Introduction to Enchanting in Oblivion
Soulgems and Charges
Grand Soulgems and their location
Creatures and their soul size
As most of you must have heard by now, yes Enchanting is limited to Mages guild members only. In fact, the only place to enchant something is in the Arcane university which is only accessible to higher ranking mage guild members.
So the first thing to do, to enchant something, unless you wish to cheat of course, is become a member of the mages guild and complete the recommendation quests. Once you're an apprentice there you have access to the enchantment facilities at the university. These can be found inside the so called Chironasium. Or if you're the arch mage, you'll have your own person enchanting altar in your rooms.
After you've gained access to the facilities, all you need is a filled soulgem and lots of gold, and of course the item to enchant and you're ready :-D
In order to get a filled soulgem, you'll need to fill an empty soulgem with the soul of a creature. This isn't hard, purchase the spell "soultrap" and cast it on a creature that will fit in your soul, then while the spell is active, kill the creature and the soul is automatically transferred into the soul.
Just like in Morrowind there are two types of enchantments, the first is a "worn" enchantment. For those familiar with Morrowind, this is a constant effect enchantment. Basically meaning it creates a permanent effect on an item and never needs to be recharged.
The second type is the weapon enchantment. Unlike in morrowind, here the weapon enchantments are always "on strike" so to say, that is doing their damage or beneficial effect each time you strike and hit a person or creature.
What's important when creating such an enchantment are several things, of cource deciding on the right Duration, area and magnitude, but pherhaps even more important is the number of uses you get from the enchantmnet before needing to use a filled soulgem to recharge it.
I could offer some tips and ideas here, but I've always found the best tip to be; simply try, try and try again. :-)
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Unlike in Morrowind, where each soulgem had a certain capacity and the charge was depending on the type of soul inside, in Oblivion each soul and soulgem has a fixed value.
The charge of a filled soulgem is directly responsible for determining the maximum strength, duration etc of your enchantments.
One tip I will give you here; make sure to use the right soulgem for the right enchantment, IE don't use a grand soulgem for a very small enchantment as it would be just wasting it.
Black Soulgems:
Black soulgems are used to trap the souls of People. You can create a black soulgem by locating a necromancers altar, placing a grand soulgem on it and then casting a soultrap spell at it. The Soulgem will change into a black soulgem.
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Possibly one of the most sought after items in the game. A list of this rare commodity:
Note, if you're a high level, the people seling these may very likely respawn them, in which case it will save you some trouble.
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Below you'll be able to find an overview of the charge values, and which creatures have that value. Hopefully this makes it a bit easier to find the right creature to fill a soulgem with.
Soulgems and Charges
Grand Soulgems and their location
Creatures and their soul size
Introduction to Enchanting
As most of you must have heard by now, yes Enchanting is limited to Mages guild members only. In fact, the only place to enchant something is in the Arcane university which is only accessible to higher ranking mage guild members.
So the first thing to do, to enchant something, unless you wish to cheat of course, is become a member of the mages guild and complete the recommendation quests. Once you're an apprentice there you have access to the enchantment facilities at the university. These can be found inside the so called Chironasium. Or if you're the arch mage, you'll have your own person enchanting altar in your rooms.
After you've gained access to the facilities, all you need is a filled soulgem and lots of gold, and of course the item to enchant and you're ready :-D
In order to get a filled soulgem, you'll need to fill an empty soulgem with the soul of a creature. This isn't hard, purchase the spell "soultrap" and cast it on a creature that will fit in your soul, then while the spell is active, kill the creature and the soul is automatically transferred into the soul.
Just like in Morrowind there are two types of enchantments, the first is a "worn" enchantment. For those familiar with Morrowind, this is a constant effect enchantment. Basically meaning it creates a permanent effect on an item and never needs to be recharged.
The second type is the weapon enchantment. Unlike in morrowind, here the weapon enchantments are always "on strike" so to say, that is doing their damage or beneficial effect each time you strike and hit a person or creature.
