Why can't you do the same for the shielded suits? Not to mention armor is more vulnerable to explosive damage and they're slower. I must be really missing something. My main problem is the advanced suit being an armor suit. I just don't see any use for them.

i wonder if they are going to put in an active armor rep for dropsuits.

Right, at level IV. You've got the armor suit at lvl III. I really wasn't clear on that point, little too tired and typing a little too fast. Any of the advanced armor suits really are inferior and don't really have a purpose. The other classes are going to have some uses for this stuff, but the advanced armor suits really just seem to be thrown in there. Especially if you missed the beta it's just going to be confusing. There seriously is never a time to use the advanced armor suit. I'm glad they moved away from every level of the dropsuit skill getting you better or different armor. Except these heavy suits were just nerfed and forgotten, leading right back to the SP dumped in to lvl III not even marginally useful.