Overview#
Construct's Armory is a massive expansion for the Tinkers' Construct mod, bringing the same level of deep customization found in tools to the world of armor. Instead of crafting static armor sets, players can now mix and match materials for different armor components—such as the core, plates, and trim—to create gear with specific defense values, durability, and unique passive traits.
The mod is available for Minecraft. While it focuses entirely on equipment and mechanics, it integrates seamlessly with the Tinkers' Construct ecosystem, utilizing the same smeltery, part builder, and modifier systems. It does not add new mobs, biomes, or dimensions, focusing instead on providing the ultimate defensive toolkit for the player.
Getting Started#
To begin your journey into advanced armor smithing, you will need the Materials and You - Armory Addendum book. This in-game guide provides all the necessary stats for materials and instructions for crafting. If your modpack is configured to give you the standard Tinkers' book on spawn, you will likely receive this addendum automatically. Otherwise, it can be crafted by combining a standard Tinkers' book with any armor-related item from the mod.
Essential Blocks
- Armor Station: The basic crafting table for armor. It is used to assemble armor pieces from their components and apply modifiers. It is crafted using a Blank Pattern, a Crafting Table, and any piece of stone or iron.
- Armor Forge: An upgraded version of the Armor Station that allows for the use of advanced materials (like alloys) and provides more modifier slots. It is crafted using an Armor Station, three Seared Bricks, and four blocks of any metal (e.g., Iron, Gold, Cobalt).
Crafting Components
Before assembling armor, you must create the individual parts using a Part Builder (for non-metals) or a Smeltery (for metals). Each piece of armor requires three specific components:
- Armor Core: Determines the base defense and toughness of the piece.
- Armor Plate: Primarily influences the durability and weight.
- Armor Trim: Adds additional durability and a secondary material trait.
Armor Types and Recipes#
There are four main armor pieces you can craft. Each requires a specific set of components in the Armor Station or Forge:
| Armor Piece | Required Components |
|---|---|
| Helmet | 1x Helmet Core, 1x Armor Plate, 1x Armor Trim |
| Chestplate | 1x Chestplate Core, 3x Armor Plate, 1x Armor Trim |
| Leggings | 1x Leggings Core, 2x Armor Plate, 1x Armor Trim |
| Boots | 1x Boots Core, 1x Armor Plate, 1x Armor Trim |
Accessories
Construct's Armory also adds utility accessories that can be equipped in specialized slots:
- Traveller's Goggles: Can be modified with Night Vision or Zoom.
- Traveller's Knapsack: Provides a portable inventory accessible via a hotkey.
- Traveller's Belt: Allows the player to quickly swap between two different hotbars.
Materials and Stats#
Every material used in Construct's Armory has three primary stats: Durability, Defense, and Toughness.
| Material | Durability | Defense | Toughness | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | Very Low | 0.5 | 0.0 | Ecological (Auto-repair) |
| Stone | Low | 1.0 | 0.0 | Petrous (Defense increases as durability drops) |
| Iron | Medium | 3.0 | 0.0 | Magnetic (Pulls items) |
| Cobalt | High | 3.5 | 1.0 | Lightweight (Movement speed bonus) |
| Ardite | High | 3.0 | 1.5 | Petramor (Repairs by consuming stone) |
| Manyullyn | Very High | 4.5 | 2.5 | Vengeful (Reflects damage) |
| Knightslime | Medium | 2.5 | 0.5 | Invigorating (Bonus Max HP) |
| Paper | Very Low | 0.0 | 0.0 | Writable (Extra modifier slot) |
| Obsidian | Medium | 2.0 | 1.0 | Duritae (Chance to use no durability) |
Material Traits#
Traits are passive abilities inherited from the materials used to craft the armor. Unlike modifiers, they do not take up slots.
- Magnetic: Pulls nearby items toward the player. Higher levels increase the range.
- Spiny: Acts like a Thorns enchantment, dealing damage to attackers.
- Tight: Increases the player's defense as the armor's durability decreases.
- Indomitable: Provides a defense boost when the player is at low health.
- Sturdy: Reduces the amount of durability lost from taking damage.
- Self-Repairing: Slowly restores durability over time (Ecological/Mending Moss).
Modifiers and Upgrades#
Modifiers are manual upgrades applied to armor in the Armor Station. Each piece starts with a limited number of modifier slots (usually 3).
| Modifier | Item Required | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond | 1x Diamond | +500 Durability, +1 Defense, +0.5 Toughness |
| Emerald | 1x Emerald | +50% Base Durability |
| Redstone | Redstone Dust | Increases movement speed (Haste equivalent) |
| Quartz | Nether Quartz | Adds Thorns damage |
| Lapis | Lapis Lazuli | Adds Luck (increases loot drops) |
| Reinforced | Obsidian Plate | 20% chance per level to not use durability (Level 5 = Unbreakable) |
| Mending Moss | Mending Moss | Repairs armor using XP or over time in sunlight |
| Resistance | 4x Iron Blocks | Adds general Protection (stackable) |
| Fire Protect | Magma Cream | Reduces fire and lava damage |
| Blast Protect | Gunpowder/TNT | Reduces explosion damage and knockback |
| Projectile Protect | Slime Ball | Reduces damage from arrows and projectiles |
Advanced Mechanics#
Polishing Kits
Polishing Kits allow you to upgrade the Defense and Toughness of a piece of armor without changing its material traits or using a modifier slot. By combining a Polishing Kit (made of a high-tier material like Manyullyn) with a piece of Sand in the Armor Station, you can apply that material's defensive stats to your existing armor.
Embossment
Embossment is a one-time upgrade that allows you to add the trait of a material to an armor piece without changing its base stats. This requires one of each component (Core, Plate, Trim) of the material you want the trait from, plus a Slime Crystal and a Gold Block. This is the primary way to "min-max" armor by stacking powerful traits like Invigorating and Vengeful on a single set.
Armor Dyeing
If your armor includes a "Padding" or cloth-based component (common in certain versions or add-ons), you can apply dyes directly in the Armor Station to change the visual color of the set. This is purely cosmetic and does not affect performance.
