Soul Gem (Skyrim)

Soul Gems are used for enchanting weapons at an Arcane Enchanter or recharging previously enchanted weapons. After using a soul gem (with the exclusion of Azura's Star and The Black Star) it is destroyed. If a soul of lower quality is stored inside a bigger gem, simply drop it and re-pick it from the floor and it will be empty, this helps with having to waste black or grand gems filled with petty souls.

Mining
In Blackreach, the Dwemer underground fortress, there are Geode ore deposits. These drop soul gems of random values ranging from petty to black soul gems; they tend to follow the leveled algorithm.

Purchasing
Filled and empty soul gems can be purchased from merchants directly. Filled gems are three to four times the price of an empty one.

Dungeon loot

 * Dwemer cities
 * Vampire Lairs (Note: In vampire lairs Black Soul Gems might also be found.)
 * Nordic ruins
 * There are also a number of soul gems that can be found at The College of Winterhold, most of which cannot be taken without Stealing. Becoming Arch-Mage revokes this crime, unless the Soul Gems are owned by an NPC.
 * During a quest for Drevis Neloren, 1-3 free, empty Soul Gems of any size can be obtained.

Soul Trapping
Trapping souls in soul gems requires the Conjuration spell Soul Trap or a soul trap enchantment. Killing an enemy with the spell cast upon them or using the enchantment draws their soul into one gem of the appropriate size. If no gem of the appropriate size or greater exists in the inventory, the soul is lost.

An example of a weapon enchanted with the ability to capture souls is the Mace of Molag Bal.

Bound weapons
Bound weapons such as Bound Sword or Bound Bow can automatically soul trap attacked enemies if the Conjuration Perk, "Soul Stealer", has been learned.

Soul Size
Soul size is determined by enemy type. Generally, smaller or lower-leveled creatures possess Lesser, Petty, and Common souls, such as Foxes, Falmer, or Chaurus. Larger or higher leveled creatures possess Greater and Grand souls, such as the Mammoth or Giants.

Humanoid creatures possess Black souls, which requires the use of a Black Soul Gem or the Daedric artifact Black Star.

Types
Soul gems are separated into types based on the capacity they can carry. The soul gem types are petty, lesser, common, greater, grand and black.  Name Weight Value Capacity Notes Petty Soul Gem 0.1 10  250  Can hold creature souls below level 4. Lesser Soul Gem 0.2 25  500  Can hold creature souls below level 16. Common Soul Gem 0.3 50  1000  Can hold creature souls below level 28. Greater Soul Gem 0.4 100  2000  Can hold creature souls below level 38. Grand Soul Gem 0.5 200  3000  Can hold any soul, excluding those of Humanoids (ex. Imperials, Khajiit, etc.) Black Soul Gem 1 500  1 Can hold any soul, including those of Humanoids. Soul Gem Fragment 0.1 5  0  Can not hold souls.

Black Soul Gems
Black Soul Gems can be used for gathering humanoid souls such as:
 * NPCs (A character, not necessarily hostile, from any of the 10 playable races)
 * Apprentice Fire Mage
 * Bandits
 * Forsworn
 * Ice Mage
 * Necromage
 * Necromancer
 * Pyromancer
 * Storm Mage
 * Vampires

Note: Falmer do not count as NPCs and are considered creatures.

Black Soul Gems can be filled with creature souls. This could wastes the gem by filling it with a soul that is not rated Grand.