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.