Discovering and Utilizing Soul Gems in Oblivion Remastered

In The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, the enchanting system utilizes Soul Gems. These gems are crucial for players who favor a magic-based approach, like mages or mage hybrids, as they are essential for maintaining any enchantments on your weapons.

The challenge lies in locating and filling these gems. Finding them can be tricky, and guidance on where to search is scarce. However, they are not impossible to discover, and the effort to acquire them is worthwhile for enhancing your character.

All Types of Soul Gems

Know What You’re Searching For

There are multiple types of Soul Gems available in the game, each with unique characteristics for enchanting your weapons and items. Most Soul Gems are single-use, meaning they are consumed once employed. Exceptionally, Azura’s Star can be refilled indefinitely, making it a valuable tool for late-game enchanting.

Each Soul Gem has a monetary value based on whether it contains a trapped soul. The higher the quality of the gem, the more challenging it will be to locate during your adventures. You’re allowed to carry multiple gems at once, which is beneficial since they typically can only be used once.

How to Obtain Soul Gems

Methods and Locations to Obtain Gems

Overall, there are five main ways to acquire Soul Gems. Some gems are easier to locate than others, particularly those of lower rank. All of them can be discovered by exploring the Cyrodiil map. Keep in mind that loot scales with your level, so as you level up, your chances of finding higher-ranked gems increase.

• Check containers like chests, sacks, and display cases, which occasionally hold gems. One hidden location in the game is a tomb that contains several Soul Gems in a chest.
• Purchase them directly from merchants, such as General Goods and Mage vendors. These shops carry a limited stock of gems that refresh every seven days in-game. Some gems may already be filled with a soul, so consider the type of soul included.
• Loot NPCs and enemies after defeating them or through pickpocketing; they may carry gems.
• Receive some gems as quest rewards, notably Azura’s Star, which you obtain after completing the quest at the Shrine of Azura.
• Create specific gems, like the Black Soul Gem, by placing a Grand Soul Gem on a special altar and casting the Soul Trap spell.

Filling and Using Soul Gems

Choose Your Souls Wisely Before Filling

To capture a soul in a Soul Gem, you must cast the Soul Trap spell. Different levels of the spell exist, distinguished by their duration. You need a Mysticism score of at least 25 to use the lowest tier. If you lack this, head to Edgar’s Discount Spells in the Imperial City Market district to purchase the Minor Life Detection spell and use it frequently.

You can find the Soul Trap spell at various mage vendors, like Treyvond the Redguard at the Mages Guild building near Cheydinhal West Gate. Cast this spell on an enemy, then defeat them before the spell’s duration expires. It’s best to weaken the enemy beforehand to avoid the spell running out too soon. If your selected Soul Gem has enough space, their soul will be captured. You can also add this spell as an enchantment to different weapons.

Most of these gems are specifically for capturing creature souls. There are many creatures available, such as Bears, Wraiths, Ghosts, Goblins, Minotaurs, and Will-o-the-Wisps. If you wish to capture human souls, you need a Black Soul Gem. The process remains the same: use the Soul Trap spell and defeat the human before the spell ends. Remember to check your inventory to ensure you have an empty Black Soul Gem.

The higher the enemy’s difficulty, the greater the rank of Soul Gem required for trapping its soul. If you hold multiple empty Soul Gems, the soul may fill the lowest tier gem available in your inventory, depending on the soul’s rank. Keep a close eye on the types of empty Soul Gems in your inventory and utilize the Soul Trap spell on enemies to maximize your gems’ effectiveness.

There are many suitable creatures within each soul category, providing numerous opportunities to fill your gems. However, the game does not explicitly tell you what type of soul a creature possesses. To determine a creature’s soul type, observe its size and power. Once you successfully capture the soul in the appropriate gem, you can apply it to your weapon or armor.

To enchant your chosen item, you will need to use the Altar of Enchanting. This altar becomes available after you earn the Apprentice rank in the Mage Guild. After approaching the altar, select the Soul Gem, then the item you wish to enchant, and finally, the desired effect. To recharge an enchanted item, simply click on the gem containing a soul in your inventory and choose to recharge. The duration of the soul enchantment depends on the rank of the Soul Gem. In The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, a higher-ranked soul allows you to use your weapon or armor for an extended period before needing to recharge.