Does Light Armor actually have a purpose?

[Neriad13]

It seems to me that just about all playstyles boil down to two types of combat - either you get into situations in which you get hit often or you don't get hit at all. Basically, you either need to absorb heavy blows or kill your enemies before they kill you. I'm having difficulty seeing how Light Armor fits into the scheme. It doesn't offer nearly enough protection to block an axe swing, but the protection it does offer is entirely unneeded when you never get hit at all.

My question is, what is its point? Why wear armor at all when you never needed what little amount of shielding ability it possesses? Has anyone ever been satisfied with using it?

 

[Haru17]

It seems to me that just about all playstyles boil down to two types of combat - either you get into situations in which you get hit often or you don't get hit at all. Basically, you either need to absorb heavy blows or kill your enemies before they kill you. I'm having difficulty seeing how Light Armor fits into the scheme. It doesn't offer nearly enough protection to block an axe swing, but the protection it does offer is entirely unneeded when you never get hit at all.

My question is, what is its point? Why wear armor at all when you never needed what little amount of shielding ability it possesses? Has anyone ever been satisfied with using it?

Sneaking without the ebony mail / illusion.

 

[Neriad13]

Sneaking without the ebony mail / illusion.

Perhaps, but if you're sneaking, why not just wear enchanted or regular clothes?

 

[Seanu Reaves]

because even if it isnt as strong as full heavy armor Light armor can make the difference. Some times you dont get hit often but light armor can still take most of the edge off a strike.

 

[Madrar]

My armour (Markarth guard, upgraded to superior) has a rating of 67 armour and I'm extremely pleased with it.

 

[Ebonyflesh]

Because it's a lighter armor then heavy armor.

 

[DovahCap]

I believe it allows for faster movement.

 

[Ebonyflesh]

I believe it allows for faster movement.

Also, with the Wind Walker perk, I think your Stamina replenishes 50% faster. Or something along the lines of that.

 

[Annageckos]

I use light armor. I normally sneak with a bow, but also use a sword. I find that the light armor offers plenty of protection, even against two handed weapons.

 

[Morgan]

Also, if you perk and train smithing you can get to a point where the protection IS the same. At that point the perks are what separate the two. LA gives you damage avoidance rather than reflection (I'd rather live longer and use the extra time to do more damage with weapons . . . it's kinda their job) and you get it WITHOUT having to spend a perk on matched set (which is a fine perk if you use it, but most people towards later levels are wearing DP masks), and you can get weightless armor much earlier without having to buy a couple of perks with very limited application. And of course WW, which is almost worth using LA for even if you never get hit a single time.

 

[bulbaquil]

1. Carry weight. Yes, with the appropriate perks this is irrelevant for both light and heavy armors, but certain playstyles (e.g. hardcore in particular, other semi-hardcore variants) ban those perks and/or restrict carry weight further than the vanilla game does, and it does make a difference before you get access to those perks. (The high carry weight limit is also probably a carry-over from the earlier TES games - in Morrowind, what occupies the Skyrim "armor slot" was five separate pieces of armor, and a full set of heavy could weigh 150+).

2. Player speed. As the guards say, "Lightly armored means light on your feet." There is a noticeable speed difference, unless you have the Steed Stone which, again, certain variants will restrict.

3. Immersion. If you're going to roleplay as a bandit, Stormcloak, or any other type of person who would logically wear light armor, wear light armor. (Doesn't apply for everyone, of course.)

4. As stated before, Wind Walker and earlier weightless armor.

 

[Dar'Neko]

1. Carry weight. Yes, with the appropriate perks this is irrelevant for both light and heavy armors, but certain playstyles (e.g. hardcore in particular, other semi-hardcore variants) ban those perks and/or restrict carry weight further than the vanilla game does, and it does make a difference before you get access to those perks. (The high carry weight limit is also probably a carry-over from the earlier TES games - in Morrowind, what occupies the Skyrim "armor slot" was five separate pieces of armor, and a full set of heavy could weigh 150+).

2. Player speed. As the guards say, "Lightly armored means light on your feet." There is a noticeable speed difference, unless you have the Steed Stone which, again, certain variants will restrict.

3. Immersion. If you're going to roleplay as a bandit, Stormcloak, or any other type of person who would logically wear light armor, wear light armor. (Doesn't apply for everyone, of course.)

4. As stated before, Wind Walker and earlier weightless armor.

I agree with this.

Also, whenever I see your posts, your signature always makes me smile.

"and really annoys the Thalmor" XD

 

[Sean]

I just go with whatever I like, so with playing as a Vampire Lord I just use this:

-Serana's Hood (only hood that works with vampires)
-Vampire Royal Armor
-Vampire Gauntlets
-Vampire Boots
-Elder Scroll

I stopped worrying about stats a while ago, lol.

