Where To Find Black Soul Gems In Skyrim

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  1. Skyrim Black Soul Gem Grand

Black Soul Gem

WeightBase Value
1 300 empty; 750 filled

Type

Just make sure that you return it to Nelacar found in the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold and he will repair it for you after a small quest and you then have a reusable black soul gem that traps human souls. The only efficient and reliable way to get black soul gems is up in the mountains above cheydinhal, where the shade of the revnant is. But keep in mind the larger the soul gem is before being changed the larger and more expensive it is afterwards. In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, Black soul gems are needed in order to trap the souls of humanoids that can’t go into regular soul gems. In order to fill a soul gem, you need to use a form of the Soul Trap spell. You can either cast the spell yourself, or enchant a weapon with the Soul Trap enchant.

FormID

For other uses, see Black Soul Gem.

Black Soul GemsFallout 4 picket fences. are a special type of soul gem that, unlike conventional ones, can contain both black and white souls.

DescriptionEdit

Black souls are those of sentient, humanoid beings, such as Men, Mer, Argonians, Khajiit, and Dremora, whereas white souls are those of animals and certain lesser Daedra. All black souls are of the grand level. The main benefit of a black soul gem is that it can capture grand leveled souls from humanoids, whereas those souls cannot normally be captured. Black soul gems can also absorb souls that are smaller than grand. These sources tend to be plentiful and easier to kill, compared with common grand level white soul sources, such as mammoths. Nelacar can transform the star of Daedric PrinceAzura into a black soul gem with unlimited uses. This artifact is known as The Black Star, which can be obtained during the quest of the same name.

After a black soul gem is used for enchanting, the soul that was inside it goes to the Soul Cairn.

UseEdit

Souls snared in black soul gems can be of any type. However, unlike standard soul gems, they can encapsulate the souls of humanoids. There are many methods by which souls are trapped in black soul gems, the most conventional being the Soul TrapConjuration spell. The perk 'Soul Stealer' allows bound weapons to soul trap targets, and an enchantment serving the same function can be added to ordinary weapons. Black soul gems can also be used to create items at the Atronach Forge.

EthicsEdit

The souls of humanoids trapped in these soul gems remain conscious. They are generally regarded as unethical, and their use is prohibited at the College of Winterhold, despite the institution's lenient stance on the practice of Necromancy. Soul Trapping humanoids is considered a crime in many of Skyrim's Holds.

QuestsEdit

Rising At DawnEdit

The Dragonborn must bring a full black soul gem to Falion in Morthal if they wish to cure themselves of vampirism.

LocationsEdit

Black soul gems can be found randomly in chests, on tables in caves, and also appear as random loot on necromancers, giants, hagravens, Forsworn Briarhearts, and very rarely, draugr. Additionally, magic anomalies drop black soul gems filled with grand souls. They are also available for purchase from Enthir, a mage of the College of Winterhold, as well as from Falion in Morthal. Each gem is priced at about 1300 . Black soul gems can also be obtained by mining geode veins, found only in Blackreach. With Dawnguard, they can also now be made from grand and greater soul gems by activating the Lightning Attractor in the Soul Cairn. The Lightning Attractor cannot be activated a second time. Black soul gems in Skyrim are much more common than they were in Oblivion.

