Summary
Contrary to popular belief, lightning can strike twice in the same place, and inElden Ring, it can strike much more than that, especially if the enemy is a cheating spammer like those late-game dragons. Against such enemies who are intent on turning the Tarnished into lightning rods, it helps to prepare some countermeasures, and armor stands out as the most accessible among these.
Not all armor inElden Ringis protective, of course. In fact, one might even be surprised to learn that armor sets with the most metal parts tend to make for terrible lightning insulation. That kind of adherence to elementary-level science inElden Ringdoesn’t bode well for players who want to protect themselves against one of the mosttroublesome damage typesin the game. Thankfully, these armor sets are good exceptions.
Updated on August 12th, 2024, by Vlad Mazanko:Lightning damage has always been one of the most dangerous damage types in Elden Ring. That’s why lightning-resistant armor can be a literal life-saver, especially in late-game areas, where the game has more cruel surprises involving lightning.
For instance, lightning resistance is reduced when characters are wet. Therefore, equipping armor with the highest defense and good lightning resistance stats can be a crucial countermeasure in some of the game’s more difficult regions. Additional armor with the highest lightning resistance available in theShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion has been added to the list to ensure players always have the best options available to them.
21Queen Of The Full Moon Set
Lightning Defense: 25.1
TheQueen of the Full Moon Sethas a ridiculous headpiece and questionable physical defense, but all that is excused once players use it against mage enemies or dragons. The Queen of the Full Moon armor boasts one of the most consistently resistant stats in the game.
For that matter, it’s no slouch when it comes to protecting its wearer againstmagic or elemental attacks. That said, players still shouldn’t expect to poise through some of the toughest and heaviest lightning attacks in the game while wearing it. On the plus side, however, the armor’s low weight can allow for some incredibly fast rolls.
20Azur’s Glintstone Set
Lightning Defense: 25.2
Among the mage armors inElden Ring,Azur’s Glintstone Setis one of the best options for dealing with enemies and bosses who wield Lightning damage. This armor is particularly valued by magic builds, not only for its strong defense, but also for its striking appearance, highlighted by a large green glintstone on the helmet and several smaller ones on the shoulders. Additionally, the set’s crown increases the damage of powerful spells such as Comet Azur, Glintstone Cometshard, and Comet (at the cost of increased FP).
To obtain the Azur’s Glintstone Set, players mustfollow Sorceress Sellen’s questline, siding with her, and reach Hermit Village in Mt. Gelmir, where Primeval Sorcerer Azur rests. After completing her quest, returning to this spot will reveal the full set on a cliff.
19Veteran’s Set
Lightning Defense: 25.3
TheVeteran’s Setis a powerful and visually striking armor set inElden Ring, offering moderate Weight and surprisingly high Poise. Its Physical and Lightning resistances are among the highest in the game, making the Veteran’s Set a reliable and valuable choice for melee builds that will likely remain relevant until the end of the game.
Interestingly, the Veteran’s Set is a reward for defeating Commander Niall at Castle Sol Rooftop in the Mountaintops of the Giants, one of the strongest bosses inElden Ringwho deals significant Lightning damage. After his defeat, players will need to spend some runes to purchase this set from Finger Reader Enia at Roundtable Hold.
18Mushroom Set
Aside from its unforgettable looks, theMushroom Setis also unique because its pieces are found separately in the game. Players will find the set’s crown (or its pileus?) whileexploring the Lake of Rot, on a corpse hanging off the top of a column. The rest of this unusual set can be found in Seethewater Cave in Mt. Gelmir, in a cavern with a Giant Poison Flower and multiple mushroom people.
The Mushroom Set is one of the greatest in the game in terms of various elemental and status effect resistances and is often used in some ofElden Ring’s most difficult areas, like the aforementioned Lake of Rot. Due to its very special looks, this armor is not too compatible with other sets in the game and is better used separately.
17Noble’s Set
Lightning Defense: 25.4
As a light armor, theNoble’s Setisn’t too impressivein terms of Poise valueor Physical defense, but it offers great lightning and magical defense and can be worn by almost any build with a limited equip load.
Another feature of the Noble’s Set is that it can have headbands of different colors. The default blueNavy Hoodis found with the rest of the set in East Windmill Pasture in Altus Plateau, in the fire in the middle of a circle of dancing Celebrants. For theCrimson Hood, earlier worn by Roderika, players need to complete her questline, unlocking spirit tuning in Roundtable Hold. After that, return to Stormveil Castle and search for this item atop the pile of bodies of Roderika’s people, where theChrysalids' Mementowas initially found.
16Beast Champion Set
One NPC that players meet who decides to go rogue has one of thebest armor sets in the game. The lucky imposing Recusant would beKnight Bernahl. He’ll later invade players just before the final area boss arena in Crumbling Farum Azula
This is a rather important invasion as he’ll drop a trick item to help with the boss. Along with that, he’ll also drop his lovely armor set and his weapon. It’s also advisable to fight Bernahl before fighting the Draconic Tree Sentinel guarding Maliketh’s boss room because theBeast Champion Sethe drops has good lightning resistance.
15Preceptor’s Set
Lightning Defense: 25.5
This witching set is initially worn byPreceptor Seluvisand can be retrieved following Ranni’s questline if the Tarnished sides with her. At one point in the story, Seluvis will die and drop the full set in Seluvis’s Rise, located in Liurnia of the Lakes.
ThePreceptor’s Setis a pretty good choice for any Intelligence build inElden Ring, as it has a light weight and grants some of the best Lightning, Fire, and Magic damage resistances in the entire game. It also looks rather stylish, with its menacing mask and wide-brimmed hat, though it can hamper the player’s view.
14Scaled Set
Lightning Defense: 25.6
TheScaled Setis a great choice for mid-game melee builds, offering strong Poise, solid Physical defense, and robust Lightning damage negation. With its universal corroded metal look, players can also combine parts of this set with other similar armor in the game, creating a unique knightly appearance. As with most armor inElden Ring, players can remove the armor’s cape by altering the armaments at any Site of Grace.
To get the full Scaled Set, players need to accept the Volcano Manor assassination contract questline and then find and defeatOld Knight Istvannear the Limgrave Colosseum.
13Lionel’s Set
This heavy set is easy to obtain, and players don’t need to fight or kill anyone to get it. It is simply discovered in Leyndell, Royal Capital, on the bed in the building with the Lower Capital Church Site of Grace.
Such armor is also worn by one of Fia’s champions, but he doesn’t drop this set after the fight. Withits high weight, players should expect great Poise and Physical damage negation, andLionel’s Setdoesn’t disappoint. On top of that, it grants one of the best stats for lightning, fire, and magic defense, making it useful in various combat encounters.
12Fire Prelate Set
One of the heaviest armor sets in the game, theFire Prelate Setgrants almost unparalleled Poise and defense, not only against Physical damage but also against Lightning and Fire. It is one of the armors inElden Ringthat gives one’s character an ‘oversized’ look.
To obtain the full Fire Prelate Set, players need to hunt forPrelateenemies inElden Ring. It is recommended toboost one’s Arcane statsfor better results (players can use theSilver Tear Maskthat increases Arcane by +8), or use the Silver Scarab Talisman orSilver-Pickled Fowl Foot. The best farming spots for this set are Fort Laeidd in Mt. Gelmir and Guardians' Garrison in the Mountaintops of the Giants.
