Soul Gems are magical items in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that serve as a storage space for the Souls that are collected from enemies and then are used to give items or weapons magical properties via Enchanting. There are multiple types of Soul Gems, each with its own property. In this article, we shall look into Soul Gems in Skyrim, how to find them, and their use.
How to Get Soul Gems in Skyrim
Soul Gems can be found throughout the map, mostly on dead bodies and chests. Soul Gems can also be bought from merchants in Skyrim. Solitude, Riten, and Falkreath are a few vendors who can sell you Souls Gems. Each Soul Gem has a restriction to which kind of souls it can hold. We will look into the types of Soul Gems in depth later on in the article. One important thing to remember is that once a Soul Gem is used, it is gone from your inventory.
If you are looking for Soul Gem farming methods, there are a couple you can try. Go to Blackreach and look for Geode Veins. Mining these veins will give you Soul Gems along with other ores. Make sure that you have an axe on you. You can also look for Falmer Hives in Blackreach, as they also carry Soul Gems. And if you have a Soul trap enchantment on your weapons, you can also trap their souls.
While you can go for Soul Gem hunting, I think it’s better to spend your time farming more valuable items and use their money to purchase Soul Gems. Th choice, however, is yours.
How to Fill Soul Gems Using Soul Trap
Soul Trap is a spell in Skyrim that enables its caster to capture the soul of the human, animal, undead, or any other creature that it has been cast on. The spell has a duration, so make sure the target is killed before the spell wears off. If the target dies after the spell wears off, then you will not receive its soul.
Soul Trap spell can be learned using its Spell Tome. To get the tome, make your way to any magic vendor. You will most likely find this spell on them. Your best bet would be to go to the College of Winterhold and buy it from Phinis Gestor or Falion in Markarth.
Soul Trap can be cast on any enemy, and if the enemy dies before the spell wears off, the soul can be trapped, given you have the ideal Soul Gem.
Another way to capture souls easily is to use the spell Soul Stealer on your weapons. This way, when you kill enemies with those weapons, the souls will automatically transfer into the relevant soul gems.
Types and Uses of Soul Gems
There are a total of 5 types of Soul Gems. Each gem has its own unique property of what kind of souls it can trap. Below are the names and list of creatures that fit into specific Soul Gems:
Petty Soul Gem (Level 1-4)
- Chicken
- Elk
- Cow
- Deer
- Draugr
- Dog
- Snow Fox
- Frostbite Spider (Small)
- Wisp
- Fox
- Goat
- Wolf
- Hare
- Horker
- Mudcrab
- Slaughterfish
- Skeever
- Skeleton
- Large Mudcrab
- Giant Mudcrab
Lesser Soul Gem (Level 5-16)
- Bear
- Horse
- Chaurus
- Ice Wolf
- Ice Wraiths
- Shade
- Troll
- Dragon
- Draugr Overlord
- Draugr Wight
- Sabre Cat
- Snow Sabre Cat
- Dremora Caitiff
- Dremora Churl
- Dwarven Spider Worker
- Falmers
- Frostbite Spider Red (Large)
- Frostbite Spider White (Large)
- Frostbite Spider Red (Giant)
- Restless Draugr
- Spriggan
- Flame Atronach
Common Soul Gems – Upto Level 28
- Alduin’s Bane
- Cave Bear
- Snow Bear
- Chaurus Reaper
- Blood Dragon
- Draugr Scourge
- Draugr Scourge Lord
- Dremora
- Frostbite Spider White(Giant)
- Hagraven
- Spriggan Matron
- Frost Atronach
- Frost Troll
- Dremora Kynreeve
- Dremora Kynval
- Dwarven Sphere
- Dwarven Sphere Guardian
- Dwarven Spider
- Dwarven Spider Guardian
- Falmer Boss Spellsword Skulker
- Falmer Boss Warrior Skulker
- Falmer Boss Spellsword Gloomlurker
- Falmer Boss Warrior Gloomlurker
- Falmer Gloomlurker
- Falmer Spellsword Gloomlurker
- Falmer Warrior Gloomlurker
Greater Soul Gems – Upto Level 38
- Giant
- Frost Dragon
- Dremora Lord
- Dremora Markynaz
- Draugr Deathlord
- Draugr Death Overlord
- Dwarven Sphere Master
- Falmer Spellsword Nightprowler
- Falmer Warrior Nightprowler
- Falmer Boss Spellsword Nightprowler
- Falmer Boss Warrior Nightprowler
- Falmer Nightprowler
- Wispmother
- Storm Atronach
Grand Soul Gems – Higher Then Level 38
- Shadowmere
- Ancient Dragon
- Elder Dragon
- Dragon Priest
- Falmer Shadowmaster
- Falmer Spellsword Shadowmaster
- Falmer Warrior Shadowmaster
- Falmer Boss Warrior Shadowmaster
- Falmer Boss Spellsword Shadowmaster
- Dremora Valkynaz
- Mammoth
Soul Gems are used to imbue weapons and armor with enchantments of desired effects. More powerful magical effects demand a more powerful soul. Imbuing magical effects using Soul Gems increases your Blacksmith skill. Soul Gems can also be used to recharge their enchanted gear at the cost of the Soul Gem itself. So keep a hefty amount in your pocket for that.
There are some special Soul Gems in Skyrim that, unlike these simple Soul Gems, last longer and can trap souls irrespective of their category. These special Soul Gems are the Black Soul Gem, The Azura’s Star, and The Black Star. The Black Soul Gem can store a good number of all kinds of souls and can be used for a certain number of times, after which it breaks. The Azua’s Star is unbreakable and stores the same kind of soul as a Grand Soul Gem. The Black Star, however, is unbreakable and can store all kinds of souls.
