Dragon Bones and Dragon Scales are two resource materials you will find in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Both these materials can be used to craft armor sets and weapons separately. Apart from crafting, players can also sell Dragon Bones and Dragon Scales to make some money in Skyrim.
As the names suggest, both items are a part of the loot retrieved from slaying a dragon. However, these are not exclusive to dragons, and they can also be obtained sometimes as random drops.
Now, the question is what should you do with Dragon Bones and Scales in Skyrim? Well, we have some great suggestions for you.
Should you sell Dragon Bones and Scales Early Game?
Dragon Bones and Dragon scales can be acquired early on in the game. There is no level restriction on these items. But there is an issue: the bones and scales are heavy. One quantity can easily take up to one-third of the total carry capacity of new players. Because of the weight, players’ mobility is affected severely, so players usually want to find a solution for these.
One solution is buying a house and storing these materials in it. I recommend that players sell the initial dragon scales and bones they acquire to merchants to collect enough gold to buy a house first. Once a house is bought, you have plenty of space to keep on storing the items until needed. Players do not have to worry about the limit of these items in Skyrim, as there are countless dragons around the map whom you can slay to obtain these items. So, if you need fast cash, it is recommended to sell a few pieces.
Another reason to consider selling the dragon scales and bones early on in the game is that to utilize these items for armor and weapon crafting, players need to have a Smithing level of 100. There is no point in storing all the dragon bones and scales you come across until you reach that skill level. You only require a handful of dragon bones or scales to craft weapons and armor.
Where can you sell Dragon Bones and Scales in Skyrim?
In the beginning phases of Skyrim, Dragon Bones and Scales can be sold to Alchemists and General Merchants in Skyrim. This is because players have yet to acquire the ‘Merchant Perk’ in the Speech skill. Once players unlock the perk, they can also sell the bones and scales to traders and blacksmiths. Dragon Bones go for a higher price than Dragon Scales.
Traders and Alchemists give better value for your items in comparison to Blacksmiths and Merchants. Players can unlock perks in the Speech skill to help them demand higher prices for the bones and scales.
Lydia, being a Housecarl of the Dragonborn in Skryim, can also aid in storing the items. She can either keep them in her inventory or be safe in the house where she is assigned to live. Other followers can also store your hard-earned Dragon Bones and Scales for you.
Weapons and armor you can craft with Dragon Bones and Scales
Once players reach level 100 Smithing, they can craft Dragonscale and Dragonplate (Dragonbone) armor sets. Not only that, players can also utilize the items to create weapons. These armor sets and weapons are amongst the best gear available in Skyrim. Let’s look into their crafting requirements.
Dragonscale Armor
| Item Name | Dragon Scales | Iron | Leather | Strips | ID |
| Dragonscale Armor (Chest) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0001393e |
| Dragonscale Boots | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0001393d |
| Dragonscale Gauntlets | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0001393f |
| Dragonscale Helmet | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 00013940 |
| Dragonscale Shield | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 00013941 |
Studded Dragonscale Armor
| Item Name | Dragon Scales | Iron | Leather | Strips | ID |
| Studded Dragonscale Armor (Chest) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | FExxx801 |
| Studded Dragonscale Boots | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | FExxx800 |
| Studded Dragonscale Gauntlets | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | FExxx802 |
| Studded Dragonscale Helmet | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | FExxx803 |
Dragonplate Armor
| Item Name | Dragon Scales | Dragon Bone | Strips | ID |
| Dragonplate Armor (Chest) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 00013966 |
| Dragonplate Boots | 3 | 1 | 2 | 00013965 |
| Dragonplate Gauntlets | 2 | 1 | 2 | 00013967 |
| Dragonplate Helmet | 2 | 1 | 2 | 00013969 |
| Dragonplate Shield | 3 | 1 | 1 | 00013968 |
Dragonplate Insulated Armor
| Item Name | Dragon Scales | Dragon Bone | Strips | ID |
| Dragonplate Insulated Armor (Cuirass) | 3 | 2 | 3 | FExxx801 |
| Dragonplate Insulated Boots | 3 | 1 | 2 | FExxx800 |
| Dragonplate Insulated Gauntlets | 2 | 1 | 2 | FExxx802 |
| Dragonplate insulated Helmet | 2 | 1 | 2 | FExxx803 |
Dragonbone Weapons
| Item Name | Dragon Bone | Ebony | Strips | Firewood | ID |
| Dragonbone Dagger | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | xx014fcb |
| Dragonbone Sword | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | xx014fce |
| Dragonbone War Axe | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | xx014fcf |
| Dragonbone Mace | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | xx014fcd |
| Dragonbone Greatsword | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | xx014fcc |
| Dragonbone Battleaxe | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | xx014fc3 |
| Dragonbone Warhammer | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | xx014fd0 |
| Dragonbone Bow | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | xx0176f1 |
| Dragonbone Arrow | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | xx0176f4 |
| Dragonbone Crossbow | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | FExxx809 |
