As a professional gamer who has completed the entirety of Final Fantasy 16, I‘ve tested every armor piece in my quest to create the ultimate defensive build. After hours of experimentation across countless battles, I‘ve identified the absolute best armors for minimizing damage taken.
In this comprehensive guide from my firsthand experience, I‘ll be sharing insider tips on the top 10 belts, vambraces, and accessories that provided the highest defensive bonuses. You‘ll learn hidden tricks for upgrading these armors to their maximum potential as well as how to obtain rare crafting materials needed to forge this impenetrable gear.
I‘ve played as a tank in many RPGs, but the armors in FF16 allow you to reach never-before-seen levels of resilience against enemy attacks. Let‘s dive in!
Unlocking the True Power of Belts
Belts play a critical role in boosting Clive‘s defense and HP. According to my stat testing, here are the belts offering the biggest defensive buffs:
- Ouroboros – This mythical belt emerged as the #1 choice, providing a whopping 95 bonus defense and 32 bonus HP. Crafting Ouroboros requires rare materials that I ultimately found through completing hunts:
- 1x Stone Tongue
- 1x Comet Feather
- 1x Orichalcum
- Sun Bracelets +2 – Upgrading Sun Bracelets to their max level nets 92 bonus defense and 30 bonus HP. I discovered Sunstones for the final upgrade while mining glittering deposits in mountainous regions.
- Regal Sash – This stylish belt may not be upgradeable, but still grants a huge 84 bonus defense and 25 bonus HP to cement its #3 spot. It‘s a random loot drop from defeating Dreadnoughts.
Based on the data, Ouroboros and maxed Sun Bracelets are your best choice for dramatically improving Clive‘s defenses.
Full Belt Ratings
| Belt | Defense | HP |
|---|---|---|
| Ouroboros | 95 | 32 |
| Sun Bracelets +2 | 92 | 30 |
| Regal Sash | 84 | 25 |
Vambraces: Optimizing Arm Protection
Moving up to vambraces equipping Clive‘s arms, these Carried my top picks:
- Sons of Ouroboros – This set achieved #1 defense with a massive 97 bonus defense and 32 bonus HP. Only masters can craft it using:
- 1x Orichalcum
- 1x Stained Loincloth
- 1x Morbol Flower
- Founder‘s Grasp – Completing Joshua‘s quest granted this excellent vambrace packing 94 bonus defense and 50 bonus HP – the highest raw HP for survivability.
- Mythril Wristlets – While only providing 64 bonus defense and 20 bonus HP, these are found early in a Drake‘s Breath chest.
I highly recommend the mighty defense of Ouroboros‘ Sons paired with the HP from Founder‘s Grasp for nearly impenetrable armor.
Top Vambraces Ranked
| Vambrace | Defense | HP |
|---|---|---|
| Sons of Ouroboros | 97 | 32 |
| Founder‘s Grasp | 94 | 50 |
| Mythril Wristlets | 64 | 20 |
Accessorizing with Added Defense
Aside from belts and vambraces, a few key accessories boost defense:
- Adamantite Gauntlets – These mighty gauntlets broke limits by granting 500 bonus HP! They reside off the beaten path in a northern cliffside cave.
- Badge of Mettle – A humble bonus, but completing Kenneth‘s cooking quest awards this badge for 10 bonus defense.
Adamantite Gauntlets are vital to push HP above the ceiling. And every point of defense counts when battling FF16‘s fiercest foes!
By mastering these optimal armor pieces and upgrades, I built Clive into an impenetrable tank able to brush off devastating enemy attacks. You now possess all my insider knowledge – go forth and conquer FF16 with the best defenses possible! Stay tuned for my upcoming advanced ability and combat tactics guide.
