There are nine total resistance attributes (resists) in DAOC. Three are resistances to physical damage (slashing, crushing, and thrusting damage); six are resistances to spells (heat, cold, spirit, body, matter, and energy). The resist number displayed in your “Bonuses” window takes into account five factors: the sum of the resistances provided by your items, resistances provided by realm abilities like Avoidance of Magic, resistances provided by buffing spells, your inherent race-based resistances, and caps on resistances (see below). Often what is NOT SHOWN are the hidden resistances and sensitivites due to the armor you are wearing.

The race-based resistances are

MIDGARD
Kobolds: 5% crush, 5% energy
Norsemen: 3% slash, 2% crush, 5% cold
Trolls: 3% slash, 2% thrust, 5% matter
Dwarfs: 2% slash, 3% thrust, 5% body
Valkyn: 3% slash, 2% thrust, 5% cold, 5% body

HIBERNIA
Celt: 3% slash, 2% crush, 5% spirit
Elf: 2% slash, 3% thrust, 5% spirit
Lurikeen: 5% crush, 5% energy
Firbolg: 2% slash, 3% crush, 5% heat
Sylvan: 2% thrust, 3% crush, 5% matter, 5% energy

ALBION
Briton: 3% slash, 2% crush, 5% spirit
Saracen: 2% slash, 3% thrust, 5% heat
Avalonian: 3% slash, 2% crush, 5% spirit
Highlander: 2% slash, 3% crush, 5% cold
Inconnu: 3% thrust, 2% crush, 5% heat, 5% spirit

Physical resists directly decrease the amount of damage that a melee attack inflicts on you. If your crush resist is 25%, for example, a crushing attack that would have damaged you for 100 instead has 25 points of damage removed by your resists. Spell resistances work in a very similar way: a direct damage spell of the cold type damages you for 25% less if your cold resist is 25%. Currently mez/stun spells are not affected by your resistances; instead your chance of being mezzed/stunned depends entirely on your level and the level of your attacker. Mythic has stated that the duration of mez and stun, but not their hit/miss rate, will be decreased by the appropriate resist type (see below).

Resists are extremely important in both RvE and RvR. A 25% resist to a given damage type that you are facing effectively gives you (1/[1-resist])-1 = 33% more hit points (at high levels this is around +500 hp). In addition it effectively boosts the healing potency of your healers by 25% since one heal spell now undoes four rounds of damage instead of three (for example). You will find yourself able to defeat significantly higher level opponents both in RvE and RvR when equipped with the right resists.

Your actual effective resist is the sum of the resists displayed in the bonuses window and the intrinsic resists of your armor type, which are not displayed. [Resist=good, Sensitive=bad] These intrinsic resists are:

Plate: {base 34% absorption}: 13% sensitive to crush (hammers, maces), 11.1% resistant to thrust, 0% resistant to slash, 10% resistant to heat, 10% sensitive to cold, 10% sensitive to energy, 10% resistant to matter.

Chain [Midgard]: {base 27% absorption}: 30% resistant to slash (all axes, most blades and most high level arrows (blunt and broadhead)), 9.1% resistant to crush (hammers, maces), 9.3% sensitive to thrust (spears, some arrows (bodkin), and some blades), 10% resistant to heat, 10% sensitive to energy, 10% resistant to matter.

Chain [Albion]: {base 27% absorption}: 9.1% resistant to slash (all axes, most blades and most high level arrows (blunt and broadhead)), 30% resistant to crush (hammers, maces), 9.3% sensitive to thrust (spears, some arrows (bodkin), and some blades), 10% resistant to heat, 10% sensitive to energy.

Scale: {base 27% absorption}: 30% resistant to crush (hammers, maces), 9.1% resistant to thrust, 9.3% sensitive to slash, unknown spell resistances!(assume similar to chain)

Reinforced: {base 19% absorption}: 18.3% resistant to slash, 7% sensitive to crush, 9.3% resistant to thrust, unknown spell resistances!(assume similar to studded).

Studded [Midgard]: {base 19% absorption}: 7% sensitive to slash, 9.3% resistant to crush, 18.1% resistant to thrust , 10% resistant to heat, 5% sensitive to cold,5% sensitive to energy, 5% sensitive to matter.

Studded [Albion]: {base 19% absorption}: 9.3% resistant to slash, 18.3% resistant to crush, 7% sensitive to thrust , 10% resistant to heat, 5% sensitive to cold,5% sensitive to energy, 5% sensitive to matter.

Leather [Midgard]: {base 10% absorption}: 7% sensitive to slash, 9.3% resistant to crush, 18.1% resistant to thrust , 15% sensitive to heat, 10% resistant to cold, 5% resistant to matter.

Leather [Albion]: {base 10% absorption}: 9.3% resistant to slash, 7% sensitive to crush, 18.1% resistant to thrust , 15% sensitive to heat, 10% resistant to cold, 5% resistant to matter.

Leather [Hibernia]: {base 10% absorption}: 18.3% resistant to slash, 7% sensitive to crush, 9.3% resistant to thrust , 15% sensitive to heat, 10% resistant to cold, 5% resistant to matter.

Cloth: no resistances or sensitivities.