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Groundedfeatures plenty of crafting, survival, and building options allowing the player to mold the game into whatever they want it to be. Knowing what items are worth investing resources into is important, and armor is a key component of that philosophy. Grounded, the not-quite indie game not-quite AAA title, finally hit its full release in 2022 and will likely see additional updates and content from Obsidian Entertainment in the future.
7 Moth Armor
The fear of spiders or cockroaches is rather common, but these days there are plenty of people who won’t go five feet from a butterfly or moth. Luckily for those people, in Grounded, the developers provide an armor set perfect for players who prefer ranged combat.
Among its various bonuses, the Moth Armor makes it so that ranged attacks have a chance to inflict a bleeding effect. Add in the ability to replenish the player’s stamina bar and/or increase movement speed with each successively landed ranged attack and it becomes a must-own for players who prefer this distance-focused approach to combat.
6 Fire Ant Armor
Any kid who went outside barefoot and stepped on a fire ant understands the pain that their tiny mandibles can cause. Now imagine being small enough to cover oneself in armor made of fire ant parts and the vision becomes clear. The Fire Ant armor is meant to break down the enemy through the use of acid.
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As a medium armor, players will have to navigate 15% extra stamina usage, while also benefitting from a 20% damage reduction that works alongside the corrosive nature of the set. Fire Ant armor is also a bright red color and happens to be aesthetically pleasing for a piece of clothing made of ant parts.
5 Black Widow Armor
Spiders are the toughest challenge in Grounded and serve as a barometer for progress in the game in terms of both personal skill and combat effectiveness. Black Widow armor sounds like something that would be deadly, or at least deadly to the touch. That holds true as this armor set enhances movement speed when killing something while also offering the chance to poison the target when a perfect block is performed.
This means that enemies in Grounded won’t just have a hard time hitting the player, but, in the event that they do, it could easily result in their demise via poisoning. Sure, it’s fitting for something made out of black widow parts, but it gets more horrifying the longer one thinks about it.
4 Assassin Armor
Every job doesn’t need a battering ram, and anybody who’s played the original Assassin’s Creed or Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell games knows that stealth can sometimes be the best option. It may seem odd to have an armor set in Grounded be called Assassin’s Armor, but it’s crafted from Mantis parts, an insect who could be labeled nature’s assassin.
There are plenty of people who lack patience in combat or want to gain an advantage as a fight begins. This armor set provides critical hit bonuses for both chaining together attacks and stunning the target. It also helps that it’s a light armor set, meaning stamina can be prioritized for movement and attacks.
3 Ladybug Armor
A powerful learning moment in Grounded is when players come across a ladybug for the first time. Based on real-world experiences it’s expected that they’re docile, and, if provoked, will run away. Well, it turns out they want all the smoke and, if attacked, will charge at the player like a small bus speeding down the road.
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The Ladybug armor set is as durable and strong as one would expect. It really shines when it comes to its armor set bonuses which provide the player with an opportunity to regain health with every successful block made. As with most heavy armor sets, they’re designed for a block-and-strike combat approach.
2 Roly Poly Armor
Roly Poly isn’t a name that screams tough or intimidating, but the armor made from the scraps of these childhood bugs more than does the job. It’s heavy armor, meaning that the 30% damage reduction comes with the tradeoff of expending stamina at an additional usage rate of 25%. That may sound steep because it is, but the 7.5% head/lower body resistance and 15% upper body resistance justify it.
This armor is perfect for the type of player who likes to block incoming attacks and then retaliate when the opening presents itself. Part of finding great armor is understanding which set fits the type of play style the specific player most enjoys implementing.
1 Black Ox Armor
Finding balance is a key part of determining which sets of armor are generally the best for players, regardless of their preferred play style. The Black Ox armor is of the medium variety, meaning it’s a solid blend of damage reduction and stamina use. The former comes in at 20%, while the latter sits at a cool 15%.
As its name would suggest, players will need to gather a good amount of Black Ox beetle parts from around the yard. Outside of its usefulness in combat, it happens to look the part as it feels reminiscent of the type of armor ancient warriors wore into battle, though they weren’t trying to take down a full-grown ladybug or spider.
Grounded is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC.
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