Skyrim Armor Improvements Question

[kevinator]

Hello guys,

I am was improving my Nightingale armor last night and noticed that the best I could do was upgrade it to 'Flawless' as opposed to something higher. I have a natural 100 smithing skill and was wearing a ring that adds 22% to smithing. Any ideas why I can't go beyond flawless? When I upgraded my Daedric weapons, I got them to 'Legendary' status. I suspect it's because the Nightingale armor is magical, but I don't know.

Also, does anybody know the list of armor/weapon improvements (is legendary the highest?)?

Thank you,

Kevin

 

[AntiZig]

afaik, nightingale armor is light armor while daedric armor smithing is heavy armor set.

 

[kevinator]

afaik, nightingale armor is light armor while daedric armor smithing is heavy armor set.

Yes, the nightingale is light, and I believe you are right about the daedric armor, but being light or heavy shouldn't affect how far you can improve it I wouldn't think...

 

[bystander]

Hello guys,

I am was improving my Nightingale armor last night and noticed that the best I could do was upgrade it to 'Flawless' as opposed to something higher. I have a natural 100 smithing skill and was wearing a ring that adds 22% to smithing. Any ideas why I can't go beyond flawless? When I upgraded my Daedric weapons, I got them to 'Legendary' status. I suspect it's because the Nightingale armor is magical, but I don't know.

Also, does anybody know the list of armor/weapon improvements (is legendary the highest?)?

Thank you,

Kevin

I've smithed several items to legendary, but to do so, I had about 100% improved smithing from armor enchants. I believe Armor, Bracers, Necklace and Ring all allow up to 25%+ improvement.

However, if you don't have the skill for that type of armor, you will only get half the bonus that you would with the skill. Nightingale is going to be a light armor item, but I am not sure what type of armor it is, if I recall, it took void salts to upgrade, which none of the normal armors you get perks for require that, so it might not be possible to get double armor bonus with smithing.

 

[13thmonkey]

look at the uesp wiki on skyrim, it explains it all. there's a doubling effect for improvements if you have the perk, there is no perk for nightingale as you can't make it from scratch?

 

[bystander]

look at the uesp wiki on skyrim, it explains it all. there's a doubling effect for improvements if you have the perk, there is no perk for nightingale as you can't make it from scratch?

That was my guess. Some of the custom armor is still made of a normal material, obviously that set isn't, but the best sets are custom made anyways.

 

[kevinator]

look at the uesp wiki on skyrim, it explains it all. there's a doubling effect for improvements if you have the perk, there is no perk for nightingale as you can't make it from scratch?

I have every perk in the smithing skill tree (there isn't one for Nightingale armor, it's unique). But I'll take a look at the wiki now that I'm home. It was blocked when I was at work.

 

[andreasmoen]

Hello guys,

I am was improving my Nightingale armor last night and noticed that the best I could do was upgrade it to 'Flawless' as opposed to something higher. I have a natural 100 smithing skill and was wearing a ring that adds 22% to smithing. Any ideas why I can't go beyond flawless? When I upgraded my Daedric weapons, I got them to 'Legendary' status. I suspect it's because the Nightingale armor is magical, but I don't know.

Also, does anybody know the list of armor/weapon improvements (is legendary the highest?)?

Thank you,

Kevin

First:

It's not enough to have max smithing skill, you also need to add perks to alchemy and enchanting to really maximize the utility of an armor set. Add max perks to basic enchanting and alchemy (i.e 5/5 - five perk each basic skill). This lets you make som strong potions and enchantments. Remember to have the "benefactor" skill (under alchemy upgrade). In addition, it is useful to have the "insightful enchanter" skill under the enchanter upgrade.

Next, do the following:

SMITHING and ENCHANTING:

2 rings
2 neckleses
2 armors
1 Bracets/gloves/gauntlets

ALCHEMY:

1 ring
1 neckles
1 Bracets/gloves/gauntlets
1 helmet/hood

Any kind of these items will do. Just collect the cheapests.

Now, enchant the alchemy item set above with fortify smithing and make sure you have filled grand soul gems.
Next, use the new enchanted items and make fortify enchanting potions and fortify smithing potions.

Now, use the fortify enchanting potions when enchanting the smithing set. This will give you 1 ring, 1 neckles, 1 armor and 1 gauntlets with 28% better weapon and armor improvement. Remember that you also have the smithing potions in addition which add 127% better weapon and armor improvement as well.

When you have improved the armor you can use the enchanting potions to put som powerfull echantments on the armor (offcourse, the nightingale set already has enchantments, but you probobly find other sets to improve and make better)

I give som examples here on my improvements:

The total armor rating is 690 with Nightingale set and 1200 with the dragonscale armor (that includes the full set of lightarmor bonus)

Nightingale set

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-armor.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-boots.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-gauntlets.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-hood.jpg

Dragonscale set

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-armor.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-boots.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-gauntlets.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-helmet.jpg

I havn't encountered a higher improvement level than "legendary"

 

[kevinator]

First:

It's not enough to have max smithing skill, you also need to add perks to alchemy and enchanting to really maximize the utility of an armor set. Add max perks to basic enchanting and alchemy (i.e 5/5 - five perk each basic skill). This lets you make som strong potions and enchantments. Remember to have the "benefactor" skill (under alchemy upgrade). In addition, it is useful to have the "insightful enchanter" skill under the enchanter upgrade.

Next, do the following:

SMITHING and ENCHANTING:

2 rings
2 neckleses
2 armors
1 Bracets/gloves/gauntlets

ALCHEMY:

1 ring
1 neckles
1 Bracets/gloves/gauntlets
1 helmet/hood

Any kind of these items will do. Just collect the cheapests.

Now, enchant the alchemy item set above with fortify smithing and make sure you have filled grand soul gems.
Next, use the new enchanted items and make fortify enchanting potions and fortify smithing potions.

Now, use the fortify enchanting potions when enchanting the smithing set. This will give you 1 ring, 1 neckles, 1 armor and 1 gauntlets with 28% better weapon and armor improvement. Remember that you also have the smithing potions in addition which add 127% better weapon and armor improvement as well.

When you have improved the armor you can use the enchanting potions to put som powerfull echantments on the armor (offcourse, the nightingale set already has enchantments, but you probobly find other sets to improve and make better)

I give som examples here on my improvements:

The total armor rating is 690 with Nightingale set and 1200 with the dragonscale armor (that includes the full set of lightarmor bonus)

Nightingale set

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-armor.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-boots.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-gauntlets.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Nightingale-hood.jpg

Dragonscale set

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-armor.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-boots.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-gauntlets.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/andreasmoen/Dragonscale-helmet.jpg

I havn't encountered a higher improvement level than "legendary"

Wow, that's a lot of work... my alchemy and enchanting skills are low... But at least now I know what to do. Thanks for the detailed tips.

 

[kevinator]

Best answer selected by kevinator.

 

[bystander]

Unfortunately Nightingale armor will still be weak because there is no perk for it. Notice how big of a gap there is on his Nightingale and Dragonscale?