Forge your own destiny in Skyrim by mastering the art of smithing. This vital profession allows you to craft powerful weapons and sturdy armor, upgrade your existing gear, and even create unique items. Learn where to find resources, how to use the forge, and the perks that unlock the true potential of your creations.
The Smithing Skill Tree and Perks
The Smithing skill tree is divided into two main branches: Heavy Armor and Light Armor. Each branch has a series of perks that unlock the ability to craft and improve increasingly advanced types of armor and weapons. To craft or improve a specific item, you must have the corresponding perk and the necessary materials.
| Perk | Requirement | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Smithing | Smithing 30 | Craft and improve Steel armor and weapons. |
| Elven Smithing | Smithing 40 | Craft and improve Elven armor and weapons. |
| Dwarven Smithing | Smithing 50 | Craft and improve Dwarven armor and weapons. |
| Orcish Smithing | Smithing 60 | Craft and improve Orcish armor and weapons. |
| Ebony Smithing | Smithing 70 | Craft and improve Ebony armor and weapons. |
| Daedric Smithing | Smithing 90 | Craft and improve Daedric armor and weapons. |
| Dragon Smithing | Smithing 100 | Craft and improve Dragonplate and Dragonscale armor. |
Gathering Smithing Materials
To smith effectively, you'll need various materials:
- Ores: Iron, Silver, Gold, Quicksilver, Malachite, Moonstone, Corundum, and Dwarven Metal Ingots (smelted from Dwarven scrap). These are found in mines, as loot, or purchased from merchants.
- Ingots: Smelted from ores at a smelter.
- Leather Strips: Crafted from leather at a tanner's rack. Leather can be harvested from hunted animals or purchased.
- Hides: From hunted animals.
- Gems: Used for enchanting, but also sometimes required for higher-tier smithing.
- Dragon Bones and Scales: Essential for crafting the most powerful armor. Found by defeating dragons.
Using the Forge, Smelter, and Tanning Rack
These crafting stations are found in most major cities and some smaller settlements. You'll need to interact with them to perform crafting actions:
- Forge: Used to craft weapons and armor, and to improve existing gear.
- Smelter: Used to smelt ores into ingots.
- Tanning Rack: Used to craft leather strips from hides.
- Grindstone: Used to improve weapons.
- Workbench: Used to improve armor.
Crafting vs. Finding Gear
While you can find powerful enchanted gear throughout Skyrim, crafting allows you to create items tailored to your needs. You can smith gear that perfectly matches your character build and then enchant it with custom spells. For example, a warrior might smith a set of Ebony armor and enchant it with Fortify Health and Fortify Stamina.
Improving Existing Gear
The 'Improve' option at the forge, grindstone, or workbench is often more valuable than crafting from scratch, especially for enchanted items. By using the appropriate materials (usually ingots), you can sificantly increase the armor rating of your armor or the damage of your weapons. This is a crucial step for maximizing your gear's effectiveness.
Tips for Efficient Smithing
- Focus on one branch: Initially, focus on either heavy or light armor perks based on your character build.
- Mine for Ores: Mines like Gloomreach or Karthwasten are excellent sources of ores.
- Buy Ingots and Leather: Merchants often sell large quantities of ingots and leather, which can save you time.
- Craft Iron Daggers/Leather Bracers: These are cheap to make and provide good experience for leveling Smithing quickly.