Arrakis is a dangerous planet, and in Dune: Awakening, most of the threats come from hostile NPCs and other players. Gearing up is the key to survival in Hagga Basin and beyond, and if you're looking for something to wear, you can choose between wearing a Stillsuit and a traditional set of armor.
The garments you wear on your back act as your main form of defense up until you find a Holtzman Shield in Dune: Awakening. However, while both grant protection, each type of garment is designed for completely different purposes. If you're wondering which type of armor you should wear, here's a guide to help you figure things out.
9 Beginner Tips in Dune: Awakening
For those diving into the sands of Dune: Awakening, here are some useful beginner tips to help them in their adventure.
Stillsuits vs. Armor in Dune: Awakening
In a nutshell, Stillsuits are for exploration, while Armor is for heavy fighting. These armor types aren't strictly limited to these roles, but they do excel in them in ways that the other type does not.
Stillsuits
In Dune lore, Stillsuits are designed to preserve and recycle as much water as possible from a user's body. In-game, this is reflected by a small Catchpocket meter next to your main Hydration meter. The Catchpocket meter represents the amount of water that your Stillsuit has recycled — you can drink this recycled water by pressing the F key.
Due to this water recycling feature, Stillsuits are favored by players who like to explore for prolonged periods. The Catchpocket system makes rehydration convenient, and it essentially serves as an extension to your Literjon water containers.
All Stillsuits have armor values, and they vary depending on the tier of the suit itself relative to the tech tree. Unique Stillsuits tend to have armor values that rival actual armor pieces, making them very good for general use.
Armor
Traditional armor sets are built for war. Apart from having base armor values, they also provide additional protection against different damage types:
- Light Armor reduces your Dash/Dodge stamina costs and offers better protection against Blades.
- Heavy Armor pieces have higher base armor values, and they provide extra protection against ranged and explosive damage types. However, heavy armor increases incoming Blade damage and Dash/Dodge stamina costs.
Which Armor Type Should You Use?
This essentially boils down to personal preference. However, we do have some recommendations to make:
- Stillsuits and light armor are great for melee playstyles since they don't hamper your movement. Players should rely on their shields to mitigate incoming ranged damage.
- Heavy armor is great for ranged weapon builds. Players cannot use shields while firing weapons, so the extra protection provided by heavy armor can come in clutch in crucial moments.
- Armor users are advised to bring either large or multiple Literjons if they intend to explore the desert for long periods of time.
- Heavy armor is recommended for PvP players in metas where ranged weapons are prevalent.
- Light armor is recommended for melee PvP players thanks to its reduced Dash/Dodge costs.
- Stillsuits are recommended for PvE players who are progressing through Hagga Basin.
You can mix and match armor sets to create varied mitigation combos. However, if you're wearing a Stillsuit Garment (chest piece), your Pants slot will be locked out.
Dune: Awakening
- Released
- June 10, 2025
