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Stat crystals regardless of if they are armour or tool etc are current class adv/craft.

That will be down to the crystals.

And padded iron Silk is roughly equal to steel platemail... but with tier V techs

So for example light metal armour
Level------armour use------armour type
1 - 10-----------10----------bronze ringmail
11 - 20----------110--------bronze chainmail
21 -...

OkWhat everyone seems to be missing is that although you will remain stuck in cloth armour as a mage the armour use skill along with your level effects what tier armour you can use.
Also remember...