Nightingale: Top Armor Choices for Early-Game Progression

When creating their character in Nightingale, players may initially feel like it's a downgrade to switch from high-society attire to basic hide rags. However, these rags offer better defense in the game.

In Nightingale, there are not a wide variety of armor sets available, especially in the early stages. Fortunately, players can easily craft simple yet strong armor to help them survive in the Faewilds. Let's explore some methods to acquire effective early-game armor.

Method 1

Crafting & Upgrading Simple Armor

Nightingale - Example Of Two Different Resources With Modifiers - Crafting & Upgrading Simple Armor - Method 1

The most common way to make basic clothing is by using the Simple Sewing Bench. Players can usually obtain this bench from the Essence Trader in their Abeyance Realm.

The Simple 'tier' of armor includes:

Boots

Breeches

Capelet

Gloves

Headwrap

Shirt

Pack

To craft these Armor pieces, you will need Leather and Plant Fibre. Hunt basic Prey and Predators in your Abeyance Realm or an Antiquarian Realm to gather the Hide required for crafting at a Tanning Rack.

The amount of armor provided by these Simple clothes varies depending on the material used, but it is typically around 16 Armor each. Progress through the story or explore until you find the Simple Upgrade Bench Recipe. Build this Bench to upgrade all your Gear to at least Uncommon Rarity, requiring 40 T1 Essence per item upgraded. This will boost your Gear Score to around 40, allowing you to delve further into the main campaign. You can also find better Armor at the Essence Trader in a Provisioner Realm, although this may be considered beyond the 'early-game'.

The early-game armor can be enhanced further by utilizing the Simple Enchanter's Focus to create Charms or Infusions for Uncommon Gear. Another option is to upgrade to stronger Simple Armor using T2 Leather material.

Stealing & Upgrading An NPC's Armor

Nightingale - Looking At NPC Armor - Stealing & Upgrading An NPC's Armor - Method 2

One way to obtain good early-game Armor is through a bit of thievery. You can start by finding the Essence Trader in your Abeyance Realm and assisting the nearby NPC with crafting tasks to make them 'Recruitable'. Once they become your Companion, you can simply take their clothes by interacting with them and accessing their inventory.

After obtaining the clothes, you can upgrade them similar to Simple Clothes. However, they might be slightly weaker compared to the Simple Clothing route. Nevertheless, by following this method, you can sport a stylish look and improve your Gear Score at the same time.

Method 3

Getting The Nightingale Twitch Drops

Nightingale - Twitch Drops Armor Sets - Getting The Nightingale Twitch Drops - Method 3

The final method is currently open for players to use until March 4th, 2024 at 10:00 AM MST. This extension was implemented by Inflexion developers, pushing the campaign beyond its initial end date of February 27th. To participate, players must connect their Twitch Account to their Steam and/or Epic Account through Inflexion's official website.

After doing this, they'll then need to watch a specific amount of Nightingale streams by drop-supported streamers to get the required gear. The gear and watch times are as follows:

Umbrella: 2 Hours

Outfit 1: 4 Hours

Outfit 2: 6 Hours

To earn the Distinguished Puppy achievement, you need to watch streams for a total of 8 hours. This may seem like a lot of time, so it's a good idea to split up your watching sessions or leave a stream running in a separate tab instead of trying to watch for 8 hours continuously.

The quality of this Gear is incredibly strong, with each piece starting at about 58 Armor. By upgrading every piece in the Twitch Drop outfit once, players can easily reach around Gear Score 70. This Gear Score is necessary to unlock late-game Major Cards and access Realms. It may seem a bit unfair that players can acquire such powerful armor early on just by watching streams, but since this is not a PvP game, it's not a major issue.

Editor's P/S:

Overall, this article provides comprehensive guidance on acquiring effective early-game armor in Nightingale. It effectively outlines three methods, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. The crafting and upgrading method is a reliable route for obtaining basic yet sturdy armor, while the NPC theft method offers a stylish option with potential for upgrades. The Nightingale Twitch Drops, however, present an opportunity for players to acquire exceptionally strong armor by simply watching streams.

While the article covers the subject matter thoroughly, it could benefit from more visual aids such as screenshots or diagrams. Additionally, it could delve deeper into the strategic considerations involved in choosing which method to pursue based on individual playstyles and goals. Nonetheless, the article serves as a valuable resource for players looking to optimize their early-game armor choices in Nightingale.