Elden Ring: Best Armor For Samurai & How To Unlock Them

Learn about the best Samurai armor sets in to Elden Ring, and find optimal protection, aesthetics, and enhance your gameplay experience.

Elden Ring, one of the masterpiece video games in the Soulsborne genre, offers unique classes & a vast array of armor sets tailored for different playstyles. For the Samurai class, renowned for its agility and precision, selecting the right armor is paramount to making the best Samurai Build. That is why I have listed here the top 5 best Samurai Armor Sets in Elden Ring that you should get if you’re going with this class of character. 

Key Takeaways
  • Equipping the best armor for the Samurai class in Elden Ring ensures a balance between defense against physical and magical attacks.
  • While the primary function of armor is protection, many players also consider the aesthetic appeal of the armor sets, with some sets offering personalization options.
  • Higher poise provided by certain Samurai armor sets in Elden Ring can be invaluable.
  • It ensures the player isn’t easily staggered by enemy attacks, which is essential for both long-range and close combat.

Best Samurai Armor Sets In Elden Ring Comparison

Here is an overview of the best Samurai Armor Sets in Elden Ring showcased along with Physical, Vitality, Holy, Lightning, Robustness, Strike, Magic, and Weight stats:

Serial NoName of Armor SetBest ForPhysicalVitalityHolyLightningRobustnessStrikeMagicWeight
1
Briar Armor Set
Balance25.68024.424.114023.224.525.2
2White Reed Armor SetImmunity20.612022.125.810022.112019.8
3Ronin Armor SetResistance to Deathblight2314025.628.31252323.421.1
4Land of Reeds Armor SetEarly-game progression1912023.625.81320.620.419.8
5Black Knife Armor SetStealth22.55422.513.510821.617.521.8

1. Briar Armor Set

The Most Balanced Samurai Armor In Elden Ring.
Briar Armor Set
Briar Armor Set [Image by eXputer]
Physical 25.6
Vitality 80
Holy 24.4
Lightning 24.1
Robustness 140
Strike 23.2
Magic 24.5
Weight 25.2
Immunity 113
Focus 86
Vitality 80
Poise 27
Robustness 140
  • Why I Chose This: When it comes to pure Physical Defense stats, nothing beats out the Briar set, which is why it tops my list for the best armor set you can get as a Samurai build.
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The Briar Set is the best Samurai armor Set in Elden Ring in terms of overall abilities. It provides a good balance between defense against physical attacks and Magical abilities, although it is quite heavy. 

Talking about the looks, if you want to have the appearance of a Samurai, this set may not be suitable. It is better suited for players with a blood build in Elden Ring. The Set consists of four pieces of Armor: chest armor, helmet, gloves, and leg Armor.

How To Get 

After defeating Elemer of the Briar in Elden Ring, the last boss in The Shaded Castle, you can get the Briar Set.

  1. Then, you can buy it from Finger Reader Enia in Roundtable Hold.
  2. The Briar Set is better in fights and has more stability than other sets.
  3. Additionally, you can hurt your enemies when you roll to dodge, making them more powerful. 

The Briar Set has much higher poise than all the other sets on the list of the best armor for samurai in Elden Ring, making it extremely effective in battles. Another important thing about Armor is that when you roll and hit an enemy in front of you, the Armor itself can cause damage to them. 

  • Great for meta builds.
  • Reliable and versatile.
  • Impressive defense stats.
  • Heavy
  • Challenging to get.

2. White Reed Armor Set

The Best Immunity-focused Samurai Armor.
White Reeds Armor set
White Reeds Armor set[Image by eXputer]
Physical 20.6
Strike 22.1
Holy 22.1
Lightning 25.8
Robustness 100
Vitality 120
Weight 19.8
  • Why I Chose This: The Okina Mask is considered one of the best in-game helms because of its passive ability, and fortunately, I’m happy to report that the complete armor set is just as useful against late-game bosses.
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The Armor of the White Reeds is crafted using iron plates joined together which can noticeably alter your Immunity thanks to the helm piece. This Armor Set is widely known and desired, mainly because of its attractive and appealing design.

The Set consists of four parts: the Okina Mask, White Reed Armor, White Reed Gauntlets, and White Reed Greaves. The White Reed Armor can be found in Spirit Callers Cave at the Mountaintops of the Giant in Elden Ring

How To Get 

White Reed Armor items
White Reed Armor items [Image by eXputer]
You must finish a series of Quests to obtain the full Set of White Reed Greaves Armor. You will also require a special key called the stonesword key to enter a cave.

You can buy this key from Merchants or Twin Maiden Husks and finally, you can get the Okina Mask by defeating the formidable Enemy known as Bloody Finger Okina in the Church of Repose.

Okina was defeated in Elden Ring [Image by eXputer]
The stats of the White Reed Greaves Armor Set are truly impressive in Elden Ring. With its high Poise, it excels in close combat, and the Okina Mask significantly boosts your Immunity while also granting a decent increase in Focus. 

  • Highly popular among the community.
  • Top-tier Immunity stats.
  • Great weight-to-defense ratio.
  • One of the few armor sets with a passive ability.
  • Lightweight.
  • Extreme late-game item.
  • Challenging to get.

