Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the latest installment in Ubisoft’s massive franchise. Since their deviation into RPG gameplay with AC Origins, Assassin’s Creed games have had more focus on character development, stats, weapons, and armor usage. Along with these changes, the combat style of AC games has changed massively.
In this article, we will be focusing on the best armor choice in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Armor heavily affects the gameplay style of the player’s character – Eivor. Each armor comes with its own buffs to complement the play styles and weapon types with a focus on different aspects of the combat options available in the game. Whether you prefer being stealthy, melee-focused or ranged, there’s an armor set just for you in the game. All it takes is a little work finding it. These armors can range in rarity, from common to legendary.
Raven Clan Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Armor the lower your Health isBonus Armor
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Critical ChanceBonus Critical Chance
Quite possibly the best all-rounder armor set for early game, the Raven Set boasts a health buff that makes Eivor sturdy and hard to kill. While rather general, the armor bonuses are a great asset for players to get a good lay of the land early on in the game.
The 2 piece bonus is a fantastic buff that increases Eivor’s armor (defense) at certain health thresholds as you take more damage. The thresholds are 75%, 50%, and 25%. The lower you get, the stronger the buff gets. It is recommended to upgrade this set if you don’t plan on going hunting any time soon for other armor sets, as it is a solid, viable choice even for the endgame. The full set bonus of critical chance increase also works in tandem with the health thresholds, increasing Eivor’s chances of landing high-damage critical hits the lower their health goes. This is a very useful buff and will help immensely in situations when the going gets really, really tough.
Hunstman Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Ranged Damage when hitting enemies further than 20m awayBonus Ranged Damage
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to SpeedBonus Speed
Part of the Way of the Wolf gear collection, the Huntsman Armor set is perfect for those looking to do some hardcore archery. The set bonuses complement a ranged playstyle, encouraging players to land perfect shots from further and further away.
The 2 piece bonus provides Eivor with boosted range damage when hitting enemies further than 20m away. This bonus can stack a couple of times, allowing the player to dish out more damage the more valid shots they hit. The full set bonus provides the player with a speed boost, allowing you to skedaddle out of a sticky situation in a hurry. It’s a great alternative to the Raven Clan set for players who aren’t fans of getting up close and personal as it can be found early in the game.
Magister's Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Melee Damage at night
Bonus Melee Damage
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Ranged DamageBonus: Ranged Damage
This is a rather unique armor set. Its usefulness shines through during nighttime with the 2 pieces set bonus. The full set bonus is active at all times, though. So if you plan on using the dark of the night to your advantage, and you like using ranged weapons, then this is just the set for you.
This set gives early players a good advantage over enemies during the night. However, it faces the major drawback of providing no actual benefit to the player during the day, essentially forcing you to avoid conflict. The ranged damage buff, while useful, is not recommended to focus on.
Galloglach Armor Set
Set Bonus –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Melee Resistance when hitting enemies with finishersBonus Melee Resistance
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Melee DamageBonus Melee Damage
For players looking for a tankier, melee-focused build, this armor set might be the one for them. Heavily reliant on performing finishers, however, this set encourages a rather unique playstyle.
The 2 piece bonus fits those who like a bit of flair when killing their enemies, encouraging finishers to be used frequently. It grants melee resistance, which essentially allows you to absorb more damage when you’re buffed. The buff stacks and lasts for a certain duration, information on which can be found in the armor stats screen in-game depending on your upgrade level. The full set bonus provides an additional melee damage bonus on top of the melee resistance, allowing you not only to take but to deal more damage. This buff also stacks, and can be highly advantageous when playing according to the specific playstyle this set requires.
Hidden Ones' Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Assassination Damage when crouched and undetected for 10sBonus Assassination Damage
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Headshot DamageBonus Headshot Damage
One of the best armor sets in the whole game, the Hidden Ones' set is a homage to the original Assassin’s Creed games. It resembles the style of outfits worn by the “hidden ones” aka the Assassin Order. Accordingly, it provides assassination buffs and headshot damage buffs.
