How to Fill Soul Gems Complete Skyrim Guide
Mastering the art of enchanting in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim requires a steady stream of magical energy, which comes directly from soul gems. Whether you are powering up a legendary sword or improving your armor's defensive stats, knowing how to capture souls efficiently is essential for progression. This complete guide breaks down the core mechanics of trapping souls so you can keep your magical inventory fully supplied.
Understanding the Soul Trap Mechanics
To fill an empty soul gem, players must apply the Soul Trap effect to a target before defeating it in combat. You can achieve this by casting the Soul Trap spell from the Conjuration school or by using a weapon imbued with a soul-capturing enchantment. If the target dies while the effect is active, its soul will automatically flow into an empty gem in your inventory.
It is vital to carry empty gems of appropriate sizes, ranging from Petty and Lesser to Grand and Black. If you do not have a gem large enough to accommodate the creature's soul level, the soul will simply dissipate upon death. Understanding these basic requirements prevents you from wasting powerful targets on insufficient storage.
Selecting the Right Soul Gem Sizes
Creatures in Tamriel possess varying levels of soul strength, which dictates the type of gem required to store them. Minor animals like skeevers or wolves require only Petty or Lesser gems, while massive beasts like mammoths demand Grand Soul Gems. If a large gem is available, a small soul may fill it accidentally, which wastes the potential of high-tier gems.
Humanoid NPCs present a unique case because their souls can only be captured using specialized Black Soul Gems or the Daedric artifact known as The Black Star. Black souls are always treated as Grand-level power, making them exceptionally valuable for high-level enchanting work. Balancing your inventory with diverse gem types helps optimize your resource gathering during long dungeon crawls.
Efficient Methods for Gathering Souls
Using weapons enchanted with Soul Trap is often the most practical approach for non-mage characters. Setting the enchantment duration to just one second maximizes the total charges available on your weapon while still capturing the soul upon a fatal blow. Alternatively, players invested in Conjuration can unlock the Soul Stealer perk to automatically apply the effect when using bound weapons.
For those looking to streamline their crafting experience, obtaining reusable artifacts like Azura's Star eliminates the need to constantly buy or mine new gems. Managing your inventory carefully and target selection will ensure you never run out of charge during critical battles. With these strategies, powering up your gear becomes a seamless part of your adventuring routine.