Enchanting (Skyrim)

The more powerful the enchanter, the stronger the magic he can bind to his weapons and armor. "Don't suppose you'd enchant my sword? Dull old blade can barely cut butter."

- Guard

Enchanting is a skill in and is one of the six skills that falls under The Mage play-style.

Description
Enchanting is the art of using filled Soul Gems to place permanent and unchangeable magical effects on items. It is one of three crafting skills in Skyrim falling under The Mage with parallels to Alchemy for The Thief and Smithing for The Warrior. As such it is affected by The Mage Stone and as with all skills is affected by The Lover Stone.

Mechanics
The act of enchanting requires an item with no existing enchantments, a Soul Gem, knowledge of an enchantment, and the use of an Arcane Enchanter which can be found in all major cities typically in the palace or longhouse in the court wizard's quarters. They are also found in many locations that feature humanoid, magic using enemies such as necromancers and mages. All player-owned houses except Breezehome may be upgraded with an Arcane Enchanter.

Racial Bonuses
Altmer, Imperial, and Orc characters gain a +5 boost to Enchanting at the start of the game.

Enchantment Types
Enchantments fall into two categories based on type of item:
 * Weapons have charged enchantments that cast a spell on the weapon's target when it strikes. Larger soul gems result in more charges on the enchantment allowing for more strikes before the charge is depleted. Soul Gems can be used to restore depleted charge as well as the perk Soul Siphon.
 * Armor and other apparel items cast a constant effect on the wearer as long as the item is worn. Larger soul gems create greater magnitude effects.

Obtaining Enchantments
The Dragonborn initially has no knowledge of Enchantments. To learn an enchantment they must first disenchant a magic item at an Arcane Enchanter. The strength of the enchantment on the item does not matter as all enchantments of the same type will yield the same learned enchantment with the exception of those marked with an * below. Disenchanting destroys the item but grants permanent knowledge of the base enchantment allowing its use when enchanting. Some items cannot be disenchanted to learn their effects such as quest items, daedric artifacts and many, but not all, items with unique names. Staffs, also, cannot be disenchanted. To get apparel based enchantments early on, take a carriage to Solitude and visit the Radiant Raiment with about 2000 coin to get a few valuable enchanted items. This can be useful when searching for the Alchemy and Smithing enchantments to exploit the alchemy-enchantment loop. If the vendor doesn't have the enchantment you're looking for: Save, attack until you get a bounty, reload last save and check the inventory again there will be a slightly different assortment of goods (works on every vendor). Do this for other vendors after you have purchased what you want from them, save/attack/load, and you will still have the stuff you wanted and the vendors inventory is reset.

For the five-finger discount seekers, Grelka in Riften has typically three enchanted items locked inside her booth in the market. One is a fortify carry weight, another is a stamina and another is restoration or something similar.

The Jarl of Whiterun gives a free enchanted item after the first dragon is killed on the main quest.

Picking the right pocket can get mercenaries after you, these frequently carry enchanted items.

This should be enough to get you started, remember to get the Transmute spell from the Halted Stream camp interior early in your adventures to turn that cheap iron ore into valuable gold jewelry (improve smithing, alteration, speech, and gets quite a bit of coin) then enchant the hell out of it.

Leveling
The following actions raise the Enchanting skill:
 * Disenchanting items yields enchanting experience. Skill gain increases with the value of the item.
 * Enchanting items that do not currently possess an enchantment. Same skill gain regardless of item and size of soul.
 * Using a Soul Gem to recharge weapons, (Soul Siphon does not count but casting it improves enchanting like any other low level spell). Larger skill gains based on size of soul regardless of actual charge gained. The easiest way to do this is to put Soul Trap on a weapon and kill creatures with that weapon. Use the soul gems to recharge said weapon. (Only Black Soul Gems or the Black Star can hold the souls of sentient humaniod beings.)

Books
The following is a list of books that raise the Enchanting skill:


 * A Tragedy in Black
 * Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments
 * Complete Catalogue of Enchantments for Armor
 * Enchanter's Primer
 * Twin Secrets

Quests

 * Discerning the Transmundane can award the player with five levels of every Mage governed skill, including enchanting.
 * Find Pantea's Flute for Pantea Ateia in the Bards College in Solitude, (Note: also increases Alteration, Restoration, Conjuration, Destruction and Illusion).

