Trying to do the Math: AC vs. -DFE?

[lyyn]

I'm saying that if you want Demonspike Coat to equip with the "heavy armor" look in HF:F, you'll need to change Studded Leather so that it looks like "heavy armor" when equipped. I don't think that would cause morphing, since it's not manipulating ilvls or qlvls.

Studded Leather? As in “change the whole base type so that ALL Studded Leather equippes as heavy armor”? Basically making my own personal mod?

Yeah, this is where I'm out of my depth.
But like I said; light armor looks ok too, and if I want a cooler look, I'll just have to go and find myself one of those great looking Demon Plates.

Actually, I couldn’t help myself and tried to google the kind of information/internals I would need. I found some tools for mod-making but only dead links to the information they are based on.
Guess I'm a decade to late...

Thanks for helping