Armors

Armor helps protect a player from damage. Armor starts at 0% and may go as high as 200% (or, in versions of Doom prior to v1.2, a much larger value).

The armor number is not really a percentage of anything, it is just a number used in damage calculations. The current armor number is shown on the status bar.

Armor is reduced when it absorbs damage due to enemy attack or environmental hazard (damaging floors, exploding barrels, pods, or crushing ceilings).

In Doom, when a player is attacked, green security armor absorbs one third of the damage, thus lessening the decrease in health. Blue combat armor absorbs one half of damage, until it is fully depleted. Beneath 100 points, blue combat armor still absorbs one half of damage, and it is therefore good practice to avoid green security armor powerups until combat armor has been depleted to a value significantly beneath 100 units. Individual armor pickups simply increment the armor value and do not affect the quality of armor.

It should be noted that if neither security nor combat armor has been picked up, acquiring spiritual armor will add to security armor. If combat armor has been picked up, once it depletes to 0% your armor status reverts to security armor and picking up spiritual armor will not add to combat armor.

Example: A player is hit by a bullet that does 15 hit points of damage. If the player has normal armor or spiritual armors, armor is reduced by 5 and health by 10. If the player has combat armor, armor is reduced by 7 and health by 8. Without any armor, health is reduced by the full 15.

If armor is less than the calculated amount to absorb, then it absorbs whatever its value is (reducing it to zero) and the balance is subtracted from health.

Doom armors

 * The armor bonus (spiritual armor) increases armor by 1%, up to 200%.
 * The security armor (green armor) sets armor to 100%, if it is less. It absorbs one-third of damage.
 * The combat armor (blue armor) sets armor to 200%, if it is less. It absorbs one-half of damage.

Heretic armors

 * The Silver Shield sets armor to 100%, if it is less. It absorbs one-third of damage.
 * The Enchanted Shield sets armor to 200%, if it is less. It absorbs one-half of damage.

Hexen armors

 * The Amulet of Warding Increases your characters armor class. The Mage receives the most armor from this and the Fighter receives the least.
 * The Falcon Shield increases your characters armor class. The Cleric benefits most from this armor.
 * The Mesh Armor increases your characters armor class. This armor is most useful to the Fighter and least useful for the mage.
 * The Platinum Helm increases your characters armor class. This gives and equal amount to all three characters.
 * The Dragonskin Bracers artifact temporarily increases your characters armor class.