Perks
The following are the perks that become available to select as the skill is leveled up.



Weapon Enchantments
There are 17 weapon enchantments available.
 * Absorb Health
 * Absorb Magicka*
 * Absorb Stamina*
 * Banish
 * Fear
 * Fiery Soul Trap
 * Fire Damage
 * Frost Damage
 * Huntsman's Prowess
 * Magicka Damage
 * Notched Pickaxe
 * Paralyze
 * Shock Damage
 * Silent Moons Enchant
 * Soul Trap
 * Stamina Damage
 * Turn Undead

Apparel Enchantments
Table shows only enchantment and item combinations that can be created at an Arcane Enchanter.

Notes & Tips

 * Soul Gems are destroyed when used to enchant or recharge weapons (except for Azura's Star or The Black Star).
 * Soul Trap enchanted weapons make collecting souls easy. (The player can use bound weapons with the Conjuration perk Soul Stealer as an alternative.)
 * Buying empty soul gems and then enchanting equipment found while filling them offers a good return on investment.
 * Giving a follower empty soul gems and equipping them with a weapon enchanted with Soul Trap can help to fill souls easier, freeing the player up to use other enchanted weaponry.
 * Use Azura's Star or The Black Star with a Soul Trap enchanted weapon to trap a soul and then recharge the weapon after each soul trap to level up faster.
 * Enchanting items crafted to improve the Smithing skill is a cost effective way to level both even if all base materials are purchased.
 * The Transmute spell can be combined with the above to turn iron into gold, smith the gold into rings, enchant the rings, and then sell. Raises Alteration, Smithing, Speech and Enchanting. Windhelm is a good place to do this, because the Arcane Enchanter behind Niranye's stall is convenient to the Blacksmith Quarters and you can sell your enchanted items at both.
 * For melee classes, Fiery Soul Trap is the most effective enchantment because it fills a soul gem while you are inflicting extra fire damage. Also, you can set the enchantment so that it takes one second to fill the soul gem because it focuses on the fire damage, giving you unlimited time to kill the enemy and trap its soul.
 * One can use The Mace of Molag Bal to kill an enemy, if the enemy dies within 3 seconds, fills a soul gem, and use that soul gem to recharge the weapon, this will level up faster.
 * Also, combining The Mace of Molag Bal with The Black Star to capture souls, and then using the star to recharge the Mace can be a way of never-ending enchantment power.
 * Some enchantments will improve the selling price of the base item more than others. In order of descending value:
 * Weapons:
 * Banish
 * Paralyze
 * Absorb Health
 * Stamina Damage
 * Absorb Stamina
 * Absorb Magicka
 * Damage Magicka
 * Fear
 * Frost Damage
 * Shock Damage
 * Fiery Soul Trap
 * Fire Damage
 * Soul Trap
 * Huntsman's Prowess
 * Chest:
 * Fortify Destruction
 * Fortify Healing Rate
 * Fortify Conjuration
 * Fortify Smithing
 * Head:
 * Waterbreathing
 * Fortify Archery
 * Fortify Destruction
 * Fortify Conjuration
 * Fortify Restoration
 * Hands/Feet:
