- Dark Souls armor sets offer superior protection but require high equip load and strategic choices for successful gameplay.
- Unlocking iconic armor sets in the series involves challenging boss fights, exploration, and complex quests, adding depth to the gameplay experience.
- From the grueling Giant Armor Set purchase to the elusive Monastery Set drop, obtaining the hardest armor sets in the Dark Souls series is a true test of dedication.
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The Dark Souls universe is well-known for its large variety of nightmarish bosses, combat moves, powerful spells, and colossal weapons that can turn enemies into mush. Not to mention the amazing lore behind the game’s grim world that perfectly complements the experience of exploring every area.
FromSoftware’s post-Demon’s Souls output has been a nonstop train of success, but many believe the studio stumbled a bit with Dark Souls 2.
There’s no denying that Dark Souls is a very challenging franchise, which is what has kept so many players hooked on From Software’s games for over a decade. For the best chance at survival, Ashen Ones, Chosen Undead, and Bearers of the Curse must wear the right protection, and while many great and easily-accessible armor sets can be found throughout the Kingdoms of Lordran, Dranglaic, and Lothric, some are painfully complicated to get. Here are the hardest armor sets to unlock in every Dark Souls game.
6Giant Armor Set
Dark Souls
Dark Souls
Platform(s)PS3 , PS4 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Switch , PCReleasedSeptember 22, 2011Developer(s)From SoftwareGenre(s)Action RPG
| Protection Type | Physical (280.7), Strike (258.2), Slash (317), Thrust (280.7), Magic (128.8), Fire (193.7), Lightning (130.3) |
| Resistance | Bleed (105.3), Poison (62.3), Curse (0), Durability (600) |
| Poise | 91 |
| Weight | 42.1 |
The Giant Armor Set is worn by the giant sentinels of Anor Londo. It has a massive size and considerable weight, which translates into superior protection, but also requires the wearer to have a high equip load capacity to avoid over-encumbrance. Unfortunately, it also impedes proper Stamina recovery, making proper dodging difficult.
This armor set can be purchased from the Giant Blacksmith in Anor Londo for the steep price of 26,000 souls, which might not seem like much late in the game, but can be a fortune for mid-game players. By the time players can actually afford the armor, they may have progressed beyond the need for it.
5Ornstein’s Armor Set
Dark Souls
| Protection Type | Physical (171), Strike (162.5), Slash (193.3), Thrust (171), Magic (84), Fire (112), Lightning (94) |
| Resistance | Bleed (90), Poison (44), Curse (44), Durability (700) |
| Poise | 45 |
| Weight | 28.5 |
While most original Dark Souls players start struggling as early as Blighttown, the true skill check comes in Anor Londo, when they must face the Ornstein & Smough boss duo. This relentless boss fight is a turning point for many players, as it puts all they’ve learned to the test and mercilessly shows them that they still need to improve greatly if they want to see the game’s conclusion.
The duo fight against Ornstein and Smough acts as one of the toughest obstacles that stunts progress for players in Dark Souls.
Dual-boss fights are not unheard of in Dark Souls games, but few are as challenging as this one. The easiest path to victory is by killing Ornstein first, as Smough’s giant version isn’t as dangerous. However, if players want Ornstein’s Armor Set, they’ll have to do things the hard way, end Smough first, and deal with the frenzied Dragon Slayer afterward. If players defeat the two bosses in this order, they’ll be able to purchase Ornstein’s Armor Set from Domhall of Zena for 27,000 Souls after the fight.
4Catarina Armor Set
Dark Souls 2
Dark Souls 2
Platform(s)PS4 , PS3 , Xbox 360 , PC , Xbox OneReleasedMarch 11, 2014Developer(s)From SoftwareGenre(s)Action RPG
| Protection Type | Physical (574), Strike (574), Slash (666), Thrust (574), Magic (122), Fire (135), Lightning (82), Dark (122) |
| Resistance | Bleed (158), Poison (99), Curse (0), Durability (95) |
| Poise | 60 |
| Weight | 30 |
Many Dark Souls players know and love the oddly funny, yet sturdy design of the armor worn by the Knights of Catarina, otherwise known as Onion Knights. Siegmeyer and Siegward of Catarina both wear this type of armor in the franchise, and everyone in Lordran agrees that they’re great guys to hang out with.
