'''Armor''' was metal plating or leather pieces designed to provide protection to the wearer and was available for purchase at [[blacksmiths]]. They fortified the health and damage resistance of the wearer. However, armor could also be broken if it took too much damage causing a temporary loss in maximum health until repaired.<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="ACII">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>
[[File:Armor of Altaïr ACII.png|thumb|250px|Ezio Auditore retrieving the Armor of Altaïr]]
'''Armor''' is a cover designed to provide protection to the wearer from physical harm. Throughout antiquity and the [[Middle Ages]], armor was typically composed of [[metal]] plating or [[leather]] pieces, and was widely utilized by [[soldier]]s until the advent of [[firearm]]s, which made it virtually obsolete since it was not designed to defend against bullets. In [[modern times]], bulletproof armor is worn by certain soldiers and [[police]]men, though it is far less widespread.<ref>{{WP|Armor}}</ref>
==High Middle Ages==
During the [[Renaissance]], armor was commonly available for purchase at [[blacksmith]]s, making it more widely accessible to [[civilian]]s, as well as [[Assassins]]. Throughout much of their history, Assassins prefered utilizing light armor as to not hinder their mobility, which was typically worn over their robes. For this reason, the Assassins' armor could not sustain much damage and could be quite easily broken, leaving the wearer vulnerable until it was repaired or replaced.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref><ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref><ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
During the Crusades, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Altaïr]] wore a standard Assassin combat uniform that primarily consisted of vambraces, greaves, shoes and a protective belt, all made in leather. The main vambrace, which was always worn on an Assassin's left forearm, conceals the [[Hidden Blade]] with a series of metal plating arranged in formation for combat protection. As an Assassin was promoted through the ranks of the [[Assassins|Order]], his waist belt would also be upgraded to reflect the new found status. Altaïr and [[Malik Al-Sayf#Characteristics and personality|Malik]] both bore the highest level combat uniform in the Assassin's Order, with the most prestigious three-layer waist belts.<ref name="AC"/>
===Peloponnesian War===
During the [[Peloponnesian War]], the [[Sparta]]n ''[[Mercenary|misthios]]'' [[Kassandra]] acquired and wore many different sets of armor throughout her travels across [[Greece]].<ref name="Odyssey">''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''</ref>
====Desynchronization====
===Third Crusade===
Because [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] lost [[Synchronization]] every time Altaïr was killed during combat, it is implied that Altaïr was never killed nor mortally wounded in armed conflicts or during assassinations. This would be feasible given his reputation as a legendary warrior of his time and his [[Those Who Came Before|lineage]].<ref name="AC"/>
During the [[Third Crusade]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] wore a standard Assassin combat uniform that primarily consisted of vambraces, greaves, shoes and a protective belt, all made in leather. The main vambrace, which was always worn on an Assassin's left forearm, concealed the [[Hidden Blade]] with a series of metal plating arranged in formation for combat protection.<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
As an Assassin was promoted through the [[Assassin rank|ranks]] of the Brotherhood, their waist belt would also be upgraded to reflect the new-found status. Altaïr and [[Malik Al-Sayf]] both bore the highest level of combat uniform in the Assassin Order, with the most prestigious three-layer waist belts.<ref name="AC" />
====Codex====
====Codex====
Using the [[Second Apple|Apple of Eden]] Altaïr created the [[Codex]] pages as well as [[Armor of Altaïr|a new suit of armor for himself]], one that was almost impossible to damage. This new armor would be passed down to each of his descendants, eventually being hidden away in the [[Sanctuary]] beneath the [[Villa Auditore]].<ref name="AC"/><ref name="ACII"/>
Using an [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]], Altaïr created a [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex|personal Codex]] as well as a new [[Armor of Altaïr|suit of armor]] for himself; one that was almost impervious to damage. This new armor would be passed down to each of his descendants, eventually being hidden away in the [[Sanctuary]] beneath the [[Villa Auditore]].<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" />
====Other====
Guards during the Third Crusade also commonly wore armor, which varied in design depending on the city where they operated.<ref name="AC" />
The guards in [[Damascus]] could be found in either lamellar, leather, or ringmail armor. Guards in [[Acre]] could be seen in brigantine armor and chain mail, some complete with coifs, while guards in [[Jerusalem]] were often found wearing scale or splintmail. Each of these guard types also operated in the [[Kingdom]], near their respective cities.<ref name="AC" />
