The armor sets of 'Game of Thrones,' ranked

Ranking the armor sets on "Game of Thrones"? Not exactly a walk in the water gardens of Dorne. But we gave it a shot anyway. Here are 21 different armor styles, ranked from worst to best.

Starting with No. 21: The Sons of the Harpy get points for being dramatic but their attire is going to do little to shield from them injuries on any actual battlefield. 

You have to applaud the Dothraki for their armor, or lack thereof. With little more than a few pieces of leather and some paint, this clan will march into just about any war. Their boldness is more intimidating than a suit of armor would be.

The hard leather bodice and skirt may help fend off some blows, but the lack of covering on legs, arms and heads could leave them vulnerable, particularly to poison, a Dornish favorite.

The Free Folk / wildlings armor is little more than animal skins sewn together. That's nice in a harsh climate, but not the best option in a fight.

Those leather caps are cute, but the armor provides little to be intimidated by. Then again, House Frey isn't known for sending its soldiers into a fight; maybe the medium is the message.

Their heads and chests are covered with metal, but it would only take a quick swipe to lop off an arm. Then again, these guys could probably kill a person one-armed, so maybe the argument is moot.

Major points for the pop of color, people. House Martell armor also covers most of the body. But, as with the Sand Snakes, the lack of metal plating is a problem.

Like House Bolton itself, this clan's armor is dark and foreboding. That said, it's made up of loose-fitting leather and a metal helmet without face coverage and much bigger than the heads it's protecting. So, the chances of that armor holding up in a head-on battle are iffy -- like Ramsay Bolton himself.

Extra points for flair: When your sigil is a golden rose, it makes sense for your armor to be ornate. Then again, who's intimidated by vines and leaves?

As with the Tyrell clan, House Tully's armor takes design inspiration from its sigil -- a fish -- so their leather gear looks like scales. Unlike roses, fish, at least, bite.

Given that the Second Sons are mercenaries for hire, it makes sense that there's not a lot of uniformity to their armor. Instead the group simply adds and upgrades as they go, meaning each of them has a unique style.

The Greyjoy clan's armor has a classic, well-worn look. Made primarily of what seems to be reinforced leather, their attire doesn't look flashy like the armor of some houses, but it's very efficient for reaping... not sowing.

This house may have the most intimidating sigil, a three-headed dragon, but the House Targaryen armor is fairly simple. It'll do the job, but there's nothing really special about it, other than the helmet design that itself looks vaguely like a dragon.

Like House Targaryen, House Arryn has rather plain armor. But its finishings give it the edge over the Targaryens'; the plating itself looks more plentiful, with more impressive detail.

Strangely, this armor is almost reminiscent of a modern-day superhero suit. The way the plating is attached to the chainmail somewhat resembles abdominal muscles, a la, say, Batman's costume. It gives the clan a look all their own, while also being primarily metal to keep them protected.

An army unto himself, The Mountain deserves special props for his armor. Covered in steel with a terrifying helmet, The Mountain strikes fear into the hearts of those who so much as look at him.

As with The Mountain's, Brienne of Tarth's armor is an impressive sight and very fitting for her character. Her less bulky gear lets her to move quickly and often, while the chainmail peaking out from underneath is useful in deflecting some of the harsher shots she may take.

With armor flanked by fur capes, these men are ready for battle in a very cold climate. While the leather base of their gear might not protect them as much as metal plating, it surely allows better movement.

It should come as no surprise that the richest family in Westeros would include gold in their armor design. It's every bit as over-the-top as they are. 

You might not expect monsters to be so good at armor design, but the White Walkers' gear is among the best. The intricately detailed metal makes the White Walkers look more intimidating while also making them less vulnerable in battle.

Like Night's Watch armor, House Stark's comes complete with a fur cape. Given how long winter has been coming, that's a good thing. However, the Starks have the bonus of metal plating, which will protect parts of them from those pesky stabbing attempts. It may not be the most ornate armor in Westeros, but it's definitely the most useful.