3. Ronin Armor Set 

The Best Deathblight-resistant Samurai Armor.
Ronin Armor set
Ronin Armor set [Image by eXputer]
Physical 23
Strike 23
Holy 25.6
Lightning 28.3
Robustness 125
Vitality 140
Weight 21.1
Immunity 167
Focus 132
Poise 15
Vitality 140
Robustness 125
  • Why I Chose This: Death Blight is an annoying part of the PvP meta, which is where this armor set’s utility shines.
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When I talk about the looks and more personalization of your character Ronin Set in Elden Ring is the best Samurair armor without a doubt. The Headwear of this Set looks incredibly cool and gives off a strong and intimidating vibe. The Armor pieces of Ronin’s Set include the Iron Kasa, Ronin’s Armor, Gauntlets, and Greaves

The Ronin’s Set is considered to be a medium-powered Armor that provides normal Damage reduction. Compared to other medium Armor Sets, it is slightly lighter in weight as you will see in the stats. 

How To Get 

To acquire the Ronin’s Set in Elden Ring, you must finish Yura’s Quest line in the game. It’s important to note that even though you’ll see Yura wearing the Armor, you can’t obtain it by defeating him.

  1. The only way to obtain Ronin Armor Set Armor is by heading to the Mountain tops of the Giants and completing the Quest.
  2. During this Quest, Yura will transform into Shabiri, and afterward, you can find the Armor in the Zamor Ruins in Elden Ring. 
  • Great for PvP.
  • Amazing Holy and Lightning Defense.
  • High average Physical Damage Negative stats.
  • Considerably heavy.
  • Easy to miss.

4. Land of Reeds Armor Set 

The Best Early-game Samurai Armor In Elden Ring.
Land of Reeds Armor set
Land of Reeds Armor set [Image by eXputer]
Physical 19
Strike 20.6
Holy 23.6
Lightning 25.8
Robustness 13
Vitality 120
Focus 130
Robustness 13
Focus 130
Poise 120
Vitality 120
Immunity 143
  • Why I Chose This: Of course, when starting your journey as a Samurai Build, I was surprised to see how the beginner armor set faired against the early-game and mid-game challenges.
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The Land of Reeds Armor is another of the best samurai armor in the Elden Ring, especially if you choose the samurai class. It is made up of iron strips that are joined together. Talking of the medieval Armor looks, the Elden Ring also allows you to personalize your Land of Reeds Armor by deciding whether to keep or remove the fur detailing. 

This choice can add a touch of legendary flair to your appearance. The Land of Reeds Armor Set consists of four pieces: Chest Armor, Helmet, Gauntlets, and Leg Armor. The modest amount of Poise provided by this Armor Set can help you resist being staggered frequently by Enemy attacks. 

How To Get

You can acquire Land of Reeds Armor set at the Isolated Merchant’s Shack in the Dragonbarrow area. The merchant there offers the complete collection for a price of 4500 runes.

Additionally, going with the Samurai as the starting class in Elden Ring grants you access to this Armor.

  • Easy to get.
  • Great for early-game progression.
  • Low requirements.
  • Weaker in terms of defense stats.
  • Gets overshadowed by several armor sets on this list.

5. Black Knife Armor Set

The Best Stealth-focused Samurai Armor In Elden Ring.
Black Knife Armor Set
Black Knife Armor Set[Image by eXputer]
Physical 22.5
Strike 21.6
Holy 22.5
Lightning 13.5
Robustness 108
Vitality 54
Focus 54
  • Why I Chose This: If you find yourself in a situation where you’d prefer not to engage with enemies, my first recommendation would definitely be this armor set.
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The Black Knife Set is well known due to its association with the notorious Black Knife assassins. These traitors played a significant role in the downfall of the Elden Ring by stealing the Rune of Death and committing regicide against Marika’s firstborn

Additionally, the Black Knife Armor Set includes items that greatly enhance stealth abilities, making them highly desirable for sneaky tactics. The Armor Set in Elden Ring consists of four pieces: the Black Knife Hood, Armor, Gauntlets, and Greaves

How To Get

Black Knife Armor Items
Black Knife Armor Items [Image by eXputer]
  1. To obtain the Black Knife Armor Set, you need to go to the Consecrated Snowfield in Elden Ring.
  2. To enter this area, you must acquire the Secret Haligtree Medallion and then go to Liturgical Town.
  • Great for stealth and mobility.
  • Visually appealing.
  • Strong Physical Damage Negation.
  • Tedious to get.
  • Terrible Vitality stats.
  • Poor defense against magic.

Other Honorable Mentions

While compiling my top 5 list for the Best Samurai Armor, I encountered several other viable options that are worth mentioning. However, due to various individual factors, I chose not to include them:

  • Raya Lucaria Soldier Set: Offers weaker physical defense, rendering you more vulnerable to melee attacks.
  • Lionel’s Set: An excellent option, but it has immense weight and limited Dexterity scaling compared to other sets I selected above.
  • Twinned Set: Although it has decent poise and offers balanced defenses against physical, magic, and fire damage, its acquisition is difficult.
  • Raging Wolf Set: Despite having good early and mid-game viability, its defensive capabilities might fall short against late-game bosses and enemies.

If you found this article insightful, here are a few more that could capture your interest: Elden Ring BEST Sword of Night And Flame Build, BEST Armors & Locations, and Elden Ring Best Shields & How To Get guides.

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Daniyal is a Guides Writer and Editor at eXputer with over one year of experience in content writing. He's had a passion for tech and gaming for more than 15 years. Ever since his first console, the PS2, he's constantly branching off to different genres, and his go-to at the moment is the Souls experience pioneered by FromSoftware, which is evident by his 1,500+ hours of game time on Elden Ring. You can learn some more about Daniyal's gaming journey on his Steam & Xbox profiles.

Experience: 1+ Years || Mainly Covers Guides || Education: Bachelors in Computer Sciences.

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