Heavy Armor (Oblivion)

For other uses, see Heavy Armor.

The Heavy Armor skill grants the Hero effective use of heavy armor, which generally is heavier, more durable, and provides better protection than light armor.

Governing attribute: Endurance

Skill levels

Novice (0–24): Heavy Armor degrades at 150% rate.
Apprentice (25–49): Heavy Armor degrades at 100% (normal rate).

"Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As a Journeyman of Heavy Armor, your plate mail is no longer damaged as swiftly from combat."

―Journeyman Level

Journeyman (50–74): Heavy Armor degrades at 50% rate.
Expert (75–99): Encumbrance (movement speed) penalty of Heavy Armor is reduced by 50% while worn.
Master (100): Encumbrance (movement speed) penalty of Heavy Armor is removed while worn.

Heavy Armor trainers

Refer to the Trainers page.

Books that permanently increase the Heavy Armor skill

Leveling text

Apprentice-level text: Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As an Apprentice of Heavy Armor, your plate mail is no longer damaged as swiftly from combat.

Journeyman-level text: Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As a Journeyman of Heavy Armor, your plate mail is no longer damaged as swiftly from combat.

Expert-level text: Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As an Expert of Heavy Armor, your plate mail no longer encumbers you as much when you are running or swimming.

Master-level text: Days and weeks of constant use make wearing heavy armor tolerable, but not comfortable. You have learned to adapt to its weight and use it in combat. As a Master of Heavy Armor, your plate mail no longer encumbers you at all when you are running or swimming.

Character dialogue

Once one's Heavy Armor skill level reaches 70 or higher, characters will say: "You look like someone who's comfortable in heavy armor."

Usefulness

Heavy Armor helps raise one's Endurance, which in turn raises their maximum health. Heavy Armor provides the most protection in the game. At the start of the game, Heavy Armor can heavily encumber a player, but once they get the skill perks all that goes away. Heavy Armor is just one of the three Endurance boosting skills which go great together.

Training

One way to speed level one's Heavy Armor skill is to gather a group of low level enemies, such as rats or mudcrabs, adjust the difficulty slider to the lowest possible, and observe while the creatures attack them. Rats don't wield weapons so they don't have the problems caused by characters weapons breaking, four rats can be found in Arvena Thelas's house in Anvil.

Bandit archers are also convenient when they are forced into close combat. While they do not cause much damage, their high rate of attack lets the Heavy Armor skill level very quickly. In either case it is advisable to have a few potions of healing on hand to restore oneself. While one's armor will become damaged and eventually destroyed, they will continue to gain skill points as long as they let them attack.

As mentioned in the article about light armor, one can travel to Hackdirt and enter the underground caverns through any of the houses and there will be 5 men with clubs who attack on sight. If one cannot find Hackdirt then go to the Imperial City Arena, battle through to the end and then fight the animals as the champion. Another good place to train is Derelict Mine tunnels (the area with the goblin war chief). One could have as many as 10 or more goblins attacking them at once. But make sure to kill the goblin archers and take their bows, since they will end up killing the other goblins.

Appearances