Admittedly pure armor sets have a rough time finding a use in PVP situations in Destiny 2. The vast majority of players will compete with mix matched sets they’ve ground out and cobbled together specifically to boost key stats.
Having said that there are some situations where only pure armor sets are allowed and a handful of players will jump into the fray with a pure set just for aesthetic purposes. Some of the sets are useful and pleasing to the eye, while others are just an abomination that probably shouldn’t even be worn in PVE, let alone PVP.
10 Best: Menagerie
The Menagerie set is actually fairly decent in PVP situations, though it’s certainly not the strongest. What it does boast is a unique golden look that was introduced during the season of Opulence. All of that hunting for treasure paid off for many players in the form of powerful weapons and tough armor.
You may not win battles on this armor alone, but it should make the opponent think twice about what weapon you’re wielding or what mods you may have. Because anyone wearing this gold tinted armor is bound to be an avid grinder for loot.
9 Worst: Faction Rally
Comaraderie in PVP is hard to pull off and Destiny 2 developers gave it a shot by introducing a faction mechanic with the Faction Rally armor reflecting which side you chose. Unfortunately the armor didn’t prove to be very helpful in combat and players were frequently trading it out for something more useful.
It was a great idea and some of the armor sets look great, but there wasn’t enough incentive for players to stay loyal to their respective factions and everyone eventually went rogue.
8 Best: Vanguard
Many fans swear by Vanguard armor saying it’s a great set for PVP engagements. Part of what made them popular is that they were necessary for progressing along the Making An Impact quest. As players got to grinding and obtained a full set they found it wasn’t a bad set of armor to have.
Aesthetically it’s not terribly appealing, but that hardly matters when getting dirty in PVP matches. Besides anyone familiar with the lore of the Vanguards will respect a player who chooses to don this armor.
7 Worst: The Dawning
Some players were convinced the developers were trolling them under the guise of spreading the Christmas cheer when The Dawning set rolled out. Bulky silver armor with blue capes, loin clothes, and strange animal heads just made these armor sets awful.
These were weak even in PVE and served no useful benefit in PVP. The only reason a player showed up to a fight wearing this set was to irritate the opponent or perhaps spread a little holiday cheer before they got their antlers blown off.
6 Best: Crucible
The Crucible game mode was an interesting addition to the game after Forsaken released and gave players more opportunities to go head to head in multiplayer. In addition to the fun game modes this crimson armor was included and meant to be used in tandem with the Crucible game mode.
While some players have figured out a way to mix and match the armor without getting penalized, it’s honestly not a bad set to go to war in. Some darker minded players like to think they're bathing in the blood of their enemies with this set.
5 Worst: Optimacy
If you look up the word Optimacy this armor set makes a little more sense, sort of. The word Optimacy literally means a form of government where everything is run by the nobility. It seems whoever made this armor set didn’t intend for these nobles to ever set foot on the battlefield as the stats aren’t all that great.
Some may wear it into PVP situations as a show of dignity and superiority, as if the player is somehow debasing themself in order to fight the commoners. But it wont take long for a player in an Optimacy set to be very noble looking on the ground with the victor standing over them.
4 Best: Gambit
Admittedly this is a tricky entry on this list as Gambit Prime armor is very powerful, but can only be used in the Gambit game mode. It’s a unique set of armor as it allocates the warrior to a specific role on the team and gives buffs for that role.
Some players wish this armor would usable outside of Gambit, but others argue it would be utterly useless given how pigeon holed it makes the player. In either case it’s a strong set of armor and anyone wanting to dominate in Gambit will need to dedicate some time to improving their set.
3 Worst: Omega Mechanos
Typically developers can’t go wrong when they add armor to the game that makes the player resemble a samurai. Especially if it’s going to be hi-tech armor with cool lighting affects and abilities. Unfortunately Destiny 2’s developers dropped these drab gray sets on the fanbase and only marginally better ornaments to put on them.
Sure there may have been a younger player or two who leapt into PVP battle with this set on hoping to prove himself a valiant warrior, only to be cut down by someone with better armor stat wise. There was little reason to don one of these suits when they came out.
2 Best: Masterwork Solstice Of Heroes
Unless you’re in a specific scenario like Gambit, this is the best armor set to wear in PVP situations. It’s stats and perks are good enough that it can even hold its own against some mixed sets, though don’t expect high level fights to be easy.
Aesthetically it’s a gorgeous set of armor. White metal with golden accents and vibrant colored wings and horns make this look like it belongs on a celestial Paladin. It’s a lot of work to grind up to the Masterwork level, particularly if you’re rolling with the green set. But it’s worth it if you wish to bring divine wrath to your opponents in multiplayer.
1 Worst: Mercury
Perhaps the worst armor set to wear into a PVP situation is the Mercury set released in the Curse of Osiris expansion. It’s an older set which means that it can’t compete with the more recent expansions that boast ridiculous power level improvements that go beyond old caps.
On a cosmetic note this armor set wasn’t the greatest. Some may have enjoyed the cyborg/cyclops look, but anyone with any familiarity with this armor’s stats wont be intimidated, which is what you want in PVP.