Are you an avid Skyrim player looking to enhance your gameplay by capturing souls and utilizing their power? Soul gems are indispensable tools in Skyrim, allowing you to trap the souls of vanquished foes and utilize them for various purposes, such as enchanting weapons and armor. However, filling soul gems can be a daunting task, especially for novice players. This comprehensive guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to fill soul gems efficiently, maximizing your enchanting potential and unlocking the true power of Skyrim’s enchanting system.
The process of filling soul gems is relatively straightforward, yet it requires a specific set of actions and items. Firstly, you will need to acquire a soul gem. Soul gems come in various sizes, each capable of holding a different amount of soul energy. Larger soul gems can capture more potent souls, while smaller gems are limited to weaker souls. Once you have obtained a soul gem, you will need to equip it to your character. Soul gems can be equipped in the same manner as weapons and armor, and they will remain active until they are filled with a soul or until you unequip them. However, it’s important to note that soul gems can only capture the souls of creatures that are of equal or lesser level to the gem itself. For instance, a Petty Soul Gem can only capture the souls of creatures level 4 or below, while a Grand Soul Gem can capture the souls of creatures of any level.
With a soul gem equipped, you can now engage in combat and defeat enemies. When an enemy dies, their soul will be released and can be captured by the equipped soul gem if it is empty and of sufficient size. The process of capturing a soul is automatic and does not require any additional input from the player. Once a soul gem has been filled, it will glow with a faint light, indicating that it contains a soul. You can now use the filled soul gem to enchant weapons and armor at enchanting tables, imbuing them with powerful effects and enhancements. Soul gems are a valuable resource in Skyrim, and by understanding how to fill them efficiently, you can unlock the true power of enchanting and customize your character to suit your unique playstyle.
Capturing Humanoid Souls
To capture a humanoid soul, you will need to use a Soul Trap spell or enchantment on the target. When the target dies, their soul will be trapped in the soul gem you are using. The size of the soul gem determines the strength of the soul that can be captured. Petty soul gems can hold petty souls, common soul gems can hold common souls, greater soul gems can hold greater souls, and grand soul gems can hold grand souls.
The following table shows the different types of humanoid souls and the corresponding soul gems that can be used to capture them:
| Soul Type | Soul Gem |
|---|---|
| Petty soul | Petty soul gem |
| Common soul | Common soul gem |
| Greater soul | Greater soul gem |
| Grand soul | Grand soul gem |
Once you have captured a humanoid soul in a soul gem, you can use it to enchant weapons, armor, or other items. The strength of the enchantment will depend on the size of the soul gem and the type of soul that was captured.
Petty Souls
These are the most common type of soul gem, and they can be filled with the souls of creatures that are level 1-16. To fill a petty soul gem, you need to use a weapon that is enchanted with the Soul Trap spell. When you kill a creature with a Soul Trap weapon, its soul will be trapped in the gem.
Grand Souls
Grand souls are the most powerful type of soul gem, and they can be filled with the souls of creatures that are level 30 or higher. To fill a grand soul gem, you need to use a weapon that is enchanted with the Soul Trap spell and has a skill of at least 100 in the Conjuration skill tree.
The following table shows which creatures can fill which types of soul gems:
| Soul Gem Type | Creature Level |
|---|---|
| Petty | 1-16 |
| Lesser | 9-12 |
| Common | 13-18 |
| Greater | 19-24 |
| Grand | 30 or higher |
Trapping Animal Souls
Trapping animal souls is a vital part of soul gem utilization in Skyrim. It allows players to capture the essence of slain creatures, which can then be used to power enchanted items or cast powerful soul-bound spells.
To trap an animal soul, players must first equip a soul gem in their inventory. The type of soul gem used determines the size of the soul that can be captured. Larger souls require larger soul gems.
Once a soul gem is equipped, players can use the “Soul Trap” spell to capture the soul of the slain creature. This spell can be purchased from court wizards or found as loot throughout the game. The spell must be cast on the creature before it dies, and the soul will be automatically captured in the equipped soul gem.
Matching Soul Gems to Creature Sizes
| Soul Gem | Creature Size |
|---|---|
| Petty | Mice, rats, butterflies |
| Lesser | Mudcrabs, wolves, rabbits |
| Common | Bears, deer, dogs, trolls |
| Greater | Giants, mammoths, spriggans, Draugr |
| Grand | Dragons, Daedra Lords, Ancient Dragons |
It’s important to note that the size of the soul gem must match the size of the creature being slain. Using a Petty soul gem on a creature with a Common soul, for example, will result in the loss of the soul.
