The Outer Worlds was developed by the team over at Obsidian Entertainment, a company known for its incredibly strong RPGs and excellent writing quality. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, The Outer Worlds has both! It was one of the best titles of 2019, and the bleakly lovable corporate-centric remains just as poignant today as it did then.
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It's no surprise that something with such quality is coming from the developers behind Fallout: New Vegas. But, unlike when they had Bethesda behind them, this new game obviously didn't have quite the same budget. There are strong comparisons to be made on both sides, but it's not nearly as long, the weapon variety is a bit low, and the variety of armor sets and cosmetics is shockingly small. Despite being limited, however, there are some pretty good ones to choose from. What are the best armor sets and outfits in The Outer Worlds?
Updated on August 6th, 2021 by Josh Davison: With the recent announcement of The Outer Worlds 2, many players are returning to this sci-fi RPG or seeking to experience it for the first time. The Outer Worlds has a lot to offer from its irreverent sense of humor, compelling story, and highly enjoyable combat. It's not the most difficult or dense RPG out there, but it can still be difficult to know which armor sets to choose from given the litany of them on offer. With that in mind, it's worth diving back into The Outer Worlds to pick through the armors and decide which ones will keep players alive the longest.
15 Riot Control Armor (2) Is The Rare Stealth Suit
Stealth isn't as powerful an option in The Outer Worlds as it is in some contemporary RPGs. It isn't particularly easy in Outer Worlds either when compared to a game like Skyrim. The Riot Control Armor (2) option gives a +5 bonus to stealth, giving a leg up to those dedicated to that style of gameplay.
As far as aesthetics go, this armor doesn't look bad either. It has bright and conflicting colors like most suits in Outer Worlds, but that's honestly a big part of the charm. (The Riot Control Armor is the leftmost armor in the above image).
14 The Nightfall Squad Armor Is For Those Loyal To The Board
The Nightfall Squad Armor is among the more difficult suits to obtain in Outer Worlds. This armor requires the player to side completely with the board and then purchase it from Percival. It's heavy armor that reduces a lot of damage, and it reduces equipment time by half.
The real perk for this one is how great it looks. It has a dark black color that makes it stand out among the bright and contrasting colors of other armor in the game.
13 The Retrofitted Heavy Power Armor Can Take Some Hits
The Retrofitted Heavy Power Armor is another powerful armor set that can withstand a significant amount of damage in the wilds of Halcyon. It's big and clunky, but it can keep the player from getting wasted by an errant Marauder.
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That said, the Retrofitted Heavy Power Armor is mostly an early game suit. More powerful enemies later in the game will be a bit more than this armor can handle, so be prepared to replace this one with something more effective.
12 Ordnance Control Armor Is Light But Can Withstand Damage
The Ordnance Control Armor is a good and balanced choice in the early game as well. It can be modified, provides solid defense, and doesn't do way too much as to become a hindrance. It's an all-around good choice for a player not looking to go all-in on heavy armor.
As far as appearances go, this one doesn't stand out much in the vibrant colors of Outer Worlds, but it doesn't look too bad either.
11 Leaded Armor Protects The Player And Boosts Melee Damage
The Leaded Armor, despite its name, is another fairly balanced suit of armor. It provides defense without weighing the player down too much. On top of that, the Leaded Armor gives a boost to melee weapon damage output, meaning it actively helps players beat Primals.
It actually looks pretty darn cool too, and a stylish scarf can really bring a look together sometimes.
10 The Chimera Looks Like Light Armor But Defends Like Heavy Armor
The Chimaera isn't available until quite far into the game, but it is definitely worth the wait. This fancy suit is given to players as a reward for finishing the side-quest "Makes Space Suits, Won't Travel" that's handed out by Byzantium's premier fashion designer, Celeste Jolicoeur.
The quest itself is quite easy and requires only a bit of gathering, but the armor reward is well worth it. This "light" armor has the weight and appearance of simple fabric, but all the defense of some of the best heavy armor in the game. It also gives +10 to dialog skills, making it the perfect suit for anyone who wants to look fancy and talk their way out of any room, all while keeping their defenses high.
9 The Sublight VP Armor Helps The Player To Intimidate
The Sublight VP Armor might not be too much to look at, but it does offer a nice balance of mobility and defense. Unfortunately, players will have to wait quite a while before they can actually get their hands on it as it is acquired as a reward for one of the penultimate Faction quests.
The armor can be equipped with some useful mods, with the silver tongue kit being the standout by far. It provides a +10 boost to both dialog and leadership skills, which, together with the set's innate +10 intimidate perk can be incredibly useful for those who prefer to fire off orders rather than bullets.
