In tactical strategy games like XCOM 2, weapons are there to achieve victory over the enemy. Armor, on the other hand, is there to prevent the enemy from achieving victory. The makers of XCOM 2 were smart enough to make armor more than a layer of protection; many suits of armor in this game give the wearer a special ability they can't get anywhere else.
When the Mutons and Chryssalids begin appearing during missions, players will want the best armor for their soldiers. This article will rank the ten best suits of armor in XCOM 2. Armor from DLC and the expansion will be included in the rankings. Vests and Prototype Armor are technically utility items, so they will not be included.
Updated on August 14th, 2022, by Jeff Drake: There are three things that players need to focus on if they wish to keep their squad members alive during missions in XCOM 2. The first is improving the squad's weaponry; the starting conventional weapons start-out obsolete. The second is tactics. This is something players will pick up on as they play the game; never sending a soldier off alone is one of the first things players should learn. The third is armor; having a squad of glass cannons - great weapons and no armor - usually ends with names being added to the Fallen Soldier list. This update has included the few pieces of armor left out of the original list, making this a complete, ranked, list of all the armor available in XCOM 2.
12 Kevlar Armor
- Health: +0
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +0
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: N/A
The Kevlar Armor is the base armor in XCOM 2. Every soldier has Kevlar armor; however calling this armor is being generous. The Kevlar armor provides no armor, health, mobility, or dodge bonuses. The only thing this armor provides for the wearer is a single utility slot.
Players will want to upgrade the armor their squad wears from Kevlar as soon as possible. If the player is still wearing this armor when tougher aliens start appearing, they are going to have a hard time keeping all of their soldier alive. There is a special variant of the Kevlar Armor called the Resistance Warrior Kevlar Armor, but this was a promotional offer for players who got the Resistance Warrior Pack pre-order version of XCOM 2.
11 Predator Armor
- Health: +4
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +0
- Utility Slots: 2
- Dodge: N/A
Despite its cool name, the Predator Armor is the weakest in the medium armor category. It's still better than the Kevlar armor though; which isn't really saying much. This armor provides a small boost to health, as well as two slots for utility items. That's about it; the Predator Armor doesn't actually provide an armor points for the wearer.
There is one benefit to the Predator Armor, it is relatively cheap to make. The cost of outfitting an entire squad (of 6) with Predator armor cost half the price of the next best medium armor, Warden Armor.
- Acquired after researching Plated Armor.
10 Spider Suit
- Health: +4
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +1
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: +20%
The Kevlar Suits soldiers start with are as useless as armor made of thin layers of tissue paper. It provides no health, armor, or dodge bonuses. The first suit of armor players will probably have access to that actually provides some semblance of protection is the Spider Suit.
As the name suggests, the Spider Suit gives the wearer the ability to scale walls and get to higher platforms via the attached grappling hook device. This device can be used without taking an action; allowing the wearer to take the high ground and still get a shot off at the enemy.
- Acquired after completing the Spider Suit Project.
9 Serpent Suit
- Health: +5
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +1
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: +35%
The Serpent Suit can be researched after obtaining a Viper King Corpse and provides slightly more protection than the Spider Suit - plus one useful ability unique to the Serpent Suit armor. This armor has the Spider Suit's grapple ability; it also has an ability called Frostbite.
The Frostbite ability lets the wearer use the grapple device on an enemy soldier. If it hits, the target is frozen in place. This ability can also be used to pull Advent soldiers away from whatever cover they are hiding behind. This armor can also cause Vipers to panic upon seeing the wearer.
- Completing a Viper King Autopsy unlocks the Serpent Suit.
8 Serpent Armor
- Health: +7
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +2
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: +40%
The Serpent Armor is the best of the available light armor suits in XCOM 2. It provides as much health as the best suit of medium armor but provides no armor points. The +40% dodge chance seems to almost ensure the wearer will take glancing blows rather than being hit full-on.
This suit of armor provides all the abilities of the lesser Serpent Suit. Only one suit of Serpent Armor is allowed per game, so make sure to make the most of it, and don't put it on a soldier that sees a lot of frontline action. If it gets destroyed the player can't make another. Put the Serpent Armor on a veteran Sharpshooter and have them get to high ground as soon as possible.
- Completing a Viper King Autopsy unlocks the Serpent Suit.
7 Warden Armor
- Health: +6
- Armor: +1
- Mobility: +0
- Utility Slots: 2
- Dodge: N/A
The Warden Armor is the second-best suit of medium armor in XCOM 2. Although this armor does not grant extra mobility like the previous armors on this list, it does provide an extra utility item slot. The helpfulness of having an extra utility slot in battle far outweighs the lack of a mobility boost.