Specific spawn pointsEdit

Many of the gems listed here may spawn as other Soul Gem types—usually Grand or Greater; it depends on character level.
  • There is one in Broken Fang Cave, in the master vampire's chamber. This can be found at any level.
  • In Windhelm, black soul gems can be found inside the hidden room in Hjerim after buying the arcane enchanter.
  • There is a black soul gem in the Cracked Tusk Keep vault, to the right of the entrance, behind some iron bars.
  • There is also one near the chest at the end of Geirmund's Hall, in the room just past Geirmund's corpse, after the final boss.
  • One can be found at the bottom of the pond at Steepfall Burrow, near the chest.
  • Another one may be found atop Dead Crone Rock, on top of a platform in the tower (requires Unrelenting Force or Whirlwind Sprint).
  • After completing 'Pieces of the Past,' a black soul gem respawns every week in the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon. It is on the lower shelf at the very back of the shrine, to the left of the main chest.
  • It is also possible to get black soul gems from Gulum-Ei at the end of 'Scoundrel's Folly,' a Thieves Guild quest. The Dragonborn is given three random soul gems as a reward, any of which could be a black soul gem.
  • There may be a filled black soul gem in a chest in Serpent's Bluff Redoubt.
  • There may be a filled one at the end of Shroud Hearth Depths. It is across a broken bridge, in a small alcove that requires Whirlwind Sprint to reach.
  • A filled one may be found in Shroud Hearth Barrow not far from the entrance to Shroud Hearth Depths to the right of the apprentice-locked door with a gold ingot stashed within.
  • A chest inside a tent in the Forsworn encampment at the base of Bard's Leap Summit contains a black soul gem.
  • One can be found in a chest next to a dead Bosmer, just north of Karthwasten.
  • One can be found in the same chest as Noster's Helmet within Shadowgreen Cavern.
  • One can be found on a bloody altar up the steps past the entrance to Deepwood Redoubt, along with hagraven feathers and a few potions.
  • One may be found in Nightcaller Temple, during the quest 'Waking Nightmare.'
  • They can be purchased from Falion in Morthal.
  • Warlord Gathrik, the final boss of Ironbind Barrow, always carries two empty black soul gems, regardless of level.
  • One can be found on the table where Jyrik Gauldurson was sitting before the Dragonborn discovers the Eye of Magnus.
  • One can be found in the chest in Brittleshin Pass.
  • One can be found in the chest in Mzinchaleft Depths in the chest near a fountain.
  • One can be found in the chest before the elevator in Avanchnzel.
  • One can be found in a locked chest in the destroyed camp outside Alftand.
  • One can be found on the end table located at Pinewatch in Rigel Strong-Arm's room (depending on level).
  • One can be found in the Fort Snowhawk Prison, next to the entrance doorway on a table with a dead bandit next to it.
  • One can be found in Fellglow Keep Dungeon, in the east corner of an area with many sarcophaguses.
  • One can be found at the top of the Falkreach Watch Tower.
  • Many can be found in Apocrypha when the Dragonborn reads the Black Books.DR
  • There are two empty black soul gems and one grand soul gem in Valerica's Study on the opposite side of the room to the door leading to Volkihar Balcony in Castle Volkihar.DG
  • They can be created at the lightning attractor in the Soul Cairn (requires greater or grand soul gem in exchange).
  • If sided with the vampires, a respawning black soul gem can be found to the left of the arcane enchanter in a master-locked display case on the second floor of the first room on the left, after entering Castle Volkihar.DG The black soul gem and the lock respawn every 35 in-game days.

AppearancesEdit

Discussions about Black Soul Gem (Skyrim)

  • Ethics of soul gems?

    • I only use soul gems on the evil people. I couldent imagine sending wildlife and white souls to the soul carin Unless they..
    • I once soul trapped Nazeem and used his soul to enchant my boots. Now I'm stepping on him every time I walk.
  • Can't Trap Black Souls

    • Yea all playable races are black..and some other races (im looking at u falmer) cuz (e.I) if I'm a Khajiit I can be soul traped
Where To Find Black Soul Gems In SkyrimOblivion
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For this item in other games, see Soul Gem.

Soul Gems are naturally-occurring magic stones that house the souls of the dead. Used for enchantingweapons and armor at an arcane enchanter or for recharging previously enchanted weapons, soul gems come in various sizes and strengths: petty, lesser, common, greater, grand and black. Capturing souls in soul gems is typically done with the Soul Trapspell of the Conjurationschool of Magicka, or with a weapon that has received such an enchantment. With the exception of Azura's Star and The Black Star, using a filled soul gem destroys it.

Acquisition

Soul gems can be obtained by slaying mages, magically-affiliated enemies, by purchasing them from magic shops and court wizards, mining geode veins or found as randomized loot in containers.

Mining

In Blackreach, the Dwemer underground realm, there are geode deposits. These yield soul gems with random values ranging from petty to black soul gems.

Where To Find Black Soul Gems In Skyrim

Purchasing

Filled and empty soul gems can be purchased from general goods merchants, court magicians and some members of the College of Winterhold. Filled gems are three to four times the price of empty ones.

Dungeon loot

  • In Dwemer ruins, most Dwarven automatons contain soul gems, ranging from petty to grand. They may or may not be filled.
  • Vampire Lairs
  • Nordic ruins
  • There are also a number of soul gems that can be found at the College of Winterhold, most of which cannot be taken without stealing. Becoming Arch-Mage revokes this crime, unless the soul gems are owned by another member of the college.
  • During a quest for Drevis Neloren, one to three free, empty soul gems of any size can be obtained.
  • Several unmarked locations on the world map.
  • The enemies in the Soul Cairn always drop soul gems, ranging from petty to black, which may or may not be filled.
  • The chests found at the top of the guard towers near the Riften Stables always possess a random unfilled soul gem.

Mechanics

Soul trapping

Trapping souls in soul gems requires the conjuration spell Soul Trap or a soul trap enchanted weapon. Killing an enemy with the spell cast upon them or using the enchantment draws their soul into one gem of the appropriate size. If no gem of the appropriate size exists in the inventory, the soul is captured by a higher-capacity gem. If there is no empty gem large enough, the soul is lost.An example of a weapon enchanted with the ability to capture souls is the Mace of Molag Bal. In Dawnguard, souls can be captured by activating a soul fissure in the Soul Cairn, so long as an empty soul gem is in the inventory.

