I like my steel arnour

I don't want dragon skin, pixie armour, oynx or anything else

Do I have to upgrade to something exotic or can I keep improving my steel armour and use it at the higher levels

If you get a suit of fortify enchantment stuff/use potions, you can get it up pretty freaking high. though you'll want to have a high smithing skill so you can reach the upper-level improvements

What it amounts to, in the end, is that you might have to take an extra perk or two to max your defense (567 displayed armor rating).

thanks. perhaps I'll see something else I like the look of

something shiny.

You'll need smithing, enchanting, and alchemy at 100, with at least 6 perks in enchanting and 7 perks in alchemy. If you mean just steel armor, you only need one perk in smithing, but if you're talking about plated steel, you'll need 3 perks.

With that, you can improve steel (or plated steel) enough to more than max the defense benifit from it.

I also agree that steel plated is the best looking armor in the game, and am working towards making a set like that now.

My Nord is at level 36 or so, and run about in Nordic Steel.
It is at Legendary quality, and kicks ass.

Any material can be used to make armor that is more than adequate to have success in the game. Even Fur. It just takes the right skills and perk choices.

I love the look of light armour scaled steel too, my female warrior looks hot in it so have no desire to jump to glass or dragon. But yes you can certainly raise them up to a high legendary status.

Currently my total combined armour rating with all light scaled steel is 1272, with a glass axe that has 200 attack

I LOVE STEEL PLATE (and so do town guards it seems)

The only slightly 40-80 extra defence with dragon bone armour. I have 100 smithing (no magic enchantments or fancy smithing juice for me) and 4 items that improve smithing by a total of about 30-40%
my heavy armour rating is about 60-70 and I have 3 perks in the skill +60% rating of heavy armour... and the perk an extra 20% if wearing all heavy armour...
lvl is 34 on this guy... difficulty expert.

Steel plate body alone (legendary) is around 140
Dragon bone alone (legendary) is around 160
ebony and geydric are better but most say (and il agree) can make the game very easy when improved with smithing (or without apparently)

So yes, I've been using steel plate and its still "ahh now that's some fine armour, good old fashioned steel plate" - whiterun guard

and It is good enough... even against tougher dragons... the priests and many other boss like enemies even on harder modes...

Dragon bone works slightly better but it doesn't make a big difference... ebony is likely better and then geydric comes after that... oh I mean daedric ofcourse =D

but yes get yourself 60 smithing and you can make PLATE armours... get some steel plate and you can fight like a knight! without all the magic fantasy armours =] if thats your taste it is mine when im not feeling silly xD


Current loadout

Lydia = full steel plate - legendary - with skyforge steel greatsword = not stealing my kills and takes aggro away without dying "too" fast
Me = Full steel plate - legendary - with skyforge steel sword and a steel shield (legendary)

Never have a problem... once I got block perks up and chose the perk that "reduces fire, ice & shock damage by 50% while blocking" ... you are a dragon/mage/bandit slaying steel plate wearing beast =] you won't feel rediculous, and you won't feel weak either... nice medium... Maybe Il be upping the difficulty soon because the lvl 40 barrier things start getting easier again... =]

Note Edit:- 100 smithing and no extra smith boosting stuff is still good enough in my opinion... or if you want better but dont want to enchant... keep an eye out for body-necklace-gloves-rings that increase smithing... blacksmiths and general stores sell them for a high price - well worth it when you can spend 100 on a corrundom ingot and improve a steel plate worth 600+ to 1200 now thats simple low-mid lvl profit

As long as you level smithing a little bit along with your combat skills, and take the steel smithing perk, you should be able to keep improving it at a decent rate. Possibly even up to the armor cap if you put many perk points into heavy armor.