Boosting Armor, Weapon, and Item Stats in Skyrim

Introduction

Opening

One of my favorite changes from Oblivion to Skyrim is the improvements of the skills. Alchemy was made a lot more useful, Smithing was re-done completely and Enchanting was made into a very useful skill. On their own, you can do some pretty impressive things. However, if you combine the effects and bonuses of all three, you can make some pretty amazing weapons, equipment, and more.

Things to Know

My warning about this guide is somewhat true. Using these methods, it is possible to craft weapons that can do massive amount of damage and create enchantments that are insanely useful. However, to actually fully benefit from this method you''ll need 100 Smithing, Enchanting, and Alchemy and a lot of perks invested in said skills. You will also need a fair amount of money to buy the supplies. Lastly, you'll need to have a bit of patience as you'll find yourself quick traveling, gathering, and spending a fair amount of money. So although the potential to become very over powered is high, only the committed will actually create the over powered gear. I managed to create a happy medium; not too over powered, yet powerful enough for somebody who is called "Dragonborn". Now, onward to the guide.

Getting Started

Requirements

• Like I said, this guide is going to assume you have 100 Smithing, Alchemy, and Enchanting. It is theoretically possible to do this with less. You'll be spending a lot more money and time though.
  
• The following perks are recommended A LOT more than 100 in each of the skills.
  
  • Enchanting-6 Perks
    
    • Rank 5 in Enchanter (Improves new enhantmens by 100%)
      
    • Insightful Enchanter (All skill enchantments are 25% stronger)
      

    [*]Alchemy-7 Perks

    • Rank 5 in Alchemist (Improves created potions by 100%)
      
    • Benefactor (Potions you create with beneficial effects have a 25% greater magnitude. You'll have to spend a perk in Physician to get this)
      

    [*]Smithing-6 Perks

    • Spend a perk in every Heavy Armor Perk: Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Ebony, Daedric, Dragon.
      

  [*]The enchantments "Fortify Alchemy" and "Fortify Smithing". If you want to experiment with other enchantments, such as "Fortify Archery" or "Fortify One Handed" that is also encouraged.

  [*]Grand Soul Gems with a Grand Soul. The number of these depends on how many times you are going to do the Alchemy/Enchanting loop (read on). It will require 4 Grand Soul Gems per set of Fortify Alchemy and 4 more per Fortify Smithing gear.

  [*]Plenty of gloves, rings, amulets, and head items for Fortify Alchemy. A glove, ring, amulet, and torso item for Fortify Smithing.

  [*]Plenty of ingredients for potion making.

  • Enchanting Potion (Only 3 of the 4 are needed to make a potion)
    
    • Blue Butterfly Wing
      
    • Spriggan Sap
      
    • Hagraven Claws
      
    • Snowberries
      

    [*]Smithing Potion (Again, only 3 of the 4 are needed. Also, you'll ultimately only be making one Smithing potion)

    • Blisterwort
      
    • Glowing Mushroom
      
    • Spriggan Sap
      
    • Sabre Cat Tooth
      

Requirement Tips

Covering some short tips in gathering supplies and other things.

• A Fortify Alchemy ring can be obtained by killing Nilsine Shatter-Shield in the quest Mourning Never Comes. Disenchant the ring if you need the Fortify Alchemy enchantment.
  
• A Fortify Smithing ring can be obtained by killing Madanach in No One Escapes Cidhna Mine!. Disenchant the ring if you need the Fortify Smithing enchantment.
  
• When you start enchanting, you are going to need a lot of gloves, rings, amulets, and head items. Make a habit of keeping any rings, amulets, and circlets you find while dungeon dwelving. Although I for one welcome our Thalmor overlords, I can't blame you for not liking them. However, their embassy can be a nice source of Thalmor gloves. Alternatively, you can craft cheap silver and leather items.
  
• You'll need 4 Grand Soul Gems with a Grand Soul per set of Alchemy or Smithing gear. Azura's Star/Black Star can help you save money, but slow things down a bit.
  