The [[Templars|Knights Templar]] uniformly wore full suits of chainmail, covered in a white tabard with a red steel helm covering their face. Accompanying this, they wore their signature [[Templar insignia|red cross]] openly, possibly due to their public image, whereas future Templars wore the symbol more subtly, as the Templar Order faded into obscurity.<ref name="AC" />
===Spanish Renaissance===
While hiding in the [[Sierra de Cazorla]] mountain range during the ''[[Reconquista]]'' in [[Spain]], the [[Spanish Brotherhood of Assassins|Spanish Brotherhood]] [[Crafting (Assassin's Creed: Rebellion)|crafted]] various types of armor for use in their fight against the joint forces of the [[Spanish Rite of the Templar Order|Spanish Templars]] and the [[Spanish Inquisition]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''</ref>
In the late 15th century, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] could purchase different types of armor from blacksmiths found throughout the various cities of [[Italy]]. There were four main sets of armor to purchase, and a fifth—the Armor of Altaïr—which could be gained through acquiring all of the [[Assassin Seals]]. Each set consisted of four individual pieces: chest plates, greaves, spaulders or pauldrons, and vambraces.<ref name="AC2" />
===Other Characters===
The [[Leather Armor]] was the first available set, which provided little protection from attacks. Later, Ezio could purchase the [[Helmschmied Armor]], which was a variant of leather with metal inlays. Some time after, Ezio also bought the [[Metal Armor|Metal]] and [[Missaglias Armor|Missaglias]] armor sets, both composed mainly of metal, with the Missaglias set sporting stylized decoration.<ref name="AC2" />
Armor did appear on other individuals, and there were differences in the styles worn by [[guards]] in each city.
The guards in [[Damascus]] could be found in either lamellar, leather, or ringmail armor.
With the exception of the Leather Armor, every set offered both health fortification and resistance bonuses, but considering that armor could be damaged through combat or by falling from large heights, it was necessary to repair it at blacksmiths regularly.<ref name="AC2" />
Guards in [[Acre]] could be seen in brigantine armor and chain mail, some complete with coifs.
During [[Desmond Miles]]' session reliving Ezio's [[Genetic memory|memories]] in the [[Animus]], each armor was represented with a set number of circles, displaying the amount of damage it could sustain before becoming broken. In general, when twenty squares of damage was inflicted to the [[synchronization]] bar, it would remove one circle of resistance from every piece of armor Ezio had equipped.<ref name="AC2" />
Guards in [[Jerusalem]] were often found wearing scale or splintmail.
====Armor of Altaïr====
After collecting the seals from the [[Assassin Tombs|tombs]] of six legendary Assassins, Ezio could unlock Altaïr's improved armor from behind a gate in the Sanctuary. It consisted of black cloth with specially made armor integrated into it, akin to the mythical properties of the [[Shrouds of Eden|Golden Fleece]].<ref name="AC2" />
Each of these guard types could be found in the [[Kingdom]] near their respective cities.<ref name="AC"/>
Because it was virtually unbreakable, the armor could not sustain damage from normal attacks and required no repairs. As revealed in his Codex, after realizing the danger the armor could pose should it fall into the wrong hands, Altaïr destroyed the written formula to prevent it from being recreated, making the Armor of Altaïr one of a kind.<ref name="AC2" />
The [[Templars|Knights Templar]] uniformly wore full suits of chain mail covered in a white tabbard with a red steel helm covering their face. All of the Knights Templar wore their signature red cross openly, whereas future Templars wore the cross symbol more subtly.<ref name="AC"/>
====Others====
All soldiers in Italy during the Renaissance wore armor to varying degrees, with [[archer]]s as the lightest units, followed by [[Agile]]s, [[regular]] soldiers, [[Seeker]]s, and finally [[Brute]]s. Elite soldiers wore heavier armor than regular soldiers, making them more resistant to Ezio's attacks and counter-attacks.<ref name="AC2" />
==Renaissance==
===Italian Renaissance (16th century)===
===Italy===
[[File:Ezio-plainrobes-brotherhood.png|thumb|220px|Ezio's plain robes in Rome]]
During the [[siege of Monteriggioni]], Ezio lost the Armor of Altaïr underneath the rubble caused by a cannonball striking the Villa Auditore, forcing him to run into battle clothed in a simple shirt, trousers, and boots.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Without any substantial protection, Ezio was left extremely vulnerable. The [[House of Borgia|Borgia]] soldiers successfully took advantage of this by arranging for a squad of [[arquebusier]]s to shoot at him from the ramparts, severely wounding the Assassin as their bullets tore through his shoulder and abdomen. Later on in [[Rome]], Ezio's new robes and armor were anonymously given to him by [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] through [[Margherita dei Campi]], the woman who had nursed his injuries.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] could purchase different types of armor from blacksmiths found throughout the game's various cities. There were four sets of armor that could be purchased, and a fifth - the Armor of Altaïr which could be gained through acquiring all of the Assassin's seals. Each set contained four individual pieces: chest plates, greaves, spaulders, and vambraces.<ref name="ACII"/>
