Equipped Armor pieces now passively augment your character’s effectiveness at a base line, in addition to their purchasable passives. Their effects are now denoted in the Armor section of the Skills screen and are unlocked immediately upon unlocking the Skill Line itself. You can find their effects below:

Light Armor Bonuses
Reduces your damage taken from “Magical” (Magic, Flame, Frost, and Shock Damage) attacks by 1% per piece worn
Reduces the cost of Roll Dodge by 3% per piece worn
Increases your Movement Speed while Sneaking by 5% per piece worn
Reduces the cost of Break Free by 5% per piece worn
Reduces the cost of Bash by 3% per piece worn

Light Armor Penalties
Increases your damage taken from “Martial” (Physical, Poison, Disease, and Bleed Damage) attacks by 1% per piece worn
Increases the cost of Block by 3% per piece worn
Decreases your damage done with Bash by 1% per piece worn

Medium Armor Bonuses
Reduces the cost of Sprint by 1% per piece worn
Reduces the cost of Sneak by 5% per piece worn
Reduces the cost of Block by 3% per piece worn
Reduces your damage taken from Area of Effect Attacks by 2% for 2 seconds after you Roll Dodge
Increases your Movement Speed by 2% while immune to crowd control

Heavy Armor Bonuses
Reduces your damage taken from Martial attacks by 1% per piece worn
Increases the amount of damage blocked by 1% per piece worn
Increases damage done with Bash by 3% per piece worn
Reduces your damage taken while immune to crowd control by 2% per piece worn

Heavy Armor Penalties
Increases your damage taken from Magical attacks by 1% per piece worn
Reduces the Movement Speed bonus of Sprint by 1% per piece worn
Increases the cost of Roll Dodge by 3% per piece worn
Increases the size of your detection area while Sneaking by 10% per piece worn (making you easier to detect)

The above changes were done to help increase the effect that Armor plays on your build, by augmenting your Core Combat Mechanics such as Break Free, Roll Dodge, and Sprint in ways that are not already apparent in the paradigms. Additionally, the “Rock Paper Scissors” effect that Armor was originally meant to follow should have more sharp effects in PvP situations, where Light Armor is stronger versus Heavy but weaker versus Medium, and Heavy is stronger versus Medium.

We also tried to avoid outright buffing the same exact playstyles that already exist with some Armor types in efforts to improve armor viability, rather than reinforcing the existing patterns.
For example, Light Armor has much more freedom with most of its Stamina costs but is less effective with outright soaking damage. Heavy Armor is now slower but bulkier, and Medium Armor is more slippery but with less sharp bonuses as it has no drawbacks.

All armor passives now scale per piece of Armor equipped, rather than some of them granting bonuses while wearing 5 pieces or more. This, along with the new penalty and bonus system of Armor, should help diversify build variety and increase the viability of unique options such as 4/3 and all 7 pieces of the same Armor weight being worn.

Light Armor
Concentration: This passive now grants 469/939 Spell Penetration per piece of Light Armor worn, rather than 2442/4884 when wearing 5 pieces or more.
Prodigy: This passive now grants 0.5/1% Spell Critical per piece of Light Armor worn, rather than 5/10% when wearing 5 pieces or more.
Spell Warding: Increased the amount of Spell Resistance granted per rank to 363/726, up from 182/363.

Medium Armor
Agility: This passive now grants 1/2% Weapon Damage per piece of Medium Armor worn, rather than 7/15% when wearing 5 pieces or more.
Dexterity: Decreased the amount of Weapon Critical granted to 0.3/0.6/1% per piece of Medium Armor worn, down from 0.3/1/1.5% per piece.

Heavy Armor
Rapid Mending: This passive now increases your Healing Taken by 1% for every 2/1 pieces of Heavy Armor worn, rather than 4/8% when wearing 5 pieces or more.
Resolve: Decreased the amount of Armor granted per piece of Heavy Armor worn to 114/229/343, down from 121/142/363.
Revitalize: This passive now increases the resources restored from your fully-charged Heavy Attacks by 2/4% per piece of Heavy Armor worn, rather than 12/25% when wearing 5 pieces or more.