• For ingredients, your best bet is to make a run from Alchemy store to Alchemy store in search for ingredients. Keeping in mind what you need and collecting them while you are on your daily business isn't a bad idea, especially for the Blue Butterfly Wings.
  

Now if the requirements didn't scare you off, let's start the process.

Enchanting and Making Potions

Introduction

Yes, I know you want me to get to the point, but I have only one more thing to point out. The numbers I'm about to use are from my personal experience with the alchemy, enchanting, and smithing levels that I had. If your's are lower, it's because you didn't have all the maxed requirements I mentioned.

The Process

I did the following in the buyable house in Solitude. It has an Alchemy and a Enchanting station.

1. Take 4 Grand Soul Gems, the ingredients for your Fortify Enhanting potion and a pair of gloves, a ring, an amulet, and a head item and go to a Enchanting station.
   
2. Enchant all the items with Fortify Alchemy.
   
3. Go to a Alchemy Station.
   
4. Put on your newly made Fortify Alchemy gear and make a Fortify Enchanting potion.
   
5. Go to a Enchanting station with 4 more Grand Soul Gems and another set of gloves, ring, amulet, and head item. Drink the Fortify Enchanting potion and enchant the items with Fortify Alchemy, which will be slightly stronger than your original set. Make sure to do this as fast as you can so the Enchanting boost won't run out.
   
6. Repeat until you get bored, decide you have good enough Fortify Alchemy gear, run out of money, or reach 29% for all Alchemy gear as this is the highest it can get. Note that the highest Enchanting potions can get is 37% while the highest Smithing potions can get is 147%. Now time for the Smithing aspect.
   
7. Wearing the best Fortify Alchemy gear you made, make another Fortify Enchanting potion. Also, make a Fortify Smithing potion.
   
8. Go to a Enchanting Station with a ring, gloves, amulet, and a torso item. Drink the Fortify Enchanting potion and enchant all the items with Fortify Smithing. Note 29% is the max for Fortify Smithing.
   
9. Take the weapons and armor you wish to improve, the materials to improve the weapons and armor, your Fortify Smithing gear, your Fortify Smithing potion, and take it all to a forge with a workbench and a grinding stone.
   
10. Put on the Fortify Smithing gear and drink the Fortify Smithing potion. Quickly improve all the items you have. If this loop is done enough, this is when you'll have the over powered weapons and armor. Note the max armor rating is 570~ but weapons can become infinitely stronger.
    

With max requirements, it will only take around 3-4 of this loop to get max Alchemy, Smithing, and Enchanting potions and gear. I think the end result is really worth the work and I hope you are pleased with your new gear.

Cool Ideas For Your Alchemy Gear

Who says your Alchemy Gear can only be used for armor? The following are other ideas and ingredients that you may be intersted in. Note that I haven't tested these out so I have no idea how high you can create the potions and enchantments.

• Fortify Archery. Do even more damage with your newly improved bow.
  
  • Head, amulet, ring, and gloves can be enchanted with this
    
  • Fortify Archery potion
    
    • Canis Root
      
    • Elves Ears
      
    • Juniper Berries
      
    • Spider Egg
      

  [*]Fortify One-Handed. Dual wielding is especially deadly now.

  • Getting the Fortify One-Handed enchantment can be pretty difficult to find.
    
  • Boots, gloves, rings, and amulet can be enchanted with this.
    
  • Fortify One-Handed potion
    
    • Bear Claws
      
    • Canis Root
      
    • Hanging Moss
      
    • Hawk Feathers
      
    • Rock Warbler Egg
      
    • Small Pearl
      

  [*]Fortify Two-Handed. Speak softly and...you know.

  • Boots, gloves, rings, and amulet can be enchanted with this.
    
  • Fortify Two-Handed potion
    
    • Dragon's Tongue
      
    • Fly Amanita
      
    • Troll Fat
      

I barely touched the surface with what you can do with your Alchemy gear and Enchanting potions. You have all the tools you need to exploit this process and do some really amazing things.