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Light Armor
In "Oblivion" light armor doesn't provide the same base level of protection as heavy armor, but also doesn't hamper mobility, allowing the character to dodge and move more easily than while wearing heavy armor. As such, light armors are best for agility and quickness-based races and classes. Light armor types include fur, leather, chainmail, mithril, elven and glass. These different types of light armor become available at levels 1, 3, 6, 10, 15 and 20.
Races and Classes
Races which provide a +5 initial skill bonus to light armor include Bosmer, Dunmer, Khajiit and Redguard. Classes which use light armor as a major skill include archer, assassin, barbarian, bard, nightblade, pilgrim, rogue, scout and thief. Using light armor with these races and classes allows the player to best take advantage of their unique skills and abilities.
Heavy Armor
Heavy armor makes it harder to damage a target, but also makes it harder to move, thus requiring a heartier character to wield. The trade off is that heavy armor has a greater chance of resulting in low but steady, sustained damage as the character stands still, with less chance of a full dodge but also less chance of a blow too tough to absorb. Heavy armors become available at the same levels as light and include iron, steel, dwarven, orcish, ebony and daedric.
Races and Classes
As with light armor, certain races have a preference for heavy armor, these include Imperial, Orc, Nord and Redguard. Notably members of the Redguard race receive a +5 bonus to both light and heavy armor, but each of the others receive an initial +10 to heavy. Classes with heavy armor as a major skill include the traditional frontline fighters such as crusader, knight, spellsword and warrior, but also sorcerers, who in the world of "Oblivion" have the stamina needed to wield heavy armor.