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Elder Scrolls
For other uses, see Trainers.

Trainers are NPCs who help increase proficiency in skills in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Most trainers offer their services from the start of the game, but some require certain tasks to be performed first. Skills can only be trained five times per level, until the skill level exceeds the level of the trainer. All training requires that a fee be paid. Gold is automatically subtracted from the inventory when a training session is accepted. After you pay the trainers you can pickpocket them for your money back.

Changes from previous games

Unlike The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, trainers in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim only offer skill leveling from Adept upwards. In previous games, trainers offered Apprentice-level and Novice-level training. There are skill trainers in Skyrim labeled as "Common" trainers; this is incorrectly labeled, as the trainers offer their services up to the Adept level. Unlike Morrowind and Oblivion, there are no means to be trained all the way to level 100 in a skill. One thing that carried over from Oblivion is that trainers will only train up to five skill levels per character level.

Cost

The more advanced the training session is, the higher it will cost. The cost of training a skill up can be calculated as follows:

Levels 15–50: 10 * [skill level] + 50

Levels 51–75: 30 * [skill level] + 50

Levels 75–90: 50 * [skill level] + 50

This cost is based on the skill level after all modifications. So for example, Speech training while wearing an Amulet of Dibella will be priced at a level 15 points higher than the raw skill level. It is thus best to remove relevant equipment before training.

Trainers that are also merchants, such as Arcadia in Whiterun, add the gold paid to them for training into their inventory. One can easily recover gold spent on training by selling them items. The gold can also be pickpocketed back from the trainer, albeit difficult if it is a large amount.

Proficiencies

Skyrim Training

The proficiency of trainers varies:

  • Adept trainers can train up to level 50.
  • Expert trainers can train up to level 75.
  • Master trainers can train up to level 90.

Once the Dragonborn's skill level is greater than or equal to the trainer's level, the option for training disappears as there is no more that can be learned from this person.

Free training

Main article: Free Skill Training (Skyrim)

There are several quests or tasks available that grant free skill increases as a reward. They function much like skill books and are treated in the same way as regular skill increases.

Exploits

Free training can be exploited if a follower is also a trainer. Upon completion of a training session, the option to trade items with a follower can be selected to access their inventory and the Dragonborn can then recover the amount spent on training.

There are only seven trainers who are followers:

Additionally, gold can be pickpocketed back after training sessions, but this becomes impossible at higher levels (even with maximum Pickpocket and Sneak skills) as the amount of gold paid is often in the thousands. This can be surmounted by knocking down the trainer in some way, and then pickpocketing the gold back while they are on the ground. You can pickpocket anything in a knocked down character's inventory with no bounty, even if the chance of success appears to be 0%. To knock down a character, use Unrelenting Force with all three words of power, do a power attack with a two-handed weapon (you may receive a bounty), or, with the "Poisoned" perk, reverse-pickpocket a paralysis poison into their inventory. The player can also use Ice Form on the trainer and then heal the character, then while the person is recovering, quickly access that trainer's inventory to recoup the cost. It is possible to prevent a crime being charged against the Dragonborn by first joining the faction that the trainer belongs to.

Trainers

Alchemy

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Lami Morthal
Expert Arcadia Arcadia's Cauldron in Whiterun
Expert Milore Ienth Raven Rock Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn
Master Babette Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary Must be a member of the Dark Brotherhood

Alteration

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Dravynea Kynesgrove
Master Tolfdir College of Winterhold Must have joined the College

Archery

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Faendal Riverwood Potential follower
Expert Aela the Huntress Jorrvaskr in Whiterun Must have joined the Companions, Potential follower
Master Niruin The Ragged Flagon in Riften Must have joined the Thieves Guild
Master Sorine Jurard Fort Dawnguard after completing "A New Order" Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
N/A Angi Angi's Camp Related to the quest "Composure, Speed, and Precision"

Block

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Njada Stonearm Jorrvaskr in Whiterun Must have joined the Companions, Potential follower
Master Larak Mor Khazgur

Conjuration

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Runil Falkreath
Expert Phinis Gestor College of Winterhold Must have joined the College
Master Falion Morthal
Master Talvas Fathryon Tel Mithryn Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn.
Potential follower

Destruction

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Wuunferth the Unliving Windhelm Located up the stairs in the Palace of the Kings.
Expert Garan Marethi Castle Volkihar Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
Expert Sybille Stentor Blue Palace in Solitude
Master Faralda College of Winterhold Must have joined the College

Enchanting

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Sergius Turrianus College of Winterhold Must have joined the College
Master Hamal Markarth After The Heart of Dibella
Master Neloth Tel Mithryn Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn

Heavy Armor

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Gharol Dushnikh Yal
Master Farkas Jorrvaskr in Whiterun Only after Proving Honor. Potential follower
Master Isran Fort Dawnguard Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
Master Kuvar Bujold's Retreat Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn

Illusion

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Atub Largashbur
Master Drevis Neloren College of Winterhold Must have joined the College

Light Armor

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Scouts-Many-Marshes The docks outside of Windhelm
Expert Grelka Riften Marketplace
Master Nazir Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary Must have joined the Dark Brotherhood

Lockpicking

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Ma'jhad Khajiit Caravans Travels between Windhelm and Solitude.
Master Vex The Ragged Flagon in Riften Must have joined the Thieves Guild

One-Handed

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Amren Whiterun
Expert Athis Jorrvaskr in Whiterun Potential follower
Master Burguk Dushnikh Yal

Pickpocket

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Silda the Unseen Windhelm, outside of Candlehearth Hall
Master Vipir the Fleet The Ragged Flagon in Riften Must have joined the Thieves Guild

Restoration

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Keeper Carcette Hall of the Vigilant Is killed if The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard is installed.
Adept Aphia Velothi Raven Rock Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn
Expert Colette Marence College of Winterhold Typically in The Arcanaeum and must have joined the College
Master Danica Pure-Spring Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun Only after The Blessings of Nature
Master Florentius Baenius Fort Dawnguard Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard

Smithing

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Ghorza gra-Bagol Markarth
Expert Balimund Riften
Master Eorlund Gray-Mane The Skyforge in Whiterun Must have joined the Companions
Master Gunmar Fort Dawnguard after completing A New Order Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard

Sneak

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Khayla Khajiit Caravans Travels between Whiterun and Markarth.
Expert Garvey Markarth
Master Delvin Mallory The Ragged Flagon in Riften

Speech

Level Trainer Location Notes
Adept Dro'marash Khajiit Caravans Travels between Riften and Dawnstar.
Adept Revyn Sadri Sadri's Used Wares in Windhelm
Expert Ronthil Castle Volkihar Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
Expert Ogmund Markarth Can be found in the Silver-Blood Inn
Master Giraud Gemane Bards College in Solitude

Two-Handed

Level Trainer Location Notes
Expert Torbjorn Shatter-Shield Windhelm
Master Vilkas Jorrvaskr in Whiterun Potential follower
Master Fura Bloodmouth Castle Volkihar Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
Master Wulf Wild-Blood Skaal Village Only available with The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn

Trivia

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Trainers (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
  • Trainer dialogue may disappear at random intervals, without explanation, making it impossible to train.
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