Bound weapons

Bound weapons such as the bound sword or bow can automatically soul trap attacked enemies if the Conjuration perkSoul Stealer has been taken.

Soul size

Soul size is determined by enemy type. Generally, smaller or lower-leveled creatures possess lesser, petty, or common souls, such as foxes, Falmer or Chaurus. Larger or higher-leveled creatures possess greater or grand souls, such as mammoths (grand) or giants (greater).

Humanoid races possess grand souls, but can only be trapped in a black soul gem or the Daedric artifact the Black Star, which is obtained through the quest of the same name. Falmer, draugr and Rieklings are an exception, as their souls may be captured in standard gems.

Types

Soul gems are separated into types based on the capacity they can carry. The soul gem types are petty, lesser, common, greater, grand and black.

NameWeightValueCapacityTrappable souls
Azura's Star010003000Can hold any soul, excluding those of Humanoids. (e.g. Argonians, Khajiit, Men, Mer, etc.)
The Black Star010003000Is said to only hold souls of humanoids, but in fact can hold any soul.
Petty Soul Gem0.110250Can hold creature souls below level 4.
Lesser Soul Gem0.225500Can hold creature souls below level 16.
Common Soul Gem0.3501000Can hold creature souls below level 28.
Greater Soul Gem0.41002000Can hold creature souls below level 38.
Grand Soul Gem0.52003000Can hold any soul, excluding those of Humanoids
Black Soul Gem15003000Can hold any soul, including those of Humanoids.
Soul Gem Fragment0.150Cannot hold souls.

Souls

The following are creatures that give souls:

Petty Souls

Chicken
Cow
Deer
Dog
Draugr
Elk
Fox
Frostbite Spider
Goat
Horker
Mudcrab
Rabbit
Skeever
Skeleton
Slaughterfish
Wisp
Wolf

Lesser Souls

Alpha Wolf
Ash Hopper
Bear
Chaurus
Draugr Overlord
Draugr Wight
Falmer
Falmer Skulker
Flame Atronach
Giant Frostbite Spider
Horse
Ice Wolf
Ice Wraith
Restless Draugr
Saber Cat
Spectral Warhound
Spriggan
Troll
Werewolf
Wounded Frostbite Spider

Skyrim Black Soul Gem Grand

Common Souls

Cave Bear
Chaurus Reaper
Curalmil
Draugr Deathlord
Draugr Scourge
Draugr Scourge Lord
Falmer Gloomlurker
Falmer Nightprowler
Falmer Shadowmaster
Frost Atronach
Frost Troll
Hagraven
Hulking Draugr
RieklingDR
Snow Bear
Spriggan Matron
Udefrykte

Greater Souls

Chaurus Hunter
Draugr Deathlord
Giant
Storm Atronach
Wispmother
Spriggan Earth MotherDG
Burnt SprigganDR

Grand Souls

Corrupted Shade
Daedra
Dragon Priest
Draugr Death Overlord
Falmer WarmongerDG
Guardian Saerek
Guardian Torsten
Mammoth
Riekling ChargerDR


Black Soul Gems

In addition to the creatures above, black soul gems can be used for gathering souls from:

  • Any character, hostile or otherwise, from any of the ten playable races.

After a black soul gem is used, the soul used is sent to the Soul Cairn, a plane of Oblivion where only the dead and the undead can exist, under normal circumstances.

Trivia

  • The soul gem designs appear similar to Aura Quartz, special quartz crystals that are put in a high temperature vacuum and have had either gold, titanium, iron or other metals fused on in powdered form. It gives the crystal different colors of metallic sheen, varying from transparent to opaque.
  • Outside of inventory, mousing over a soul gem does not reveal whether the gem is filled or not.

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Soul Gem (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
  • PC 360 PS3 Soul gems that have been self-filled (using the Soul Trap enchantment or spell) can lose their souls when dropped or stored in containers. They also will not stack (i.e. each one appears separately in inventory). This happens regardless of whether the soul is the 'proper' size for the gem (e.g. a common soul in a common soul gem).
    • The only workaround for this is to keep all self-filled soul gems in inventory. Despite claims to the contrary, this has not been fixed in any patch.

See also

Appearances

Discussions about Soul Gem (Skyrim)

  • Ethics of soul gems?

    • I only use soul gems on the evil people. I couldent imagine sending wildlife and white souls to the soul carin Unless they..
    • I once soul trapped Nazeem and used his soul to enchant my boots. Now I'm stepping on him every time I walk.
  • Enemy soul level is wrongly indicated

    • I think it's glitches in general..in my game on 360 its black..not PC it's grand..and on my Xbox 1..it's petty..
    • I have noticed quite a few differences too. Playing Skyrim Special Edition on PC with mods, but none should change soul levels. Sabre Cat..