Protective clothing can be difficult to acquire in Rogue Survivor, its access mostly confined to the city's security personnel like police officers or soldiers. Survivors that manage to attain armor despite its rarity will find it a valuable asset to living through the undead assault.
Humans and for that matter, undead have no natural resistance to damage. True, some ghouls can take more punishment overall, but a shotgun blast can inflict the same amount of harm on a Master as to a garden-variety zombie. Rather than helping avoid damage like the DEF stat, armor helps its wearer reduce damage from landed attacks. A common Skeleton can score a 2HP hit on an army grunt, but the armor (+3) cuts this damage to 0, leaving the bonehead with no chance of even scratching the man.
Note that while armor should last a good stretch, it won't stay intact forever. This equipment will eventually break with use.
Items[]
Hell's Souls/Free Angels Jacket[]
"Rock 'n' roll."
Hit Protection: +3 (Hell's Souls)
Hit Protection: +2 (Free Angels)
Shot Protection: +1 (Free Angels)
Items exclusive to the city's Biker gangs, these jackets are thick enough to shrug off minor damage.
Police Jacket[]
"Law, Order and Padded Jackets."
Hit Protection: +2
Shot Protection: +2
On par with leather jackets, this clothing type helps defend their user from light damage, and is more useful against being shot. Usually found on an officer's person or in the city police station's armory.
Riot Armor[]
"Standard Anti Zombie Riots Gear."
Hit Protection: +3
Shot Protection: +3
Defence Penalty: -2
More powerful than a normal police jacket, this heavy armor can be found in the city police station's armory.
CHAR Armor[]
"Oh! It suits you, sir!"
Hit Protection: +4
Shot Protection: +4
Defence Penalty: -4
Speed Penalty: -10
Medium-strength protection worn exclusively by CHAR's security force. Common Skeletons and similar vermin will find it impossible to pierce this armor.
Army Armor[]
"You look manly!"
Hit Protection: +6
Shot Protection: +8
Defence Penalty: -6
Speed Penalty: -10
A staple among National Guard grunts, this is a step above CHAR armor and a must for survivors who prefer a "hands-on" approach with the undead.
Obtaining Armor[]
You can always try trading for cops' or survivors' armor, but these opportunities are seldom. Getting hold of armor on your own is an easier task once you know what faction members to look for and what to expect of their behavior. Below are some proactive ideas for enhancing your wardrobe.
Head for a Station[]
The local police station houses a sublevel armory stocked with guns, ammo, and protective jackets. Check the city map for the district it's located at and travel there. The police seem eager for help and won't complain about you suiting up with their equipment.
Lure Method[]
Simply grab the attention of an enemy character and keep them on your trail until you encounter a group hostile to them (e.g. policemen v. zombies) and trigger a skirmish. This tactic works best with Bikers, who favor melee weapons or CHAR guards, who can usually be lured from their posts one at a time. Once the owner is dead, scoop up your prize.
Twilight Visitor[]
A risky plan to be sure. Wait until a CHAR office's guards are asleep (likeliest between hours 18 and 5). Barring any exceptionally loud noises on your part like furniture bashing, you should be able to sneak in and get a shotgun and/or other needed weapons lying around. Circumstances permitting, plug the guard closest to the door, equip his armor, and either follow up when his one or two friends investigate the noise or flee the building. Bear in mind when entering that other guards may still be awake. Be vigilant!
