Skyrim Leveling Guide
Gaining Levels, and Earning Character/Skill Experience
Skyrim's leveling system is much more simplified, but still offers a large degree of character customization. With this simplified system, you no longer need to concern yourself with making sure you had an optimal spread of skill gains to increase attributes. Instead, we're given much more flexibility and still rewarded for focusing on a strong build and good leveling habits. This guide to leveling in Skyrim will teach you about the various mechanics of leveling and provide tips to helping you do so efficiently.
Effects of a Level Up
Gaining a level in Skyrim means choosing between raising your Health, Magicka, or Stamina by ten points. You'll also be granted a perk point, which can be used to invest in one of the skill trees, giving your character a bonus in a skill. You don't have to spend a perk point right away, although you do have to select between the three bonuses, one for each level you've gained since last leveling up. The stat bonuses you choose are permanent, but if you're playing on PC, a cheat exists to reset perks. No such methods are available to XBOX 360 and PS3 players.
Character XP
Raising a skill gives your character an amount of XP based on that skill's level. Higher level skills give more XP. So, if your Dragonborn is level 30 and gains a level in Block from 55-56, you will get much more XP toward a level than you would when raising your Alchemy from 20-21. Lower level skills take less work, so contribute less to your character's power. You will notice the differences in XP gain, as your bar will move as much as 1/5 a level for a higher level skill, to barely moving at all.
Skill XP
Since skill levels grant the XP to level up our Dragonborn, let's look at all of Skyrim's skills and how we can gain those levels. Note that the weapons skills do not count damage from enchantments, or special perks toward the XP gained. Only the base damage matters. Spells must have a valid target to gain XP, so casting detect life with noone around wouldn't work, casting destruction magic at the wall won't gain XP, and so on.
- Alchemy - Brewing higher value potions gives more experience. Buy out alchemy ingredients at the store, turn them into potions for profit and Alchemy levels.
- Alteration - More Magicka spent = more XP. Cast detect life near the living, use armor spells in combat, or use the transmute spell on iron and silver.
- Archery - deal damage with a bow. More damage = more XP.
- Block - Damage blocked = XP. Bashing helps too.
- Conjuration - Cast near enemies for this to work. More Magicka spent = More XP. Soul trap works on dead bodies, granting very fast experience.
- Destruction - Deal damage with spells. More damage = more XP.
- Enchanting - Higher value enchants/disenchants give more XP. Recharging grants this too. A skill you must use normally to level.
- Heavy Armor - Take damage in combat while wearing heavy armor, falling doesn't work.
- Illusion - Cast on valid targets. More Magicka spent = more XP.
- Light Armor - Take damage in combat while wearing light armor, falling doesn't work.
- Lockpicking - Pick locks! Higher level locks give more XP. You only get XP once per each unique lock, so only unlock doors in town once to get the XP.
- One Handed - Deal damage with 1H weapons. More damage = more XP.
- Pickpocket - Successfully pickpocket gold or items to level this. Higher value goods = more XP.
- Restoration - Successfully heal health damage on yourself or another target, or block spells with ward. More Magicka spent or Healing = More XP.
- Smithing - One you must use normally. Crafting higher value items = more XP, so find the best values per materials used.
- Sneak - being undetected by a valid target gains XP. More targets = More XP. Sneak also goes up when you successfully sneak attack, which can be done multiple times with a bow.
- Speech - Buy and sell items, value determines XP. Also, during quests, successfully using the speech skill gives experience.
- Two-Handed - Deal damage with Two-handed weapons. More damage = more XP.
Skyrim's Level Cap
When all skills are maxed, your character will be just over level 81. You'll have gained 80 perk points to spend, and 800 points to distribute between your Health, Stamina, and Magicka attributes. The last levels take a ridiculous amount of time. The highest achievement for leveling is awarded at level 50.
Enemy Scaling
When you gain a level, enemies in the world of Skyrim grow stronger. They may have the same life, but will often wear better gear. This keeps the game's challenge fresh, and means you need to stay on top of your combat skills or gradually get outclassed in battle. Case in point: power leveling a non-combat skill, you're gaining levels and not increasing your own combat prowess with new gear and combat perks. Stronger foes begin to appear, and the challenge ramps up beyond your control, forcing you to lower the game difficulty setting to continue with your character. You can avoid this by building a character with a focus in mind. Jacks of all trades do have some tricks, but focused, well-planned characters really shine and are necessary to play the game on Master difficulty. This matters much more early on, when you're under level 20.
Loot Scaling
As your Dragonborn and enemies in the world level up, so does the loot. You'll find items made of better materials, stronger enchantments, and more gold in chests. Some items' very stats are Leveled, and vary in power based on your Character Level when you find them.
Not All Dungeons are Created Equal
Some Dungeons in Skyrim are meant to be for higher level players, so running to random dungeons and looking for loot carries its risks, but also offers big rewards for success.
Share Tips and FAQs
Our Sims Forum is the place to go for faster answers to questions and discussions about the game. Use the form below to share your own experiences and provide helpful tips to other readers.
Nothing yet.