In Starfield, armor provides significant damage reduction during combat and it also shields players from the hazardous elements found on remote planets. The armor and helmet in Starfield come with the primary stat of "Damage Reduction", which includes physical damage reduction, energy damage reduction, and electromagnetic damage reduction. The term DR is specifically related to PHYS.
| Damage Reduction | Description |
| Physical | Protects against ballistic and projectile weapons. |
| Energy | Shields you from laser weapons. |
| Electromagnetic | Offers defense against specific weapon types. |
What Does DR Mean In Starfield?
DR in Starfield stands for Damage Resistance, specifically Physical Damage Resistance. DR shown on gears indicates damage resistance against any melee, ballistic, and projectile weapons. It consistently matches PHYS and is unrelated to any other status or resistance to damage.
To determine the percentage of damage your armor reduces, divide the damage resistance or armor value by 10. This means that an armor value of 850 would equate to an 85% damage reduction. In other words, you gain 10% DR for every 100 points in PHYS (Physical).
Example: If you have 600 armor, this means you have 60% DR. In this case, enemies can only inflict 40 damage (40%) on you instead of 100 damage.
The game's difficulty level does not solely determine the damage received. Several factors contribute to the overall DR, including skills, perks, and armor. A prevalent misconception is that 85% is the maximum DR achievable. In reality, 85% is the maximum DR obtainable from resistance alone. However, you can accumulate additional DR from other sources.
Your DR comes from armor, but you can also boost your DR by consuming items or foods. For example, Codos Crater beer is a popular choice, granting a dual benefit of slowed O2 recovery and an additional +100 damage resistance for a span of 3 minutes. This beverage can make you feel nearly invincible in combat. Similarly, Anchored Immobilizers, typically used for injury treatment, have a significant +150 DR for 5 minutes.
Related: Starfield: Weapon Tier and Weapon Rarities Explained