User:Psycho Robot/Sandbox/Armor

This article is about the equipment. For the attribute, see Armor (attribute).

Armor is equipment that is worn to provide defense against direct damage in combat and to provide attribute bonuses. Armor provides no protection against conditions. Armor is divided into three armor classes, which correspond to the three profession types; scholars wear light armor, adventurers wear medium armor, and soldiers wear heavy armor. Most armor is part of an /Armor set.*

Acquisition[edit]

The method of acquisition of armor varies depending on the type of armor. All players are given a set of starting armor when they create a character. Beyond that, some common methods of acquisition are:

Dropped by foes as loot
Purchased from an armorsmith
Crafting armor as an armorsmith, leatherworker, or tailor
As a reward for completing certain steps of your personal story
Purchased from other players via the Trading Post

Armor slots[edit]

There are six standard slots for armor, covering the head, shoulders, chest, hands, legs, and feet. There are also the breathing apparatus, which replaces headgear when the player enters underwater mode. Some armor slots are referred to by two different names, one used by the hero panel and one used by the Trading Post.

Slot	Hero Panel	Trading Post
Head	Headgear	Helm
Shoulders	Shoulders	Shoulders
Chest	Chest	Coat
Hands	Gloves	Gloves
Legs	Leggings	Leggings
Feet	Boots	Boots
Breathing Apparatus	Aquatic Headgear	Aquatic Helm

Appearance[edit]

The Equipment tab of the Hero panel.

Skin[edit]

Primary article: /Armor set

The shape and form of a piece of armor depends on its skin. Usually armor skins come as part of an /Armor set*, a group of skins that go together aesthetically, with one skin for each slot. There are also pieces of /Standalone armor that are not part of any set. Breathing apparatuses are not part of sets and have very few skins avaliable. Equipping a complete set is not required and has no extra bonuses, so players are free to mix and match armor pieces as they want.

The skin of a piece of armor is separate from the stats, and can be changed. Players can do this using the wardrobe. Any unlocked armor skin can be selected in the wardrobe, which will apply that skin to the piece of armor the player is currently wearing in the same slot. At first this is only a preview, and players can then apply the changes by clicking the "apply" button. Doing this will cost Transmutation Charges, one charge for every slot that is changed. Transmutation Charges can be obtained from the Gem Store, Black Lion Chests, or map completion.

There are also skin items, a consumable item that can be used to apply that skin to a piece of armor for free. Skin items are most commonly encountered as rewards for Living World participation, from the Gem Store, and from the Armor Master in WvW. Skin items are single use, and when they are used, they will apply the skin and also unlock the skin in the player's wardrobe for later use. Once unlocked, applying the skin via the wardrobe will cost a Transmutation Charge as usual. If the skin item can be obtained more than once, re-obtaining the skin will allow for another free use.

Dye[edit]

Primary article: Dye

Players can use dyes to change the color of their armor. Each piece of armor has one to four dye channels, or different areas that can be dyed. If a piece of armor has just one dye channel, the entire piece can only be colored one color. If there are three channels, it can be three different colors, with each color confined to a specific area. Dyes can also be removed using the dye remover, which will color the set of armor its default color. Once a piece of armor is dyed, the dye scheme is remembered and will be retained if it is taken off and put back on.

Defense rating[edit]

The defense rating of armor is based on the the armor class, armor type, level, and rarity of the armor. The following table indicates defense ratings for level 80 armor

Armor Piece	Basic			Fine			Masterwork			Rare			Exotic			Ascended
Armor Piece	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy
Headgear	44	59	73	55	74	92	60	80	100	65	86	107	73	97	121	77	102	127
Shoulders	44	59	73	55	74	92	60	80	100	65	86	107	73	97	121	77	102	127
Chest	190	205	219	238	257	275	258	278	298	278	299	321	314	338	363	330	355	381
Gloves	81	95	110	101	119	138	109	129	149	118	139	161	133	157	182	140	165	191
Leggings	117	132	146	147	165	184	159	179	199	171	193	214	194	218	242	203	229	254
Boots	81	95	110	101	119	138	109	129	149	118	139	161	133	157	182	140	165	191
Totals	Basic			Fine			Masterwork			Rare			Exotic			Ascended
	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium	Heavy
	551	645	731	697	808	919	755	875	995	815	942	1071	920	1064	1211	967	1118	1271

Attributes[edit]

Primary article: Attribute

In addition to defense, armor also provides bonuses to attributes. The value of this bonus depends on the level, slot, and rarity only. Different armor weights do not offer different attribute bonuses like they do defense ratings. The attribute bonuses given depends on the prefix of the armor. Some prefixes have both a major and one or more minor bonuses. Celestial is a special prefix, avaliable only as exotic and ascended, that offers a smaller bonus to all seven principle attributes, and the bonus is identical for each one. The following table indicates the attribute bonuses for level 80 armor:

Equipment Slot	Basic		Fine		Masterwork		Rare		Exotic			Ascended
Equipment Slot	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Celestial	Major	Minor	Celestial
Headgear	27	19	34	24	37	26	40	28	45	32	20	47	34	21
Shoulders	20	14	25	18	27	20	30	21	34	24	15	35	25	16
Chest	61	43	76	54	82	59	89	64	101	72	45	106	76	47
Gloves	20	14	25	18	27	20	30	21	34	24	15	35	25	16
Leggings	40	29	51	36	55	39	59	42	67	48	30	71	50	31
Boots	20	14	25	18	27	20	30	21	34	24	15	35	25	16
Totals	Basic		Fine		Masterwork		Rare		Exotic			Ascended
	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Major	Minor	Celestial	Major	Minor	Celestial
	188	133	236	168	255	184	278	197	315	224	140	329	235	147

Upgrade slot[edit]

Every piece of armor comes with an upgrade slot where an upgrade component can be placed. Upgrade components provide attribute bonuses and other effects. The upgrade components that can be placed in armor are runes and universal upgrades. Only one upgrade component can be in an upgrade slot, and applying a new upgrade component will destroy the previous upgrade component. When armor is salvaged, players have a chance to get the upgrade component back instead of destroying it. The probability of this depends on the quality of the kit used, and ranges from 5% with a Crude Salvage Kit to 100% with a Black Lion Salvage Kit

Runes[edit]

Primary article: Rune

Runes are a type of upgrade component that can only be applied to armor, including breathing apparatuses, but not back pieces. Runes have a tiered bonuses that increase for each of the same type of rune equipped. Minor runes have two tiers of bonuses, major runes have 4 tiers, and superior runes have six tiers. The bonuses are not only to attributes, but can also have special effects. A limitation of runes is that equipping more runes than the rune has tiers will not give any additional bonuses.

Universal upgrade[edit]

Primary article: Universal upgrade

Universal upgrades can be placed in armor, weapons, and trinkets. Universal upgrades only provide attribute bonuses in combinations that match established prefixes. Gemstones are the most commonly used universal upgrade.

Damage[edit]

Whenever a player character is defeated, a random piece of armor is damaged. This is indicated by a yellow shield over the item icon. Back items are included as armor for this mechanic, as are Breathing apparatuses during underwater combat. Armor being damaged does not affect its performance, however once all pieces of armor are damaged, any additional defeats will result in a random piece of armor being broken. This is indicated by a broken red shield over the item icon and the armor piece being no longer visible on the character. Broken armor does not provide any defense or bonuses, but upgrade components continue to provide their normal effects. Being defeated from falling damage will not damage armor. Damaged and broken armor can be repaired at an NPC that provides repair services, indicated by a broken shield icon.