Soul Traps and Enchantments
In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Soul Gems are essential for enchanting weapons and armor. When a creature is slain, its soul can be captured in a Soul Gem if the player has a Soul Trap spell or enchantment active. Soul Gems can hold different sizes of souls, with Grand Soul Gems being the largest and most valuable. Capturing souls in Soul Gems is a crucial part of the enchanting process, as it provides the necessary essence to imbue items with magical abilities.
Enchantments
Enchantments are magical effects that can be added to weapons, armor, and jewelry in Skyrim. These enchantments can enhance the player’s abilities, such as increasing damage output, providing resistance to certain types of attacks, or granting magical properties. Enchantments can be created at an Enchanting Table using Soul Gems and the appropriate enchantment spell. The power of an enchantment is determined by the size of the Soul Gem used, with Grand Soul Gems producing the strongest enchantments.
Soul Traps
Soul Trap spells and enchantments are essential for capturing souls in Soul Gems. When activated, these effects create a magical field around the player that traps the souls of slain creatures. Soul Trap spells can be cast directly on enemies, while Soul Trap enchantments can be applied to weapons or armor. The duration of the Soul Trap effect determines how long the player has to kill the target before the soul is lost.
Types of Soul Gems
| Soul Gem | Soul Size |
|---|---|
| Petty | Petty |
| Lesser | Lesser |
| Common | Common |
| Greater | Greater |
| Grand | Grand |
Filling Soul Gems
Soul gems are essential for enchanting items in Skyrim. Filling them with souls allows you to store their energy to power your enchantments. Here’s how to fill soul gems:
Trapping Souls
To trap a soul, you need a soul gem and a soul trap spell or weapon. When an enemy dies within the spell’s duration or is killed by the weapon, their soul will be trapped in the gem.
Soul Gem Types
There are six types of soul gems, each capable of holding a soul of a different strength. The larger the gem, the stronger the soul it can hold.
| Soul Gem | Soul Strength |
|---|---|
| Petty | Weakest |
| Lesser | Small |
| Common | Medium |
| Greater | Large |
| Grand | Very Large |
| Black Star | Infinitely Reusable |
Stacking Soul Gems for Efficiency
If you have multiple soul gems of the same size, you can stack them in your inventory to increase their capacity. For example, stacking three petty soul gems creates a single soul gem that can hold a lesser soul. This technique allows you to trap souls in weaker gems and use them to power higher-level enchantments.
Stacking Rules:
- Only identical soul gems can be stacked.
- The resulting soul gem’s capacity equals the sum of the stacked gems’ capacities.
- The oldest soul gem’s soul will be transferred to the resulting gem.
- If the resulting gem’s capacity exceeds the size of the soul, it will be lost.
Emptying Soul Gems
Emptying Soul Gems is a separate process from trapping souls. You can empty a filled Soul Gem to use it again by dropping it on the ground and activating it. Alternatively, you can empty a Soul Gem by using it to enchant a weapon or armor piece.
Using Weapons/Armor
To empty a Soul Gem using a weapon or armor, simply equip the item and select the “Enchant” option. This will open the Enchanting menu, where you can select the desired enchantment effect. Once you have selected an enchantment, click the “Enchant” button to create the enchanted item and empty the Soul Gem.
Casting Soul Trap
You can also empty a Soul Gem by casting the Soul Trap spell on a creature. This will trap the creature’s soul in the Soul Gem, emptying it. Soul Trap is a Conjuration spell that can be purchased from Farengar Secret-Fire in Dragonsreach or found in various loot chests throughout Skyrim.
Using the Soul Cairn
If you have access to the Soul Cairn, you can empty Soul Gems by placing them in the Soul Cairn’s Soul Gem Enchanter. This will instantly empty the Soul Gem, regardless of its size or the type of soul trapped within it.
Using the Soul Extractor
The Soul Extractor is a reusable device that can be used to empty Soul Gems. To use the Soul Extractor, simply place a filled Soul Gem in the Soul Extractor and activate it. The Soul Extractor will then empty the Soul Gem and store the soul energy for later use.