==estatisticas==
Ezio's newer attire resembled the clothes of Altaïr, with longer robes and a longer hood, while his new armor came only with a spaulder and a single vambrace. Just like in previously visited cities, Ezio was able to purchase armor upgrades from a blacksmith shop, though it was also possible for him to complete [[Shop quest|specific quests]] for the blacksmith on [[Tiber Island]], in order to unlock parts of the [[Seusenhofer Armor]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />
The only set that could not be purchased from any blacksmith in Rome was the [[Helmschmied Drachen Armor]], which was instead acquired by Ezio through unknown means.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
In Rome, armor designs had changed to the degree that they were given metal inlays during the second and last set of purchasable armors. The [[Roman Armor]] set was made of leather, while the [[Rondelle Armor]] set had the same design with metal inlays. The [[Plate Armor]] was an unstylized version of the Seusenhofer Armor with metal inlays, whereas the Seusenhofer set was more decorated than its predecessor.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
Later, once Ezio had obtained all six [[Scrolls of Romulus|Keys of Romulus]], he was given access to the [[Armor of Brutus]], which was an unbreakable armor contained behind a gate underneath the [[Palatine Hill]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />
</u></p>
<p style="text-align: left; "><u>
====Others====
</u></p>
Guards in Rome were armored similarly to those stationed in other Italian regions, with the addition of the [[Papal Guard]] as the most heavily outfitted opponents. Of the new guard archetypes, the [[Crossbowman|crossbowmen]] were equal in defense to archers, while arquebusiers matched standard guards.<ref name="Brotherhood" />
[[File:Ezio-plainrobes-revelations.png|thumb|220px|Ezio's plain robes in Constantinople]]
During Ezio's travels in [[Constantinople]], he encountered a new variety of armor. From blacksmiths, he could acquire the [[Azap Armor]], which was made of leather and thus the weakest available set, followed by the [[Mamluk Armor|Mamluk]] and [[Sepahi Armor]]s, both of which were made of metal and more resistant.<ref name="Revelations" />
Additionally, upon initiating the advanced training of seven Assassins into becoming [[Master Assassin]]s, through the first part of their specialized mission, Ezio acquired the [[Master Assassin Armor]].<ref name="Revelations" />
===Other Characters===
After finding all ten of [[Ishak Pasha]]'s [[Ishak Pasha's memoir pages|memoir pages]], Ezio journeyed inside the [[Hagia Sophia]] and completed a harsh climb to a secret room within the mosque, where he obtained the [[Armor of Ishak Pasha]] from the Assassin's tomb. Due to rumors of the armor being cursed, most guards would become terrified upon seeing it and would run away if Ezio killed enough of their comrades.<ref name="Revelations" />
All types of soldiers in Italy were armored to varying degrees, with [[archers]] as the lightest, followed by [[Agiles]], regular soldiers, [[Seekers]], and [[Brutes]]. Elite soldiers wear heavier armor than regular soldiers making them more resistant to Ezio's attacks and counter-attacks.<ref name="ACII"/>
===Rome===
====Recruits====
Ezio's [[Assassin apprentice]]s in Rome and Constantinople could also wear armor, which was upgradeable as the apprentice progressed along the ranks of the Brotherhood. At first, a recruit started with no armor, but could acquire leather pauldrons, leather greaves, a leather chest guard, and finally a full set of plate armor, which would replace their previous leather pieces.<ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="Revelations" />
[[File:Ezio-plainrobes-brotherhood.png|thumb|150px|Ezio's plain robes in Rome]]
Once they had obtained the plate armor, the recruits would be able to last longer in battle and were less likely to get killed. On reaching the rank of Assassin, they would gain new robes resembling Ezio's Master Assassin outfit, with Assassin armor even stronger than plate armor.<ref name="Brotherhood" /> In Constantinople, the recruits would gain robes similar to those of [[Yusuf Tazim]], along with the armor of a fully-fledged Assassin, including a removable mask.<ref name="Revelations" />
During the siege of Monteriggioni Ezio lost the Armor of Altaïr forcing him to run into battle clothed in a simple shirt, trousers and boots. Later on in [[Rome]], Ezio's new robes and armor were anonymously given to him by [[Niccolò Machiavelli|Machiavelli]]. Ezio's newer attire resembled the clothes of Altaïr, with longer robes and a longer hood. Ezio's new armor came only with a spaulder and a single vambrace.
