- For other uses, see Enchanting.
- "Don't suppose you'd enchant my sword? Dull old blade could barely cut butter."
- ―Hold Guard[src]
Enchanting is a skill in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 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 and armor.
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.[1] Arcane Enchanters 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. Most houses the Dragonborn can own, 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.
There are certain items that can be enchanted even though they already have an enchantment. These include the Amulet of the Gargoyle (in Dawnguard), Horksbane (from Dragonborn), and Wuuthrad.
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.
- 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, a petty soul will do as well as a grand.
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, with some exceptions. Those are noted below, marked with two asterisks (**). 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. These are 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 Dragonborn, the Dragonborn 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) will do.
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 increases with 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 quest 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 your skill indefinitely.
- Another and really easy and quick way to level up is to attain a weapon with the soul taking enchantment and enchant your preferred weapon of choice with it then stock up on a heap of soul gems and simply go around killing things as normal until you have a reasonable amount of filled gems. then go to the halted stream camp attain the the transmute ore spell and mine all the iron there and transmute it into gold then into ingots then craft the ingots into rings (not necklaces because you get more rings for the same smithing XP and price as the rings) then simply enchant the rings with any enchantment and you will level up quite quickly this also levels up your alteration, smithing and speech and also nets you a hefty amount of gold in the process while not taking as long as other less effective methods.
- If you are on low level get "Turn Undead" enchantment and craft some dagger to enchant them. With 20%-30% better prices you get your gold back. If you are over level 22, it is very fast 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, you get make a lot of gold and level up enchanting very fast. 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 over and over again with the muffle enchantment is really good, because the size of the soul gem is irrelevant with muffle. Since everyone is Skyrim is wearing shoes, you can stock up a ton of them. Selling them is profitable too.
- Probably the most efficient way 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. Along your travels around Skyrim, you should gather these cheap items and possess The Black Star by completing The Black Star (Quest) with going to Nelacar instead of Aranea. After acquiring these items and Fortify Sneak knowledge, you 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.
Trainers
- Main article: Trainer (Skyrim)
Trainer | Skill Level | Location |
---|---|---|
Sergius Turrianus | Expert | College of Winterhold |
Hamal | Master (cap of skill level 90) | After completing The Heart of Dibella quest, Temple of Dibella, Markarth. |
Neloth DB | Master | Tel Mithryn |
Perks
The following are perks that become available to select as the skill is leveled up.
Perk (Ranks) | Requirements | Description |
---|---|---|
Enchanter (5) | Enchanting 0/20/40/60/80 | New enchantments are 20/40/60/80/100% stronger (+20% per rank) |
Soul Squeezer | Enchanting 20 Enchanter |
Soul gems provide extra magicka for recharging |
Fire Enchanter | Enchanting 30 Enchanter |
Fire enchantments on weapons and armor are 25% stronger |
Soul Siphon | Enchanting 40 Soul Squeezer |
Death blows to creatures, but not people, trap 5% of the victim's soul, recharging the weapon |
Frost Enchanter | Enchanting 40 Fire Enchanter |
Frost enchantments on weapons and armor are 25% stronger |
Insightful Enchanter | Enchanting 50 Enchanter |
Skill enchantments on armor are 25% stronger |
Storm Enchanter | Enchanting 50 Frost Enchanter |
Shock enchantments on weapons and armor are 25% stronger |
Corpus Enchanter | Enchanting 70 Insightful Enchanter |
Health, magicka and stamina enchantments on armor are 25% stronger |
Extra Effect | Enchanting 100 Storm Enchanter or Corpus Enchanter |
Can put two enchantments on the same item |
In addition to perks increasing enchanting powers, leveling Enchanting increases them. For every 10 levels, enchantments will be 1% stronger.
Enchantments
Weapon enchantments
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.
- Absorb Health
- Absorb Magicka**
- Absorb Stamina**
- Banish
- Chaos DamageDB
- 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
(**) The strength of these enchantments is determined by their strength on the original item they are learned from.
Apparel enchantments
Enchantment | Helmet | Cuirass | Gloves | Boots | Shield | Amulet | Ring |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fortify Alchemy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Alteration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Alteration and Magicka Regen | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Archery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Barter | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Block | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Carry Weight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Conjuration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Conjuration and Magicka Regen | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Destruction | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Destruction and Magicka Regen | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Healing Rate | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Fortify Health | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Heavy Armor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Illusion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Illusion and Magicka Regen | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Light Armor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Lockpicking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Magicka | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Magicka Regen | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Fortify One-Handed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Pickpocket | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Restoration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Restoration and Magicka Regen | Yes | ||||||
Fortify Smithing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Sneak | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Stamina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Stamina Regen | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Fortify Two-Handed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Fortify Unarmed | Yes | Yes | |||||
Muffle* | Yes | ||||||
Resist Disease | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Resist Fire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Resist Frost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Resist Magic | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
Resist Poison | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
Resist Shock | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Yes | |||
Water Breathing* | Yes | Yes |
Yes | ||||
* This enchantment's magnitude is not affected by the size of the soul used. |
Only certain items can be enchanted with certain enchantments. This is 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, except in the case of muffle and water breathing.
Usefulness
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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 35% Alchemy gear boost and 49% Enchanting potion boost. (Using Falmer helmets worn over circlets.)
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 Dragonborn 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 armor set, as it increases skill in Enchanting by 10.
Gallery
Trivia
- Some enchantment and item combinations that cannot be created at the arcane enchanter can be found in enchanted loot.
- PC PS3 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 <spell school> 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, they can have spells that cost no magicka. 25% Fortify (school) x 4 (chest, circlet, ring, necklace) = 100% spell cost reduction.
Bugs
This section contains bugs related to Enchanting (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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Click to see the list of bugs encountered |
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Achievements
Artificer Make a smithed item, an enchanted item, and a potion | |
Points | 10 |
Trophy |
See also
Appearances
- The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- The Elder Scrolls Online
References
Skills in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | |
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The Mage |
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The Thief | |
The Warrior |