The 20 Best Fallout 4 Armor Sets

What are the best Fallout 4 armor sets?

Nothing is more frightening than trekking through the Commonwealth in mismatched, low-tier armor only to stumble into a band of Gunners, or worse yet, a deathclaw.

It is at that moment that you know you messed up.

Armor sets are incredibly important in Fallout 4, as they can help you stay alive in difficult situations and give you some unique bonuses that help give you an edge.

If you’re looking to stay alive in the harsh Boston wasteland and look good while doing it, you’ve definitely come to the right place.

The Best Fallout 4 Armor Sets

There are a lot of great armor pieces that you can get in the world of Fallout 4. However, some are better than others and provide more valuable boosts.

All of these sets can be difficult to understand on your own, which is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to write our own Wasteland Survival Guide of a sort so that you can get the best armor possible for your character builds.

Here’s our list of the 20 best Fallout 4 armor sets:

20. Nuka-Girl Space Suit

Kicking off our list, we have one of the snazziest pre-war outfits that you can find. If your Sole Survivor has ever wanted to cosplay as Nuka-Girl, this outfit is for you.

Released as a Halloween costume in 2062, the lore of the game tells us that this outfit was so popular that retailers had trouble keeping it in stock. This is probably why there is only one place left where you can find it.

To get this armor for yourself, you’ll have to start the Nuka World DLC and venture into the Nuka-Galaxy building inside the incredibly dangerous Galactic Zone.

Once you make it past the hordes of frustratingly dangerous robot enemies, this suit can be found on a mannequin at the end of the ride.

If you want to get a matching outfit for your companion, it is possible to do so since this outfit will respawn after completing either Power Play or Open Season.

Although the stats of this outfit aren’t going to keep you alive in many firefights, it does give a bonus to Charisma and the ability to breathe underwater.

Plus, it’s just hilarious to venture around the Commonwealth with you and your companion dressed as matching Nuka-Girls.

19. Trapper Armor

From one DLC to another, we have the Trapper Armor available from the Far Harbor DLC. This armor set screams “don’t screw with me,” with its rusty rebar spikes, padding made from old tires, and lobster cage helmet.

A low to mid-tier armor, this set can usually be found on the bodies of dead trappers dotted around the island of Far Harbor.

It is available in both standard and heavy armor forms, with the heavy version providing a higher level of damage and energy resistance.

While it definitely is a far cry from the sexy Nuka-Girl costume, if you’re going for a rugged raider-esque aesthetic worthy of the best post-apocalyptic games of all time, this armor set is one you’ll want to keep an eye out for.

18. Robot Armor

Hailing from the Automatron DLC, robot armor is some of the coolest looking in the game, and it is crafted entirely from pieces of destroyed robots.

Unlike the Trapper armor, this armor is available in standard, sturdy, and heavy varieties, which you can either pick up from dead Rust Devils or modify at an armor workbench.

At a workbench with Armorer Rank 2, Robot armor can have all its resistances fully upgraded, providing more protection than standard combat armor.

Although you will need Rank 4 of Armorer to upgrade everything on this armor fully, it can be worth doing if you want this armor to be able to take you through the mid-game.

17. Field Scribe Armor

Whether you’re roleplaying as a loyal Brotherhood of Steel member or just like the look of the uniform, the Field Scribe armor is tempting to pick up, and it can be a decent early game set.

Although it takes up all armor slots and only provides a base five damage resistance and ten energy and radiation resistance, it looks great and can be a solid choice if you’re interested in immersion while traversing one of the biggest open-world maps in video game history.

This armor can be found on the body of Scribe Faris at the Revere Satellite array, pickpocketed from scribes, or found by the boss in the Mass Bay Medical Center.

16. Raider Power Armor

Although most raiders you encounter in the Commonwealth will be sporting Raider harnesses, Raider leathers, and generic Raider armor pieces, some more powerful ones will be sporting complete sets of Raider power armor, making them formidable foes to go up against.

This power armor variant is the least powerful, but it can still pack a punch, especially in the early game.

As a full set, this armor can provide a base 500 damage resistance and 250 energy resistance, but this can be upgraded to a DR of 620 fairly cheaply.

In-game, this armor appears to resemble scrap metal that has been fitted over a power armor frame, giving it a rusty, ramshackle appearance. The torso looks like a modified T-45 chest piece, while the shoulders appear scavenged from a T-51 set.

If you’re building a character you plan to take through Nuka World to become king of the Raiders, this set of power armor is something you may want to try and capture early on to increase your immersion.

Sets can be found on raiders spawned in Lexington, across from Corvega, at Outpost Zimonja, the Roadside Pines Motel, and the top floor of the Massachusetts State House, among a few other places.

