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Final Fantasy VII Remake Armor: Best Armors, Complete Armor List, Stats, and How to Get them all

by RPG Site Staff on 25 June, 2022

Armor was a staple of the original Final Fantasy VII, and so unsurprisingly it's also a huge part of Final Fantasy VII Remake - and though the systems are similar on paper, the way Armor ultimately impacts combat in the remake is quite different to the original. 

On this page, we've got everything you need to know about this key piece of gear in the game - including a list of all armor and how to get it, plus some of our favorite picks for the best armor in the game. Armor is really important, as while you can augment your attack and defense stats in other ways, armor is the most straightforward way to increase your Defense and Magic Defense stats.

Armor also gives you extra slots for equipping powerful materia, and certain materia are life-or-death useful when slotted into your armor. Specifically, elemental materia can be used to completely nullify or even absorb elemental magic attacks against you, turning an enemy's greatest strength against them. While armor is undoubtedly more static than weapons, it's still a vital part of your character progression, right up there with summons, limit breaks, and enemy skills.

Almost every piece of armor in the game can be purchased, but some are also only loot. A handful are also items that you can steal from enemies. On this page:

The Best Armor Picks in Final Fantasy VII Remake

FF7 Remake features many armors - the best of which are powerful late-game unlocks.

Given the structure of Final Fantasy VII Remake is very different to the original game, so to is the manner in which you manage equipment such as armor and weapons. This impacts one's ability to track down a definitive best armor in the game - though in the late game in particular, we still have some quite strong suggestions for your choice of equipped armor.

For the majority of the game, do keep in mind that there simply is no best armor in FF7 Remake. Instead, you'll be constantly unlocking a new suite of armors, each wave slightly better than the one that came before it, and each suited to a particular sort of character build. Choose wisely - and base your choice on how you play each character. A power-boosting armor for your main attacker, defense up for your tankier character, magic-boosting for your mage, and so on. Some accessories are also built to enhance particular elements, which in turn interacts with which of the various FF7 Remake Materia you have equipped.

With that said, here's some picks for some of the Best Armor in FF7 Remake - and you can find out exactly how to get each further down this page.

  • Best Overall - Chain Bangle: This accessory is only available for unlock in Chapter 17, right towards the end of the game - but for the late game and post-game VR colloseum challenges, it's undoubtedly one of the best. Featuring a pair of linked double materia slots and great stats, it can really open a character's abilities up.
  • Balanced Defense - Cog Bangle: For the best balanced defense, pick up the Cog Bangle, which can be nabbed in later chapters of the game when exploring Shinra. It has great defensive stats, plus some decent slots. You can also obtain two of these, which is handy.
  • Overkill Defense - Iron Maiden OR Astral Cuff: The Iron Maiden features no Materia slots, which is painful, but has sky-high defensive stats. The Astral Cuff is the same for the Magic Defense stat. Either is useful if you're focused on brawling more than skills. 
  • Materia-focused - Force Bracelet: For Materia equipping, the Force Bracelet can be accessed a little easier than some, and it gives you two sets of double, linked slots. Its states are alright, but nothing to write home about.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Armor List & Locations

ff7_remake_armor_list_locations_guide_armors_gear.jpg

The list we've made below details the Defense and Magic Defense stat bonuses for each piece of armor, as well as how many materia slots each armor provides. For materia, 1x2 = 1 paired set. 2x1 = two single. 3x1 = three single. 2x2 = 2 paired set, and so on. We also list full locations

Bronze Bangle

  • 10 Defense, 10 Magic Defense
  • Materia Slots: None
  • Location: Cloud’s starting armor. Tifa’s starting armor.

Iron Bangle

  • 16 Defense, 16 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x1
  • Location:
    • Barret’s starting armor.
    • Upper Sector 8, found when you're on the run after passing the fountain.

Star Bracelet

  • 3 Defense, 3 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1
  • Location:
    • Purchase from Sector 7 weapon store in Chapter 3 (1600 Gil).
    • Reward for ‘Just Flew in from the Graveyard’ quest in Chapter 3 - quest accessed by first completing 'Nuisance in the Factory'.

Leather Bracer

  • 26 Defense, 6 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1
  • Location: In the Corkscrew Tunnel (Chapter 5), Section E in a small room to the north in a treasure chest. Find the room after you get a brief cutscene with Heidigger.

