Dark Souls 3 offers its players several weapons and armors. Different types of armor sets have different uses depending on a number of things such as elemental defence, weight, physical defence, poise et cetera. Today we will be going over the best heavy armor Sets in Dark souls 3 Heavy Armour sets are usually high in physical attack absorption and weigh a lot. While you are here, consider checking out Dark Souls 3 Best Shield, Dark Souls 3 Katana Build, and Dark Souls 3 Dex Weapons.
Key Takeaways
- Defense is a key factor when playing Dark Souls 3 and Heavy Armor Sets provide defensive advantages. They absorb physical attacks efficiently.
- To cope with the heavyweight issues of Heavy Armor Sets, it is recommended to have high endurance, high vitality, and Havel’s Ring.
- Gundyr’s Set is excellent against bleed damage. It can be bought by trading the soul of Campion Gundyr to the Fire Keeper. It’s very good-looking and weighs 40.
- Dragonslayer Set is relatively lightweight and offers physical as well as elemental damage. You can acquire it by defeating the Nameless King.
- Havel’s Set is one of the heaviest on the list. It weighs 57 and owns brilliant attack absorption ability. You can get it by defeating Havel and then going to Old Wolf in Farron Keep.
- Black Iron Set is good in resisting Bleed and Frost damage. After defeating the Knightslayer Tsorig, you can buy it from Firelink Shrine’s handmaiden.
- Iron Dragonslayer Set lacks defense against bleed but offers good physical attack resistance. It is obtained by defeating Iron Dragonslayer in the Ringed City.
- Catarina Set is the one with the highest physical defense. It weighs 40 points. It can either be purchased for 15000 souls or acquired on Seigward’s death.
Here is a comparison table for the best Heavy Armor Sets in Dark Souls 3. You can easily sort the stats with the highest and lowest values to determine the best one for you:
| No. | Armor | Armor Type | Physical Resistance | Regular Defense | Strike Defense | Slash Defense | Thrust Defense | Magic Defense | Fire Defense | Lightning Defense | Dark Defense | Bleed Resistance | Poison Resistance | Frost Resistance | Curse Resistance | Poise | Icon Durability | Icon weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gundyr’s set | Chest Armor | 16.9 | 0.0 | 14.1 | 19.7 | 16.2 | 13.2 | 13.7 | 13.0 | 13.2 | 86.0 | 6.02 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 24.6 | 470.0 | 17.2 |
| 2 | Dragonslayer Set | Chest Armor | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.6 | 12.7 | 17.0 | 17.0 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 10.7 | 64 | 40.0 | 43 | 36 | 13.8 | 19.1 |
| 3 | Havel’s Set | Chest Armor | 0.0 | 0.0 | 92.0 | 78.2 | 105.8 | 92.0 | 54.0 | 49.0 | 0.0 | 45.0 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 22.0 | 47.0 | 0.0 | 19.5 |
| 4 | Black Iron Set | Chest Armor | 27.0 | 0.0 | 64.6 | 78.2 | 68.0 | 30.0 | 51.0 | 21.0 | 0.0 | 43.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 13.0 | 31.0 | 0.0 | 15..6 |
| 5 | Iron Dragonslayer Set | Chest Armor | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.7 | 11.6 | 16.5 | 17.2 | 9.9 | 11.6 | 0.0 | 13.8 | 13.2 | 0.0 | 60.0 | 29.0 | 14.8 | 20.1 |
| 6 | Catarina Set | Chest Armor | 0.0 | 57.0 | 56.4 | 65.5 | 57.0 | 31.0 | 37.0 | 19.0 | 0.0 | 34.0 | 24.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 21.0 | 0.0 | 11.7 |
Dark Souls 3 Best Heavy Armor Sets
We recommend a high endurance and vitality level along with Havel’s ring for a heavy armor build. All this increases load capacity, which means you do not fat-roll when equipped with a heavy armor set. We also recommend a high strength level for nothing complements a menacing armor quite like a greatsword, particularly for fashion souls content.