Ezio was able to purchase armor upgrades, just like in the previously visited cities, in a blacksmith shop. It was also possible to complete [[Shop Quests|specific quests]] for the blacksmith shop on [[Tiber Island]], in order to unlock parts of the Seusenhofer armor. The only set of [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood outfits|armor]] that could not be purchased is the [[Helmschmied Drachen Armor]] (This armor's is available with the purchase of [[The Da Vinci Disappearance (DLC)|''The Da Vinci Disappearance'']] DLC).<ref name="ACB"/>
===Golden Age of Piracy===
[[File:AC4 Edward Kenway's Robes.png|thumb|220px|Edward's plain robes]]
During the [[Golden Age of Piracy]], [[Edward Kenway]] could [[Crafting (Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag)|craft]] leather armor pieces for himself. New armor pieces became available for crafting after Edward obtained the [[hunting]] spoils required to craft a particular piece.<ref name="Black Flag">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>
===Statistics===
Additionally, during his time in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], Edward obtained a set of [[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag outfits|Templar]] and [[Mayan Armor|Mayan]] armors, by collecting [[Templar keys]] and [[Mayan Stelae|Mayan keystones]], respectively.<ref name="Black Flag" />
| style="text-align: center;"| Complete the shop quest "Exotica"
| style="text-align: center;"| N/A
|-
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|Greaves of Brutus
| style="text-align: center;"|Complete all 6 Romulus Lairs
| style="text-align: center;"| N/A
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|Vambraces of Brutus
| style="text-align: center;"|Complete all 6 Romulus Lairs
| style="text-align: center;"| N/A
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|Chest Guard of Brutus
| style="text-align: center;"|Complete all 6 Romulus Lairs
| style="text-align: center;"| N/A
|-
| style="text-align: center;"|Pauldrons of Brutus
| style="text-align: center;"|Complete all 6 Romulus Lairs
| style="text-align: center;"|
N/A
|}
Armor designs in Rome had changed and were given metal inlays during the second and last set of purchasable armors. The Roman armor set was made of leather while the Rondelle armor set had the same design with metal inlays, the Plate armor was the unstylized with metal inlays of the Seusenhofer armor. When all six [[Scrolls of Romulus|Keys of Romulus]] were obtained, Ezio was given the [[Armor of Brutus]], an unbreakable armor.<ref name="ACB"/>
===Seven Years' War===
During the [[Seven Years' War]], [[Shay Cormac]] learned to [[Crafting (Assassin's Creed: Rogue)|craft]] various pieces of leather armor after collecting various hunting spoils. Throughout his journeys, he obtained several other [[Wardrobe of Shay Cormac|sets]] of armor.<ref name="Rogue">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref>
===Recruits===
The Native Armor was a treasure of the [[Oneida]] indigenous peoples, which Shay claimed after collecting all of the Native totems. Shay also secured the 11th century Templar Armor sealed aboard the [[HMS Sapphire wreck|wrecked]] [[HMS Sapphire|HMS ''Sapphire'']] after gathering all the Templar relics needed to unlock the suit. In addition, he assembled an ancient set of Viking Armor, and recovered the armor of the legendary Templar Sir [[James Gunn]] from a storehouse in [[Fort de Sable]].<ref name="Rogue" />
Ezio's Assassin Recruits could also wear armor; this was upgradeable as the assassin leveled up free of charge. A recruit started with no armor but could acquire leather pauldrons, leather greaves, a leather chest guard, and finally, a full set of plate armor (which replaced all the parts of leather armor already equipped). With 'level four' armor being the best recruits could have - they had more than double their original health, making plate armor extremely useful. Once the recruits reach the rank of Assassin however, they will have new robes (resembling that of Ezio's Master robes) and the armor of a full-fledged Assassin.<ref name="ACB"/>
===Other Characters===
===French Revolution===
Guards were armored similarly those stationed in other Italian regions, with the addition of the [[Papal Guard]] as the most heavily armored opponents. Of the new guard archetypes the [[Crossbowmen]] were equal in defense to Archers, while [[Arquebusiers]] matched standard guards.<ref name="ACB"/>
During the [[French Revolution]], the Assassin [[Arno Dorian]] could wear different coats as part of greater gear sets, which provided varying degrees of melee or ranged damage protection.<ref name="Unity">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>
===Constantinople===
===Victorian England===
[[File:Ezio-plainrobes-revelations.png|thumb|150px|Ezio's plain robes in Constantinople]]
In [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[London]], the twin Assassins [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye]] could obtain different outfits, some of which offered greater resistance to melee or ranged weapon damage. The Blackguard, Creature's Rags, and Maximum Dracula outfits for Jacob and the Defender's Garb, Lady Bloofer, and [[Aegis]] outfits for Evie were all crafted in such a way to provide extra protection from damage and thus acted as a sort of armor.<ref name="Syndicate">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref>
During Ezio's travels in Constantinople, he encountered a new variety of armor. From blacksmiths, he could acquire Azap Leather armor, the weakest, Mamluk Metal armor - stronger than the Azap Leather - and the Sepahi Riding armor, the strongest of the three. Additionally, upon initiating seven Assassin Recruits into becoming Master Assassins (doing the first part of every Master Assassin mission) he acquired the Master Assassin armor. After finding all ten of Ishak Pasha's memoir pages, he then journeyed inside the [[Hagia Sophia]] to obtain the [[Armor of Ishak Pasha]].
