Oblivion:Heavy Armor

Heavy Armor
The Heavy Armor skill determines how much protection is provided by heavyweight armor, how much damage heavy armor takes, and how much heavy armor encumbers you.  The other armor option is Light Armor.

In-game Description: Make more effective use of Iron, Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Ebony, and Daedric armors.

Mastery
Mastery Perks
For a Novice, heavy armor degrades rapidly with use (150% of normal rate).
An '''Apprentice's heavy armor degrades at a normal rate.
A Journeyman's heavy armor degrades at a slower rate (50% of normal rate).
An Expert's equipped heavy armor only encumbers them by 50%.
A Master's equipped heavy armor does not encumber them at all.

Skill Benefits
As your heavy armor skill increases, the protection provided by heavy armor increases, according to the following equation:
 ArmorRating = ( 0.35 + 0.0065 * Skill ) * BaseArmorRating

Skill Increases
Your heavy armor skill increases by 1.25 experience points for every hit taken (assuming the area hit is wearing heavy armor), whether due to melee or archery combat.

To maximize heavy armor skill increases, you should wear an almost complete set of heavy armor (boots, cuirass, gauntlets, greaves, helmet but no shield). Let an enemy hit you repeatedly without blocking and your skill will increase. If you block using your hands, both your heavy armor and Block skills will increase.

General tips for increasing combat skills are provided at General Combat Strategies.

A good way to increase your skill in heavy armor is to equip a full set (shield included) with the shield enchantment, then have as many NPCs as you can find attack you at once. Guard barracks are an ideal location for this.

See also:
Increasing Skills: Tips on how to improve your skills semi-naturally.
Trainers: Pay for heavy armor lessons.
 
Skill Books: Books that provide lessons in heavy armor
Increasing Attributes: Tips on training skills to improve the Endurance attribute.
Free Skill Boosts: A couple free heavy armor skill bonuses are available.
Magic Items: There are multiple generic items with the fortify heavy armor enchantment.
Unique Items''': A list of unique armors, as well as several unique items that fortify the heavy armor skill. These do not include Leveled Items such as those received from quests, or Artifacts.
: Unique items include:
::*Aegis of the Apocalypse is a unique heavy cuirass that can be bought from Varnado at The Best Defense. Among other enchantments, it fortifies your heavy armor skill by 5 pts.
::*Tower of the Nine is a unique shield that can be purchased from Viator Accius at the Stonewall Shields. Among other enchantments it fortifies your heavy armor skill by 5 pts.

Dialogue
When your skill reaches 70 or higher, NPCs will start saying: "You look like someone who's comfortable in heavy armor."

Character Creation
The following races provide initial skill bonuses in heavy armor:
+5 bonus: Redguard
+10 bonus: Imperial, Orc, Nord

The following standard classes include heavy armor as a major skill:
Crusader, Knight, Sorcerer, Spellsword, Warrior

Messages
The following table provides the messages that are displayed when your Heavy Armor skill levels up.



Notes
Starting characters in heavy armor will enable high Endurance attribute bonuses and make a tougher character at high levels.  Try to wear primarily unenchanted armor (you cannot repair enchanted armor until Journeyman rank in Armorer skill is achieved) and repair as much as finances afford (buy repair hammers, not repair services.) 

If you visit the Lord birthsign doomstone you can receive the greater power ''Ysmir's Scales.  One of several benefits of this power is that it fortifies your heavy armor skill 10 pts once a day for 120 seconds.

Once your combined Fame and Infamy reaches 60, you can visit the Shezarr heaven doomstone to receive the greater power Shield of Shezarr''.  One of several benefits of this power is that it fortifies your heavy armor skill 20 pts once a day for 120 seconds.

When a Master in both Light Armor and Heavy Armor, both provide the same defense at the same quality (Glass-Daedric, for example). The only difference is that Heavy armor has more health.