Smithing Guide: Materials & Upgrades — The Elder Scrolls VI Guide

Smithing Guide: Materials & Upgrades

The Smithing skill in The Elder Scrolls VI is your gateway to crafting and improving weapons and armor, allowing you to create gear that is perfectly suited to your character's needs and combat style. Mastering this craft requires a keen eye for valuable materials and a deep understanding of the upgrade process.

The foundation of smithing lies in the raw materials you gather. Ores such as Iron Ore, Steel Ingot, Dwarven Metal Ingots, and Ebony Ingots will be crucial for crafting basic to advanced gear. These ores are typically mined from veins found in caves, mountainsides, and abandoned mines. Once mined, they must be smelted into ingots at a smelter, a common fixture in most settlements and at blacksmithing stations.

Beyond basic ores, rarer and more exotic materials will unlock the ability to craft unique and powerful items. Expect to find materials like Dragonbone, Daedric Hearts, and various enchanted metals that are essential for creating legendary weapons and armor. These materials are often obtained from defeating formidable creatures, completing challenging quests, or discovering hidden caches.

The upgrade process is equally vital. At a workbench, you can use ingots and other crafting components to improve the quality of your existing weapons and armor. The effectiveness of an upgrade is determined by your Smithing skill level and the quality of the materials used. A higher Smithing skill allows for more sificant improvements, increasing the damage of weapons and the armor rating of defensive gear.

Furthermore, specific perks within the Smithing skill tree will unlock the ability to craft and upgrade specialized types of equipment. For instance, a perk might allow you to craft Elven armor, while another could enable the creation of advanced Dwarven weaponry. Some perks might even grant you the ability to craft unique, lore-specific gear sets, such as those associated with ancient Nordic warriors or the enigmatic Dwemer.

To maximize your smithing potential, it's advisable to invest in perks that reduce the material cost of crafting and upgrading, or those that increase the effectiveness of your improvements. Regularly visiting blacksmiths, mining ore veins, and dismantling unwanted gear for components will ensure you always have the necessary resources to keep your equipment at its peak performance.