Using the Atronach Forge
You can also empty Soul Gems by using the Atronach Forge in the Midden. To do this, place a filled Soul Gem in the Atronach Forge and select the “Empty Soul Gem” option. The Atronach Forge will then empty the Soul Gem and grant you a small amount of experience points.
| Method| Needs Soul Trap | Can Empty Filled Grand Soul Gem | Reusable|
|:——-:|:—————-:|:———————————–:|:——–:|
| Drop on Ground | No | No | No |
| Enchanting| No | Yes | No |
| Soul Trap | Yes | No | No |
|Soul Cairn | No | Yes | No |
| Soul Extractor | No | Yes | Yes |
| Atronach Forge | No | Yes | No |
Finding Black Soul Gems
Black Soul Gems are rare and powerful gems used to trap the souls of humans and beast races. These can only be used with the Soul Trap spell. They can be found in various locations, including:
1. Loot: Can be looted from certain enemies, such as Necromancers and Soul Shrimps.
2. Chests: Found in various chests, including those located in dungeons and caves.
3. NPC Vendors: Can be purchased from certain NPC vendors, such as court wizards or alchemists.
4. Forges: Can be crafted at a forge using void salts and a regular soul gem.
5. Quests: Can be obtained as quest rewards.
Notable Locations
There are certain locations where Black Soul Gems can be found in abundance:
| Location | Number |
|---|---|
| Soul Cairn | 5 |
| Blackreach | 4 |
| Forgotten Vale | 2 |
Using Soul Gems in Alchemy
Soul Gems are essential components in alchemy, as they provide the energy to power the creation of powerful potions and enchantments. To fill a Soul Gem, you must trap a soul within it. This can be done by killing a creature or person and capturing their soul as they pass into the afterlife. The size of the Soul Gem determines the strength of the soul it can hold, with larger Gems capable of capturing more powerful souls.
Trapping Souls
To trap a soul, you must use the Soul Trap spell or enchantment. This spell targets a living creature and, if successful, will capture its soul upon death. The captured soul will then be stored in the Soul Gem used to cast the spell.
Types of Soul Gems
There are six different types of Soul Gems in Skyrim, each with a different size and capacity for soul energy:
| Soul Gem | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Petty Soul Gem | Soul of a weak creature (e.g., rabbit, fox) |
| Lesser Soul Gem | Soul of a common creature (e.g., wolf, deer) |
| Common Soul Gem | Soul of a strong creature (e.g., troll, bandit) |
| Greater Soul Gem | Soul of a very strong creature (e.g., giant, dragon) |
| Grand Soul Gem | Soul of a very powerful creature (e.g., boss-level enemy, vampire lord) |
| Black Soul Gem | Soul of a human or humanoid (e.g., bandit leader, necromancer) |
Using Filled Soul Gems
Filled Soul Gems can be used to power various alchemical processes, including:
- Creating potions: Soul Gems can be used to create enchantments on potions, which enhance their effects.
- Creating enchanting materials: Soul Gems can be used to create soul gems, which are used to enchant weapons and armor.
Enchanting Weapons and Armor
Enchanting is a fundamental aspect of Skyrim’s gameplay, allowing players to infuse their weapons and armor with potent magical abilities. To achieve this, you’ll need to acquire Soul Gems, which serve as the vessels for these enchantments.
Soul Gems come in various sizes, representing their capacity for holding a soul. Smaller gems, such as Petty Soul Gems, can hold souls of weaker creatures, while larger gems, like Grand Soul Gems, are required for capturing more powerful souls.
Filling Soul Gems
To fill a Soul Gem, you need to trap the soul of a creature within it. This can be done using the Soul Trap spell, which temporarily marks a target creature’s soul. When the creature is slain, its soul will be released into a nearby Soul Gem, filling it with the appropriate soul level.
Alternatively, Soul Gems can be purchased from merchants, found as loot in dungeons, or occasionally received as rewards from quests.
Enchanting Process
Once you have a filled Soul Gem, you can use it to enchant weapons and armor at an Enchanting Table. These tables are located in various crafting stations throughout Skyrim.
At an Enchanting Table, you’ll need the following components:
Ingredients
Various ingredients, such as Alchemy potions, are used to craft specific enchantments.
Enchanted Item
The weapon or armor piece you wish to enchant.
Soul Gem
A filled Soul Gem that will power the enchantment.
Choosing an Enchantment
Each filled Soul Gem contains a specific soul level, which dictates the strength of the enchantments it can power. The size of the Soul Gem also determines the number of enchantments that can be applied to an item.
For example, a Petty Soul Gem can provide a single basic enchantment, such as increasing the weapon’s damage by 10 points. Larger Soul Gems, like Grand Soul Gems, can power multiple powerful enchantments, such as a combination of damage increase, health regeneration, and armor rating buffs.