Gundyr’s set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | 5.9 | 16.9 | 4.4 | 9.0 |
| Strike Defense | 4.8 | 14.1 | 3.6 | 7.5 |
| Slash Defense | 7.0 | 19.7 | 5.1 | 10.7 |
| Thrust Defense | 5.6 | 16.2 | 4.1 | 8.6 |
| Magic Defense | 4.4 | 13.2 | 3.4 | 7.1 |
| Fire Defense | 4.6 | 13.7 | 3.5 | 7.4 |
| Lightning Defense | 4.4 | 13..0 | 3.4 | 7.0 |
| Dark Defense | 4.4 | 13.2 | 3.4 | 7.1 |
| Bleed Resistance | 35 | 86 | 29 | 48 |
| Poison Resistance | 25 | 62 | 21 | 36 |
| Frost Resistance | 25 | 62 | 21 | 36 |
| Curse Resistance | 25 | 62 | 21 | 36 |
| Poise | 8.3 | 24.6 | 6.0 | 14.4 |
| Icon Durability | 470 | 470 | 470 | 460 |
| Icon weight | 7.2 | 17.2 | 5.8 | 9.8 |
The armor worn by the Champion Gundyr himself. This armor is arguably Dark Souls 3’s best-looking heavy armor and has excellent stats. To acquire this armor, you have to beat Champion Gundyr and then buy the set by giving his soul to the fire keeper.
Gundry is located in Untended graves, the optional area you can go to right after beating Oceiros. Besides being very good at looking like a heavy armor set, the Gundyr set offers decent and well-rounded protection against physical attacks. It also has high resistance against bleed, making it especially effective against dex users in PVP encounters. The armor set weighs 40 and has a poise of 44.
Dragonslayer Set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | - | - | - | - |
| Strike Defense | 5.0 | 15.6 | 3.7 | 8.1 |
| Slash Defense | 4.0 | 12.7 | 3.0 | 6.5 |
| Thrust Defense | 5.5 | 17.0 | 4.1 | 8.9 |
| Magic Defense | 5.5 | 17.0 | 4.1 | 8.9 |
| Fire Defense | 3.7 | 12.9 | 3.3 | 6.3 |
| Lightning Defense | 4.1 | 13.8 | 3.7 | 6.9 |
| Dark Defense | 4.1 | 13.8 | 3.7 | 6.9 |
| Bleed Resistance | 2.9 | 10.7 | 2.6 | 4.9 |
| Poison Resistance | 28 | 64 | 21 | 38 |
| Frost Resistance | 18 | 40 | 13 | 23 |
| Curse Resistance | 18 | 43 | 14 | 24 |
| Poise | 16 | 36 | 12 | 21 |
| Icon Durability | 5.6 | 13.8 | 4.1 | 8.1 |
| Icon weight | 5.5 | 19.1 | 4.2 | 10.3 |
The Dragonslayer set, once worn by the legendary dragonslayer Ornstein. You have to beat the Nameless King to acquire this set and that alone says enough about the value this iconic armor holds. The Dragonslayer set is one of the coolest looking heavy armors in Dark Souls 3. The Dragonslayer set is also great when combined with different sets. One such example is the Guts Build. This set offers well-rounded defense, both physical and elemental, especially when considering its relatively light weight.
Havel’s Set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | - | - | - | - |
| Regular Defense | 36.0 | 92.0 | 54.0 | 54.0 |
| Strike Defense | 30.6 | 78.2 | 45.9 | 45.9 |
| Slash Defense | 41.4 | 105.8 | 62.1 | 62.1 |
| Thrust Defense | 36.0 | 92.0 | 54.0 | 54.0 |
| Magic Defense | 22.0 | 56.0 | 32.0 | 32.0 |
| Fire Defense | 22.0 | 54.0 | 32.0 | 32.0 |
| Lightning Defense | 18.0 | 49.0 | 29.0 | 29.0 |
| Bleed Resistance | 18.0 | 45.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 |
| Poison Resistance | 4.0 | 11.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Curse Resistance | 9.0 | 22.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Poise | 18.0 | 47.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 |
| Weight | 7.5 | 19.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 |
No list of Dark Souls heavy armors is complete without the legendary Havel armor. Appearing in every installment of the Dark Souls series, the Havel set has been known for its high point and heavy weight for years. The armors weight is justified by the way it looks and that it belonged to Havel, one of Lord Gwyn’s greatest knights. To get this set, you first have to beat Havel in Archdragon peak, he is located near the corpse of the dead dragon. After beating Havel, head to the Old Wolf of Farron bonfire in Farron keep.
