In Quake, what's the difference between Armour and Health?

Question

Obviously when your health is 100 you can't pick up any more (normal) health, but you can add armour. But do they act different against damage? Or is armour just extended health?

When you've hit with armour, you do lose health too. Would it be better then to have 80 health, or like 50 health with 20 armour ? (wild value guesses)

Asked by user717572

Answer

Quake3World has an extensive guide to how armour and health work:

When you are shot, Quake3 applies 2/3 of total damage to armor ..., then the rest is taken off health. If your armor is insufficient to cover the 'debt' the leftover damage comes from your health

So when you take damage it takes 2/3 of the total an applies it to your armour. It then takes the remaining 1/3 plus any left over if your armour was totally destroyed and applies that to your health.

If that takes your health to below 0, you die.

For example, if you have 100 health and 20 armor you can take 120 damage before you die; if you have 100 armor and 20 health, however, 60 damage is enough to frag you.

The function of armour is to reduce the amount of health you lose when you get shot etc. In terms of benefit any armour is better than none, and the stronger your armour the better as it means that none of the 2/3 "armour" damage will get applied to your health.

Answered by ChrisF

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