Maximizing Soul Gem Usage
Soul Gem Sizes
Soul gems come in various sizes, each with its own soul capacity. Petty soul gems (4 souls) are the smallest, followed by Lesser soul gems (16 souls), Common soul gems (32 souls), Greater soul gems (64 souls), and Grand soul gems (128 souls). Choosing the appropriate size soul gem for the creature you intend to capture its soul is crucial to avoid wasting soul gem capacity.
Creature Soul Sizes
Creatures in Skyrim have varying soul sizes. Tiny creatures have Petty souls, while larger creatures have Grand souls. The soul size of a creature is typically determined by its size and strength. Avoid using large soul gems on small creatures, as this wastes soul gem capacity.
Soul Trap Enchantment
The Soul Trap enchantment allows you to capture souls directly into soul gems. The strength of the Soul Trap enchantment affects the success rate of soul capture. Higher-level Soul Trap enchantments increase the chances of successfully capturing a soul.
Soul Capture Delay
There is a brief delay between the moment a creature is killed and when its soul can be captured into a soul gem. During this delay, you must hold the Activate button while keeping the soul gem selected in your inventory to initiate the soul capture process.
Absorb Soul Spells
In addition to Soul Trap, you can also use Absorb Soul spells to capture souls. These spells allow you to absorb the soul of a creature directly into your own soul, providing you with a permanent soul boost. However, these spells cannot be used to fill soul gems.
Recharging Soul Gems
Filled soul gems can be recharged by casting the Soul Gem Recharge spell or using them to enchant Soul Trait items. Recharging soul gems resets their soul capacity, allowing you to reuse them to capture souls.
Soul Gem Blacksmithing
You can use the Soulgem Enchanter perk in the Smithing skill tree to create your own soul gems. This perk allows you to craft Petty, Lesser, and Common soul gems using raw soul gems found in the world.
Black Soul Gems
Black soul gems are unique soul gems that can capture human and beast souls, which are typically larger than other souls. Black soul gems are extremely rare and can only be obtained under specific circumstances, such as by completing the Dark Brotherhood questline.
Soul Gem Merchant
Niruin, a soul gem merchant, can be found in the Winterhold College Arcanaeum. Niruin sells various soul gems, including Petty, Lesser, Common, and Greater soul gems. He also buys filled soul gems, providing a convenient way to acquire gold.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues capturing souls into soul gems, try the following:
- Ensure you have an appropriate soul gem size for the creature.
- Check if your Soul Trap enchantment or spell is active.
- Wait for the soul capture delay before attempting to capture the soul.
- Try using a higher-level Soul Trap enchantment or spell.
- Make sure you have the Soul Trap perk in the Conjuration skill tree.
How to Fill a Soul Gem in Skyrim
Soul gems are an essential part of Skyrim, as they are used to power various enchantments and soul-based abilities. Filling a soul gem is a simple process, but it can be difficult to find the right soul to use. In this guide, we’ll show you how to fill a soul gem in Skyrim, as well as give you some tips on finding the right soul.
- Find a soul gem. Soul gems can be found in a variety of places, including dungeons, caves, and shops. They can also be looted from enemies.
- Acquire a soul to fill the gem. The soul you need to fill the gem will depend on the size of the gem. Smaller gems can be filled with the souls of animals, while larger gems require the souls of humans or other powerful creatures.
- Use the Soul Trap spell to capture the soul. The Soul Trap spell is a Conjuration spell that can be used to capture the soul of a living creature. Once you have cast the spell on a creature, its soul will be trapped in the soul gem.
- Return the soul gem to the Enchanter. Once you have filled a soul gem, you can return it to the Enchanter to use it in an enchantment.
People Also Ask
What are soul gems used for?
Soul gems are used to power various enchantments and soul-based abilities. For example, soul gems can be used to enchant weapons with fire, frost, or shock damage, or to create soul-based abilities such as Soul Steal or Soul Tear.
How do I find the right soul to fill a soul gem?
The soul you need to fill a soul gem will depend on the size of the gem. Smaller gems can be filled with the souls of animals, while larger gems require the souls of humans or other powerful creatures.
How do I cast the Soul Trap spell?
The Soul Trap spell is a Conjuration spell that can be used to capture the soul of a living creature. To cast the spell, first equip it in your left hand. Then, aim the spell at the creature you want to trap and press the Cast button.