The 2 piece bonus provides the player with a substantial boost to assassination damage when the player remains crouched and undetected for 10 seconds. This is very useful for those looking for a classic playstyle of hiding in the shadows and assassinating targets. This is also encouraged by the full set bonus, which is increased headshot damage, allowing players to taken out targets with a headshot easily. It is focused on a playstyle that relies on you being far from the enemy or out of their sights.
Mentor's Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Attack after Critical HitsBonus Attack
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to SpeedBonus Speed
Another nifty throwback to the Assassin’s Creed Series, this armor set focuses on quick, lethal attacks and swift retreats. It's different from the Hidden Ones' armor set insofar that it doesn’t focus on a passive assassination style playstyle but instead encourages a more active one.
The 2 piece bonus boosts attack after landing critical hits. This buff stacks, lasting a set amount of time. It is very useful for quickly wiping out a small group of enemies. The full set bonus encourages a hasty retreat, allowing you to return to the shadows or escape enemies when things start going south.
Berserker Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Speed when taking damage until you Heal yourself (up to 5 times)Bonus Speed
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Attack and ArmorBonus Attack and Armor
Sporting a bear’s head as a helm, this savage-looking armor set is for those who like diving headfirst into a group of enemies and cracking skulls up close and personal. Rewarding aggression, the armor set bonuses encourage a heavily forward and active playstyle.
The 2 piece bonus of this set is a very useful speed boost, making you faster the more you take damage. This is very advantageous in large-scale combat, with the buff stacking and lasting for a set duration. The full set bonus gives an additional attack and armor boost to the player, making the player a ruthless killing machine. All of this begs the question, is this armor set worth the extra money to purchase? That decision is yours alone, as the game requires having been pre-ordered or upgraded to gold/ultimate edition to acquire this armor set.
Thegn's Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase to Critical Chance when parryingBonus Crit Chance
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Critical DamageBonus Critical Damage
This Crit based armor set is all about dishing out massive damage numbers through critical hits. This set encourages a high DPS playstyle.
The 2 piece buff relies on parrying to boost the crit chance, and the full set bonus boosts the crit damage. With a full set, this playstyle will tickle the fancy of all those Dark Souls players who love parry fishing and taking enemies down with ripostes. However, with parry mechanics working slightly differently in this game, it can get tricky. Either way, this playstyle is capable of dishing out copious amounts of damage with a booster critical hit chance as well as damage.
Thor's Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Speed when stunning an enemyBonus Speed
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to StunBonus Stun
The God of Thunder’s very own garb was always destined to grace this list. The buffs for this set encourage speed and stun, fitting for the mighty Thor whose power is awesome and astounding. Keep in mind, as with Thor himself, this armor set encourages a melee playstyle. Not for those who lack the heart to participate in a brawl.
The 2 piece bonus boosts Eivor’s speed when stunning an enemy, which stacks and lasts for a set duration. This buff works in tandem with the full set bonus, which increases stun damage, allowing you to stun enemies more easily.
Brigandine Armor Set
Set Bonuses –
- 2 pieces:
Increase Armor when surrounded by more than 2 enemiesBonus Armor
- 5 pieces:
Additional increase to Melee DamageBonus Melee Damage
Arguably one of the best sets in the game, the Brigandine set boasts attack and armor buffs when you throw yourself headfirst into a group of enemies. The scaling of the buff depends on the number of enemies that surround you (Reaper mains from Overwatch know how this works). The more people surrounding you, the higher the damage you do, with increments per enemy for up to 5 or more enemies.
The 2 piece bonus boosts your Armor based on how many people surround Eivor, and the full set buff boosts damage in tandem. This allows a very aggressive playstyle, encouraging players to jump right in and hack away at groups of enemies together, channeling the wrath of the Gods themselves, so to speak.
That's all for our list of the best armor sets in the game! Feel free to check out our other guides on our website!