 * Fortify Sneak, Muffle
 * Fortify Carry Weight
 * Fortify One-Handed
 * Fortify Two-Handed
 * Jewelry:
 * Waterbreathing (is the most valuable in lower enchanting levels)
 * Fortify Sneak (is the most valuable in higher enchanting levels, because it scales)
 * Fortify Carry Weight
 * Fortify Barter
 * Fortify One-Handed, Fortify Two-Handed
 * Fortify Archery
 * Fortify Destruction
 * Fortify Healing Rate
 * Fortify Conjuration
 * Resist Magic (greater)
 * Fortify Block, Fortify Smithing
 * Fortify Restoration
 * Fortify Illusion
 * Fortify Alteration
 * Fortify Health
 * Resist Shock
 * Fortify Magicka, Resist Frost, Resist Magic (lesser)
 * Fortify Alchemy
 * Fortify Stamina
 * Fortify Light Armor
 * Fortify Unarmed
 * Fortify Magicka Regen
 * Shield:
 * Resist Magic (greater)
 * Fortify Block
 * Fortify Health
 * Resist Shock
 * Resist Magic (lesser),
 * Resist Frost
 * Resist Fire
 * To maximize skill gain, activate The Mage Stone and sleep in a bed to obtain a Rested Effect, (unless you're a Werewolf).
 * Enchanted weapons make a unique sound when unsheathed, the combination of fire and shock enchantments on a weapon make a sound similar to a rattle snake when drawn.
 * Some enchantment and item combinations that cannot be created at the enchanter can be found as loot.
 * A space in front of the item's name will sort it at the top of the appropriate inventory list. Likewise, starting an item with lower case letters puts it at the bottom of the list. Useful when creating a lot of items simply to gain experience.
 * Once an enchantment is selected for an item, it will remain in place until the player exits the enchanter or creates the item regardless of a Fortify Enchantment bonus fading.
 * Enchanting "Fortify " at 100 skill level and 5/5 Enchanter perk with a Grand soul results in a 25% casting cost reduction for that school. This stacks additively; meaning that with 4 items (chest, ring, amulet and head) you can cast spells in that school for free. Combined with the perk Extra Effect, players can cast spells from up to two schools for free with the same gear set.
 * For single enchantments that have a pair of effects, e.g. Fiery Soul Trap or Fortify and Magicka Regeneration, the second effect is constant and the number of charges, if applicable, is based on the first effect.
 * Enchantments are affected by perks from their relevant magic school e.g. Shock Damage is affected by Enhanced Shock including enchantments with damage effects that are secondary. Drain and damage effects are all destruction school effects.
 * Having a higher enchantment level slightly raises the players defence stats against enchanted weaponry. This can be anywhere from 1%-15% and is an invisible stat.
 * If you have a high enchanting level, guards may ask the player to enchant their weapon;"Would you enchant my sword?This thing could barely cut butter."
 * Even with the "Extra effect" perk you still can't add an enchantement to an already enchanted item, you have to select two enchantements the first time you enchant an item.

