Enchanting (Skyrim)



"Don't suppose you'd enchant my sword? Dull old blade could barely cut butter."

- Hold Guard

Enchanting is a skill in, and is one of the six skills that falls under the Mage category. Enchanting is a type of arcane crafting, and is one of the three crafting skills of Skyrim. Enchanting allows the Dragonborn to add certain magical improvements and buffs to weapons, armor and jewelry.

Mechanics
The act of enchanting requires an item with no existing enchantments, a filled soul gem, knowledge of an enchantment, and the use of an arcane enchanter. The Law of the Firsts was a magical law which stated that once an item was enchanted, it could not be enchanted again and could not accept another enchantment. Arcane Enchanters can be found in all major cities, typically in the Jarl's 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, Vampires, and Mages. Most houses which the Dragonborn can buy, with the exception of Breezehome in Whiterun, can be equipped with an arcane enchanter. There is even one in Sinderion's Field Laboratory in Blackreach. Court Wizards can sell the Dragonborn enchanted items, as well as soul gems, and likewise, the Dragonborn can sell enchanted items and soul gems to them. There is no Court Wizard in Falkreath.

There are certain items that can be enchanted even though they already have an enchantment. These include the Amulet of the Gargoyle (in ), Horksbane (from ), the Silver Sword, Silver Greatsword, Wuuthrad, and the Longhammer.

Racial Bonuses
Altmer, Imperial, and Orsimer characters gain a + 5 bonus 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, or the perk Soul Siphon, can be used to recharge depleted enchantments. Once depleted, a message on the top left of the screen will say "Your item has insufficient charge." The enchanting meter will appear either above the Dragonborn's Stamina or Magicka bar. If an enchanted weapon or artifact weapon does not have the full amount, a "Charge" option will appear in the weapon inventory, unless the item is fully charged. An exception to this is the dagger Keening.
 * 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. Muffle and Waterbreathing, being all-or-nothing effects, are not dependent on the size of soul gem used, so a petty soul would do as well as a grand. Unlike weapons, armor/apparel enchantments are permanent and do not require recharging. However, the desired amount can only be modified by using a different type of soul gem.

Obtaining Enchantments
The Dragonborn initially has no knowledge of enchantments. To learn an enchantment, a magic item with the enchantment that the Dragonborn wants to learn must be disenchanted at an arcane enchanter. The strength of the enchantment on the item does not affect the strength of the enchantment learned by disenchanting it. 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, including Quest Items, Daedric Artifacts, Amulets of the Nine Divines, and many, but not all, items with unique names. Staves also cannot be disenchanted.

Staff Enchanting
With, one can buy non-enchanted staves and enchant them with the Staff Enchanter. The Staff Enchanter is only on the island of Solstheim, and none exist in Skyrim. The staff enchanter in Solstheim is locked in a room that is only accessible after completing the Quest "Reluctant Steward" for Master Neloth. It can be found in Tel Mithryn, in the southeast part of the island. Enchanting staves increases the enchanting skill but enchanting perks are not applied. For example, the perk Storm Enchanter does not increase the amount of damage a storm staff (a shock damage staff). The same applies to Fire Enchanter and Frost Enchanter, respectively.