 

[Morgan]

I just go with whatever I like, so with playing as a Vampire Lord I just use this:
...
-Vampire Boots
...
I stopped worrying about stats a while ago, lol.

Oh yeah, vampire boots is also a good reason to go with LA. They look awesome! I'd love to have a pair made IRL.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

It weighs less, slows you down minimally thus allowing you to be more mobile, doesn't make as much noise, and takes the edge off the hits you are otherwise trying to avoid. Light Armor play styles generally revolve around avoiding getting hit and mobility, but you can't avoid everything, and for that Light Armor provides enough protection for you to survive the hits you can't avoid, while keeping you mobile so you can try to avoid most of the other hits directed at you. It simply covers for a simple fact; you can't avoid every blade, arrow, or spell coming your way. You need a little armor to cover for what you can't avoid without it getting in your way too much. While Heavy Armor may provide more protection, it makes you slow, noisy, and weighs a ton. Light Armor is the reverse; less protection, doesn't slow you down, not so noisy, and barely weighs anything. The main reason Light Armor is better than clothing is quite obvious. Clothing leaves you open to attack without protection. The only builds who can really get away without Light Armor or Heavy Armor are mages because of flesh spells, everyone else needs some degree of armor for protection.

 

[Haru17]

Perhaps, but if you're sneaking, why not just wear enchanted or regular clothes?

Because after you're done sneaking (you get a hit or two in before they discover you) it's nice to not die when they first poke you.

 

[theoperation]

Light Armour still makes a difference. If you spend the perks in LA then it ends up being more effective than HA. Of course you could spend all your perks in HA and get that ridiculous perk (or the steed stone) where it doesn't slow you down at all and weighs nothing. I don't really like doing that though, it makes the game a little too easy when you can dance around enemies wearing daedric armor.

 

[High King of Skyrim]

Sneaking without the ebony mail / illusion.

Light armour can be an invaluable tool to a character that needs to move quickly and in some instances, more quietly. Whilst at early levels a mele type character may struggle to absorb the big blows of bandits and draugher, you will be able to take the hits at higher levels. Until then use speed as your weapon against these types of enemies. Also, the fabled dragon armour has a light variety that can actually reach the armour cap in the game and you can't get any more protection than that!

 

[orca45]

Light Armor is much better than HA. If you have all the tree perks invested, the benefit is awesome. You are more agile, fast, less noise, get 50% of stamina reg, carry more weight because you weight much less and what I do is to enchant one of my items with the LIGHT ARMOR enchant to boost up that skill. For sneaking it is the ideal one. I don't use anymore any HA. I would love Bethesda to let us have a Daedric LIGHT ARMOR. I mainly use a college robe, light armor dragon armor, the white falmer armor collected after you killed the vampire at Auriel's Altar and the Arch-Mage Armor from Savos Aren. Except for the Arch-mage, all of them are enchanted to boost Health, Stamina, Magic and as I said before, one of my items is enchanted with LA; simply awesome.

 

[Psiberzerker]

If you smith, you can improve either up to 80% physical protection. So, the difference in protection is only at the beginning. The weight/speed penalties go away with the Steed Stone, or perks like Conditioned/Unhindered late in the game, but Light gets them at a lower level, and cost less perk points over all. Heavy Armor can also be perked to reduce Stagger, and Falling Damage, while light fortifies Stamina recovery, in addition to any Enchantments.

Muffle eliminates the penalties for sneaking in Light Armor, but once you get Silent Movement (Sneak) they're moot. As far as playstyles go, you can't "Never get hit," even with Stealth, though you can come pretty close with Illusion. I guess you can technically savescum by returning to your last save every time you get 1 shotted, but it's not even remotely an all, or nothing thing. If you're evasive, then Light Armor basically makes up for you not having a lot of Health early on, then eventually protects as well as Heavy.

If all you care about is damage reduction, get a Breton, go Heavy, and never look back. There are other Stats, and they're in the game for a reason, though. If you Sprint, you can go Longer/Farther in lighter gear. Regardless of whether it's classed as Light, or Heavy, the more weight you have equipped (Including Weapons, and/or a Shield) the more Stamina it takes to Sprint. Also, certain types of weapons/armor slow you down when equipped, Heavy Armor, and 2 Handed weapons the most. While you may believe something like "I don't have to evade, because I'm a Tank!" not all of the game is in combat. Quite a bit of it is running cross country, or riding a horse to get to the next Quest/Location/Fight. I find it kind of sucks only being able to Sprint a second, or two, then waiting several minutes to recover, so for me Light is the weight to go. (Or the lightest Heavy, Wolf Armor.)