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Smithing

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The art of creating and improving weapons and armor from raw materials.

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""Is your armor made of... dragon bones? By the gods, what I wouldn't do for a set of that.""
―Guard

Smithing is a skill in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and is one of the six skills that falls under The Warrior play-style. Smithing is the art of taking refined raw materials and combining them into new and/or improved pieces of armor or weaponry. It is one of the three crafting skills in Skyrim, falling under The Warrior, with parallels to Alchemy for The Thief and Enchanting for The Mage. As such it is affected by The Warrior Stone and, as with all skills, is affected by The Lover Stone.

Contents

MechanicsEdit

Smithing is a multistage process with the number of stages depending on what items are being crafted and how raw the materials are. The process can be started at any intermediate stage if the right materials are found, but every stage requires input materials, knowledge of the recipe, and its own tool. Input materials can be found in the world or purchased from vendors. Knowledge of new recipes can be acquired only through perks but some are available automatically. The tools list below roughly outlines the end-to-end process from the most raw stages to the most refined stages.

ToolsEdit

Balimund using a Tanning Rack.
URLAdded by URL

These tools, required for various stages in the smithing process, can be found in any main city and most villages. They are also frequently found in forts and dungeons or outside mines. See the individual tool pages for more specific locations.

  • Smelter - Used to change ores or scraps into ingots.
  • Tanning Rack - Used to create leather/leather strips from animal hides.
  • Forge and Anvil - Used to craft armor, weapons and jewelry from ingots and other materials.
  • Workbench - Used to improve armor and shields with ingots or leather.
  • Grindstone - Used to improve weapons with ingots.

Racial bonusesEdit

Nord, Redguard, and Orc characters gain a +5 boost to Smithing at the start of the game.

LevelingEdit

The following actions raise the Smithing skill:

  • Crafting an item at a Forge. Skill gain is dependant on the value of the item being crafted.[1]
  • Improving a weapon at a Grindstone. Larger skill gains based on the strength of the improvement made.
  • Improving an armor or shield at a Workbench. Larger skill gains based on the strength of the improvement made.

Using a Tanning Rack or Smelter does not improve the Smithing skill.

BooksEdit

A smithing Skill Book.
URLAdded by URL
For the locations of these books, see Skill Book (Skyrim).

The following is a list of books that raise the Smithing Skill, locations can be found on the relevant book's page:

Related questsEdit

The following Quests increase or help to increase the Smithing Skill:

TrainersEdit

Main article: Trainer (Skyrim)
Adept: Ghorza gra-Bagol

Markarth- Near Cidhna Mine

Expert: Balimund

Riften- Near the Marketplace

Master: Eorlund Gray-Mane

Skyforge in Whiterun (Must be part of the Companions)

Growth curveEdit

The smithing skill levels according to an exponential curve. This means each level costs more than the previous one.

PerksEdit

The following chart lists the perks that become available to the player as the skill is leveled up. In spite of the shape of the perk constellation implying otherwise, perks explicitly list their prerequisites (e.g. Daedric Smithing requires Ebony Smithing be taken first).

Perk (Ranks) Requirements Description
Steel Smithing N/A Can create Steel Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Arcane Blacksmith Smithing 60,

Steel Smithing

You can improve magical weapons and armor.
Elven Smithing Smithing 30,

Steel Smithing

Can create Elven Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Advanced Armors Smithing 50,

Elven Smithing

Can create Scaled and Steel Plate Armor at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Glass Smithing Smithing 70,

Advanced Armors

Can create Glass Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Dwarven Smithing Smithing 30,

Steel Smithing

Can create Dwarven Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Orcish Smithing Smithing 50,

Dwarven Smithing

Can create Orcish Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Ebony Smithing Smithing 80,

Orcish Smithing

Can create Ebony Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Daedric Smithing Smithing 90,

Ebony Smithing

Can create Daedric Armor and Weapons at forges, and improve them twice as much.
Dragon Armor Smithing 100,

Glass Smithing OR Daedric Smithing

Can create Dragon Armor at forges, and improve them twice as much.


Smithing perks tree
Terraviper-5Added by Terraviper-5

ImprovementEdit

The table shows what quality improvement an item will achieve based on smithing level and if the smithing perk for the item is taken or not.

Items can still be improved once they reach Legendary, but the description will not change.

