Armor in Mass Effect 3: sets, characteristics, and locations (guide)

- Liara... I have to tell you... I lost my helmet... Help me out...

- Alright, alright, Shepard, it's not that tragic.. read the guides!

ARMOR SHOPPING GUIDE

Where to buy armor? Where to find set pieces? How to find 'Terminus' or 'Inferno', and what are the stats for Dragon Armor? What shops are there in the game? In this post, you will find detailed information about armor and locations of set pieces.

In the game, you can buy/collect more than a dozen complete sets of armor that match your individual playstyle.

Some non-modifiable armor and certain set pieces can be purchased in shops. Most of the set pieces are found (if you try) while completing one mission or another, which is detailed further below.

A Little About Shop Locations.

All gear shops, except for the Batarian OP, are located in the Presidium Commons. The 'Batarian OP' is in the docks, in the refugee camp.

Another important terminal-shop is 'Spectre Requests' - located in the local Spectres office (Embassy). Sometimes, an important quest item or set piece that you missed in a mission may appear in this shop. However, more than one item is rarely found, so I recommend checking the Spectre terminal often.

Additionally, you can shop straight from the Normandy via the terminal in the Shuttle Dock. However, it comes with a markup:

(There is also a non-gear terminal shop - in the Guerta Hospital. Here you can purchase a panacea upgrade as well as a gift - a bottle of wine for Kaiden or a book for Ashley).

I. NON-MODIFIABLE ARMOR

Non-modifiable types of armor are sold and worn as a whole, without the option to change the helmet or other parts.

They even come with the achievement 'Always Ready':

1. Dragon Armor (sold at 'Channel Exports')

• Ability cooldown speed +10%

• Ability damage +30%

• Shields +20%

In Mass Effect 2, this armor existed under the name 'Blood Dragon Armor', and had the following stats:

• Increases damage by 15%

• Increases shield strength by 10%

This armor could be used in both Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. It was distributed via a bonus code for ME2 or DA:O.

2. Inferno Armor ('Kinshasa Fabrics.')

• Ability cooldown speed +30%

• Ability damage +30%

(Farewell to the persuasion ability bonus that Inferno Armor had in ME2. For reference: in the ME2 DLC, the armor stats were:

• Increases persuasion skill by 10%

• Increases ability damage by 10%

• Increases sprint speed by 10%)

3. Collector Armor ('Nose Astra Sports Equipment')

• Shield regeneration speed +20%

• Shields +20%

• Health +20%

For comparison: in ME2, Collector Armor was released in a DLC and had the following stats:

* Increases health regeneration speed by 10%

* Increases sprint speed by 10%

* Increases health by 20%

4. Terminus Armor ('Batarian OP')

• Melee damage +15%

• Ammo capacity +15%

• Shields +30%

For comparison: in ME2, Terminus Armor was released in a DLC and had the following stats:

• Increases sprint speed by 10%

• +1 magazine to all weapon types

• Increases shield strength by 15%

5. Cerberus Armor ('Elkos Combine Arsenal')

• Ammo capacity +10%

• Weapon damage +10%

• Shields +10%

• Health +20%

For comparison: in ME2, Cerberus Armor was released in a DLC and had the following stats:

• Increases heavy weapon ammo capacity by 10%

• Increases shields by 10%

• Increases health by 10%


6. Avenger Knight Armor. (Distributed via a bonus code for completing the prologue of the demo version of 'Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning'. The code is activated by default from the start of the game).

+10% Health

+10% Shields

+10% Weapon damage

+20% Melee damage


7. 'N7: Defender' Armor. (Distributed in the 'N7: Gear of War' DLC, which could be obtained by pre-ordering from certain retailers, or with the collector's edition. Found in the game during mission N7: 'Gear of War').

Weapon damage: +5%

Ammo capacity: +20%

Health: +10%

Shields: +10%


II. ARMOR SETS

A total of 7 armor sets can be collected. Each piece of a set usually increases one and the same stat by a percentage.

Generally, if you were inattentive during a mission, missed pieces of the set will appear in one of the shops after its completion. For example, missing pieces from N7 missions and quest artifacts/information later need to be 'caught' in 'Spectre Requests'.

1. N7

Each piece of the set gives +10% to health.

All pieces of N7 armor are available by default.

On the female model, it looks like this*:

*Let me remind you that you can customize the design and color of any modifiable armor to your liking.

2. 'Hahne-Kedar'.

Each piece of the set gives +10% weapon damage

Chest plate: can be found during the mission on Tuchanka 'Rescue of Surviving Turians'.

Shoulder pads: sold at 'Elkos Combine Arsenal'.

Gloves: reported to appear randomly during gameplay.

Leggings: 'Batarian OP' or found during the mission on Palaven.

3. 'Armax Arsenal'.

Each piece of the set gives its own bonuses.

