User blog comment:True Aranel/Best Gear?/@comment-1687225-20120821033106

The massive dominance of heavy armor over lighter armor forces me to concede that Havel's set is probably the best, with mask of the father/dark wood grain ring to keep the movement speed up.

Weapons wise for PvE I'd agree with Balagog, subbing the talisman with the Darkmoon Talisman which has the best faith adjust, or using magic instead of faith which is more offense oriented and thus probably better if you're good at not getting hit. The Eagle Shield has excellent defensive bonuses for its weight and is great for PvE.

PvP, I'd trade the BKG for something smaller and/or faster, maybe a Chaos Blade or a Falchion. If big weapons must be used, the Murakumo's damage output is insane; it can also be enchanted unlike some of the other large weapons. The BKG's too easy to and too often parried in PvP situations, although the damage output is pretty good. Shields, the Grass Crescent Shield is lovely for its stamina regeneration (although not a necessity) and the Black Knight Shield has excellent defense ratings, particularly against fire damage. Any shield that cannot parry is not suitable for PvP in general. Regarding armor: The Elite Knight set offers excellent defense (although not quite on par with the heavy armor) in exchange for pretty low weight. With the Wolf's Ring, you can enjoy the ridiculous poise heavy armor lovers enjoy while also not looking like an armored Kirby. WIth lighter armor (which is still viable, it's just that everyone in PvP is currently obsessed with heavy armor/weapon builds) you can ditch the Mask of the Father for a more uncommon helm. I've found the Royal Helm (dropped by Vamos) to have a superb combination of defense and weight, surpassing even the Elite Knight Helmet which is pretty good.