| style="text-align: center;"|Complete the Hagia Sophia
| style="text-align: center;"|
N/A
|}
|}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
{{GalleryBox|Armor}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' was the only game in which armor took on a damaged appearance when broken.
* Ezio's initial spaulder in Rome is leather, while the cover art depicts him wearing a metal spaulder. His new hidden blade bracer was the same as it is on the cover, as well as his hidden blade. But like the metal spaulder, Ezio's second hidden blade does not appear like the one on the cover. Instead, it was a brown glove like his original second hidden blade used in the ''Assassin's Creed II'' E3 Demo, and also on pre-released ''Assassin's Creed II'' pictures. The second blade was originally displayed as an identical blade and bracer as his primary blade and bracer.
*In ''Assassin's Creed II'', a filler vambrace that offers no protection can be accessed in the memory "Practice What You Preach". If a vambrace is purchased during the memory it will be unequipped and replaced with the filler vambrace.
* Vambraces for the second hidden blade can be bought at a blacksmith only when the second hidden blade is purchased from [[Leonardo da Vinci|Leonardo]], but none of the vambraces have the design of the bracer shown in the cover art.
*In ''Assassin's Creed II'', the Missaglias Vambraces had 1 more health square than the Vambraces of Altaïr.
* The Armor of Altaïr, the Armor of Brutus, the Master Assassin armor and the Armor of Ishak Pasha all give 25 health squares without the need of repairs.
*Ezio's initial spaulder in Rome was made out of leather, while the cover art of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' depicted him wearing a metal spaulder. His initial Hidden Blade bracer was the same as it was on the cover, however, like the metal spaulder, Ezio's second Hidden Blade appeared differently. Instead, it was a brown glove like his original second Hidden Blade used in the ''Assassin's Creed II'' {{Wiki|Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3}} demo, and also on pre-release ''Assassin's Creed II'' pictures. Meanwhile, on the cover art for ''Brotherhood'', the second blade was originally displayed as an identical blade and bracer to that of his primary Hidden Blade.
* With the Master Assassin armor equiped, Ezio's clothing color is returned to the default Original Grey. It will stay that way until you unequip the Master Assassin armor. It will still be possible to dye your clothes, however, this will not be noticeable until you unequip the armor. Additionally, like the [[Armor of Ishak Pasha|Armor of Ishak Pasha, ]] the hood will remain on in cutscenes.
*The Armor of Altaïr's greaves had patterns similar to that of the Helmschmied Chest Guard and the Helmschmied Spaulders.
* In ''Revelations'', if you replay the second memory of the first sequence, any armor will be removed and will stay that way even after the completion of the memory.
*Bracers for the second Hidden Blade could only be bought at a blacksmith once the Hidden Blade itself was purchased from [[Leonardo da Vinci]].
*The Armors of Altaïr, Brutus, and Ishak Pasha, and the Master Assassin Armor all gave Ezio an additional 15 health points added on top of his base amount without the need of repairs. Provided he deciphered all Codex pages in ''Assassin's Creed II'', or the player completed Memory Sequence 7 in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Ezio can have up to a total of 25 health squares. However, in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', Ezio can only reach a maximum of 20 health bars even with the Armor of Ishak Pasha or the Master Assassin Armor equipped, as there are no means for Ezio to increase his base unarmored health beyond the five he starts off with.
