Update 17: combat and progression changed
Enemies were made more accurate and retuned to compensate. The patch also rebalanced the contribution of Armor skill and the attributes awarded per skill level. HP is no longer awarded simply for gaining a character level. An older build recommendation may therefore feel different even when its named perks still exist.
Armor damage reduction is capped at 85%. That is not an armor-rating target, and the note does not establish the rating formula, best equipment combination or a damage-per-second ranking. Test the encounter and displayed stats on your own build before committing to older assumptions.
What 85% does and does not mean
The note names armor damage reduction. It does not say that every attack type is reduced by the cap, that armor grants a universal 85% reduction immediately, or that reaching one displayed rating guarantees the cap in every circumstance.
Do not convert the cap into a full effective-health calculator without the missing damage pipeline and stacking rules. The patch does not establish how all perks, shields, effects and damage types interact. A precise-looking table would imply evidence we do not have.
Recheck old defensive builds
Armor skill’s contribution was retuned to stop early equipment being nearly as effective as late equipment, according to the developer. Combined with more accurate enemies and changed progression, this makes old survivability comparisons patch-sensitive.
Keep the same equipment and encounter when testing, record Armor skill and visible active effects, and label results with the build. A heavy-armor planning direction remains useful, but its old numerical assumptions are not validated by retaining the same perk names.
Next steps and evidence
This guide summarizes the official announcement, not a completed in-game test. Use the source cards to inspect the developer’s wording and keep your own tested build attached to any conflicting observation.