Climb the stairs up to where the stray demon is located and you will find the set dropped there. This set has a hefty weight of 57, although I wouldn’t expect anything less from an armor set made from a giant boulder. The armor offers a very high poise level of 50 and has high resistance levels. The physical absorption of this set is underwhelming but the fashion souls aspect more than makes up for that.
Black Iron Set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | - | - | - | - |
| Regular Defense | 27.0 | 68.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| Strike Defense | 25.7 | 64.6 | 38.0 | 38.0 |
| Slash Defense | 31.1 | 78.2 | 46.0 | 46.0 |
| Thrust Defense | 27.0 | 68.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| Magic Defense | 11.0 | 30.0 | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Fire Defense | 19.0 | 51.0 | 30.0 | 30.0 |
| Lightning Defense | 8.0 | 21.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Bleed Resistance | 17.0 | 43.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 |
| Poison Resistance | 10.0 | 25.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Curse Resistance | 5.0 | 13.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Poise | 12.0 | 31.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Weight | 6.0 | 15.6 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
The armor of Knightslayer Tsorig. The Black Iron set maintains a raw, imposing vibe rivaled only by the Gundyr set. You can purchase the Black Iron set from the Firelink shrine‘s handmaiden after you beat the Knightslayer Tsorig in the smoldering lake. The armour set offers decent protection against physical attacks and has high resistance against bleed and frost. Although its stats may make it seem like an underwhelming set, especially given its heavy weight, it more than makes up for that by how it looks.
Iron Dragonslayer Set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | - | - | - | - |
| Strike Defense | 6.1 | 15.7 | 3.7 | 9.5 |
| Slash Defense | 4.5 | 11.6 | 2.6 | 7.1 |
| Thrust Defense | 6.4 | 16.5 | 3.9 | 9.9 |
| Magic Defense | 6.6 | 17.2 | 4.1 | 10.4 |
| Fire Defense | 3.9 | 9.9 | 2.2 | 6.1 |
| Lightning Defense | 4.5 | 11.6 | 2.6 | 7.1 |
| Dark Defense | 5.3 | 13.8 | 3.2 | 8.4 |
| Bleed Resistance | 5.1 | 13.2 | 3.0 | 8.0 |
| Poison Resistance | 33 | 81 | 26 | 48 |
| Frost Resistance | 22 | 54 | 17 | 32 |
| Curse Resistance | 24 | 60 | 19 | 35 |
| Poise | 11 | 29 | 8 | 16 |
| Icon Durability | 6.3 | 14.8 | 5.1 | 9.5 |
| Icon weight | 7.0 | 20.1 | 4.8 | 12.5 |
Ever since the game’s release, Dark Souls 3 fans have been conflicted over the difficulty of the Dragonslayer armour boss fight. One area where all agreed, however, was over how good the armor set looks. This was one of those fights where the armor alone made the player be wary of what was to come.
The ringed city DLC allowed Dark Souls 3 players to access this armour. You can pick this armour up after beating the Iron Dragonslayer located in the ringed city. The armor has good physical defence and relatively high resistances except for bleed. This armour certainly speaks ‘heavy armor’ more so than most heavy armors in the game.
Catarina Set
| STATS | Helm | Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Type | Helms | Chest Armor | Gauntlets | Leggings |
| Physical Resistance | - | - | - | - |
| Regular Defense | 22.0 | 57.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 |
| Strike Defense | 21.8 | 56.4 | 33.7 | 33.7 |
| Slash Defense | 25.3 | 65.5 | 39.1 | 39.1 |
| Thrust Defense | 22.0 | 57.0 | 34.0 | 34.0 |
| Magic Defense | 12.0 | 31.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Fire Defense | 13.0 | 37.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 |
| Lightning Defense | 7.0 | 19.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Bleed Resistance | 13.0 | 34.0 | 21.0 | 21.0 |
| Poison Resistance | 9.0 | 24.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Curse Resistance | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Poise | 8.0 | 21.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Weight | 4.5 | 11.7 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
How could we conclude this list without mentioning the iconic Catarina set. You can purchase this set from Patches for 15000 souls after progressing further into the game or have Seigward drop it upon his death after you play through his questline. This set has some of the highest physical defence amongst all heavy armor sets and has really high resistance all round except curse. It also happens to be one of the heaviest armors in this list, taking up almost 40 weight points.
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