*There was a glitch in the second sequence of ''Brotherhood'', where if Ezio visited a blacksmith before the memory "[[New Man in Town]]", the entire Seusenhofer armor set would be available for sale, although only the greaves were able to be bought since the bracers required the dual Hidden Blades, and the pauldrons and chest guard were unlocked through a shop quest.
*With the Master Assassin Armor equipped, Ezio's clothing color was returned to the default, "Original Grey", though it would stay that way until he unequipped the Master Assassin Armor. It would still be possible to dye his clothes, however, but this would not be noticeable until he had removed the armor. Additionally, like the Armor of Ishak Pasha, the hood would remain on in cutscenes.
*Ezio's Master Assassin Armor also had the hidden effect of not causing any footstep noise while running.
**Likewise, the Armor of Ishak Pasha had the hidden effect of extra projectile resistance and had a small chance to deflect the projectile back at the shooter.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'', [[Achilles Davenport]]'s [[Assassin's Creed III outfits|outfit]] was said to be an armor, though it provided no extra health or protection to [[Ratonhnhaké:ton|Connor]].
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed Rogue]]'', Edward and Shay's crafted health upgrades take the appearance of pieces of armor in the crafting menu. However, as neither of these pieces of armor altered their appearances, it is likely that these leather pieces were worn under their respective outfits.
*The 'Eagle Bearing' Misthios [[Kassandra]] was able to adorn the same robes that legendary Italian renaissance Assassin [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] wore when he liberated Rome from the Borgia.
This article has been identified as being out of date. Please update the article to reflect recent releases and then remove this template once done.
Ezio Auditore retrieving the Armor of Altaïr
Armor is a cover designed to provide protection to the wearer from physical harm. Throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages, armor was typically composed of metal plating or leather pieces, and was widely utilized by soldiers until the advent of firearms, which made it virtually obsolete since it was not designed to defend against bullets. In modern times, bulletproof armor is worn by certain soldiers and policemen, though it is far less widespread.[1]
During the Renaissance, armor was commonly available for purchase at blacksmiths, making it more widely accessible to civilians, as well as Assassins. Throughout much of their history, Assassins prefered utilizing light armor as to not hinder their mobility, which was typically worn over their robes. For this reason, the Assassins' armor could not sustain much damage and could be quite easily broken, leaving the wearer vulnerable until it was repaired or replaced.[2][3][4]
During the Third Crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad wore a standard Assassin combat uniform that primarily consisted of vambraces, greaves, shoes and a protective belt, all made in leather. The main vambrace, which was always worn on an Assassin's left forearm, concealed the Hidden Blade with a series of metal plating arranged in formation for combat protection.[6]
As an Assassin was promoted through the ranks of the Brotherhood, their waist belt would also be upgraded to reflect the new-found status. Altaïr and Malik Al-Sayf both bore the highest level of combat uniform in the Assassin Order, with the most prestigious three-layer waist belts.[6]
Using an Apple of Eden, Altaïr created a personal Codex as well as a new suit of armor for himself; one that was almost impervious to damage. This new armor would be passed down to each of his descendants, eventually being hidden away in the Sanctuary beneath the Villa Auditore.[6][2]
Guards during the Third Crusade also commonly wore armor, which varied in design depending on the city where they operated.[6]
The guards in Damascus could be found in either lamellar, leather, or ringmail armor. Guards in Acre could be seen in brigantine armor and chain mail, some complete with coifs, while guards in Jerusalem were often found wearing scale or splintmail. Each of these guard types also operated in the Kingdom, near their respective cities.[6]
The Knights Templar uniformly wore full suits of chainmail, covered in a white tabard with a red steel helm covering their face. Accompanying this, they wore their signature red cross openly, possibly due to their public image, whereas future Templars wore the symbol more subtly, as the Templar Order faded into obscurity.[6]
In the late 15th century, Ezio Auditore da Firenze could purchase different types of armor from blacksmiths found throughout the various cities of Italy. There were four main sets of armor to purchase, and a fifth—the Armor of Altaïr—which could be gained through acquiring all of the Assassin Seals. Each set consisted of four individual pieces: chest plates, greaves, spaulders or pauldrons, and vambraces.[2]
The Leather Armor was the first available set, which provided little protection from attacks. Later, Ezio could purchase the Helmschmied Armor, which was a variant of leather with metal inlays. Some time after, Ezio also bought the Metal and Missaglias armor sets, both composed mainly of metal, with the Missaglias set sporting stylized decoration.[2]