15. DC Guard Armor

As one of the best RPG PS4 games, Fallout 4 offers many ways for you to dress your character, especially if you want to roleplay as a member of a society or faction.

Created from the remnants of pre-war baseball gear, the DC Guard armor is a solid set that you can get relatively easily in the early game.

Consisting of an athletic outfit covered in umpire’s pads shoulder armor and topped with a guard helmet, this set provides decent ballistic damage resistance of 65 when complete and 43 energy resistance.

By far, the easiest way to get a set of this armor is by picking it up off the guards’ bodies you can find fighting super mutants on your way into Diamond City.

Many of these guards end up getting killed, making it an easy way to capture their gear without the risk of getting caught stealing or pickpocketing.

The one downside is that we kind of wish the faction armor system had been brought over from Fallout New Vegas since dressing up as a DC guard and having people recognize that would have been a nice touch.

14. Rescue Diver Suit

This armor set resembles an old Victorian diving suit, and it is one of the most unique armors in the game.

Although it only offers a 10 to energy and ballistic resistance, it makes up for it by providing 250 radiation resistance and water breathing.

Despite its heavy-looking appearance, it doesn’t hinder swimming at all and can be a great piece to wear when exploring shipwrecks and submerged areas around Far Harbor.

To get this armor set, you will definitely need to work for it, as it will only be awarded to you by Captain Avery after finishing The Changing Tide, a quest that requires you to complete the subquests Turn Back the Fog and The Hold Out to complete it.

13. Apocalypse Armor

This armor set consists of two distinct pieces; the Apocalypse left greave and Apocalypse chest plate.

The Apocalypse greave has 23 ballistic, 14 energy, and 10 rad resistance as its base stats. However, it also comes with the Blostering legendary effect, which grants the wearer increased damage and energy resistance the lower their health falls, up to +35.

The Chest plate comes with a similar beneficial legendary effect called Martyr’s, which slows down time in combat whenever the wearer’s health falls below 20%.

Each armor piece is worth picking up if you can, though they cost nearly 3000 caps each. The chest piece can be bought from The Scribe, who appears as a random encounter and can be recruited as a settler once your population cap reaches 10.

You will need to assign him to a weapons shop in your settlement to be able to buy this piece.

That said, if you have Automatron installed, the Scribe can become a very rare encounter, as, after a certain level, his spawn locations will be largely replaced with Rust Devils.

The left greave is much easier to acquire, and it can be bought from the Vault-Tec rep after recruiting him and assigning him as a general trader.

12. Metal Armor

Metal armor sets have been used throughout the Fallout franchise, and in Fallout 4, metal pieces can be found in many variations.

There are six different metal armor pieces, a chest piece, two arm pieces, two leg pieces, and a helmet, which players can find to fill all of their armor slots.

However, some outfits may take up some or all armor slots, making the whole set only equipable when wearing clothes that allow it, such as the vault suit, road leathers, or undershirt and jeans.

This type of armor comes in three variations; standard, sturdy, and heavy, each with increasing resistances. As a whole, metal armor offers the best damage resistance at the cost of energy and rad resistance.

Getting your hands on metal armor is relatively easy, as many of the raiders in the Commonwealth will be wearing metal pieces, and whatever you pick up can always be modified at an armor bench if you have the right Armorer ranks.

Of course, you can also download some of the best Fallout 4 mods, like Armorsmith Extended, to get even more out of your metal armor set.

11. Combat Armor

A combat armor set is one of the most balanced sets that you can get in the game, and it received a complete appearance overhaul when compared to sets from early games.

Once standard issue for pre-war military personnel, these armor pieces provide equal amounts of ballistic and energy resistance, up to 101 in the heavy variation.

Considered tier 3, this is some of the best armor you can equip in the mid to end game stages.

If you take the relevant Armorer perks, you can really make this armor set stand out by changing the material and adding other benefits such as improved carry capacity, additional radiation protection, increased chem duration, and more.

Combat armor is usually found on higher-level enemies, especially Gunners, but Proctor Teagan will sell a full set of Brotherhood combat armor on the Prydwen, as will Arturo in Diamond City and KL-E-0 in Goodneighbor if you are a high level.

10. Grognak Costume

If you’re playing as a character specializing in melee weapons, Grognak’s costume is something you will want to try and grab as soon as possible.

With a damage resistance of 10 and an energy and rad resistance of 15, this armor piece may not be the best in terms of protection; however, it makes up for this by adding +2 strength and a 25% damage bonus with melee weapons.

This is a significant boost that can definitely help make you a force to be reckoned with in the Commonwealth.

This piece can also be used with leg and shoulder pieces to boost protection and effectiveness further.