Leveling
The following actions raise the Enchanting skill:
 * Disenchanting items yields Enchanting experience as well as the ability to use that enchantment on other items, but destroys the item in the process. Skill gain from disenchanting is based on the power of the enchantment, not necessarily the value of the item. Each enchantment may only be learned once.
 * Enchanting items that do not currently possess an enchantment. Experience gained is constant, and does not depend on item value, enchant applied, or soul used.
 * Using a soul gem to recharge weapons (Soul Siphon does not count). Skill gains from recharging weapons are based on size of soul used, regardless of actual charge gained. To recharge an enchanted weapon, select the weapon in the items menu and press the button specified (generally the button for activating powers and shouts) and select a filled soul gem. The larger the soul, the more a weapon is recharged. The soul gem will be destroyed.
 * Complete the Daedric quests for Molag Bal and Azura, and constantly recharge the Mace of Molag Bal with Azura's Star (or the Black Star) respectively. Constantly recharging the weapon will boost the skill indefinitely.
 * Another quick way to level up is to obtain a weapon with the soul taking enchantment. Enchant the preferred weapon of choice with it, then stock up on soul gems and soul trap until a reasonable amount of them are filled. Afterwards, go to the Halted Stream Camp and acquire the transmute spell. Mine all the iron there and transmute it into gold, then into ingots. Craft the ingots into rings (not necklaces, as one can get more rings for the same Smithing XP and price as the rings), then simply enchant the rings with any enchantment. Sell the rings to any merchant and repeat. This method will allow the Dragonborn to level up quite quickly. This technique also levels up to Alteration, Smithing and Speech, and leaves a plentiful amount of gold in the process.
 * In order to perform this method, one will need to have installed or own the The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition. Travel to the Tel Mithryn and complete the quest "From the Ashes" upon arriving. Make sure to obtain the Conjure Ash Guardian spell tome at the end of the quest once it is available. Find an Arcane Enchanter and summon the Ash Guardian, use Soul Trap on it, and kill it. Regardless of whether it is summoned friendly or hostile (dependent on the Dragonborn having a Heart Stone in their inventory) the Ash Guardian is the only creature the Dragonborn can summon that can be affected by Soul Trap, and it has a Greater Soul. This is likely due to it being bound to a Rune created by the Dragonborn, rather than the Dragonborn themselves. (This also lends it several other unique properties; see page for more details). Having Azura's Star/The Black Star will save a lot of time and gold on soul gems. If more Iron Ore to Transmute is needed, buy it from a blacksmith, save the game, strike them until hostile, and reload. This resets a merchants inventory, including available gold for bartering.
 * If the Dragonborn is low leveled, get the "Turn Undead" enchantment and craft daggers to enchant them. With 20%-30% better prices, one can get their gold back. If one is over level 22, this is a quick way to level up enchanting. Buy a Banish Daedra weapon, which is expensive, and enchant the daggers with this. Even with no better prices boost, gold can be received back and one can level up enchanting quickly. Another valuable enchantments are Paralyze effect and Absorb Health. But the best way is to wait until level 22 and get the Banish effect.
 * Enchanting boots with the muffle enchantment can prove to be beneficial, as the size of the soul gem is irrelevant with muffle. Selling them is profitable too.
 * One of the most efficient ways to train Enchanting and additionally earning good amount of money is to enchant cheap items—most notably Hide Boots and silver rings—with Fortify Sneak enchantment. One should be able to gather these cheap items and possess The Black Star by completing "The Black Star" with going to Nelacar instead of Aranea. After acquiring these items and Fortify Sneak knowledge, the Dragonborn can soul trap any Men or Mer enemy, enchant Hide Boots or Silver Ring with Fortify Sneak, go back for another soul and repeat this process.

Books
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
 * Oghma Infinium

Quests

 * Find Pantea's Flute for Pantea Ateia in the Bards College in Solitude. This also increases Alteration, Illusion, Conjuration, Destruction, and Restoration.

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



In addition to perks increasing enchanting powers, leveling Enchanting increases them. For every 10 levels, enchantments will be 1% stronger.

Perks from other trees
The following perks from other trees affect weapon enchantments. Note that while there are weapon effects from the Alteration and Conjuration schools, there are no relevant perks that enhance effects from those schools.

Weapons
There are 18 weapon enchantments available. The enchantments wear out after successive use, and to keep the enchantment in effect, it has to be "refilled" by using soul gems to add more uses. The larger the soul used, the more uses given via recharging.

