How do armour quality and armour value work?

Armour value is the percentage of damage a piece mitigates when a hit lands on an area it covers, so a 40 rating turns a 1000-damage hit into 600^[1][2]. Quality is a separate percentage showing where the item's rolled values sit within the possible range for its kind^[3][4].

Armour value

A player's guide gives the example of Combat Gloves with an Armour Value of 38.97, meaning 38.97% of damage is mitigated when the gloves' protected area is hit^[1]. TornLife's calculation for a 40 rating on a 1000-damage hit: d * (1 - a / 100) = 600^[2].

Per the research findings, a player explained in 2020 that armour has only an armour rating, fixed for each individual item. The source document for that post was not captured in this pack.

Armour quality

Quality is a position within the possible range for that kind of item. The research findings attribute to a staff member (2020) this example: if the armour range is 10 to 20 and yours is 15, quality is 50%. That post was not captured here. Quality does not change the rating's meaning; it shows where the rating falls in the range.

For weapons, the wiki (captured 2021) weights Damage 50% and Accuracy 50%, each scored as a percentile in its range. Its example, damage at the 40th percentile and accuracy at the 90th, gives 65%^[4]. That description is weapon-specific.

The sources do not agree on how quality is scored. A 2021 forum thread says quality is how close the damage and accuracy are to the maximum possible for that type^[3]. The wiki describes percentile position in the range with 50/50 weights^[4]. In 2020 a player posted two Armalites with 131.72 total stats at 63.79% quality and 131.26 at 65.83%, disputing the wiki's 50/50 claim^[5]. This is unresolved in the sources.

Coverage and sets

• Mitigation is based on displayed pixel coverage on the player model: if a part looks covered, it is covered^[6].
• Overlapping armour uses the highest value, not the sum, per the findings from the wiki^[6].
• Since Attacking 2.1 (19/12/17), armour only has an effect if the hit visibly hits the armour on the model^[7].

The wiki lists coverage per body part. EOD Apron, as a percentage^[8]:

Armour bonuses

Delta, Marauder, Sentinel and Vanguard armour apply their bonuses regardless of whether the covered area is hit^[9]. Per the findings, Riot, Assault, Dune and EOD armour apply theirs only when the covered area is hit, and a full set adds extra effectiveness to the bonus; the captured text does not show that half.

Company perks

Per the findings from the wiki (2025), a 10* Clothing Store gives a 20% armour buff, so a 40.00 piece acts as 48.00. A 7* Private Security Firm gives 25% when wearing a full set (helmet, chest, gloves, pants, boots). The source document was not captured here.

Interaction with other mechanics

• Defense is a separate stat that reduces damage taken per hit^[10]. Per the findings (2023 wiki), against 10,000,000 Strength, 5,000,000 Defense gives 40.00% mitigation and 10,000,000 gives 50.00%.
• Proxima's 2020 guide gives TOT_DAMAGE = DAMAGE_STR * (1 - DEF_MIT) * (1 - ARMOR_MIT) * TOT_DMG_PASSIVES * EVIS_PCT * (WEAPON_DMG / 10), so defence and armour mitigation multiply. This is a community guide, not a staff statement^[11].
• Special ammo: Hollow Point increases enemy armour value by 50%; Piercing reduces enemy armour to 50%^[12].

History

Per the findings, in January 2018 Chedburn announced that armour mitigation was reduced on a new scaling system and all attacking damage was cut 25% to compensate. A Quality percentage was to be trialled. This is history, separate from the current mechanics above; the source document was not captured here.

Where sources disagree

• Quality is described as closeness to the maximum possible value^[3], but as a 50/50 percentile score of Damage and Accuracy^[4]; a 2020 player disputed the 50/50 claim with Armalite examples^[5].