Lucifer, I've played this game numerous times and the only time i came across body armour was through the steam room in the blast furnace. But the easiest way to get up the tower steps with out getting hit is too run while shooting and to do this hold square and X at the same time, if you do this you'll get up them tower seps in no time. And by now in the game you should have a sh!t load of Fa-Mas ammunition.