Armor is one of the most important gears you will need in Elden Ring because that determines your Poise. If you don’t know Poise, it is the damage you can take before you are stunned.
Some enemies can follow up with a riposte depending on what enemy they are.
The Armor in Elden Ring can’t be upgraded at all. The only thing close enough to upgrade them is finding a better version of specific Armor sets. It is relatively annoying, but you won’t notice this mechanic if you are having fun with the game.
Depending on your build, you must have a specific type of Armor. There are 3 categories: light, medium, and heavy armor sets. It is up to you to determine which ones you will go for. Upgrading other equipment items in the game is far more important than your Armor set, so they don’t allow you to do so.
When can you find better Armor?
You can find better armor as soon as you start a new game. There are a bunch of Merchants around the starting area, and there are also many places to explore. This armor can be used the entire game, but keeping the same armor the entire time feels weird.
You will most likely spend at least 50 hours playing through one playthrough, so it is worth noting that there are hundreds of armor sets in the game for you to choose from. If you are wondering where to get all these armor sets, look up a list of all the armor and find out where they are located.
You could also play it blindly and use whatever you find out. This is a very good option since you won’t get spoiled by anyone by looking things up. You will probably have to look stuff up, but limiting the number of times you do so will eliminate spoilers.
Does Armor matter?
It depends on how much you rely on the armor if it is worth it. You could get hit a lot because you aren’t familiar with the game’s mechanics. If you are a veteran of FromSoft games, you most likely won’t need the best armor in the game. It all depends on your skill level.
If you are struggling a lot, a heavier armor set is probably recommended since you will take many more hits. It could also matter with your specific build. You could have an extremely heavy build and need that Poise to get your attacks out. Experiment with different armor sets to see which fits your build best.