Elden Ring Armor Optimizer: Max Poise & Defense Calculator

How to Use the Elden Ring Armor Optimizer

To find your perfect armor set, simply input your character’s current stats and goals. The more accurate your input, the better the recommendations will be.

• Your Endurance: Enter your character’s Endurance stat. This is the primary stat that determines your maximum Equip Load.

• Equipped Weapons & Shield Weight: Add up the weight of all weapons, shields, and catalysts you have equipped in your right and left-hand slots. This ensures the optimizer only considers armor you can actually wear with your current gear.

• Talisman Loadouts: Select any equip-load-boosting talismans you are using. The optimizer will automatically factor in the percentage increase from the Great-Jar’s Arsenal or the Erdtree’s Favor.

• Target Equip Load: Choose your desired roll type. For 99% of builds, you will want to select Medium Roll (<70%).

• Target Poise (Optional): If you want to reach a specific poise breakpoint (e.g., 51 for PvP), enter that number here. The optimizer will prioritize combinations that meet or exceed this value.

• Optimization Goal: Tell the optimizer what’s most important to you. You can prioritize getting the highest Poise, the best overall Physical Damage Negation, or a balanced mix of both.

Understanding Your Results: Key Armor Stats Explained

The optimizer will generate a list of the most weight-efficient four-piece armor combinations that meet your criteria. But what do all these numbers mean? Understanding these core mechanics is the key to mastering any build.

Equip Load & Rolling: The Most Important Mechanic

Your Equip Load percentage determines the speed and effectiveness of your dodge roll. It is calculated as $(CurrentWeight/MaxWeight)\times 100$. Staying in the Medium Roll category is critical for survival.

The Goal: Use this optimizer to wear the strongest possible armor while keeping your Equip Load at 69.9% or lower.

Poise: How to Not Get Staggered

Poise is a hidden stat that determines your character’s ability to withstand enemy attacks without being staggered or interrupted. Think of it as a hidden “stamina bar” for your stability. When an enemy hits you, you take poise damage. If your poise hits zero, you flinch.

Having enough poise to withstand at least one light attack is crucial in both PvE and PvP, as it allows you to finish your own attack or heal without interruption. This is often referred to as “trading” hits.

Crucial Poise Breakpoints for PvE and PvP

Hitting a specific poise “breakpoint” ensures you can withstand certain types of attacks. This is one of the most important elements of build optimization.

Damage Negation vs. Status Resistances

• Damage Negation: This is a simple percentage reduction for incoming damage. A “Standard” negation of 25 means you take 25% less damage from standard physical attacks. This is your primary defensive stat after Poise.

• Resistances (Immunity, Robustness, Focus): These stats determine how quickly you build up status effects like Poison, Bleed, and Madness. Higher numbers mean you can take more hits before the effect triggers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the absolute most important stat on armor?

For most situations, Poise is the single most important stat up to the 51 (PvP) or 56 (PvE) breakpoint. Not being interrupted is more valuable than a small percentage of extra damage reduction. After you’ve hit your desired poise breakpoint, the next most important factor is the defense-to-weight ratio of your armor pieces.

Is it worth going for a Light Roll?

For most players, no. While a Light Roll is technically the best dodge, the amount of defense and poise you must sacrifice to stay under 30% equip load is immense. You will be staggered by everything and take massive damage when you do get hit. It is only viable for highly skilled “no-hit” style players.

What is “fat rolling” and why is it so bad?

“Fat rolling” is the community term for the Heavy Roll you are forced into when your equip load is between 70% and 99.9%. It is terrible because:

1. It’s Slow: The animation is significantly longer, leaving you vulnerable.

2. It Has Fewer Invincibility Frames: You are more likely to get hit mid-roll.

3. It Hinders Stamina: Your stamina regenerates 20% slower. It is a massive handicap that should be avoided by all players.

Is it better to have high poise or high defense?

The ideal is to have both, but you should prioritize hitting a key poise breakpoint first.

• Concrete Example: Imagine you have two armor sets. Set A has 48 poise and 30% physical defense. Set B has 51 poise and 28% physical defense. For PvP, Set B is significantly better. That extra 3 poise means you can withstand an attack and counter-hit, while Set A would get you staggered and likely killed, negating its slightly higher defense.

Should I use the Bull-Goat’s Talisman to reach a poise breakpoint?

The Bull-Goat’s Talisman increases poise by 33%. It’s an excellent way to reach very high breakpoints (like 101+) without having to wear the absolute heaviest armor. However, it comes at the cost of a talisman slot that could be used for more damage or utility (like Erdtree’s Favor or Shard of Alexander). Use it if reaching a specific poise number is the primary goal of your build.

Does armor matter in the late-game and New Game+?

Yes, but its role changes. In the late game and NG+, enemy damage scales so high that even the best armor won’t let you absorb many direct hits from bosses. At this stage, Poise becomes even more important than Damage Negation. Having enough poise to withstand a stray hit from a common enemy without being staggered is critical when navigating the world.

What’s a good poise target for PvE? What about PvP?

• For PvE: Aim for at least 56 Poise. This will allow you to ignore the nuisance attacks from many common enemies and focus on bigger threats.

• For PvP: 51 Poise is the absolute minimum you should aim for. Anything less will cause you to lose trades against competent players using light weapons.

Is it worth leveling Endurance just for heavier armor?

Yes, within reason. Leveling Endurance not only increases your Equip Load (allowing for better armor and poise) but also boosts your Stamina, which is useful for every build. Many optimized late-game builds will have Endurance between 25 and 40 to accommodate strong armor and weapons while maintaining a Medium Roll.

“Fashion Souls”: How can I look good and still have decent stats?

“Fashion Souls” is the player term for prioritizing your character’s appearance over min-maxed stats. This optimizer can help! You can “lock in” certain armor pieces you want to wear for fashion (like a cool helmet) and let the optimizer find the best possible chest, arms, and leg pieces to complement it while still hitting your desired poise and weight goals.

Optimize Your Full Build

Your armor is just one piece of the puzzle. A truly optimized Tarnished considers every aspect of their build.

• Now that your defenses are set, plan the rest of your stats and gear with our comprehensive Elden Ring Build Planner.

• Maximize your damage output by figuring out the best infusions and scaling for your stats with our Weapon Attack Rating (AR) Calculator.

• Discover which talismans will elevate your build to the next level with our guide to the Best Talismans for Every Build.