Quality Skill Required Effect
Without Perk With Perk Armor Other
Fine1414+2+1
Superior3122+6+3
Exquisite6540+10+5
Flawless10057+13+7
Epic13474+17+8
Legendary16891+20+10

Each additional quality level beyond Legendary improves Armor by 3.6 and other items (weapons, helms, boots, etc) by 1.8.

Alchemy and Enchanting can improve results significantly via the Fortify Smithing effect allowing for greater improvements at a given level than the table shows. Combining both Alchemy and Enchanting to improve one another and then combining both to improve Smithing as much as possible can be very powerful. The relevant Alchemy Tips page or Enchanting page have more information on how to get the most out of those skills.


The improvement of armor and weapons requires one smithing material per item improved. These items can be obtained by Tanning, Smelting, or other in game means of obtaining items.

Smithing Category Crafting Material
Hunting Bow Leather Strips
Leather Leather
Hide
Imperial
Forsworn
Iron Iron Ingot
Studded
Steel Steel Ingot
Nord Hero
Ancient Nord
Red Eagle
Valdr's Lucky Dagger
Vokun
Steel Plate Corundum Ingot
Scaled
Banded Iron
Dwarven Dwarven Metal Ingot
Elven Refined Moonstone
Morokei
Orcish Orichalcum Ingot
Ebony Ebony Ingot
Daedric
Glass Refined Malachite
Dragon Dragon Bones
Dragon Scales
Falmer Chaurus Chitin
Jewelry Jewelry cannot be upgraded

Material requirementsEdit

The table shows the different kinds of weapons and armor that you can make and what you need to make them.

