Elden Ring: 5 Amazing Early Game Armor Sets & How to Get Them

For some players, the beauty and success of Elden Ring is trapped behind how hard it is. If you’re struggling to go anywhere or defeat the first boss in Elden Ring, you might just need some guidance to where the best early armor sets are in the game. Armor can depend on what class you are playing as, but in general, these are the best early armor sets in Elden Ring. So without further adieu, here are the five best early armor sets in Elden Ring.

5. Cleanrot Armor Set

One of the best early armor sets in Elden Ring is Cleanrot. This armor set is found fairly early in the game in the Swamp of Aeonia which is southwest of Sellia, Tower of Sorcery. In order to get this armor, you will need to farm Cleanrot Knights which aren’t the easiest foe to conquer. Bring your sharpest sword to the fight.

What makes the Cleanrot armor set so useful early on in Elden Ring is its boost to defense with a Physical Damage Negation of 31.8. It also has a high defense against magic and lightning. The only downside to the Cleanrot armor is that it is quite heavy. If you are playing as a rogue or someone who is a little more fast-paced, this armor will be more temporary for you.

4. Vulgar Militia Armor Set

The next best early armor set to get in Elden Ring is Vulgar Militia. This armor set can be reached at the Beastial Sanctum and, like the Cleanrot armor set, will require you to kill some enemies for it. As you may have guessed, you’ll need to take out Vulgar Militiamen in order to get the Vulgar Militia armor set.

While the Physical Damage Negation isn’t as high on the Vulgar Militia armor set, it does have a lot of perks to outweigh that. The armor set has 22 to 23 resistance when it comes to magic, fire, light, and holy damage. The Immunity of this armor is 162, which is great against poison. The armor itself only weighs 18.5 which means it is great for players looking to move quickly.

3. Sage Armor Set

Clearly, if you are playing as any magic class, the Sage armor set is for you. This armor set is found fairly early in the game, but not super early. It is found at the Stillwater Cave which can be found by skipping the Stormveil Castle. In the cave itself, there are some tough enemies to take down, but if you are careful, you can get the Sage armor set that they guard.

The Sage armor set will give you a significant boost to magic and elemental defense. It only weighs 9.8 which is incredibly light and doesn’t offer much Physical Damage Negation. There is no better early game armor set if you are playing a magic class than the Sage armor set.

2. Twinned Armor Set

The Twinned armor set isn’t found too early in Elden Ring but is accessible through completing the main quest which makes it one of the easiest and best early armor sets in the game. At the Roundtable Hold, the Twinned armor set can be yours if you progress through the quest with D and Fia.

The Twinned armor set is especially good in the early game. It has a 30.4 Physical Damage Negation, extremely high fire resistance, 153 Robustness, and 105 Vitality. Needless to say, this armor set is for people looking for high defense and resistance. The Twinned armor set is easily one of the best early armor sets in Elden Ring.

1. Carian Knight

By far the best early game armor set for players to get in Elden Ring is the Carian Knight set. It is located in Raya Lucaria Academy which is a bit of a trek, but worth it to get this armor. Whether you are a warrior or a mage, this armor set is a jack of all trades. In order to get it, start at the Church of the Cuckoo Site of Grace and go to the graveyard. On the right side of the gate’s entrance, jump down to the platform. Follow it forward until you see a group of Glintstone Zombies worshipping a statue. The Carian Knight armor set will then be yours for the taking.

What makes the Carian Knight armor set so special is that it has a bit of everything. It has a Physical Damage Negation of 25.8, high magic and fire resistance, high Robustness, and it only weighs 23.5. No matter what class you are playing as in Elden Ring, you can’t go wrong with the Carian Knight armor set.

And that is your list of the top five early armor sets in Elden Ring. If you need more assistance as you brave The Lands Between, check out our Elden Ring guides.

Elden Ring is currently available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.