Summary
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.
Updated February 14th, 2025 by Mati Kent-Nye:Trapped in this dangerous land, players will need all the armor they can get their hands on if they’re to survive the constant onslaught of bugs lurking in the Backyard. Gathering it is far from straightforward, however. Players will have to take the fight to the bugs, crafting armor out of the remains of their slain foes. These battles won’t be easy, but with every stronger armor procured players will gain access to new, more dangerous areas of the garden, unraveling further the mysteries of the Backyard. Good luck adventurers!
12Spider Armor
Tier II
Sure, the Widow Armor is the best set of arachnid-centric protection inGrounded, but forplayers not yet ready to take on a Black Widow, there’s an alternate choice. The Tier II Spider Armor is grotesquely dazzling in its own right and is much easier to obtain the crafting materials for. A mix of berry leather, spider parts, and some silk is all that is needed to put it all together.
Though it does give bonuses to poison damage, its real gift to its wearer is a boost in how stamina works. Not only is a 25 percent increase in stamina regeneration given thanks to the Hunter’s Prowess perk, but it also lowers exhaustion by five percent specifically when running out of stamina.
11Koi Scale Armor
One of the newer armor sets to find its way intoGroundedis one built on the body parts of dead fish, Koi fish specifically. The Koi Scale Armor is a Tier II armor set that is made mostly of eelgrass, lilypads, bones, and Koi fish parts.
At first glance, the assumption would be that in addition to the resistance and defensive bonuses, it would aid with water-related activities, but that’s not the case. Koi Scale Armor improves blocking, parrying, and riposte in combat. So players who enjoy approaching confrontation from a give-and-take perspective will get the most out of this white, orange, and black-speckled set of armor.
10Bee Armor
Irrational or not, a common fear among humans is that of bees and wasps. Those fears become even more upfront and apparent in a game likeGroundedwhere the insects are much larger from a shrunken-down perspective. The game thankfully lets players take control of these fears by crafting armor made of dead bee parts, which can serve as a bit of therapy.
Even those who aren’t looking to take control of their fear of bees will find this Tier II armor worth building if they love ranged combat. All of the bonus effects for the Bee Armor directly improved ranged attacks, which is understandable considering it’s made from a flying insect that requires a bit of luck or range to dispose of.
9Moth Armor
Tier III
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, inGrounded, the developers provide an armor set perfect forplayers 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.
8Fire 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.
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.
7Black Widow Armor
Spiders are the toughest challenge inGroundedand 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 inGroundedwon’t just have ahard time hittingthe 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.
6Fire Strategist Armor
The Fire Strategist Armor can make all the difference in battle for some players as it gives them a chance to summon a friendly Fire Soldier Ant that will deal additional damage to enemies. This can be particularly useful against bosses or stronger enemies as it not only dishes out damage but also provides another source of aggro for a 12-second period of time, giving players a chance to heal up or change positions without the worry of being downed by the enemy.
Procuring this armor isn’t the easiest. Players must delve into the depths of the Fire Anthill, battling through hordes of Fire Ants to find their elusive queen. Only once the queen has been killed by being fed a Poison or Infected Toejam Sandwich will the recipe for this armor be unlocked.
5Antlion Armor
When considering what armor set one should go for inGrounded, several factors come to mind. The beauty of the Antlion Armor is that it isn’t just a Tier III set of protection, but visually it makes the player take on a desperado cowboy style of look.
Thematically this makes sense since it comes with perks that reduce dehydration rates, which is something a cowboy or desert traveler would appreciate. Anyone looking to roleplay as an outlaw in the world ofGroundedwhile still getting plenty of defense and resistance should go out of their way to make this top-tier set of armor. It doesn’t come easy, though, as crafting it will take plenty of resources.
4Assassin Armor
Every job doesn’t need a battering ram, and anybody who’s played the originalAssassin’s CreedorTom Clancy’s Splinter Cellgames knows that stealth can sometimes be the best option. It may seem odd to have an armor set inGroundedbe called Assassin’s Armor, but it’s crafted from Mantis parts, an insect who could be labelednature’s deadly 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.
3Ladybug Armor
A powerful learning moment inGroundedis 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.
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 opportunityto regain healthwith every successful block made. As with most heavy armor sets, they’re designed for a block-and-strike combat approach.