What's important when creating such an enchantment are several things, of cource deciding on the right Duration, area and magnitude, but pherhaps even more important is the number of uses you get from the enchantmnet before needing to use a filled soulgem to recharge it.
I could offer some tips and ideas here, but I've always found the best tip to be; simply try, try and try again. :-)
Soulgems and Charges
Unlike in Morrowind, where each soulgem had a certain capacity and the charge was depending on the type of soul inside, in Oblivion each soul and soulgem has a fixed value.
The charge of a filled soulgem is directly responsible for determining the maximum strength, duration etc of your enchantments.
| Soul gem | Charge |
| Petty | 150 |
| Lesser | 300 |
| Common | 800 |
| Greater | 1200 |
| Grand | 1600 |
One tip I will give you here; make sure to use the right soulgem for the right enchantment, IE don't use a grand soulgem for a very small enchantment as it would be just wasting it.
Black Soulgems:
Black soulgems are used to trap the souls of People. You can create a black soulgem by locating a necromancers altar, placing a grand soulgem on it and then casting a soultrap spell at it. The Soulgem will change into a black soulgem.
Grand Soulgems
Possibly one of the most sought after items in the game. A list of this rare commodity:
- Anvil, Mages Guild, Felen Relas sells one.
- Bravil, Mages Guild, Ardaline sells one.
- Bruma, Mages Guild, Selena Oriana sells one.
- Cheydinhal, Mages Guild, Eilonwy sells one.
- Chorrol, Mages Guild, Angalmo sells one.
- Leyawiin, Mages Guild, Alves Uvenim, sells one.
- Drakelowe, on the Corbolo's upper reaches, south of Cheydinhal. The gem is located in the basement, in the room at the end of the hall
- Squandered Mine, a mine just to the northeast and up the mountain side from Drakelowe. (behind a secret door on the south side of the bottom level here)
- Crayfish Cave, downriver to the south-southeast of Drakelowe (can be found on the fourth level)
- Nornal, an Ayleid ruin, to the west of Drakelowe.(on the bottom level)
- Chorrol, Mages Guild, two of them are located in display cases on the ground floor here.
- Imperial City, Arcane University, one is located in the lobby of the Arch Mage's tower
- Imperial City, Arcane University, one is located in the mages quarters there.
- Imperial City, Market district, in the mystic Emporium here.
- You can find them in leveled loot at level 11 and above
- soulgem sellers can possibly have them from level 12 and above.
- the cheat: player.additem 00015B8E #
Note, if you're a high level, the people seling these may very likely respawn them, in which case it will save you some trouble.
Creatures and their soul size
Below you'll be able to find an overview of the charge values, and which creatures have that value. Hopefully this makes it a bit easier to find the right creature to fill a soulgem with.
Petty Souls:
- Deer
- Dog
- Goblin
- Mudcrab
- Rat
- Sheep
- Skeleton
- Slaughterfish
- Wolf
Lesser Souls:
- Boar
- Ghost
- Goblin Skirmisher
- Horses (all kinds)
- Imp
- Scamp
- Skeleton Guardian
- Stunted Scamp
- Timber Wolf
- Troll
- Zombie
Common Souls
- Ancient Ghost
- Bear, black
- Clannfear
- Faded Wraith
- Flame Atronach
- Goblin Berserker
- Headless Zombie
- Minotaur
- Mountain Lion
- Skeleton Hero
- Spriggan
- Will-o-the-Wisp
Greater Souls
- Bear, brown
- Daedroth
- Dread Zombie
- Frost Atronach
- Goblin Shaman
- Land Dreugh
- Nether Lich
- Ogre
- Skeleton Champion
- Spider Daedra
- Storm Atronach
- Wraith
Grand Souls
- Gloom Wraith
- Goblin Warlord
- Lich
- Minotaur Lord
- Xivilai