Armor / Weapon Leather Strips Leather Material 1 Material 2 Material 3
Hide Leather Strips Leather ----- ----- -----
Armor3 4 ----- ----- -----
Boots2 2 ----- ----- -----
Bracers2 1 ----- ----- -----
Helmet1 2 ----- ----- -----
Shield2 4 ----- ----- -----
Draugr/Nord Hero* Leather Strips Ancient Nord Weapon Steel Ingot ----- -----
Battle Axe3 13 ----- -----
Bow ----- 13 ----- -----
Greatsword3 13 ----- -----
Sword2 12 ----- -----
Waraxe2 12 ----- -----
Iron Leather Strips Leather Iron Ingot Corundum Ingot -----
Banded Armor3 -----5 1 -----
Banded Shield1 -----4 1 -----
Armor3 -----5 ----- -----
Battle Axe2 -----4 ----- -----
Boots2 -----3 ----- -----
Dagger1 -----1 ----- -----
Gauntlets2 -----2 ----- -----
Greatsword2 -----4 ----- -----
Helmet2 -----3 ----- -----
Mace2 -----3 ----- -----
Shield1 -----4 ----- -----
Sword1 -----2 ----- -----
Waraxe2 -----2 ----- -----
Warhammer3 -----4 ----- -----
Studded Leather Strips Leather Iron Ingot ----- -----
Armor3 4 1 ----- -----
Imperial Leather Strips Leather Steel Ingot ----- -----
Armor3 2 4 ----- -----
Boots2 1 2 ----- -----
Bracers2 1 2 ----- -----
Helmet1 1 2 ----- -----
Shield2 ----- 4 ----- -----
Steel Leather Strips Leather Steel Ingot Corundum Ingot Iron Ingot
Scaled Armor3 23 2 1
Scaled Boots2 12 1 1
Scaled Bracers2 11 1 1
Scaled Helmet1 12 1 1
Armor3 -----4 ----- 1
Armor3 -----4 ----- 1
Battle Axe2 -----4 ----- 1
Cuffed Boots2 -----3 ----- 1
Dagger1 -----1 ----- 1
Greatsword3 -----4 ----- 2
Helmet2 -----2 ----- 1
Horned Helmet2 -----2 ----- 1
Imperial Gauntlets2 -----2 ----- 1
Mace1 -----3 ----- 1
Nordic Gauntlets2 -----2 1 1
Plate Armor3 -----3 1 1
Plate Boots2 -----2 1 1
Plate Gauntlets2 -----2 1 1
Plate Helmet2 -----2 1 1
Shield1 -----3 ----- 1
Shin Boots2 -----3 ----- 1
Sword1 -----2 ----- 1
Waraxe2 -----2 ----- 1
Warhammer3 -----4 ----- 1
Leather Leather Strips Leather ----- ----- -----
Armor3 4 ----- ----- -----
Boots2 2 ----- ----- -----
Bracers2 1 ----- ----- -----
Helmet1 2 ----- ----- -----
Dwarven Leather Strips Leather Dwarven Metal Ingot Steel Ingot Iron Ingot
Armor3 -----3 1 1
Battle Axe2 -----2 2 1
Boots2 -----2 1 1
Bow ----- -----2 ----- 1
Dagger1 -----1 1 1
Gauntlets2 -----1 1 1
Greatsword3 -----2 2 2
Helmet2 -----2 1 1
Mace1 -----2 1 1
Shield1 -----2 1 1
Sword1 -----1 1 1
Waraxe2 -----1 1 1
Warhammer3 -----2 2 1
Elven Leather Strips Leather Quicksilver Ingot Refined Moonstone Iron Ingot
Armor3 1 ----- 4 1
Battle Axe2 -----1 2 2
Boots2 1 ----- 2 1
Bow ----- -----1 2 -----
Dagger1 -----1 1 -----
Gauntlets2 1 ----- 1 1
Gilded Armor3 -----1 4 1
Greatsword3 -----1 2 2
Helmet1 1 ----- 2 1
Mace1 -----1 2 1
Shield2 ----- ----- 4 1
Sword1 -----1 1 1
Waraxe2 -----1 1 1
Warhammer3 -----1 2 2
Orcish Leather Strips Leather Oricholcum Ingot Iron Ingot -----
Armor3 -----4 1 -----
Battle Axe2 -----4 1 -----
Boots2 -----3 1 -----
Bow ----- -----2 1 -----
Dagger1 -----1 1 -----
Gauntlets2 -----2 1 -----
Greatsword3 -----3 1 -----
Helmet2 -----2 1 -----
Mace1 -----1 1 -----
Shield1 -----1 1 -----
Sword1 -----1 1 -----
Waraxe2 -----2 1 -----
Warhammer3 -----3 1 -----
Ebony Leather Strips Leather Ebony Ingot ----- -----
Armor3 -----5 ----- -----
Battle Axe2 -----5 ----- -----
Boots2 -----3 ----- -----
Bow ----- -----3 ----- -----
Dagger1 -----1 ----- -----
Gauntlets2 -----2 ----- -----
Greatsword3 -----5 ----- -----
Helmet2 -----3 ----- -----
Mace1 -----3 ----- -----
Shield1 -----4 ----- -----
Sword1 -----2 ----- -----
Waraxe2 -----2 ----- -----
Warhammer3 -----5 ----- -----
Glass Leather Strips Leather Refined Malachite Refined Moonstone -----
Armor3142 -----
Battle Axe2 -----22 -----
Boots2121 -----
Bow ----- -----21 -----
Dagger1 -----11 -----
Gauntlets2111 -----
Greatsword3 -----11 -----
Helmet1111 -----
Mace1 -----11 -----
Shield2 -----11 -----
Sword1 -----11 -----
Waraxe2 -----11 -----
Warhammer3 -----11 -----
Dragon Leather Strips Leather Dragon Scale Dragon Bone Iron Ingot
Plate Armor3 -----3 2 -----
Plate Boots2 -----3 1 -----
Plate Gauntlets2 -----2 1 -----
Plate Helmet2 -----2 1 -----
Plate Shield1 -----3 1 -----
Scale Armor3 14 ----- 2
Scale Boots2 12 ----- 1
Scale Gauntlets2 12 ----- 1
Scale Helmet1 12 ----- 1
Scale Shield2 -----4 ----- 2
Daedric - Ancient Nord Leather Strips Leather Steel Ingot Iron Ingot -----
Armor2 45 2 -----
Boots2 34 2 -----
Gauntlets2 33 2 -----
Helmet2 33 2 -----
Daedric Leather Strips Leather Ebony Ingot Daedra Heart -----
Armor3 -----5 1 -----
Battle Axe2 -----5 1 -----
Boots2 -----3 1 -----
Bow ----- -----3 1 -----
Dagger1 -----1 1 -----
Gauntlets2 -----2 1 -----
Greatsword3 -----5 1 -----
Helmet2 -----3 1 -----
Mace1 -----3 1 -----
Shield1 -----4 1 -----
Sword1 -----2 1 -----
Waraxe2 -----2 1 -----
Warhammer3 -----5 1 ----- 
*Nord Hero Weapons can be made after completing "The Companions" quest chain 
and only at the Skyforge.

