Best Armor Sets In Fallout 4

Surviving Fallout 4‘s post-nuclear wasteland has quite a few requirements. Medical supplies, a trusty firearm or two, ammunition for said firearms, and – of course – a few good layers of armor to put between the survivor and the various claws, energy blasts, bullets, and otherwise harmful objects are must-haves. Of course, the operative term here is “good.”

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Not every scrap of armor is made equal in the apocalyptic ruins of post-war America. And with so many options, a little advice can go a long way when it comes to making a selection. To that end, here are the best sets of armor that players can get in Fallout 4.

Updated November 10, 2025 by Marc Santos: While the list already covers the majority of the absolute best armors in Fallout 4, it would be a shame not to include the X-02 Power Armor set that was released along with the game’s Next-Gen Update. This suit is the definition of cutting edge, featuring a sleek design and slightly better stats than the X-01 and other older Power Armor designs. We’ve updated this list to include the X-02, including a preview of its stats and what makes it worth using over the rest of the Power Armor sets.

25

Mantis Armor

Sold By The Traveling Caravan Merchant Lucas Miller

While there are stock armor sets that players will get while exploring the world at their own pace, the Sole Survivor can also be treated to a host of unique armor pieces that can be pretty great to use in their own right. One such set that only features two pieces is the Mantis Armor, which can be bought from a traveling merchant called Lucas Miller as players make their way through the Commonwealth.

The left arm gives players a small chance of disarming enemies upon hitting them, while the left leg gives a minor boost to the Sole Survivor’s Perception and Agility. The Mantis Armor may not be the strongest piece of equipment that players can use, but it’s a good armor set to have in the early game if players want to enjoy some decent benefits before moving on to bigger and better things.

Since there are only two pieces to this set, players can use pieces from other sets to create a full set of armor. While this armor isn’t great for the late stages of the game, when used with other pieces like the Apocalypse torso, it can be a surprisingly useful set.

24

Protector’s Armor

Sold By Arturo Rodriguez In Diamond City

Fallout 4 can be pretty challenging early on, with enemies hitting like a truck and forcing the Sole Survivor to either run for the hills or cheese the enemy AI to get past these encounters by the skin of their teeth. While these strategies can be fun to employ early on, it does get grating after a point to struggle against these basic enemies over and over again without any respite.

Players who have reached Diamond City and are struggling should head to the market and find a man named Arturo Rodriguez, who sells the Protector’s armor set. While it only consists of a left and right arm, the low weight coupled with the reduced damage from humans and Super Mutants makes it worth checking out for those who are genuinely struggling in combat.

While the left arm is quite niche, it can be very useful for those areas that are populated by Super Mutants. As for the right arm, human enemies are more common, so having an armor piece that reduces the amount of damage the player receives from human enemies can be very useful.

23

Wastelander’s Armor

Sold By Myrna, Percy, & Lucas Miller

Regardless of what kind of armor players find in Fallout 4, there’s no denying that wearing leather armor isn’t a sound strategy in the long run. After a while, gamers are bound to move on to better armor pieces that do a better job of protecting them from the many threats that stand in their way.

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Still, that doesn’t mean that unique armor pieces like the Wastelander’s Armor don’t bring anything great to the table. The two pieces boost the Sole Survivor’s stats and reduce the damage incurred from Super Mutants, which are simple yet great boons that can help players out early on before they progress further into the game.

Something that is worth keeping in mind is that armor boosts from different sets stack. So, if the player is using both the Wastelander’s right leg and the Protector’s right arm, then they will receive a 30% reduction in the amount of damage they receive from Super Mutants instead of the 15% for a single piece.

22

Champion Armor

Sold By Becky Fallon & Lucas Miller

Metal Armor is a perfect mid-game set that players can use to go through the bulk of the game without facing too many problems. Still, using the boring regular variant of metal armor isn’t exactly the most stimulating way to go through a title that stretches on for hours on end. After a point, the same boring look for the Sole Survivor can get grating.

Thankfully, there are ways for players to curb this boredom. For starters, players can find unique variants of Metal Armor that come with a set of buffs to make things easier. This set, called the Champion Armor, can buff a player’s stats while reducing the damage they incur from robots. Given the prevalence of this enemy type in Fallout 4, it’s easy to assume that players will be more than happy to make the most of the Champion Armor if they get their hands on the set.

Usually Dropped As Random Loot By Raiders

The inclusion of Metal Armor on this list might be quite puzzling for some since this armor is commonplace and can be found pretty easily after the player gains a few levels and starts battling tougher human enemies or looting containers in high-level areas. However, this doesn’t negate the fact that players who get a piece of this armor for the first time will still be wowed by its high rating.

A full set of Metal Armor early in the game is a great way to bolster the Sole Survivor’s defense, even if the set itself may be somewhat unremarkable. Players may replace this set of armor later on, but there’s no denying that the effectiveness and common nature of the Metal Armor makes it a widespread and safe choice for many.

20

Sturdy Combat Armor

Randomly Found In The Game World

The middle variant of Combat Armor is a pretty serviceable set that players can equip if they’ve leveled up enough to encounter enemies who wear this armor. The resistances are worthwhile for those who are climbing up the ranks and encounter tougher enemies along the way.

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The best part about this set of armor is how easily available it is, meaning that players can easily complete a set in no time. There’s nothing overly remarkable about this set, but there aren’t many drawbacks to speak of either.

19

Robot Armor

Can Be Looted From Rust Devils

The Automatron DLC is a great add-on that players can enjoy in Fallout 4. This expansion pack adds a ton of new content that players will find exhilarating to explore. The enemies introduced in this DLC are imposing as well. One notable raider gang added via this expansion pack is the Rust Devils.

This gang is obsessed with finding robot parts, going so far as to make an entire armor set from salvaged mechanical parts. What’s even more surprising is that this robot armor is extremely effective and does a great job of negating most of the damage that players incur. The entire set’s rating is respectable indeed.

18

Operators Armor

Worn By Members Of The Operators

Nuka-World is an excellent add-on that adds more life to the world of Fallout 4. There are three major raider gangs operating in this DLC, with one of them being the Operators. The Operators are a disturbed group of individuals. While they are somewhat less crazy than the Disciples and the Pack, the Operators are still very dangerous and murder-obsessed individuals who thrive on violence.

The regular variant of the Operators armor is pretty useful in its own right and a great armor set to rely on when times get tough. Sure, they may not boast any extra benefits that players can rely on, but the inherent boosts in damage resistance more than makeup for this minor inconvenience.

17

Pack Armor

Worn By Members Of The Pack

Nuka-World has one of the more engaging side quests, where players end up ruling over three entire gangs and deciding how they rule the Nuka-World Amusement Park. Following this, players can go so far as to take over the entire Commonwealth if they wish with the help of one of Nuka-World’s gangs.

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This DLC also introduces the Pack Armor, which comes in both light and heavy variants. It’s the latter that players should seek out if they want the highest level of protection possible. Still, there’s something about the rather goofy-looking light armor that also makes it quite fun to use if players wish to go down that route.

16

Operators Heavy Armor

Worn By Members Of The Operators

It might not be the prettiest set of armor on this side of the wasteland, but it certainly gets the job done when less fashionable sets aren’t immediately accessible. Providing an even split of high-grade protection from both ballistic and energy damage sources, players could do much worse.

The Operators set can be picked up in the Nuka-World DLC, either from vendors or Operators that gamers have decided to take out. Two stylistic variants differ only in appearance, and while neither looks particularly fetching, it’s nice to have the option.