Players don't have to choose between giving their soldiers a grenade, Medkit, or Battle Scanner. Now they can give their soldier a grenade in addition to a support item. This will make missions easier, and help ensure the player's squad all make it back to the Avenger.
- Unlocked after researching Powered Armor.
6 E.X.O. Suit
- Health: +5
- Armor: +1
- Mobility: +0
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: N/A
The E.X.O. Suit is the first suit of heavy armor most players will obtain. This gives the wearer access to something that will make missions much easier. Heavy weapons can only be attached to heavy armor. These weapons are so good it's worth sacrificing mobility.
Having only one utility slot is mitigated by the inclusion of a heavy weapon slot. All the heavy weapons are better than a Frag Grenade, or even a Plasma Grenade. It doesn't have any of the fancy abilities of many of the other armors on this list; however, the E.X.O. Suit is a reliable suit of armor that will keep the player's soldiers alive.
- The E.X.O. Suit can be built after researching the E.X.O Suit Project.
5 R.A.G.E. Suit
- Health: +6
- Armor: +1
- Mobility: +1
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: N/A
The R.A.G.E. Suit is available after researching the Berserker Queen's Corpse, and like the Serpent Armor, is unique. This is heavy armor, and as such can be equipped with a heavy weapon. Heavy weapons, like the Blaster Launcher, are the best weapons in the game; seriously, the heavy weapons in XCOM 2 are game-changers.
This armor also provides something the other heavy armors don't - mobility. The wearer of the R.A.G.E. Suit has access to an ability called Rage Strike. This ability allows for a powerful melee attack that has a chance of stunning the target. This only has one utility item slot, but none of the heavy armors have more than one.
- Performing a Berserker Queen Autopsy unlocks the R.A.G.E. Suit.
4 W.A.R. Suit
- Health: +6
- Armor: +2
- Mobility: +0
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: N/A
The W.A.R. Suit is basically the Power Armor from other XCOM games. This is the best suit of non-unique heavy armor. The extra health, and armor points, provided by the W.A.R. Suit are almost a guarantee that the wearer will survive a mission; unless the player uses them recklessly. This armor has the Shieldwall ability; which allows the wearer to provide cover for other squad members.
The lack of a mobility bonus and having only one utility item slot will be missed when switching from a suit of medium armor. The inclusion of a heavy weapon slot more than makes up for this though. Towards the end of the game any soldier not wearing a unique suit of armor, or a suit ranked higher than the W.A.R. Suit, should be wearing this armor.
- Researching the W.A.R. Suit Project makes this armor available.
3 R.A.G.E. Armor
- Health: +7
- Armor: +2
- Mobility: +1
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: N/A
This suit of armor is the upgraded version of the R.A.G.E. Suit. Only two other suits of armor provide a +7 to health; the Serpent Armor and the armor ranked #1. The only other suit of armor that provides +2 to armor is the W.A.R. Suit, and that suit of armor doesn't come with the abilities granted by the R.A.G.E. Armor.
The R.A.G.E. Armor retains the Rage Strike ability. This armor also has a chance of making Muton and Berserkers panic when seeing the wearer. This armor definitely deserves its spot in the top three.
- Like with the R.A.G.E. Suit, the R.A.G.E. Armor is unlocked after completing the Berserker Queen Autopsy.
2 Wraith Suit
- Health: +6
- Armor: +0
- Mobility: +2
- Utility Slots: 1
- Dodge: +25%
The Wraith Suit replaces the Ghost Armor from the previous XCOM games. The Ghost Armor turned the wearer invisible; giving the wearer unprecedented stealth capabilities. The Wraith Suit provides some concealment, but its true purpose is to allow the wearer to pass through solid objects.
The wearer can now walk through a wall and reveal a group of enemies waiting to ambush the player's squad - without alerting the enemy. This suit of armor also comes with a grapple device. Put the party's healer in a suit of Wraith Armor to allow them to get to wounded soldiers quickly and safely.
- Researching the Wraith Suit Project makes this armor available.
1 Icarus Armor
- Health: +7
- Armor: +1
- Mobility: +1
- Utility Slots: 2
- Dodge: N/A
XCOM players are still lamenting the loss of the Archangel Armor from XCOM: Enemy Within. This armor gave the wearer the ability to fly and hover in place. A Sniper with Archangel Armor and the Squadsight ability was insanely overpowered. The closest thing to armor with flight capabilities in XCOM 2 is the Icarus Armor.
This armor grants the Vault and Icarus Jump abilities. The Vault acts similarly to the grapple device in other armors. The Icarus Jump lets the wearer jump to any tile on the map that's within the sight of a squad member; this ability can be used twice per mission. The Icarus Armor can make Archons panic if they see the wearer.
- Performing an Archon King Autopsy unlocks the Icarus Armor.
XCOM 2 is currently available for the PC, OS X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Android, and iOS.