So, armor is up next.
Since I have much fewer different kinds of armor than weapons at my disposal, I can talk about them in more depth.
Again I've separated them into less and more sophisticated armor; let's start with the simpler group.
Simpler Armor
Anti-Energy Armor
I've tested two kinds of armor, Anti-Energy Kataginu and Chitinous Curaiss. The latter offers a bit tiny bit more protection against energy, but is 70% heavier than the former. If strength is not your strength, or you like to travel less encumbered, use the Anti-Energy Kataginu.
Combined Armor
I've tested four pieces of armor that protect against more than one type of damage:
- Old Combat Suit
- Smeared Composite Armor
- Worn Composite Armor
- Tsuba Ring Mail
The first three protect against all three kinds of damage (piercing, impact, energy), while the latter does not short-circuit shocks.
The Old Combat Suit defends worse against all kinds of damage than Smeared Composite Armor and than Worn Composite Armor. It is slightly lighter than both of the sturdier options, but the difference is slight (only 100g lighter than Worn Composite Armor).
The Smeared variant protects slightly better than Worn against blunt impact, but worse against piercing and energy. It is also 900g heavier than Worn.
Of the first three options, I recommend the Worn Composite Armor if it is available to you, with the Smeared Composite Armor as the close runner-up.
Use Tsuba Ring Mail if you do not need protection against electricity, since it protects better against the other damage types.
More Sophisticated Armor
Anti-Energy Armor
Arc Master's Suit is the winner in the category "defense against dark currents". It has the best resistance to stun attacks, and is the lightest with 7.8 kg.
Second best in terms of defense are Reflectrix™ and G21 Armor System, though with 11.5 and 13 kg, respectively, they are much heavier.
Anubis Armor offers the worst defenses, and with 10.5 kg it is lighter than Reflectrix and G21, but still heavier than Arc Master.
Impact Defense Armor
Nothing rivals Yōkai Cloak's protection against blunt impact, and with 2.6 kg it is phenomenally light. While Heavy Liquid Armor Suit comes close in terms of protection, it weighs more than three times as much (9 kg)
Update
I've had the chance to test some more armor systems since I first wrote this entry, and while I'm too lazy to write about it all, here is a table of which armor to prefer to which other:
worse better ======================================================= Anti-Energy Vest Scratchy Tunic Combat Suit Padded PVC Catsuit Cracked Bodysuit Scuffed Riding Suit Dented Dual Layer Vest LCVG-X10 Dilapidated Leather Dress Lightly Padded Coat Harold's Jacket Lightly Padded Coat Heavy Coat Lightly Padded Coat LE-Suit 78 Anti-Energy Jump Suit Mildewed Leather Duster Lightly Padded Coat Misshapen Combat Vest Musty Leather Robes Moth Eaten Kimono Musty Leather Robes Padded Combat Suit Scuffed Riding Suit Patchwork Combat Vest Corroded Combat Vest Patchwork Long Coat Scuffed Riding Suit Pipe Mail Scuffed Riding Suit Plastic Jumpsuit LCVG-X10 Putrid Plate Mail Musty Leather Robes Reinforced Jumpsuit Scuffed Riding Suit Reinforced Vest Scratchy Tunic Ribbed Trench Lightly Padded Coat Ripped Electrician's Overalls Ripped Jumpsuit Rusted Scale Mail Battered Breastplate Scavenger Plate Padded PVC Catsuit Scorched Electrician's Suit Ripped Jumpsuit Shabby Uniform Musty Leather Robes Shattered Ballistic Vest Poly-vinyl Coveralls Storm Armor Tattered LCVG-X7 Tarnished Combat Armor Battered Breastplate Tattered Trench Coat Musty Leather Robes The Robe of Rotten Embroidery Scuffed Riding Suit Torn Jumpsuit Poly-vinyl Coveralls Worn Diffusion Armor Anti-Energy Jump Suit Worn Overalls Ripped Jumpsuit Anti-Energy Kaftan Arc Dancer's Dress Anti-Energy Plate Armor Arc Dancer's Dress Anti-Energy Trench Arc Dancer's Dress Arc Dodger Suit Anti-Energy Kataginu Arc Jumper Jacket Arc Dancer's Dress Banded Kuyak Medium Liquid Armor Suit Banded Leather Trench Medium Liquid Armor Suit Chain-Backed Scale Mail Medium Riot Gear Diffusion Armor Light Storm Armor HoS Leather Jacket Spidersilk Robes Lampyridae Armor Arc Absorption Cloak Light Diffusion Jump Suit Arc Dancer's Dress Light Flak Jacket Light Kinetic Vest Light Liquid Armor Suit Spidersilk Robes Lightning Armor Arc Absorption Cloak Light P3 Impact Suit Spidersilk Robes Light Tatami Gusoku Spidersilk Robes Metal Banded Electrician's Suit Light Storm Armor P3 Energy Suit Anti-Energy Kataginu P3 Impact Suit Red Valboa Trench P3 Piercing Suit Medium Riot Gear Reinforced Blast Vest Patelloida Plated Body Armor Ruins Diving Suit Composite Dō Spidersilk Dress Spidersilk Robes Spiked Leather Jacket Spidersilk Concealable Vest Star Stalker Armor Red Valboa Trench Stiff Hard-Shelled Combat Suit Light Storm Armor Studded Leather Red Valboa Trench Whispering Robes Spidersilk Robes Anubis Armor Arc Master's Suit G21 Armor System Arc Master's Suit Heavy Liquid Armor Suit Yōkai Cloak Reflectrix™ Arc Master's Suit
Summary
I conduct my business in the Worn Composite Armor, since it seems to be the most balanced defense against a mostly unpredictable world. In specific cases, Arc Master's Suit and Yōkai Cloak are clear winners in their own categories.