Summary
TheDark Soulsseries are landmark games that offer ahuge amount of replayability. Throughout the series, players are given a myriad of choices, from which weapon to use, which shield, and, of course, which armor to dress their character in.
Dark Souls 3is no exception, with some of the best-looking armor sets in the series being featured here. Players can choose their look purely for the fashion or to match a specific build they’re working on. For players looking to become a walking tank,a higher poise buildwill allow them to withstand more attacks before their character is staggered. Raising thepoise statrequires stronger armor.
Updated on August 02, 2025, by Andy Chapman:With the release of Elden Ring’s massive DLC,Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware is back in the spotlight. Shadow of the Erdtree comes with a new map, new characters, and new challenging boss fights. In addition, this recent attention brings further interest to older titles, with many Elden Ring players discovering the landmark series Dark Souls. Before Elden Ring, for many, Dark Souls 3 was the pinnacle of FromSoftware’s Soulsborne series. Its fluid combat, stunning design, and vast customizable options made it a favorite for many. As such, this article has been updated to include additional armor sets that offerstrong poisefor players.
18Sunset Set
Armor Set Poise Stat: 27.06
The Sunset Armor Set offers decent poise protection as one of the lightest heavy sets inDark Souls 3. Many players may miss this armor altogether, as it is only unlocked at the end of Sirris’ questline. Worn by Holy Knight Hodrick, who is the leader of the Mound-Makers Covenant, the character invades the player near the Dilapidated Bridge Bonfire. He can also be summoned to aid in the Crucifixion Woods area.
Only after completing Sirris’ questline and helping her defeat Holy Knight Hodrick in the Pit of Hollows will the player be rewarded with this armor set. In addition to its lower weight, the Sunset Set offers good protection from slash attacks, as well as resistance to bleed and poison.
17Harald Legion Armor
Armor Set’s Poise Stat: 31.28
One of the most memorable armor sets inDark Souls 3is the Harald Legion Armor. The set only includes the armor, gauntlets, and leggings but offers a huge amount of protection against physical attacks. This rotund armor offers decent poise, far beyond most of the armor sets in the game.
The Harald Legion Armor pieces can only be found in theRinged CityDLC forDark Souls 3and are dropped by Harald Legion Knights.These enemies can be toughif taken on directly but are very weak against plunging attacks.
16Drakeblood Set
Armor Set Poise Stat: 31.59
Drakeblood Knights first appear in theDark Souls 2DLC,Crown of the Sunken King. InDark Souls 3,they make a small return in Archdragon Peak. Once players have reached the Dragon-Kin Mausoleum Bonfire, a Man-Serpent Summoner will spawn Drakeblood Knights to attack.
Once players have killed the summoned Drakeblood Knight and the Man-Serpant who spawned him, the armor set will be unlocked. However, finding this set is not immediately straightforward. Players must return to the Consumed King’s Garden, where they found the Path of the Dragon gesture. The armor will be waiting in the same place. It is a classic knight-style set, with ornate depictions of dragons decorating the armor. It is strong against slash damage and resistant to bleed.
15Dragonslayer Set
Armor Set Poise Stat: 34.30
The Dragonslayer set is an iconic armor seen throughout theDark Soulsseries. Long-time players will recognize it from the originalDark Souls, seen during theOrnstein and Smough boss fightin Anor Londo.
This ornate armor offers good defense against slash and thrust attacks and decent poise protection, but it is also quite heavy. While there are better armors for strength builds in the game, few other sets are as iconic to the series as this. Players will find Ornstein’s armor after defeating the Nameless King at the end of the area.
14Silver Knight Set
Armor Set Poise Stat: 36.08
The Silver Knight Set is the iconic armor of the Silver Knights, the elite warriors of Gwyn. In the firstDark Soulsgame, they are found patrolling Anor Londo and are notoriously tough opponents. InDark Souls 3, they are found in both Irithyll of the Boreal Valley and in Anor Londo, still protecting the same area.
Anor Londo is one of thebest Soul farming spotsin the game, with two Silver Knights close to the bonfire. In addition to dropped Souls, they can also be farmed for the Silver Knight Armor Set.
13Lothric Knight Armor
Armor Set’s Poise Stat: 37.70
Some of the toughest early-game enemies players will face inDark Souls 3are the Lothric Knights. Found in The High Wall of Lothric area, Lothric Castle, The Grand Archives, and The Dreg Heap in theRinged CityDLC, killing these enemies gives players the chance to acquire the Lothric Knight Armor set.
This classic-looking set allows players to look like ancient knights of myth and offers great protection as well. As an early-game armor, this set offers a significant poise increase that will helpprotect players against tougher enemies.
12Millwood Knight Armor
Armor Set Poise Stat: 38.12
Players will first encounter this armor worn by the Millwood Knights intheAshes of AriandelDLC. They are some of the toughest common enemies in the region and are said to worship the earth and nature.
Players will be able to acquire this armor set in the DLC by finding the Captain’s Ashes. This is located at the top of a tower, guarded by several Millwood Nights. The armor set gives good resistance against frost buildup but is weaker to poison. The armor is distinct and reminiscent of ancient Viking armor in style. It is not the heaviest but will require some leveling in vitality to avoid fat rolling.
11Morne’s Armor
Armor Set Poise Stat: 38.91
This unique set of armor is first encountered in the Undead Settlement, worn by the Knight Eygon of Carim, who is the sworn protector of Irina of Carim, who sells the player miracles. The questline for these characters, like many in the game, can be tragic. If the player decides tofollow a dark pathand gives Irina two specific tomes, she will start to feel the effects of the dark and will be taken by Eygon to safety.
The player will be able to retrieve Irina but will have to go through Eygon first. Morne’s Armor is a distinct set, with the most notable part being the helmet. The in-game description states that the armor was modeled after the archbishop’s Apostle, Morne, and was created from a unique mineral.
10Lapp’s Armor
Armor Set’s Poise Stat: 39.11
Another armor set that is found only through theRinged CityDLC, Lapp’s armor is a heavy set that offers some of thebest physical protection in the game. As one of the lighter of the heavy armor sets, this set can be used for players looking at medium to heavy builds.
The armor is acquired aftercompleting Lapp’s questlinein the Ringed City or through the Handmaiden if Lapp is killed. The armor is a very late-game addition to a player’s inventory but is an ideal choice for an NG+ playthrough.
9Black Iron Armor
Armor Set Poise Stat: 39.49
Another legacy armor set, worn by Black Iron Tarkus in the firstDark Soulsgame, the Black Iron armor isan effective choice for tank builds. This reasonably heavy armor set will require some leveling in vitality for players to move effectively. It gives excellent resistance against bleed build-up and good resistance to frost.
Dark Souls 3players will be able to acquire this armor after defeating Knight Slayer Tsorig, who can be found in the Smouldering Lake region.This NPC is one of the tougher fightsof its kind, with Tsorig using the Fume Ultra Greatsword, first seen being wielded by Fume Knight inDark Souls 2.
