Forges and Anvils are used to create armor, jewelry, and weapons out of raw materials (ingots, leather, etc.) in the original version of the game. If Hearthfire is installed, you can also create certain housebuilding materials. There is no functional difference between an anvil and a forge. Forging is controlled by your Smithing skill, and is the fastest way to gain Smithing experience. The types of equipment that you can craft depend upon which Smithing perks you have unlocked (with the exception of some specialty items that can be crafted at the Skyforge).
Forges can be found at every Blacksmith in Skyrim. They are also found in various other places throughout the province, including outside many mines and inside several dwarven ruins. The Forges category lists locations that contain forges.
Locations
Forged Items
The following table summarizes all of the types of items that can be crafted at forges. In most cases "Armor" means a complete set of armor (cuirass, boots, gauntlets, helmet, and shield). The same is true for "Weapons": most types are available for forging (daggers, swords, war axes, maces, greatswords, battleaxes, warhammers, bows, and arrowsSee Notes). Details of every item and its materials are provided on the linked pages.
| Items | Type | Materials | Requirement | Smithing Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hide Armor | Light Armor | Leather, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Studded Armor | Light Armor | Iron Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Leather Armor | Light Armor | Leather, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Iron Armor | Heavy Armor | Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Banded Iron Armor | Heavy Armor | Corundum Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Bone Hawk AmuletDG | Jewelry | Bone Hawk SkullDG, Bone Hawk FeathersDG, Leather Strips | None | 0 |
| Gold Jewelry | Jewelry | Gold Ingots, Gems | None | 0 |
| Silver Jewelry | Jewelry | Silver Ingots, Gems | None | 0 |
| Iron Weapons | Weapons | Iron Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | None | 0 |
| Imperial Armor | Heavy Armor | Steel Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | Steel Smithing | 0 |
| Steel Armor | Heavy Armor | Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | Steel Smithing | 0 |
| Steel Weapons | Weapons | Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Steel Smithing | 0 |
| Elven Armor | Light Armor | Refined Moonstone, Iron Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | Elven Smithing | 30 |
| Elven Gilded Armor | Light Armor | Refined Moonstone, Quicksilver Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | Elven Smithing | 30 |
| Elven Weapons | Weapons | Refined Moonstone, Quicksilver Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Elven Smithing | 30 |
| Scaled Armor | Light Armor | Corundum Ingots, Steel Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | Advanced Armors | 50 |
| Steel Plate Armor | Heavy Armor | Corundum Ingots, Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | Advanced Armors | 50 |
| Glass Armor | Light Armor | Refined Malachite, Refined Moonstone, Leather, Leather Strips | Glass Smithing | 70 |
| Glass Weapons | Weapons | Refined Malachite, Refined Moonstone, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Glass Smithing | 70 |
| Dwarven Armor | Heavy Armor | Dwarven Metal Ingots, Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | Dwarven Smithing | 30 |
| Dwarven Weapons | Weapons | Dwarven Metal Ingots, Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Dwarven Smithing | 30 |
| Orcish Armor | Heavy Armor | Orichalcum Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips | Orcish Smithing | 50 |
| Orcish Weapons | Weapons | Orichalcum Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Orcish Smithing | 50 |
| Ebony Armor | Heavy Armor | Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips | Ebony Smithing | 80 |
| Ebony Weapons | Weapons | Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Ebony Smithing | 80 |
| Daedric Armor | Heavy Armor | Daedra Heart, Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips | Daedric Smithing | 90 |
| Daedric Weapons | Weapons | Daedra Heart, Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (ArrowsDG only) | Daedric Smithing | 90 |
| Dragonscale Armor | Light Armor | Dragon Scales, Iron Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | Dragon Armor | 100 |
| Dragonplate Armor | Heavy Armor | Dragon Scales, Dragon Bones, Leather Strips | Dragon Armor | 100 |
| Dragonbone WeaponsDG | Weapons | Dragon Bone, Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips, Firewood (Arrows only) | Dragon Armor | 100 |