Method for Maximum Strength Potions and Enchantments
Prerequisites: Level 100 in Alchemy and Enchanting, five points in Alchemist, one point in Benefactor, five points in Enchanter, one point in Insightful Enchanter, three pieces each head and hand apparel with no enchantments, three rings with no enchantments, three amulets with no enchantments, and twelve grand souls.

If you are a vampire and have the restoration perk necromage, you can reach up to 33% alchemy gear boost and 46% enchanting potion boost. (using Falmer Helmets and circlets as well)
 * 1) Craft a set of Fortify Alchemy gear at 25% boost.
 * 2) Craft several potions of Fortify Enchanting at 30% boost.
 * 3) Craft a new set of Fortify Alchemy gear at 28% boost with the aid of the potions. Time passes while using the arcane enchanter so move quickly.
 * 4) Craft several potions of Fortify Enchanting at 32% boost using the new set of gear.
 * 5) Craft a final set of Fortify Alchemy gear at 29% boost with the aid of the potions.

The final set of gear will not improve the results of a Fortify Enchanting potion but will improve the results of other potions. Additional potions can be brewed to improve enchantments of all types. One common application is to enchant a set of Fortify Smithing gear and combine it with a maximum strength Fortify Smithing potion to improve weapons and armor.

Bugs

 * Soul Siphon does not appear to work with certain Daedric weapons (ex., Dawnbreaker).
 * Enchanting bonuses from perks may not always function properly e.g. only allowing enchantments of 22% in alchemy and/or blacksmithing as opposed to 25%
 * PS3 solution was to delete Skyrim Game Data and Game Update and reinstall again from fresh.
 * Several enchantments exist that cannot be placed on anything or are duplicates of existing enchantments. These have been marked above with an *. The Shadowsight, Shadowstrength, Shadowstrike, and Shadowthrive enchantments are learned from disenchanting Linwe's Armor, Linwe's Boots, Linwe's Gloves, and Linwe's Hood. The Blessing of Mara is obtained by disenchanting The Bond of Matrimony. Known items that cause duplicate enchantments are the Drainheart weapons and the Shield of Solitude.
 * Apparels with two identical enchantments, will correctly have these 2 enchantments, but the figures shown in active list may be incorrect. Weapons with two identical enchantments on the other hand will only have one of the 2 effects.
 * With the Extra Effect perk both a weapon and an armor enchantment can be selected before selecting an item to enchant. If a weapon is chosen as the item and enchanted it will appear as an enchantment. However, the 'armor' enchant on the weapon will have no effect and is not listed on the Active Effects section of the Magic Menu.
 * The value of enchanted items goes down as Enchanting skill increases; however, sometimes after restarting the game, it may register a higher value; also if you have a dead thrall, store these items in them, resurrect, kill and then loot the items, they may be of higher value (only worked on apparels, weapons seem to remain the same value.)
 * Weapon charge count may be bugged after exiting and relaunching skyrim and loading a save.
 * Two items of the same type with the same enchantment but different names will eventually both have one of the two names. With the Extra Effect perk, switching the order of enchantments can prevent this.
 * Movement glitches can occur when exiting an enchanting table. On the PC they appear to be related to using the mouse wheel to scroll through lists when the game incorrectly adjusts the camera perspective at the same time. Reloading a previous save will fix this issue but is not always necessary as the glitch is often temporary. If you notice the camera being controlled by the mouse wheel while in the menu, simply ensure you're in third person view (you can see your character) when you exit the table menu. You can then control the camera normally, no reload needed.
 * If a companion uses a Soul Trap enchanted weapon with (x) Soul Gems in their inventory to capture a x soul and the player then uses fast travel every (x) Soul Gems in the companion's inventory will be filled, x = petty, etc.
 * The destruction perks that improve damage for a specific magic damage type exhibit odd stacking behavior when applying these damage types to weapons as enchantments. The bonus can apply to affects it should not apply to based on the damage specific description as well as stack with other bonuses from the other damage perks.
 * Fortify school enchantments do not interact with weapon enchantments in the same way across all platforms. On the PC weapons appear to always drain charges when used. On the PS3 and 360 100% or more fortification in any school will reduce the charge cost of a weapon enchantment to zero. It is unknown which situation is a bug and which is the intended mechanic.
 * Fortify Restoration potions improve the results of Alchemy. While not a bug with enchanting per se this can be exploited to create stronger sets of Fortify Alchemy and/or Smithing equipment by creating stronger Fortify Enchanting potions.
 * Fortify Restoration potions improve the strength of enchantments when they are equipped. If a potion is taken immediately before equipping armor the effects will be permanently improved until the equipment is taken off again. This can also be exploited to create stronger Fortify Smiting and/or Alchemy effects.
 * Forify Conjuration potions or some perks in this school will have an effect on Banish, making it a prolonged DOT. If you have absorb health/stamina/magicka put together with Banish, these effects will also become DOT.
 * Sometimes dropping items enchanted by the player will cause them to lose the enchantment(s) permanently, as if they were soul gems being dropped.
 * Falmer Helmets and circlets can be worn at the same time. This can be exploited to create stronger sets of Fortify Alchemy equipment, which then allows the creation of stronger Fortify Enchantment potions.
 * Characters with Vampirism and the Restoration perk Necromage will see improved strength of enchantments when they are equipped—the fortify alchemy gear can be maxed at 33%, the enchanting potion at 46%, and smithing potion at 184% (in conjunction with the Falmer Helmet + Circlet exploit.) With Necromage, the bonuses from the 33% gear will show up as 42% in the active effects.
 * Potentially infinite stats can be obtained by a glitch that allows you to wear multiple sets of gear at the same time.
 * Fortify One-Handed has no effect on daggers. Fortify One-handed on daggers does work with the PS3 version.
 * Sometimes, enchanting with the "Fortify Magicka" enchantment will cause the item to give the player infinite magicka when their magicka bar is empty.