Chest plate: mission on Rannoch to rescue Admiral Koris.

• +10% ammo capacity.

Shoulder pads: mission on Palaven.

• +5% weapon damage, +10% headshot damage.

Gloves: in N7 mission 'Cerberus Attack', or purchased afterward in 'Spectre Requests'.

• +5% weapon damage, +10% headshot damage.

Leggings: mission on Sur'Kesh, or can be purchased in 'Spiritin Arsenal' after the mission.

• +10% ammo capacity.

Thus, the set provides +20% ammo capacity, +20% headshot damage, and +10% weapon damage.

4. Serrice Council.

Each piece of the set provides a +10% bonus to ability damage.

Chest plate: found in a mission at Grissom Academy.

Shoulder pads: in a mission on Lessus, Aerie Monastery.

Gloves: sold at 'Nose Astra Sports Equipment'.

Leggings: in the Cerberus Headquarters.

5. 'Kassa Fabrication'.

Each piece of the set provides +10% to shields.

Chest plate: found in a mission on Mars.

Shoulder pads: sold at 'Spiritin Arsenal'.

Gloves: on Rannoch.

Leggings: in the mission on Arrae 'Cerberus Scientists', or can be purchased later in 'Elkos Combine Arsenal'.

6. 'Ariake Technologies'.

Each piece of the set provides +10% to melee damage.

Chest plate: sold at 'Kinshasa Fabrics.'

Shoulder pads: Attic Traverse, Krogan Squad.

Gloves: Mars.

Leggings: N7, Communication Hub.

7. Rosenkov Materials.

Each piece of the set provides a +10% bonus to ability cooldown speed.

Chest plate: N7 'Fuel Reactors'.

Shoulder pads: in a mission on Horizon.

Gloves: Tuchanka, mission 'Bomb', or is sold after the mission in 'Kinshasa Fabrics.'

Leggings: can be purchased in 'Spectre Requests'.

Couldn’t find the shoulder pads, so they’re not on the female model :)

III. HELMETS AND VISORS

The game features the following helmets and visors.

1. N7 Helmet.

Given by default.

• +10% to health.

2. N7 Helmet with Respirator.

Given by default.

• +10% to health.

3. Mask of Death

(Tuchanka, mission 'Cure the Genophage')

• +10% melee damage.

4. 'Kuvasai' Visor

(Sold at 'Spiritin Arsenal').

• Weapon damage +5%

• Headshot damage +10%

5. 'Guardian' Device

(During mission on Sur'Kesh, or later in 'Spiritin Arsenal').

• Shields +10%

6. Capacitor Helmet

(During N7 mission: 'Cerberus Abductions', or later in 'Egor's Ammo').

• Shield recovery speed +10%.

7. 'Archon' Visor

(Mission 'Dreadnought of the Geths', or later in 'Egor's Ammo').

• Ability cooldown speed +10%.

8. 'Shadow' Visor

(Mission 'Priority: Tassia')

• Ability damage +10%.

9. 'Scout' Helmet.

(Mission 'Priority: Citadel II')

• Weapon damage +10%.

10. Memo-Visor

(Mission at Grissom Academy, or later in 'Egor's Ammo').

• Ability cooldown speed +5%,

• Ability damage +5%.

11. 'Security' Helmet.

(N7 mission on Benning)

• Health +5%,

• Shield enhancement +5%.

12. 'Delumkor' Helmet

(In mission 'Priority: Cerberus Headquarters').

• Headshot damage +5%

• Weapon damage +10%

13. 'Kestrel' Helmet**

('Batarian OP').

• Ammo capacity +10%

Interestingly, the beloved armor 'Kestrel' ("Hawk") from ME2 was described in the DLC 'Aegis' as follows:

"- The 'Kestrel' helmet increases weapon damage, headshot damage, and shield energy.

- The 'Kestrel' chest plate increases shield energy and melee weapon damage.

- The 'Kestrel' arm protection increases weapon damage and shield energy.

- The 'Kestrel' shoulder pads increase melee damage and shield energy.

- The 'Kestrel' thigh containers increase heavy weapon ammo capacity and shield energy".

We can assume that in ME3 we might later see DLC with this armor in addition to the free helmet…

IV. CASUAL CLOTHING

By reader requests, I am adding descriptions and screenshots of casual clothing. This, of course, is not armor, but without it our 'fashion show' turns out to be somewhat incomplete. Each type of clothing is given in both male and female versions.

**Casual 1.**

Casual 2.

Casual 3

Casual 4

Casual 5

Casual 6 (Collector's hoodie)

Liara: Shepard, I'll find all your implants right now! ;)

That concludes the description of the armor parts and devices available before the release of the first DLC.

- Commander Shepard, data transmission complete.

Text, illustrations: Shakty

Thanks for the tips, screenshots, and assistance: wezz, ZaCon45, Turbine.