You can find this costume on the top floor of Hubris Comics, right next to the ladder leading to the roof.

If you really want to roleplay as Grognak the Barbarian, you can even pair this outfit with Grognak’s Axe, a special melee weapon that can also be found in the comic shop in an advanced locked display case.

9. Mechanist’s Armor

One reason that Fallout remains one of the best open-world PS4 games is the way it slips in clever callbacks and Easter eggs from past games.

Taking its inspiration from the Fallout 3 Mechanist, a character encountered in Canterbury Commons, this armor set is introduced with the Automatron DLC, and it is acquired by completing the main questline.

With a damage and energy resistance base stat of 72, the Mechanist’s armor also increases endurance by one and reduces all damage taken from robots by 15%.

If you also equip the helmet, damage and energy resistance are further raised by 13, while both charisma and intelligence are boosted by 1.

While this may not be wholly impressive upfront, this armor set can be altered with ballistic weave, bringing the total damage and energy resistance to 182 each, up to 195 with the helmet equipped.

This gives it the highest damage and energy resistance of any outfit in the game, aside from power armor.

8. Synth Armor

While metal is the best armor for ballistic damage resistance, synth armor is the best for energy resistance.

Synth armor can be found in the usual standard, sturdy, and heavy varieties, with a full heavy armor, set granting the wearer 120 energy resistance and 103 damage resistance.

All of these pieces can be upgraded and improved at an armor workbench, giving them additional beneficial modifications like lead-lining, cushioning, or strengthening, to boost rad resistance or reduce fall and limb damage, respectively.

The most reliable source of synth armor is the Gen 1 and 2 synth soldiers that you find dotted around the Commonwealth, most commonly at the Mahkra Fishpacking plant and University Point.

However, you can also encounter them during the main quest in Fort Hagen or while helping the Brotherhood at ArchJet.

7. Silver Shroud Costume

The Silver Shroud costume is one of the most unique-looking items in Fallout 4, and it really makes you feel like a noir superhero while wearing it.

When you first pick it up at Hubris Comics — the same place you can get Grognak’s costume — it will have pretty poor stats, but thankfully, Kent Connolly in the Memory Den can fix it up for you.

This will kick off the quest, The Silver Shroud, after which the costume can be further improved by Kent, depending on your level.

For example, if you choose to wait until your character is level 45, you can have the costume upgraded fully, giving it an 87 in damage and energy resistance, as well as a +1 boost to agility and perception.

This is in addition to its Assassin’s legendary effect, which reduces damage taken from humans by 15%.

Once completely upgraded, this outfit comes in second only to the MK V Railroad heavy armor in terms of damage resistance.

A fun quirk of this armor is that it also unlocks special dialogue with characters during the Silver Shroud quest, but also during a random encounter with a character called Manta Man and with the Mechanist during the Automatron DLC.

Honestly, it’s worth keeping this armor handy just for these hilarious interactions.

6. Freefall Legs

If you have ever misjudged how far a drop is and accidentally killed yourself, you’re not alone. Thankfully, the creators of Fallout 4 added in this unique armor item to help those of us who are tired of falling to our deaths — though it is tough to get.

Located in a safe near the top of the Mass Fusion building, this armor was created before the war by an intern. While he planned to show off his invention at the company’s Christmas party when the bombs dropped in October, he became trapped in his highrise office, and his skeleton can still be found next to the safe.

Because it is near the top of the highest building in the game, the Freefall legs armor pieces are tough to get unless you have a jetpack or use glitches.

However, if you do manage to nab this leg armor, it acts the same as combat armor leg pieces, but with the added benefit of negating all fall damage when both are equipped.

5. Ballistic Weave Armor

Although Fallout 4 is one of the best Xbox One games to play right now, there is still a lot that many fans end up missing in their initial playthroughs, ballistic weave being one of them.

Ballistic weave is a modification that can be added to many different clothing pieces, and it can only be gained from Tinker Tom after performing several sidequests for the Railroad.

Because it is locked behind these quests, many people end up missing it their first time around if they don’t side with this faction.

Ballistic weave can be upgraded to MKV for a max damage and energy resistance of 110 each.

When applied to clothing that allows you to equip additional armor pieces, you can create some of the strongest combinations in the game since you can mix and match armor that may have legendary effects.

4. T-60 Power Armor

T-60 power armor was originally used by the U.S Army after the Battle of Anchorage, Alaska. In post-war America, the Brotherhood of Steel utilizes this armor, and it is one of the most recognizable pieces in the game.

A full set of T-60 model A power armor starts with 900 ballistic, 645 energy, and 1050 radiation resistance, along with a 990 boost to HP.

