE · July 2015

Jagetron wrote: »

Does it matter what pieces I wear, when it comes to head wear, shoulders, torso, legs, belt gloves, and boots? so if I wear 5 light and 2 heavy, does it matter where they are?

Yes absolutely, with a heavy/light 2/5 set up it would be wise to use heavy on the pieces that provide more resistance. For example heavy chest and legs with the rest light so you are maximizing what you can do with those pieces as they provide a higher base resistance.

chevalierknight · July 2015

If you nightblade tho i would go 7/7 md

bertenburnyb16_ESO · July 2015

depends what armor assives u want
depends what phys resistance/spell resis u want
depends howmany buff u want from undaunted passives
depends on what looks u want