Dark Souls 3, while a beloved game, often left players wanting more in the fashion department. Many armor sets felt worn, rusty, and visually unappealing, as if they’d been dragged through the junkyard before we even got our hands on them. While there were a few standouts like the Default Knight Set, Alva’s set, Drakeblood Set, and Abyss Watchers set, the overall selection often felt lacking, pushing players to stick with the same few reliable options. The dream of creating a Havel-like tank character was often dashed by the impracticality of heavy armor in PvP, where fat-rolling meant certain death, and even in PvE, the defensive benefits rarely justified the mobility sacrifice.
Sets like the Lothric Knight armor, while impressive on NPCs, simply didn’t translate as well to the player character, and the coveted blue elite variant remained frustratingly unobtainable. Even the Fallen Knight set, initially decent, quickly became associated with less skilled players due to its “junkyard” aesthetic. The Silver Knight armor suffered from inaccuracies, missing crucial shoulder guards and looking incomplete as a result.
Elden Ring, however, feels like a complete turnaround in armor design philosophy. Many sets boast a pristine quality, exemplified by the Carian Knight set, appearing as if they’ve just been forged and polished. The imposing knight sets worn by the greatshield and partisan/greatsword wielding enemies are all farmable, rewarding persistent players with visually stunning armor, even if the grind can be tedious. The Crucible Knight armor exudes a unique coolness, and the Tree Sentinel and Rot Knight sets are equally striking.
Compared to Dark Souls 3, Elden Ring’s cosmetic choices are vastly superior. Dark Souls 3 often felt like it was missing a truly honorable knight set, with the Drakeblood set being a rare exception. Even then, achieving the right proportions to make the Drakeblood set look truly impressive on your character could be a challenge. Elden Ring, on the other hand, offers a plethora of knightly armors that capture that “honorable” aesthetic and more, allowing players to truly express their style and create the “dancer” like agile yet visually striking characters, or heavily armored juggernauts, without compromising on visual appeal. The sheer variety and quality of Elden Ring’s armor sets elevate the game’s fashion to a whole new level, making the sometimes drab and worn look of Dark Souls 3’s armors feel like a distant memory.