Mesmeric Armlet

  • 6 Defense, 26 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1
  • Location: Chapter 6 - Sector 4 Plate, behind the third lamp in a treasure chest.

Titanium Bangle

  • 25 Defense, 25 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1 
  • Location: Drop from Airbuster (chapter 7 boss)

Mythril Armlet

  • 10 Defense, 40 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1
  • Location:
    • Aerith starts with one equipped.
    • One can be found if you go north on Station Way, north of the Sector 5 town.
    • Buy at Wall Market weapon and accessory store.

Caliginous Bracelet

  • 5 Defense, 5 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2 + 1x1
  • Location:
    • Find one in the Sector 5 Slums in Chapter 8.
    • Buy at Wall Market weapon and accessory store.

Studded Bracer

  • 40 Defense, 10 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2
  • Location:
    • Reward for ‘Paying Respects’ sidequest in chapter 8. To access this quest, first complete 'Weapons on a Rampage'.
    • Buy at Wall Market.

Gothic Bangle

  • 33 Defense, 33 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 3x1
  • Location:
    • Find in Chapter 11, in the Train Graveyard, east side of Switchyard.
    • Buy at Sector 5 or 6 Slums in Chapter 13.

Magician’s Bracelet

  • 7 Defense, 7 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 4x1
  • Location:
    • Steal from Reno when you do battle at the Sector 7 Pillar in Chapter 12.
    • Buy at Sector 5 or 6 Slums in Chapter 13.
    • Find in Chapter 15 on a ledge you can grapple to after crossing the narrow beam.

Heavy-Duty Bracer

  • 53 Defense, 13 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 3x1
  • Location:
    • Steal from Rude in your battle in Chapter 12, on the Sector 7 Pillar.
    • Buy at Sector 5 or 6 Slums in Chapter 13.
    • Available in the Collapsed Expressway in Chapter 13. 

Sorceror’s Armlet

  • 13 Defense, 53 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 3x1
  • Location:
    • Buy at Sector 5 or 6 Slums in Chapter 13.
    • Find in an alley to the right of Honeybee Inn in a chest in Chapter 14.

Cog Bangle

  • 39 Defense, 39 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2, 1x1
  • Location:
    • Drop from The Valkyrie in Chapter 15.
    • Purchase at the Shinra Tower Item Shop.
    • Reward for winning ‘Cloud vs. SOLDIER Trainees’ Battle Challenge at the Shinra Tower.

Iron Maiden

  • 124 Defense, 20 Magic Defense
  • Materia: None
  • Location:
    • Shinra Tower, opposite the stairs. (After you get the keycard).
    • Steal from M.O.T.H. Unit enemy

Geometric Bracelet

  • 8 Defense, 8 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2, 2x1
  • Location:
    • Purchase at the Shinra Tower Item Shop.
    • Reward for ‘Aerith vs. SOLDIER Trainees’ battle challenge.

Supreme Bracer

  • 62 Defense, 16 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2, 1x1
  • Location:
    • Purchase at the Shinra Tower Item Shop.
    • Reward for winning ‘Barret vs. SOLDIER Trainees’ Battle Challenge at the Shinra Tower.

Rune Armlet

  • 16 Defense, 62 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2, 1x1
  • Location:
    • Purchase at the Shinra Tower Item Shop.
    • Reward for winning ‘Tifa vs. SOLDIER Trainees’ Battle Challenge at the Shinra Tower.

Astral Cuff

  • 20 Defense, 124 Magic Defense
  • Materia: None
  • Location:
    • Shinra Tower - The Drum.
    • Drop from Jenova Dreamweaver.

Chain Bangle

  • 50 Defense, 50 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x2
  • Location: Shinra Tower - The Drum, after fighting the Sledgeworm.

Force Bracelet

  • 9 Defense, 9 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x2
  • Location:
    • Get one in The Drum after fighting 2x Zenene, open the garage door.
    • Drop from Swordipede enemy.

Midgar Bangle

  • 18 Defense, 18 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x1
  • Location:
    • Available only as DLC

Shinra Bangle

  • 20 Defense, 20 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 2x1
  • Location:
    • Available only as DLC

Corneo Armlet

  • 22 Defense, 22 Magic Defense
  • Materia: 1x2
  • Location:
    • Available only as DLC