With the exception of the Leather Armor, every set offered both health fortification and resistance bonuses, but considering that armor could be damaged through combat or by falling from large heights, it was necessary to repair it at blacksmiths regularly.[2]
During Desmond Miles' session reliving Ezio's memories in the Animus, each armor was represented with a set number of circles, displaying the amount of damage it could sustain before becoming broken. In general, when twenty squares of damage was inflicted to the synchronization bar, it would remove one circle of resistance from every piece of armor Ezio had equipped.[2]
After collecting the seals from the tombs of six legendary Assassins, Ezio could unlock Altaïr's improved armor from behind a gate in the Sanctuary. It consisted of black cloth with specially made armor integrated into it, akin to the mythical properties of the Golden Fleece.[2]
Because it was virtually unbreakable, the armor could not sustain damage from normal attacks and required no repairs. As revealed in his Codex, after realizing the danger the armor could pose should it fall into the wrong hands, Altaïr destroyed the written formula to prevent it from being recreated, making the Armor of Altaïr one of a kind.[2]
All soldiers in Italy during the Renaissance wore armor to varying degrees, with archers as the lightest units, followed by Agiles, regular soldiers, Seekers, and finally Brutes. Elite soldiers wore heavier armor than regular soldiers, making them more resistant to Ezio's attacks and counter-attacks.[2]
During the siege of Monteriggioni, Ezio lost the Armor of Altaïr underneath the rubble caused by a cannonball striking the Villa Auditore, forcing him to run into battle clothed in a simple shirt, trousers, and boots.[3]
Without any substantial protection, Ezio was left extremely vulnerable. The Borgia soldiers successfully took advantage of this by arranging for a squad of arquebusiers to shoot at him from the ramparts, severely wounding the Assassin as their bullets tore through his shoulder and abdomen. Later on in Rome, Ezio's new robes and armor were anonymously given to him by Niccolò Machiavelli through Margherita dei Campi, the woman who had nursed his injuries.[3]
Ezio's newer attire resembled the clothes of Altaïr, with longer robes and a longer hood, while his new armor came only with a spaulder and a single vambrace. Just like in previously visited cities, Ezio was able to purchase armor upgrades from a blacksmith shop, though it was also possible for him to complete specific quests for the blacksmith on Tiber Island, in order to unlock parts of the Seusenhofer Armor.[3]
The only set that could not be purchased from any blacksmith in Rome was the Helmschmied Drachen Armor, which was instead acquired by Ezio through unknown means.[3]
In Rome, armor designs had changed to the degree that they were given metal inlays during the second and last set of purchasable armors. The Roman Armor set was made of leather, while the Rondelle Armor set had the same design with metal inlays. The Plate Armor was an unstylized version of the Seusenhofer Armor with metal inlays, whereas the Seusenhofer set was more decorated than its predecessor.[3]
Later, once Ezio had obtained all six Keys of Romulus, he was given access to the Armor of Brutus, which was an unbreakable armor contained behind a gate underneath the Palatine Hill.[3]
Guards in Rome were armored similarly to those stationed in other Italian regions, with the addition of the Papal Guard as the most heavily outfitted opponents. Of the new guard archetypes, the crossbowmen were equal in defense to archers, while arquebusiers matched standard guards.[3]
During Ezio's travels in Constantinople, he encountered a new variety of armor. From blacksmiths, he could acquire the Azap Armor, which was made of leather and thus the weakest available set, followed by the Mamluk and Sepahi Armors, both of which were made of metal and more resistant.[4]
Additionally, upon initiating the advanced training of seven Assassins into becoming Master Assassins, through the first part of their specialized mission, Ezio acquired the Master Assassin Armor.[4]
After finding all ten of Ishak Pasha's memoir pages, Ezio journeyed inside the Hagia Sophia and completed a harsh climb to a secret room within the mosque, where he obtained the Armor of Ishak Pasha from the Assassin's tomb. Due to rumors of the armor being cursed, most guards would become terrified upon seeing it and would run away if Ezio killed enough of their comrades.[4]
Ezio's Assassin apprentices in Rome and Constantinople could also wear armor, which was upgradeable as the apprentice progressed along the ranks of the Brotherhood. At first, a recruit started with no armor, but could acquire leather pauldrons, leather greaves, a leather chest guard, and finally a full set of plate armor, which would replace their previous leather pieces.[3][4]