8 The Iconoclast Armor Is Powerful And Stylish
The Iconoclast armor is one of the most visually appealing in the game. The face masks in particular look incredibly cool and the two variations of body armor that players can find have a real "wasteland" look to them without sacrificing color. That said, some of the armor that can't be obtained like Zora's or Graham's, and it does look a bit Toy Story-esque thanks to the red and yellow combination.
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Overall though, the Iconoclasts ironically have some iconic armor. The weird lights on the face mask may not be to everybody's tastes, but they're fairly unique and really set the armor apart. Some of the hats worn by those in the compound, however, are far less excusable.
7 The SugarOps Elite Armor Is Vibrant And Effective
The SugarOps Armor is one of the most unique and vibrant sets in the game when it comes to its design and is also pretty useful in combat. It has access to some unique modifications and has a nice selection of passive perks that can complement a variety of playstyles.
Those hoping to get their hands on this unique armor set can do so by looting or pickpocketing it from Herbert at the Cascadia Bridge Safehouse. As an added bonus, he also possesses the Candy Cane weapon, another unique variant that is based on the Inferno scythe.
6 The Hibernation Suit Boosts Much-Needed Tech Skills
The Hibernation Suit doesn't offer much in the way of defense, but it sure does look cool. Tubes hanging off everywhere, a weird bubbly helmet, and of course it's skin tight. Players can get this suit immediately after leaving Terra-2 as well, meaning that players can look stylish right from the get-go.
Unfortunately, due to it being the very first armor in the game, it's quite awful defensively and has zero mod slots. That said, the helmet does give +5 to Tech skills, so players can still justify using it, and it actually goes pretty well with quite a few different armor sets in the game.
5 The Elite Troop Armor Is Slow But Formidable
Wearing the Elite Troop Armor can at times feel like walking around with a ball and chain wrapped around one's ankle, but there's just something incredibly empowering about the suit's bulkiness. It's designed around attacking enemies from distance, although is arguably just as effective in close quarters.
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Some players may not feel as though the extra defense makes up for the huge decrease in movement speed, but even they will be able to find uses for the armor from time to time. It also looks incredibly badass, which will no doubt serve as an added bonus for those who care about that kind of thing.
4 The MSI Elite Armor Is Incredibly Durable
It may not be the most visually appealing of armor sets, but what the MSI Elite armor lacks in visual cohesion, it more than makes up for in raw defenses. It's one of the most durable sets in the entire game and has access to some great modifications as well.
The Geographical scanner can be incredibly useful when exploring the great unknown while the Skeletal-Muscular Adreno-Stimulator allows players to move a little faster than they otherwise would in this somewhat heavy suit. When it comes to raw defenses, this might just be one of the game's very best outfits, but there are better choices available for those who are looking for both style and substance.
3 The Aramid Ballistics Armor Provides Monster Defense Stats
The MSI Armor is great, but when compared to the Aramid Ballistics Armor it's inferior in almost every way. The latter is not only stronger, but it is also a lot more pleasing to the eye. Granted, that second part is far less important, but if the option to look good without sacrificing defenses is there then it seems a little foolish not to take it.
Some people may not be too keen on the idea of a black outfit, but when the only other options are bright yellow, white & pink, or a horrible combination of the primary colors, black starts to seem a lot more appealing. As such, this is one of the better armor sets for the game's later stages.
2 The Heavy Construction Gear Boosts Damage Output
What the heavy construction gear lacks in mobility, it more than makes up for in durability. Players who opt to wear it will be able to absorb a considerable amount of damage, which, when paired with a hard-hitting weapon, can make for a highly enjoyable experience.
Those who prefer a stealthy approach to combat should probably look elsewhere, but anybody who enjoys getting up close and personal with enemies is very much in luck. Even when spotted on approach, there's very little that this suit can't handle making it at times feel like playing as the Terminator or Robocop.
1 The Maurader Armor Still Looks Plain Cool
The creatures and other enemies in The Outer Worlds are pretty unique. Sure, there isn't a lot of variety with them, but Rapitdons and Mantisaurs are pretty awesome designs nonetheless. That said, the most common enemies that the player will be fighting while wondering the galaxy are marauders.
These are non-corporate affiliated bandits that like to set up roadblocks everywhere. There are goons, vandals, hooligans, lookouts, and ringleaders, although all of them wear slight variations of the same armor set. It's a shame that their armor is essentially worthless, but the headgear at least has its uses.
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