Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the best survival experiences on the market right now, and redefined the genre on release, with spectacular visuals and engaging realistic gameplay. Plenty of players both old and new are gravitating back to the game thanks to the impending release of a sequel, to remind themselves of the fundamentals and hit the ground running before its release.
Armor is crucial for any Ark: Survival Evolved player, whether they're surviving the first few days of a single-player world, or the first few minutes on a PVP server, and as the late game approaches knowing which armor set to use is even more important. Here are the best armor sets available overall, but keep in mind that some will be more situational than others.
7 Ghillie Gear
Although it is actually outranked in Armor points by Fur Gear, which is also unlocked earlier, Ghillie Gear ranks above it due to the various other benefits that this armor set comes with. Two of these often overlooked benefits are its extremely low weight and excellent heat protection, all while maintaining an armor rating of 160, which is a solid choice in the early game.
The highlight, however, is its ability to camouflage, reducing enemy detection radius by 50%. Combined with its low weight and heat protection, this is a set built for exploring in the early and mid-game, so players can head out and scout for tames and resources while remaining as safe and cool as possible. It's not recommended for a fight, but its numerous other benefits mean that it is a set not to be ignored.
6 Chitin Gear
The first solid armor set many players will aim for is the Chitin Gear, which sticks out as a big upgrade in armor rating from anything unlocked before, but is severely lacking in other benefits. It does offer some slim cold protection but is a one-way ticket to overheating if worn in the sun, making it a very situational pick for most players.
That being said, the sizable upgrade in armor rating from anything before is definitely worth it, as staying alive through the mid-game can be tricky while players begin to venture out and explore the map. Chitin can be a pain to get a hold of early on, but it's worth the grind for survivability.
5 Hazard Suit
The only map-exclusive set to make the list is the Hazard Suit from Aberration, which is a fairly late-game set with solid all-round stats, but a very key feature that makes it a must for any player. The Hazard Suit protects the player from radiation on the Aberration map, allowing them to explore much more freely.
It also comes with a solid armor rating and excellent heat protection, so obtaining this set while exploring will make the experience an awful lot easier, although it will require a fair bit of grind, as well as level 68, to unlock it.
4 Flak Armor
Flak Armor is one of the most commonly used sets in Ark, as it provides the best physical protection available for the next 40 levels, for a fairly minimal tradeoff in terms of temperature stats. It will be the first late-game armor most players go for, and the cost to make it is surprisingly low, so it's extremely attainable once players reach level 56.
The set excels in combat but is less useful for general purposes, although while exploring dangerous areas the extra protection makes the tradeoff arguably worth it. Particularly if players have a few stat points in their fortitude stats, flak armor will be the best option through the mid and late-game in most scenarios until players reach level 98.
3 SCUBA Armor
The most unique armor in the game, SCUBA gear is also one of the most valuable, providing a perk that no other set does: the ability to breathe underwater. The tank allows the wearer 30 minutes of oxygen, with each other piece of the set providing other perks that will make exploring underwater caves and oceans far easier and faster, even without a mount.
Although it provides almost no physical protection, exploring underwater will be a crucial part of almost any Ark playthrough, be it harvesting resources from the Ocean that are tricky to obtain elsewhere, or retrieving artifacts from underwater caves. Wearing flak or better gauntlets with the set is highly recommended for a little survivability, but even so, a great deal of caution is advised for players choosing to brave the depths.
2 Riot Gear
A mainstay for many of the boss fights and late-game PVP battles, the Riot Gear is unlocked at level 98 and is a notable upgrade on the Flak set, but still has its downsides. The wearer is still fairly susceptible to heat, but less so than flak armor, and with a higher armor rating of 575, the upgrade is worthwhile despite requiring a grind to obtain.
Particularly for PVP fans, the Riot Shield is also a solid upgrade from the metal shield, offering drastically improved visibility as well as sound protection. While it isn't officially part of the set, it is valuable to pick up for players who have the resources. Another big perk of the set is the drastic improvement in torpor resistance, which can be particularly useful against some enemies and weapons, although this does not extend to poison effects.
1 Tek Armor
The ultimate late-game armor in Ark: Survival Evolved is the Tek Armor, providing 900 armor rating, 208 heat protection, and 255 cold protection, which should be more than enough for just about any scenario. The armor is unlocked piece by piece by defeating bosses, allowing players to use some of the set for some of the fights, which can be a great boost in stats.
A set of fully element-charged Tek Armor will approximately double both the heat and cold protection from the set, as well as protect the wearer from environmental hazards such as the Aberration radiation. The highlight of the set, however, is the jetpack function obtained with the tek chest piece, which is not only a ton of fun, but makes most fights a great deal easier, when used offensively or evasively. Each other piece comes with unique perks, which make obtaining this set more than worth the risk.
Ark: Survival Evolved is currently available on PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Mobile.