Once they had obtained the plate armor, the recruits would be able to last longer in battle and were less likely to get killed. On reaching the rank of Assassin, they would gain new robes resembling Ezio's Master Assassin outfit, with Assassin armor even stronger than plate armor.[3] In Constantinople, the recruits would gain robes similar to those of Yusuf Tazim, along with the armor of a fully-fledged Assassin, including a removable mask.[4]
During the Golden Age of Piracy, Edward Kenway could craft leather armor pieces for himself. New armor pieces became available for crafting after Edward obtained the hunting spoils required to craft a particular piece.[8]
During the Seven Years' War, Shay Cormac learned to craft various pieces of leather armor after collecting various hunting spoils. Throughout his journeys, he obtained several other sets of armor.[9]
The Native Armor was a treasure of the Oneida indigenous peoples, which Shay claimed after collecting all of the Native totems. Shay also secured the 11th century Templar Armor sealed aboard the wreckedHMS Sapphire after gathering all the Templar relics needed to unlock the suit. In addition, he assembled an ancient set of Viking Armor, and recovered the armor of the legendary Templar Sir James Gunn from a storehouse in Fort de Sable.[9]
During the French Revolution, the Assassin Arno Dorian could wear different coats as part of greater gear sets, which provided varying degrees of melee or ranged damage protection.[10]
In VictorianLondon, the twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye could obtain different outfits, some of which offered greater resistance to melee or ranged weapon damage. The Blackguard, Creature's Rags, and Maximum Dracula outfits for Jacob and the Defender's Garb, Lady Bloofer, and Aegis outfits for Evie were all crafted in such a way to provide extra protection from damage and thus acted as a sort of armor.[11]
Assassin's Creed II was the only game in which armor took on a damaged appearance when broken.
In Assassin's Creed II, a filler vambrace that offers no protection can be accessed in the memory "Practice What You Preach". If a vambrace is purchased during the memory it will be unequipped and replaced with the filler vambrace.
In Assassin's Creed II, the Missaglias Vambraces had 1 more health square than the Vambraces of Altaïr.
Ezio's initial spaulder in Rome was made out of leather, while the cover art of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood depicted him wearing a metal spaulder. His initial Hidden Blade bracer was the same as it was on the cover, however, like the metal spaulder, Ezio's second Hidden Blade appeared differently. Instead, it was a brown glove like his original second Hidden Blade used in the Assassin's Creed IIE3 demo, and also on pre-release Assassin's Creed II pictures. Meanwhile, on the cover art for Brotherhood, the second blade was originally displayed as an identical blade and bracer to that of his primary Hidden Blade.
The Armor of Altaïr's greaves had patterns similar to that of the Helmschmied Chest Guard and the Helmschmied Spaulders.
Bracers for the second Hidden Blade could only be bought at a blacksmith once the Hidden Blade itself was purchased from Leonardo da Vinci.
The Armors of Altaïr, Brutus, and Ishak Pasha, and the Master Assassin Armor all gave Ezio an additional 15 health points added on top of his base amount without the need of repairs. Provided he deciphered all Codex pages in Assassin's Creed II, or the player completed Memory Sequence 7 in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Ezio can have up to a total of 25 health squares. However, in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Ezio can only reach a maximum of 20 health bars even with the Armor of Ishak Pasha or the Master Assassin Armor equipped, as there are no means for Ezio to increase his base unarmored health beyond the five he starts off with.
There was a glitch in the second sequence of Brotherhood, where if Ezio visited a blacksmith before the memory "New Man in Town", the entire Seusenhofer armor set would be available for sale, although only the greaves were able to be bought since the bracers required the dual Hidden Blades, and the pauldrons and chest guard were unlocked through a shop quest.
With the Master Assassin Armor equipped, Ezio's clothing color was returned to the default, "Original Grey", though it would stay that way until he unequipped the Master Assassin Armor. It would still be possible to dye his clothes, however, but this would not be noticeable until he had removed the armor. Additionally, like the Armor of Ishak Pasha, the hood would remain on in cutscenes.
Ezio's Master Assassin Armor also had the hidden effect of not causing any footstep noise while running.
Likewise, the Armor of Ishak Pasha had the hidden effect of extra projectile resistance and had a small chance to deflect the projectile back at the shooter.
In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin's Creed Rogue, Edward and Shay's crafted health upgrades take the appearance of pieces of armor in the crafting menu. However, as neither of these pieces of armor altered their appearances, it is likely that these leather pieces were worn under their respective outfits.
The 'Eagle Bearing' Misthios Kassandra was able to adorn the same robes that legendary Italian renaissance Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze wore when he liberated Rome from the Borgia.
Armor on Wikipedia