Elden Ring: Best Mage Armor

The first and most crucial decision you must make in Elden Ring is what build you will develop your character into. Most of the time, players go for a strength or dexterity build to get right in the heart of the action. This is also partly because these builds are far simpler to comprehend than a mage build, per se. Many of us, though, voluntarily choose the trickier mage build over the tried-and-true builds. That's because mage builds have exceptionally high damage potential. But, on the contrary, they frequently feature a weak defense. That's why if you choose to go this route, you'll want to equip your build with the best mage armor in the game.

Furthermore, the effectiveness of your mage build is greatly influenced by the armor you are using. As some of the best mage armor can drastically increase your stats. At the same time, you want armor that is fashionable and complements your sense of style. Because the better you feel, the better you'll play. That's why we've gathered the best of both worlds, in terms of performance and aesthetics, in this list of the best mage armor in Elden Ring. So let's see what's in store.

5. Raya Lucarian Sorcerer Set

Dubbed the “Burger King” set by players, the Raya Lucarian Sorcerer set is a solid choice for mage builds. However, it's the headpieces a part of this set that makes it one of the best armor sets for mage builds in Elden Ring. This Raya Lucarian Sorcerer set features four headpieces, those are: Karolos Glintstone Crown, Twinsage Glinstone Crown, Lovinus Glinstone Crown, and Witch's Glintstone Crown.

If you want to talk specifics, it's the Twinsage Glinstone Crown (featured in the picture above) that we'd argue is the best of these four. This particular headgear boosts your intelligence by six levels at the expense of 9% stamina and HP decrease. There are no other headgear pieces that offer this much scaling for the level, thus we highly recommend it for your mage setup.

4. Rennala’s Set

The boss fight with the Queen of the Full Moon Rennala is one of the most magical in the game. The second half of this boss fight that is. As the first half takes place in a rather crowded library with lots of eerie cries that still haunt us in our sleep. However, advance to the second phase and you're in for a moonlit stage that will see you taking on gigantic magical creatures and dragons before you can get close to putting a mark on Rennala. Nonetheless, if you wish to wear Rennala's armor set, you must concentrate and defeat her in this boss battle.

Rennala's armor set may not be a fashion statement for mage builds, but that's okay because not all of us want to give off the impression we're the most powerful sorcerer in the game – even if we are. On the other hand, If you don't like Rennala's priest-like gown style, that's fine; what makes Rennala's set one of the greatest for mage builds is her headpiece, which grants three levels to intelligence. Her crescent, horn-shaped headgear may look a little goofy, but if you're not rocking a bizarre headpiece in Elden Ring, are you really playing the game right?

3. Preceptor's Set

The Preceptors Set strikes an excellent balance of flair and force. Though the hat may be a bit extra and most likely will get lost in the wind, the Preceptor's set is a respectful armor set for mage builds in Elden Ring. For those wishing to boost their Mind stat a little, the preceptor's headgear will do so by three points at the expense of a 9% drop in Stamina.

Since it's the headgear that grants the extra three increases in Mind, that's all you'll need to wear if you so choose. Though, we don't blame you if you rock the rest of the set, as it's a lot more appealing than Rennala's in our opinion. What makes the Preceptor's Set  a bit more enticing is that it has fairly good damage negation for being a light piece of armor.

2. Azur's Glintstone Set

It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but Azur's Glintstone armor set is one of the most ominous armor sets for mage builds in Elden Ring. Decked out in Glinstones on the head and shoulders, and eyes entirely covered in rags, one good look at you and any opponent will come to the quick conclusion that those robes are undoubtedly backed up with some fairly formidable magical abilities. Evidently, that's because they are. To get Azur's Glintstone set, you need to complete Sorceress Sellen's quest. Doing this quest will also reward you with the Comet Azur spell, one of the best spells in the game.

Obviously, there's more to this armor set to back our claim as to why it's one of the best mage armor sets in the game. Azur's Glinstone armor set increases the overall attack power of Azur's sorcery spells. Those include Comet Azur, Comet, and Glintstone Cometshard. That may not seem like much, however, many players plan their end-game mage builds utilizing this armor with only those three spells. That's because, in terms of mage builds, it's pretty good for cheesing boss fights.

1. Lusat's Set

You may have thought that Azur's Glinstone set took the crown for the most disturbing mage armor in Elden Ring. Lusat's Set, on the other hand, is a solid contender for one that is far more horrifying. The gigantic eye that occupies the headgear slot, oddly resembling Sauron's eye, is clearly the reason why. But, as long as you can put up with the “big head” jokes your enemies in the Lands Between will make about you, this is one of the best mage armor sets in the game.

That's because Lusat's armor hold's the highest magic resistance of all the mage-type armor in the game. This makes it ideal for going up against other mages in PvP, or if you're venturing through Raya Lucaria Academy and having a tough time dodging all the spells being cast at you in this area. Another reason Lusat's armor is one of the best for mage builds is that it grants a buff to Lusat's hallmark spells, Stars of Ruin.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there other mage armor sets in Elden Ring you think are the best that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!