Apparel
The types of enchantments allowed on apparel are determined by what part of the body the apparel is covering. Unlike weapon enchantments, apparel enchantments do not require recharging and stay enchanted indefinitely. The strength of the enchantment is dependent on the size of soul used to enchant it and the enchanter's perks and skill, except for muffle and water breathing.

Method for Maximum Strength Potions and Enchantments

 * Prerequisites: Level 100 in Alchemy and Enchanting, five perks in alchemist, one perk in Benefactor, five perks in Enchanter, one perk 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.
 * Craft a set of Fortify Alchemy gear.
 * Craft several potions of Fortify Enchanting at 30% boost.
 * Craft a new set of Fortify Alchemy gear at 28% boost with the aid of the potions.
 * Craft several potions of Fortify Enchanting at 32% boost using the new set of gear.
 * Craft a final set of Fortify Alchemy gear at 29% boost with the aid of the potions.
 * Vampires that have the Restoration perk Necromage, can reach up to 33% Alchemy gear boost and 46% Enchanting potion boost. Vampires that have the Restoration perk Necromage and while Enchanting wear Ahzidal's Boots and any three other Relics of Ahzidal, can reach up to 49% Enchanting potion boost with Seeker of Sorcery boost and 39% Alchemy gear boost with Seeker of Shadows.

The final set of gear will not improve the results of a Fortify Enchanting potion, but will improve the results for 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.

There is an alternative that is the exploit of the use of Fortify Restoration potions, which improves several status, including Fortify Enchanting. Also, there is an added ability called Seeker of Sorcery from the DLC which makes enchanting 10% more effective. The ability can be gained at the completion of the quest "Black Book: The Sallow Regent." It goes very well with Ahzidal's Armor set, as it increases skill in Enchanting by 10.

Trivia

 * Some enchantment and item combinations that cannot be created at the arcane enchanter can be found in enchanted loot.
 * A space or special character (e.g. !@#$%^&*) 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.
 * Once an enchantment is selected for an item, it will remain in place until the enchanter is exited or the item is enchanted.
 * 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 Dragonborn's defense against enchanted weaponry. This can be anywhere from 1%-15% and does not show as an active effect.
 * Guards may ask to have their weapons enchanted. This cannot actually be done, as it is simply a line spoken by the guard when the Dragonborn's Enchanting skill is high enough.
 * Even with the Extra Effect perk, an enchantment cannot be added to an already enchanted item. Any enchantments must be placed the first time an item is enchanted.
 * Vampires, with the Necromage perk from Restoration and the Extra Effect perk, can get 50% spell cost reduction on a single piece of clothing by enchanting it with the "Fortify (school)" and "Fortify (school) and Magicka Regen."
 * If the Dragonborn has 100 Enchanting and Extra Effect perk, they can have spells from two schools that cost no magicka. 25% Fortify (schools) x 4 (chest, circlet, ring, necklace) = 100% spell cost reduction.
 * If the Dragonborn has two enchantments of a different school on a weapon, they must have 100% cost reduction in both schools for the charge to be infinite. Destruction is perhaps the best school to do this with, as it allows powerful spells like fireball and incinerate to be cast for free, as well as allowing one to put fire, frost, or storm damage on a weapon for infinite charges.
 * If the Dragonborn uses a potion that fortifies a certain school of magic it can further increase the power of their weapon enchants as long as the potion lasts. A fortify destruction potion will increase the damage done by any destruction school enchant. A fortify illusion potion will increase the level of npc effected by a fear weapon enchant. A potion of fortify conjuration will increase the amount of time one has to kill an enemy to fill a soul gem per strike. A potion of fortify restoration will increase the power of the turn undead enchant and all armor enchants.
 * Gear with a 1,740% boost to Alchemy will allow the production of Potions of Fortify Enchanting with an enchanting boost of 276%, which will give 100% off the magicka cost of any given school of magic in a single enchantment.

Appearances


Verzauberung (Skyrim) Encantamiento (Skyrim) Zaklinanie (Skyrim) Enchantement Incantamenti (Skyrim)