Wondering if this is a viable way to get armor cap with less perks. I use bound weapons, so it'd be amazing if I could save perks by skipping the higher level smithing perks. But I'm not sure if I'd just end up having to spend more points in Juggernaut instead.

You can hit the armor cap with any type of armor as long as you loop it enough through +smithing gear & potions. You dont need any armor perks either, Ive only 1 spent in the initial perk for heavy armor and my rating is 576 with Daedric atm and not looped that many times. I can get more out of it easily since my alchemy is low and I only just maxed enchanting. I just have smithing at 100 and perked to Daedric.

The perk doesn't seem to do anything for Dwemer armor. However, instead of boosting Smithing experience it is actually a fortify Smithing. So it makes upgraded weapons and armors slightly better.

So even then it is a worthwhile perk to get.

I think you can hit the armour cap with anything from normal (not Plate) Steel upwards, as long as you have the perk, without needing to do any looping - as long as you have 100 Enchanting (to make +Smithing gear) and 100 Smithing.

Well I won't be looping or even using enchants or potions to boost my smithing since as far as I'm concerned it breaks the game.

If it doesn't actually add any armor value to dwemer armor and increases smithing effectiveness rather than experience, it svcks for me, I won't even use anything that boosts smithing.

Quite sure if you're wearing a full set of Dwemer Armour it boosts the end armour rating by 25%. Not bad even with basic upgrades to them.

That's what the strategy guide says it's supposed to do.

What about the faster smithing level up? Does it still do that?

Dwarven Armor with the perk essentially turns it into Ebony armor. Definitely viable.

"+25% armor if wearing all dwarven armor. Your smithing skill increases 15% faster."

That's what it says. I'm asking whether it has any effect in game or not?

I worked the math out. With 100 smithing(no pots/enchants), 100 heavy armor skill, 5/5 juggernaut and well fitted, dwarven armor gets you roughly 66% reduction.
Legendary Dwarven Helm+Armor+Gauntlets+Boots = 455+100(hidden)= 555*.12 = 66.6% reduction

Now, if this quest reward actually functions as advertized it's 455*1.25 = 568+100 = 668*.12 = 80.6% reduction

Assuming the formula on the UESP is correct.

The 25% would be a pretty significant boost making Dwemer competitive with just 100 smithing and heavy armor, no skill boosts. Ends up being 14% extra reduction.

If it doesn't work, I'll probably just use wolf armor for 63.6% and deal with it, pretty minor loss from regular Dwarven which, without the quest boost working, would be a waste of a perk for just +3%.

Tested it, TGM with unlimited whirlwind sprint was amusing.

Anyway, it seems to actually be properly functioning in game. Went from 455 armor(with legendary dwarven helm, armor, gauntlets, boots) to 532. Had to re-equip the gear to get it to work. Seems to boost slightly less than I thought, but I guess it's improving the base and not including improvements from smithing. Still, gets you up to ~75% physical damage reduction which IMO is good enough.

So my plan of a dwemer wearing, bound bow using archer/conjurer is a go.

Oh, also, it only seems to work if you're wearing the full set of armor(shield not necessary). Probably where the confusion was coming from on whether or not it actually worked. You couldn't wear, say, a dragon priest mask +dwarven, or whatever and still get the bonus to the dwarven pieces.

Basically, it's like a slightly weaker free "matching set" perk for dwarven armor only.