Pocket guide to increasing (some) skills, quickly.

[TakingSides]

Update: I have corrected my pocket guide, based on information in the comments, and my extended revision.

Introduction


This is my first guide, but I feel obliged to enlighten some of the easy ways to increase skills very quickly (this goes for starting a new game, as a level 1 character). I have tried to separate teach major section to it's specific skill, this guide may need further revising (should my facts be slightly incorrect).


Alchemy


So you're an alchemist? Well, the quickest way to level up alchemy (you can read level 30 in no time), not only this, but you can also earn good coin when you come to sell your creations.

From Whiterun and unveiled every city in Skyrim. Then I started at Markath, and travelled through each city waiting until 1am and broke-in to every alchemy store, looting every ingredient showcased. I travelled to Whiterun, and created as many potions possible (it's more fun trying to work out potions yourself, but you could use a wiki to revise potions quicker). Then sell the potions you don't want to every vendor whom shall buy them. Continuously doing this until you're level 100, I've discovered, once per month these stores will restock. Vendors will gain more gold every 48 hours.


Enchantment


Stealing expensive jewellery or smithing your own expensive jewellery is a way to increase enchantment quickly. Then enchanting the "Fortify carrying capacity" (check for the highest value) and using greater soul gems, seemed to increase Enchantment 1 level per 2 enchants, then sell them for coin.


Smithing


As corrected, I later found smithing expensive jewellery was a great way of increase the skill.

 

[ShadowGambit]

The iron dagger method for smithing is out of date since patch 1.5 came out.

Now, the fastest way after level 40 is to craft Dwarven bows (from dwarven parts you can find in dwarven ruins) or crafting jewellery. Jewellery, mostly with gems in it, is faster but harder to come by.

As far as I know, there is NO filled soul gem that you can steal. Only empty ones. But those empty one can be filled using soul trap spells/enchantment. The then filled soul gem can be used to enchant item as normal.

For the Alchemy, here is a link to check the value of a potion:

Skyrim Alchemy Profitability Calculator

Your Alchemy level increases following the VALUE of the potion, so to power level, ALWAYS make multiple effects potion, they have much more value. That will give you a better idea of what potion to make first.

And welcome to the forum.

 

[TakingSides]

The iron dagger method for smithing is out of date since patch 1.5 came out.

I assume this is a patch released on PC? Since playing on the PS3 - I am able to do thus, hense why I posted it here.

Now, the fastest way after level 40 is to craft Dwarven bows (from dwarven parts you can find in dwarven ruins) or crafting jewellery. Jewellery, mostly with gems in it, is faster but harder to come by.

This is a very valid point, I should have expressed (as opposed to the Iron Daggers method).

As far as I know, there is NO filled soul gem that you can steal. Only empty ones. But those empty one can be filled using soul trap spells/enchantment. The then filled soul gem can be used to enchant item as normal.

Does this go for stolen soul gems? I thought you could only use filled, stolen soul gems to recharge enchantments.

Your Alchemy level increases following the VALUE of the potion, so to power level, ALWAYS make multiple effects potion, they have much more value. That will give you a better idea of what potion to make first.

Thanks for correcting me.

 

[ShadowGambit]

To recharge enchantment, or to make enchantment, you will need FILLED soul gems.

Now, as far as I know you cannot pickpocket/steal a FILLED soul gem. I never seen one to steal/pickpocket myself.

Therefore, you can only steal an EMPTY soul gem. those soul gem are useless for enchanting. You have to fill them first. To do so, you have to kill a creature which soul will fit the gem in question. Just before it dies, you have to cast a Soul Trap spell/enchantment on the creature, so it soul can be captured in the soul gem. you then have a filled soul gem that can be use for enchanting.

 

[ShadowGambit]

And FYI Patch 1.5 is out for PS3 since April, but report said it is rather buggy.

In patch 1.5, smithing level increase is now function of the VALUE of the item you craft, when before it was function on the number of item you were crafting, no value related. Post patch 1.5, the dagger crafting was the most efficient/cost way to improve your smithing.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Just a point, if smithing heavy armour dwarven is one of the easiest to use to power leve do to how fast you can get scrap metal in Markarth smelt it smith it.