# How does armor work in combat?
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-armor-work-in-combat/2695
**Category:** The Bunker
**Created:** [August 14, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-armor-work-in-combat/2695 "2013-08-14T16:39:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jacob4408](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/jacob4408)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-armor-work-in-combat/2695/1 "2013-08-14T16:39:49Z")
I recently acquired basic power armor. (WOOT!) Prior to this I was running around with little more than a hoodie and cargo pants so I thought I would see a HUGE difference in the damage I took during fights. Not so much. Even though the description shows 180 bash/180 cut protection on my combat armor (yes it’s powered up) a normal Z can still damage me relatively easy.
Am I missing something? How does the combat calculation work?
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### Author:  [@MarkB](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/MarkB)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-armor-work-in-combat/2695/2 "2013-08-14T16:46:27Z")
Power armour has made a huge difference for me. Zombies don’t scratch me at all anymore, and even the more powerful critters tend not to make a dent. About the only things that have injured my character recently were falling down a sinkhole, and being next to an exploding smoker.
Then again, I do also have titanium plating over my whole body.
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### Author:  [@Sirquote](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sirquote)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/how-does-armor-work-in-combat/2695/3 "2013-08-14T21:04:39Z")
Yo dawg, I heard you like metal skin, so we put an armor in yo armor, now you can clank while you clank.
But seriously, I never ever found power armor useful even with all the right cbms/power, it just felt too restraining compared to my usual plkaystyle. I have a full set just sitting in my base gathering dust.
One day I’ll just throw it on, power it up and jump on a bike to do some life ending mayhem.