Smithing | Skills TES V: Skyrim Guide

Last update: 05 December 2019

This World Atlas page for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim details Blacksmithing and Heavy armor skills. These skills are largely related to the warrior archetype. Our tutorial in addition to describing the skills will tell you how to develop them, and what related best features are worth unlocking.

How to increase skill: This skill can be increased by interacting with various blacksmith workstations (screen above), mostly a blacksmith forge (used to create items), a grindstone (used to improve weapons) and a workbench (used to improve armor). Generally you must craft and improve items if you want to gain points in this category.

Main purpose of developing this skill: Increasing the quality and overall worth of the items created with blacksmith workstations.

Available perks: 10.

Best perks: Dwarven Smithing, Arcane Blacksmith, Dragon Armor.

Comments:

1. The game allows you to craft and improve hide and iron armor without having to unlock any perks from this skill tree. You shouldn't be surprised to hear that they're very weak and that you can't gain too much by selling them.
2. You must collect most of the materials needed to manufacture objects on your own, however some of them can be produced using other workstations. For example, you can obtain leather thanks to tanning rack stations.
3. If you're more interested in manufacturing light armor you should focus on unlocking perks from the left side of the constellation and if you're more interested in manufacturing heavy armor you should focus on unlocking perks from the right side of the constellation.
4. All the items you've crafted can be sold or worn by the main character. It's also an interesting idea to enchant them, making them more powerful and more valuable.
5. Read the final chapter of the guide (Crafting) to find out everything else you need to know about smithing (lists of items, materials etc).

• STEEL SMITHING
• ARCANE BLACKSMITH
• ELVEN SMITHING
• ADVANCED ARMORS
• GLASS SMITHING
• DWARVEN SMITHING
• ORCISH SMITHING
• EBONY SMITHING
• DAEDRIC SMITHING
• DRAGON ARMOR

STEEL SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 20 points.

Description: Possibility of crafting steel weapons and armor. Possibility of improving steel weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: You must purchase this perk to gain access to all the remaining ones from this skill tree.

ARCANE BLACKSMITH

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 60 points. Unlocked Steel Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of improving magical weapons and armor.

Comments: This is an extremely helpful perk, especially since you'll come across a lot of magical items and improving them can extend their usefulness to the main character. Upgrading magical objects is also a great idea if you want to work on them some further by granting them with various enchantments.

ELVEN SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Steel Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting elven weapons and armor. Possibility of improving elven weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: Elven armors are usually light.

ADVANCED ARMORS

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Elven Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting scaled and plate armor. Possibility of improving scaled and plate armor twice as much.

Comments: The biggest advantage of this perk is that it unlocks both light scaled armors as well as heavy plate armors.

GLASS SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 70 points. Unlocked Advanced Armors perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting glass weapons and armor. Possibility of improving glass weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: Glass armors are usually light.

DWARVEN SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 30 points. Unlocked Steel Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting dwarven weapons and armor. Possibility of improving dwarven weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: I recommend unlocking this perk early in the game, especially since you shouldn't have any problems finding the necessary materials (there are plenty of dwarven ruins in the game).

ORCISH SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Dwarven Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting orcish weapons and armor. Possibility of improving orcish weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: Orcish armors are usually heavy.

EBONY SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 80 points. Unlocked Orcish Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting ebony weapons and armor. Possibility of improving ebony weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: Ebony armors are usually heavy.

DAEDRIC SMITHING

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to at least 90 points. Unlocked Ebony Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting daedric weapons and armor. Possibility of improving daedric weapons and armor twice as much.

Comments: Daedric armors are the second best in the game and only dragon armors are better.

DRAGON ARMOR

Requirements: Smithing skill increased to 100 points. Unlocked Glass Smithing perk or Daedric Smithing perk.

Description: Possibility of crafting dragon armor. Possibility of improving dragon armor twice as much.

Comments: Dragon armors offer the best protection out of all types of armors available in the game. As a result this is a perk you should be interested in, especially if you're playing as a warrior.