To get the Catarina Armor Set, players will have to farm the NPC Dark Spirit Catarina Knight in the Forest of the Fallen Giants, or explore the world thoroughly to find different pieces in the following locations:
- Helm : Can be found inside one of the five chests in a room after the entrance to the Dragon’s Sanctum area ( Crown of the Sunken King DLC).
- Gauntlets and Greaves : Can be found behind a breakable wall in the room after the Foyer bonfire in Brume Tower ( Crown of the Old King DLC).
- Chestpiece : can be found in Frozen Eleum Loyce ( Crown of the Ivory King DLC). The armor piece will be in one of the five chests before the bridge on the way to the Inner Wall bonfire.
Given how many different locations must be explored, and how low Dark Spirit Catarina Knight’s drop rate is, the Catarina Armor Set is one of the hardest to fully unlock in the series.
3Monastery Set
Dark Souls 2
| Protection Type | Physical (266), Strike (280), Slash (247), Thrust (147), Magic (235), Fire (171), Lightning (151), Dark (170) |
| Resistance | Bleed (185), Poison (295), Curse (197), Durability (55) |
| Poise | 0 |
| Weight | 1 |
The Monastery Set from Dark Souls2 is probably the hardest armor to unlock in the game for several reasons. This armor set is dropped by a Dark Spirit Painting Guardian in Aldia’s Keep, but getting it isn’t as simple as it sounds. For starters, players must have already completed the game once and be on a NG+ run.
The Ruin Sentinels in Dark Souls 2 added a new dynamic to multi-boss encounters has continued to improve FromSoftware’s toughest fights.
If that wasn’t enough, the fact that there’s only one NPC in the entire game that drops every item needed for the set, and that the items dropped can be repeated several times over, makes obtaining it a living nightmare. In fact, many players have complained online about having 10 Monastery Long Gloves, and no other piece of the set, even after hours of farming the Painting Guardian!
2Armor Of The Sun Set
Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 3
Platform(s)PS4 , Xbox One , PCReleasedMarch 24, 2016Developer(s)From SoftwareGenre(s)Action RPG
| Protection Type | Physical (35), Strike (35), Slash (35), Thrust (34.3), Magic (21), Fire (21), Lightning (19) |
| Resistance | Bleed (23), Poison (16), Curse (10) |
| Poise | 16 |
| Weight | 22.3 |
The Armor of the Sun Set from Dark Souls 3 is one that many of the players who began their From Software journey early on will recognize, as it was originally worn by no other than the legendary Solaire of Astora. This sun-worshipping knight is famous for extending his arms above his head in a “Y” shape to make the “Praise the Sun” gesture.
To obtain Solaire’s iconic armor in Dark Souls 3, players will first have to purchase the Tower Key from the Shrine Handmaid for a whopping 20,000 Souls (or spend a good while perfecting their parkour skills). However, the ordeal doesn’t end there; in fact, it’s just the start. Once players reach the roof of Firelink Shrine, they’ll encounter an empty crow’s nest, home to Pickle Pee, Pump-a-Rum. Yes, that’s its name.
Pickle Pee will give the Ashen One rare items in exchange for dropping other items it requests. These can range from a Lightning Gem to a Twinkling Titanite or a Titanite Chunk. To get the Armor of the Sun Set, players will have to give Pickle Pee 1 Siegerbräu, a special brew made by Siegward of Catarina. There’s a total of 5 Siegerbräu in the game, and getting them requires players to follow Siegward’s quest to a tee.
1Elite Knight Set
Dark Souls 3
| Protection Type | Physical (25.9), Strike (20.9), Slash (26), Thrust (24), Magic (20), Fire (23), Lightning (16.7) |
| Resistance | Bleed (126), Poison (85), Curse (52), Frost (88) |
| Poise | 21 |
| Weight | 24.3 |
The Elite Knight Set is one of, if not the most iconic armor set in all the Dark Souls universe, and it’s present in every installment of the franchise. In Dark Souls 3, the armor is worn by Anri of Astora, Solaire of Astora’s compatriot. The Ashen One first meets Anri near the Halfway Fortress bonfire, right before the main area on the Road of Sacrifices. Upon meeting her and her companion, Horace the Hushed, a complex questline, which players will have to complete step by step to get the Elite Knight Armor, will begin.
Once Anri of Astora’s long questline is completed successfully, players can buy the armor set from the Shrine Handmaid for a steep 13,500 Souls. The armor is not the strongest in the game, but it looks great and offers decent protection against physical and elemental damage.