If all pieces are upgraded to model F, the resistances grow exponentially to 1580 ballistic, 1245 energy, and 1050 radiation resistance, with a 1665 boost to HP.

T-60 power armor can be some of the strongest in the game when upgraded, and that’s not even including the other modifications such as jetpacks, paint jobs, stealth fields, Tesla coils, and more.

The easiest way to get this armor for yourself is by joining the Brotherhood of Steel, where four sets can be found on the Prydwen or purchased from Proctor Teagan.

You can also sometimes buy pieces from Rowdy at the Atom Cats garage, complete with their custom paint.

3. Marine Assault Armor

Taking the number three spot is one seriously awesome-looking set from Far Harbor. The Marine armor is an advanced armor version worn by marines on the USS Democracy, and it is second only to power armor in terms of overall protection.

Offering the highest ballistic and energy damage resistance of any standard armor in Fallout 4, if you collect it after the quest Best Left Forgotten, it will be completely maxed out at 159 ballistic, 158 energy, and 60 rad resistance.

While its radiation damage protection isn’t necessarily its strong suit, especially given how much radiation is in the Far Harbor DLC, marine armor will definitely keep you safe from ballistic and energy weapons.

Another great thing about this armor is that it can be modified into different variations at an armor workbench. For instance, the Assault armor can be turned into the Zealot’s marine armor so long as your character has the Armorer and Science perks.

2. Destroyer’s Armor

The Destroyer’s armor set is a unique variant of combat armor that boasts various legendary effects on each piece.

For example, the chest reduces damage from humans by 15%, the right and left leg pieces increase movement speed by 10%, the left arm piece reduces damage while sprinting or blocking, and the helmet boosts charisma and intelligence by 1.

When worn together, this armor set can be incredibly helpful in terms of protection and effects.

This armor can easily be extremely useful, even toward the end game, and it is entirely one of a kind, only available through merchants.

Daisy in Goodneighbor sells the chest piece and left leg, Alexis in Vault 81 sells the right leg, Deb at Bunker Hill sells the left arm, and Penny in Covenant sells the helmet.

Keep in mind that if you want the helmet, you should purchase it before completing the quest Human Error, as the town of Covenant will be hostile afterward, making it impossible to buy.

1. X-01 Power Armor

X-01 power armor provides the highest defense and protection out of all power armor varieties. A full armor set of MKVI X-01 maxes out with an astounding 1820 ballistic, 1390 energy, and 1050 rad resistance, along with 1935 extra HP.

Introduced in Fallout 4, game lore tells us that this armor was created just before the bombs fell by scientists in Nuka World working as part of a cooperative project with the U.S. Military.

X-01 is one of the rarest types of armor, as it is level-dependent for many of its spawns. There are exceptions, however, such as a set that can be stolen from Proctor Teagan’s shop that is locked behind a Master-level door.

If you are at a high enough level — usually level 28 — before entering certain locations, there is a chance that X-01 armor can spawn, such as in the Nuka-World power plant, outside of the Federal Surveillance Center K-12B, or in a tunnel during the Big Dig quest guarded by a mirelurk king.

A unique armor variant called the Quantum X-01 power armor can be found in Starport Nuka during the Nuka World DLC, which can only be acquired after obtaining all 35-star cores.

If you want your Sole Survivor to be the biggest badass in the Commonwealth, capable of knocking out even the toughest video game bosses of all time, stomping around in a full set of X-01 is a sure-fire way to do it.

Summary

Fallout 4 is a beautiful game, and the Fallout universe is one of the richest and most fleshed out in gaming history.

It is also full of unique items to help your character make the most of the post-apocalyptic world.

These 20 armors are some of the best in both the base version of the game and the DLC add-ons.

If you want your character to have the most protection possible while looking their post-apocalyptic best, you’ll want to keep an eye out for each of these unique armors.

While war may never change, the armor options in the games do. So, before you get outclassed by a ragtag band of raiders, keep in mind where you can find the best armor for your next character build.

Here’s a quick recap of the 20 best Fallout 4 armor sets:

1. X-01 Power Armor
2. Destroyer’s Armor
3. Marine Assault Armor
4. T-60 Power Armor
5. Ballistic Weave Armor
6. Freefall Legs
7. Silver Shroud Costume
8. Synth Armor
9. Mechanist’s Armor
10. Grognak Costume
11. Combat Armor
12. Metal Armor
13. Apocalypse Armor
14. Rescue Diver Suit
15. DC Guard Armor
16. Raider Power Armor
17. Field Scribe Armor
18. Robot Armor
19. Trapper Armor
20. Nuka-Girl Space Suit

What’s the best Fallout 4 armor set, in your opinion? Leave a comment below.