Skyrim: 6 Most Valuable Enchantments – Weapon and Apparel (Ranked)

Enchanting for profit in Skyrim is nothing new. You can easily come across everything you need in terms of materials, and you can raise your enchanting skill while you’re at it. Not all enchantments in Skyrim are equally profitable. As a general rule when it comes to weapons, the enchantments with the least uses are regarded as the most expensive. When it comes to armor and other apparel, the most potent enchantments are the most expensive.
In today’s post, we’re going to bring you the list of the most valuable enchantments in Skyrim. Our list is going to be sorted by weapons and apparel respectively since different rules apply. If you want to know how to make money off of enchanting in Skyrim, stick with us!
Most valuable weapon enchantments in Skyrim
As we’ve already mentioned the base cost of enchantment is determined by the number of possible uses. That means that weapons enchanted with an effect that has the least uses are regarded as the more expensive. Enchanting weapons in Skyrim is overall more lucrative than enchanting apparel. Let’s see the most valuable weapon enchantments in Skyrim.
3. Absorb health
The third most valuable weapon enchantment is Absorb Health. Absorb Health effect, when applied to your weapon drains your target of health and transfers it to you. Even though it sounds like this enchantment belongs to the restoration school it’s actually one of the destruction school enchantments.
Absorb Health can be found on all weapons that have absorption, consuming, devouring, leeching, and vampire effects. Absorb Health can be applied to all weapon types of all qualities.
2. Paralyze
The second most valuable weapon enchantment in the game is paralyze enchantment. It applies a paralyzing effect to your weapon making your target frozen in place and unable to move. Paralyze enchantment does not deal any damage but is regarded as extremely powerful because there is no “cure paralysis” spell or potion effect like in the previous Elder Scrolls Games.
Paralysis enchantment can be found on all weapons that have immobilizing, petrifying, and stunning effects. If you want to purchase a weapon with paralysis enchantment you’re going to have to wait till you hit level 22.
Paralysis enchantment can be applied to all weapon types and all qualities.
1. Banish
Banish enchantment applies an effect to your weapon that instantly banishes summoned Daedra back to Oblivion. This enchantment is not only convenient when you’re dealing with conjurers, but it’s also the most profitable enchantment in the game.
Banish effect can be learned from all found weapons that have annihilating, banishing, or expelling effects.
When it comes to buying the weapons with this enchantment, like with paralyze effect, you’re going to have to put that off until you’re at least level 22.
Most valuable apparel enchantments in Skyrim
Enchanting Apparel is a bit different than enchanting weapons. Since apparels have infinite uses, the base cost of an enchantment depends on the size of a soul gem used. Items enchanted with grand soul gems are more powerful and thus more expensive than apparel enchanted with petty soul gems. The next part of our guide brings you the most valuable apparel enchantments with both grand and petty soul gems.
3. Waterbreathing
Waterbreathing enchantment applies a water-breathing effect to your apparel that allows you to breathe underwater. It’s an extremely profitable enchantment because its potency remains the same if you use both grand and petty soul gems.
Waterbreathing can be applied to necklaces, amulets, rings, helmets, and circlets. If you’re looking to earn some easy but fast money in Skyrim you can always enchant your cheap worthless jewelry with this effect and sell it at double and sometimes triple the original price.
Even though Waterbreathing is extremely useful I should mention that it’s difficult to find as well. Waterbreathing is available from the start and has a fixed drop rate. Once you progress through the game all other enchantments will take priority when it comes to loot tables.
Your best bet for finding an item with this effect is to visit merchants regularly, especially jewelers in Markarth, Riften, Solitude, Whiterun, and Solstheim.
2. Muffle
Muffle enchantment reduces the noise generated by armor and your footsteps when you move. Like waterbreathing it’s extremely profitable to enchant with muffle effects with petty soul gems as the potency of the enchantment remains the same while using petty and grand soul gems.
Muffle enchantment can be found on all boots with muffling effect. Although profitable and valuable, Muffle enchantment can be difficult to come across. Like waterbreathing effect, muffle has a fixed drop rate as well which does not scale with your level. If you progress enough through the game and reach level 70, it might be impossible to acquire this enchantment due to more powerful enchantments taking priority in the loot tables.
What makes this enchantment rarer than watebreathing is the fact that there are no guaranteed disenchantable items with this effect in the game. Muffle can be applied to all types of boots of all qualities.
1. Fortify Sneak
The most valuable apparel enchantment in the game is Fortify Sneak, however, this only applies if you use grand soul gems to apply the effects. Fortify Sneak effect decreases the chances of being seen while sneaking.
Fortify sneak can be found on all items that have sneaking effect applied. And unlike our previous two apparel enchantments, it’s easier to find even during the late-game stage. Fortify Sneak can be applied to all boots, necklaces, and rings.
There are several guaranteed drops of apparel enchanted with fortify sneak, those however cannot be disenchanted so you are going to find an item with this effect either through random loot or through merchants.
To sum everything up, the most valuable weapon enchantment in the game is banish enchantment due to having the least amount of uses. When it comes to apparel, at lower levels you might want to try your luck with waterbreathing and muffle effects. As soon as grand soul gems become commonplace and profitable you might want to get your hands on fortify sneak enchantment, as it is the most profitable apparel enchantment in the game.
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