| Ancient Nord Armor | Heavy Armor | Steel Ingots, Iron Ingots, Leather, Leather Strips | Only at Skyforge after completing Glory of the Dead | 0 |
| Nord Hero Weapons | Weapons | Ancient Nord Weapons, Steel Ingots, Leather Strips | Only at Skyforge after completing Glory of the Dead | 0 |
| Housebuilding MaterialsHF | Other | Iron Ingots, Corundum Ingots | Hearthfire installed | 0 |
| Bonemold ArmorDB | Heavy Armor | Netch LeatherDB, Iron Ingots, Bone Meal | Steel Smithing | 0 |
| Improved Bonemold ArmorDB | Heavy Armor | Netch LeatherDB, Iron Ingots, Bone Meal, Netch JellyDB, StalhrimDB, Void Salts | Steel Smithing, finding the bonemold formula | 0 |
| Chitin ArmorDB | Light Armor | Netch LeatherDB, Iron Ingots, ChitinDB | Elven Smithing | 30 |
| Chitin ArmorDB | Heavy Armor | Netch LeatherDB, Corundum, ChitinDB | Elven Smithing | 30 |
| Nordic Carved ArmorDB | Heavy Armor | Ebony Ingots, Quicksilver Ingots, Leather Strips, Steel Ingots | Advanced Armors | 50 |
| Nordic WeaponsDB | Weapons | Quicksilver Ingots, Leather Strips, Steel Ingots | Advanced Armors | 50 |
| Stalhrim ArmorDB | Light Armor | StalhrimDB, Steel Ingots, Leather Strips | Ebony Smithing | 80 |
| Stalhrim ArmorDB | Heavy Armor | StalhrimDB, Quicksilver Ingots, Leather Strips | Ebony Smithing | 80 |
| Stalhrim WeaponsDB | Weapons | StalhrimDB, Leather Strips | Ebony Smithing | 80 |
| Shellbug HelmetDG | Heavy Armor | Shellbug ChitinDG, Iron Ingots | None | 0 |
Special Forges
Aetherium Forge
The Aetherium Forge is a large forge added by the Dawnguard add-on. It can be found after reading a book called The Aetherium Wars and beginning the quest Lost to the Ages. It can only be used once to create one of three unique items: the Aetherial Crown, Aetherial Shield, or Aetherial Staff. More details can be found on its main article.
Atronach Forge
The Atronach Forge is not a true forge, but rather an arcane conjuring device that magically transforms provided "offerings" into other items — e.g., hostile atronachs, staves, spell tomes, scrolls, and Daedric items. Using the Atronach Forge does not require any Smithing skill, nor does it provide any Smithing experience. The forge is located in the Midden under the College of Winterhold, and is detailed on its own article.
Gunmar's Forge
Gunmar's forge, added by the Dawnguard add-on, appears in Fort Dawnguard after recruiting Sorine Jurard and Gunmar during A New Order when allied with the Dawnguard. It is similar to other forges in nearly every way, without a unique appearance. However, it is the only forge in the game where crossbows can be crafted, as Sorine will tell you during gameplay. While base crossbows (and enchanted versions) and steel bolts can be acquired from various NPCs, and Dwarven bolts can be acquired from Dwarven Automatons, all other varieties of crossbows and bolts can only be acquired by completing specific versions of Ancient Technology.
Lunar Forge
The Lunar Forge is located at Silent Moons Camp northwest of Whiterun. On a Workbench near the forge is a book called Notes on the Lunar Forge, which suggests that weapons smithed here will convey a "lunar" damage bonus at night when the moons are out. There are several random Lunar weapons around the forge, which do have these properties. However, the Lunar Forge cannot actually be used to create new Lunar weapons. Instead, "Silent Moons Enchant" is an enchantment that can be learned by disenchanting one of the Lunar weapons, and can then be applied to any weapon at any Arcane Enchanter. The book also states that the weapons will transfer life from the victim to the wielder, suggesting an Absorb Health effect. This is also false; they merely do more damage.
Skyforge
The Skyforge, located adjacent to Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, has unique smithing properties. After the quest Glory of the Dead has been completed, speaking to Eorlund Gray-Mane will cause him to describe the forge as being more "awake". Ancient Nord armor and Nord Hero weapons will now be available for smithing at this forge only, as detailed on the Skyforge page. However, it is impossible to ever forge Skyforge Steel weaponry.
Notes
- If you jump into a forge, you will be set on fire, which will slowly increase your Destruction skill. This does not happen with the Skyforge, however.
- PC Only This issue has been addressed by version 1.2 of the Unofficial Skyrim Patch; this no longer gives you Destruction experience at any forge.
- Arrows and bolts can only be crafted after installing the Dawnguard add-on.
See Also
- Books about forging: