Skyrim Smithing & Enchanting Guide: Crafting, Improving & Enchanted Gear
Skyrim Smithing and Enchanting guide covering crafting materials, improving weapons and armor, learning enchantments, soul gems, equipment specialization and how the two crafting skills complement a character build.
Skyrim Smithing & Enchanting Guide: Crafting, Improving & Enchanted Gear
Skyrim Smithing & Enchanting Guide: Crafting, Improving & Enchanted Gear
Smithing and Enchanting are two of Skyrim's most powerful equipment-progression skills. Smithing improves the physical quality of weapons and armor, while Enchanting adds magical effects to compatible equipment.
Smithing Basics
Smithing is used to craft and improve weapons and armor.
Common crafting locations include:
- Forges.
- Grindstones.
- Workbenches.
- Smelters.
- Tanning racks.
Gather Materials
Smithing depends on materials such as:
- Ore.
- Ingots.
- Leather.
- Leather strips.
- Specialized materials for higher-tier equipment.
Keep useful crafting materials if Smithing is part of your build.
Improve Existing Gear
You do not need to craft every item from scratch.
Weapons can be improved at grindstones and armor can be improved at workbenches when you have the required material and skill support.
Smith for Your Build
Do not craft every weapon type equally.
Focus on equipment your character actually uses:
- One-handed weapons.
- Two-handed weapons.
- Bows.
- Light armor.
- Heavy armor.
Enchanting Basics
Enchanting adds magical effects to weapons, armor and jewelry.
To create enchanted equipment, you need:
- An Arcane Enchanter.
- An item that can accept the enchantment.
- A known enchantment.
- A filled soul gem.
Learn Enchantments by Disenchanting
When you find enchanted gear with an effect you want to learn, you can disenchant it at an Arcane Enchanter.
Disenchanting destroys that item but teaches the enchantment for future use.
Do Not Disenchant Equipment You Still Need
Before destroying an item to learn its effect, check whether it is currently one of your strongest pieces.
Soul Gems
Enchanting uses filled soul gems.
The available soul affects the strength of the enchantment you can create.
Keep soul gems if Enchanting is central to your progression.
Weapon Enchantments
Weapon enchantments add magical effects to attacks.
Choose an effect that supports the weapon's role rather than adding something unrelated simply because it is available.
Armor and Jewelry Enchantments
Armor and jewelry can provide passive bonuses.
These are especially useful for reinforcing:
- Weapon damage.
- Magic schools.
- Resource management.
- Resistances.
- Carrying or utility needs.
Smithing and Enchanting Work Together
A strong equipment progression loop is:
- Obtain or craft a useful item.
- Improve its physical quality through Smithing.
- Add an enchantment that supports the build.
- Replace the item only when the next piece provides a meaningful upgrade.
Do Not Grind Crafting Without a Purpose
Crafting skills are strongest when they serve your character.
If your build does not use heavy armor, creating large amounts of heavy gear provides less practical value than improving the equipment you actually wear.
Light vs Heavy Armor Crafting
Commit most of your Smithing investment toward the armor type you actually use.
This keeps perk investment aligned with the character's combat plan.
Magic Builds
Enchanting is especially valuable for magic-focused characters because equipment effects can support spell use and resource management.
Warrior Builds
Smithing helps keep weapon and armor quality competitive while Enchanting can reinforce offense or defense.
Stealth Builds
Crafting can support stealth through lighter equipment, bow improvements and enchantments suited to the character's playstyle.
Upgrade in Stages
During early progression, do not spend every resource trying to create a final set.
Improve useful gear, then save rarer materials for equipment you expect to use longer.
Common Crafting Mistakes
- Disenchanting a valuable item before having a replacement.
- Crafting equipment unrelated to the build.
- Ignoring material requirements.
- Using powerful soul gems on equipment you will replace immediately.
- Spreading perks across every crafting branch without a plan.
Bottom Line
Skyrim Smithing and Enchanting are strongest when they support one build. Improve the weapon and armor type you actually use, learn useful enchantments, preserve soul gems for worthwhile equipment and combine physical upgrades with magical effects to create stronger long-term gear.