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Armor

Protect yourself with various armor types in New Dawn.

Pre-Age of Shadows System

New Dawn uses a traditional Pre-AoS armor system. Armor provides straightforward physical protection (AR) without modern properties like elemental resistances, skill bonuses, or luck. Focus on armor rating, weight, and whether it allows meditation.

Armor Types

Plate Armor

Highest Protection

Pieces:

  • Plate Helm
  • Plate Gorget
  • Plate Chest
  • Plate Arms
  • Plate Gloves
  • Plate Legs

Pros:

  • Maximum physical protection
  • High durability
  • Prestigious appearance

Cons:

  • Heavy (movement penalty)
  • Dexterity loss
  • No meditation (blocks mana regen)
  • Expensive

Best For: Melee warriors, tanks

Chainmail Armor

Medium Protection

Pieces:

  • Chain Coif
  • Chain Tunic
  • Chain Leggings

Pros:

  • Good protection
  • Moderate weight
  • Less dex penalty than plate
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • Can't meditate
  • Less protection than plate

Best For: Warriors on budget, mid-level fighters

Leather Armor

Light Protection

Pieces:

  • Leather Cap
  • Leather Gorget
  • Leather Tunic
  • Leather Arms
  • Leather Gloves
  • Leather Legs

Pros:

  • Allows meditation
  • Light weight
  • No dex penalty
  • Cheap

Cons:

  • Low physical protection
  • Lower durability

Best For: Mages, archers, stealthy characters

Studded Leather

Improved Leather

Same pieces as leather but:

Pros:

  • Better protection than leather
  • Still allows meditation (usually)
  • Moderate weight
  • Good for rangers

Cons:

  • More expensive than leather
  • Check server rules on meditation

Best For: Rangers, dexterity builds, hybrid chars

Armor Stats

Armor Rating (AR)

Total protection value:

  • Plate: 40-50 AR
  • Chain: 28-35 AR
  • Studded: 24-30 AR
  • Leather: 13-18 AR

Durability

How much damage armor can take:

  • Repairs reduce max durability
  • High-quality lasts longer
  • Exceptional items more durable

Weight

Affects movement and stamina:

  • Plate: Very heavy
  • Chain: Moderate
  • Studded: Light-medium
  • Leather: Light

Armor Materials

Leather Types

Higher quality leather provides better durability and AR:

  • Regular Leather: Standard protection
  • Spined Leather: Enhanced durability and AR
  • Horned Leather: Superior quality
  • Barbed Leather: Exceptional quality

Metal Types

Higher tier metals increase durability and AR:

  • Iron: Standard material
  • Dull Copper: Enhanced durability
  • Shadow Iron: Improved protection
  • Copper: Better quality
  • Bronze: Enhanced properties
  • Gold: Increased AR
  • Agapite: Superior quality
  • Verite: Exceptional quality
  • Valorite: Legendary quality

Traditional Crafting

Blacksmiths and tailors can craft armor from these materials, with higher tier materials producing more durable and protective armor.

Magic Armor

Traditional magic armor provides:

  • Increased AR: Better physical protection beyond normal values
  • Enhanced Durability: Lasts longer than normal armor
  • Quality Bonuses: Better craftsmanship provides superior protection

Magic Armor

Magic armor is rare and valuable. Look for items with exceptional quality or enhanced AR values.

Shields

Additional defense:

Shield Types

  • Buckler: Light, small bonus
  • Bronze Shield: Medium
  • Heater Shield: Good protection
  • Metal Shield: Best AR
  • Wooden Shield: Lightweight

Requires: Parrying skill for full benefit

Choosing Armor

Consider:

  1. Your Build: Mage needs meditation, warrior needs maximum AR
  2. Meditation: Metal armor prevents mana regeneration
  3. Protection vs. Mobility: Heavy armor slows you down
  4. Budget: What can you afford?
  5. Material Quality: Higher tier materials provide better protection

Armor Tips

  • Mages: Stick to leather/studded to allow meditation
  • Warriors: Plate for maximum physical defense
  • Archers: Studded for balance between protection and mobility
  • Dexterity builds: Lighter armor to avoid DEX penalties

Armor yourself for survival!