Notes and tipsEdit

  • Damage reduction from armor is capped at 80% damage reduced or 567 armor. No matter how much armor is shown on the character page damage reduction will never improve beyond this point by adding additional armor.
  • Completing "The Companions" quest chain allows the Dragonborn, when using the Skyforge (only the Skyforge can be used), to produce "Nord Hero" armor and weapons.
  • The Notched Pickaxe is a unique weapon with an enchantment that can be learned which improves smithing (unless you've already reached 100).
  • To maximize skill gain, activate The Warrior Stone and sleep in a bed to obtain a Rested Effect (unless you're a Werewolf).
  • The Transmute Mineral Ore can be used to improve Iron Ore to Silver Ore and finally Gold Ore. It is a time and Magicka intensive process using a base cost of 88 magicka but can significantly improve money yields and alteration, while improving smithing.
  • All items created to level Smithing can be improved with enchantments which will greatly increase the value of the resulting items. See the Enchanting page for details on which enchantments improve money value the most for each item.
  • When improving an item at a Grindstone or Workbench the Fortify Smithing will yield more experience as well as improve the sale value of the item being improved.
  • All Mines and Dwarven Ruins provide reasonable amounts of raw materials for Smithing if time is taken to collect and return them to a smelter.
  • This tactic is only effective if you have the Dwarven Smithing perk. In Dwarven Ruins, you will find different kinds of Dwemer metal scraps, which vary in size. A large majority of these can be transferred into Dwarven Metal Ingots (Sometimes multiple, depending on the weight of the dwarven scrap metal piece that you are smelting). This can make for an efficient levelling style for smithing levels 30-60.

BugsEdit

  •  PC   360   If you improve a weapon on Grindstones, and then go in to your inventory and look at the damage difference (the number in brackets in either red or green, depending on whether that weapon has a positive or negative improvement on the weapon's damaged that you're holding) you will notice that the difference is based on the weapon's damage difference before you improved it. To resolve this, either equip another weapon, or unequip your current weapon.
  •  PC   360   PS3 Occasionally while using the Blacksmith Forge, the animation your character performs whilst you decide on what armor you're going to make glitches. The following is a long and drawn out explanation of what very rarely happens: First, the metal strip that has been placed in the furnace is already attached to the player's arm. If the player then makes a move to pick out a strip of metal from the furnace, the arm grasps at thin air. The player will then turn to the Anvil to begin using the hammer on the metal's hot end. But the hot end is up by the player's elbow, and the cold bit is near the Anvil, but not actually on the Anvil. The hammer hits the Anvil's surface while the cold metal is around the bottom. Finally, the player puts the cold end of the metal into the cooling trough, and it hisses as though something hot just got put into cold water.
    • Only seems to occur when a shield is equipped.
  •  PS3  PC  When attempting to use any of the smithing stations (including the Tanning Rack and Smelting Ovens) at any location, the attempt will fail. The game goes into the third person camera and stops, but after a second or two, you can move again. To resolve this, try restarting the system
  •  PS3  There are times when if you put on Smithing trinkets(when you use the workbench), you will find that the amount of improvement you can put on an armor's rating will go down from the amount of improvement you may see before equipping the smithing trinkets. (So save before improving armor so as to be able to get the maximum improvement you can with or without the trinkets.)
    • It is possible that this is due to Armor perks that award a bonus for either a matching set or all the same type of armor (ie light). When I put on my Heavy Armor blacksmithing gloves, my overall armor drops because I'm no longer awarded the 25% bonus for light armor.
    • Sometimes you can't improve items beyond the the current improvement level ( I've had this happen with lvl. 100 in smithing. )

AchievementsEdit

Artificer (Achievement).png
 Artificer
Make a smithed item, an enchanted item, and a potion
Points 10 Game points.png
Trophy
Bronze trophy

See AlsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ 1.5 patch
Retrieved from "http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Smithing"
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