Quick Links

  • Types Of Soul Gems
  • Capturing A Soul With The Soul Trap Spell
  • Soul Trap Weapons
  • Using Soul Gems

As you explore dungeons, hideouts, and cities in Skyrim, you will come beyond Soul Gems. These little minerals comprise souls of the dead and can be used for enchanting. Oftentimes, you can find these gems lying around for yous to loot; merely y'all will also be able to fill them yourself.

In this guide, we are going to have a await at how to fill a Soul Gem, too as the different types of gems that are available, and how to use them. Utilizing Soul Gems in Skyrim is totally optional, but they will greatly improve your powers when used for enchanting.

Types Of Soul Gems

soul gems on table

There are several types of soul gems that you will run into. Empty gems can be looted, as well as purchased from general merchants and members of the College of Winterhold. Additionally, y'all can mine for Soul Gems in Blackreach. Through mining, you can find basic gems and have a take a chance to obtain a Black Soul Precious stone.

Below, you can detect all the bones and special variations of this item.

Basic Soul Gems

You lot will encounter these types of gems the most while exploring. All of these gems will break upon utilise.

Soul Gem Capacity What Blazon Of Souls Can Be Captured?
Petty Soul Gem 250
  • Chicken
  • Cow
  • Deer
  • Domestic dog
  • Draugr
  • Elk
  • Fox
  • Frostbite Spider
  • Goat
  • Horker
  • Mudcrab
  • Rabbit
  • Skeever
  • Skeleton
  • Slaughterfish
  • Wisp
  • Wolf
Lesser Soul Gem 500
  • Alpha Wolf
  • Ash Hopper
  • Bear
  • Chaurus
  • Draugr Overlord
  • Draugr Wight
  • Falmer
  • Falmer Skulker
  • Flame Atronach
  • Giant Frostbite Spider
  • Horse
  • Ice Wolf
  • Ice Wraith
  • Restless Draugr
  • Sabre Cat
  • Spectral Warhound
  • Snowy Sabre Cat
  • Spriggan
  • Troll
  • Venomfang Skeever
  • Werewolf
  • Wounded Frostbite Spider
Common Soul Gem 1,000
  • Ash Spawn
  • Cave Bear
  • Chaurus Reaper
  • Curalmil
  • Draugr Scourge
  • Draugr Scourge Lord
  • Falmer Gloomlurker
  • Falmer Nightprowler
  • Falmer Shadowmaster
  • Frost Atronach
  • Frost Troll
  • Hagraven
  • Hulking Draugr
  • Lurker
  • Riekling
  • Snow Bear
  • Seeker
  • Spriggan Matron
  • Udefrykte
Greater Soul Precious stone 2,000
  • Chaurus Hunter
  • Draugr Death Overlord
  • Draugr Deathlord
  • Giant
  • Tempest Atronach
  • Wispmother
  • Spriggan Earth Mother
  • Burnt Spriggan
Grand Soul Gem 3,000
  • Ash Spawn Immolator
  • Corrupted Shade
  • Daedra
  • Dragon Priest
  • Draugr Death Overlord
  • Draugr Deathlord
  • Falmer Warmonger
  • Guardian Saerek
  • Guardian Torsten
  • Mammoth
  • Riekling Charger

Special Soul Gems

azura's star in inventory

These gems are less common and may be more difficult to acquire. Unless otherwise stated, these gems will suspension upon use.

Soul Gem Capacity What Blazon Of Souls Tin Be Captured?
Azura'southward Star 3,000 This will capture the same creatures as the Grand Soul Jewel, merely does not suspension when used.
Black Soul Precious stone three,000 Black Soul Gem will capture every brute equally the basic Soul Gems, too as human souls.
Flawed Varla Stone 1,000 This will capture the aforementioned creatures equally a Common Soul Gem, only does not break when used.
Soul Tomato 3,000 Soul Love apple will capture the same creatures as a Thou Soul Precious stone.
The Blackness Star 6,200 This is similar to the Black Soul Gem, but it does not pause when used.

How Does Soul Gem Capacity Work?

The capacity of a Soul Gem essentially details how large of a soul it tin fit. For example, smaller creatures will take a smaller soul and practise not require a high-capacity jewel.

Capturing A Soul With The Soul Trap Spell

soul trap spell information screen

To capture a soul, yous will need to employ the Soul Trap spell. This spell can be bandage on creatures, causing their soul to fill an empty Soul Gem in your inventory when they die.

It's important to remember that you lot need to have an empty Soul Precious stone of the appropriate capacity. If you do non have an empty Soul Jewel, the soul will be lost.

Soul Gems that trap humans will absorb their soul, sending them to the Soul Cenotaph. This is a location that you visit during the Across Death quest, where souls of the expressionless inhabit.

Below, yous tin can check out the different methods to obtaining the tome for Soul Trap.

Purchasing The Tome
  • Court Wizards.
  • Falion in Morthal.
  • Nelacar in The Frozen Hearth.
  • Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold.
  • Talvas Fathryon in Tel Mithryn.
  • Dravynea the Stoneweaver in Kynesgrove.
  • Morven Stroud in Soul Cairn.
Using The Atronach Forge
  • Combine the following items in the offer box:
    • Torchbug Thorax
    • Ruined Book
    • Salt Pile
    • Any Soul Precious stone
Boss Chests
  • A Soul Trap tome tin exist found at random inside boss chests.

Soul Trap Weapons

inventory screen of axe with soul trap

Weapons can be enchanted with Soul Trap to accept souls every bit well. Oftentimes, the weapon will not state that it is enchanted with Soul Trap. For example, in the prototype above, you can run into the Iron War Axe of Souls. This is a Soul Trap weapon that will fill a Soul Gem if the target dies within three seconds of getting hit.

With the Conjuration perk Soul Stealer, spring weapons volition cast Soul Trap upon targets, causing their soul to fill up a Soul Gem when killed. To larn this perk, yous will need to have Mystic Binding unlocked, besides as have your Conjuration skill at level 30.

While looting, you may also be able to find weapons that take a Soul Trap ability.

Using Soul Gems

skyrim enchanting table inside building

Once y'all accept a filled Soul Jewel, y'all have two options.

  1. Caput to an enchanting table and select a weapon that you want to enchant.
  2. Recharge a previously enchanted weapon from your inventory.
    • Larger Soul Gems volition recharge weapons more.

Subsequently using the gem, information technology volition either break or empty the soul if it is unbreakable.

That'southward all there is to know about Soul Gems! If you lot plan to practice a lot of enchanting while playing Skyrim, you should definitely get yourself a few Soul Gems and capture some souls.

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