Highlights

• Legendary gear in Skyrim is essential for an advantage in battles, with unique abilities to help players overcome enemies.
• Join factions like the Dark Brotherhood or Thieves Guild to obtain special armor sets that cater to specific playstyles.
• Unique items like Konahrik and Visage of Mzund offer powerful enchantments, making them essential tools for the Dragonborn.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has a lot to offer players, with a multitude of NPCs, magic, weaponry, and of course, armor. Along with standard armor sets, lootable off in-game enemies, or craftable in Skyrim’s extensive smithing system, the game also offers legendary gear and Daedric artifacts that offer unique and special abilities. The RPG also has an extensive modding community that has kept Skyrim alive for nearly a decade.

These unique pieces of armor range from the cosmetic to the enchanted and both have their place. Ultimately, some of this unique gear is just going to be better than others, and players should know what they are and where to find them, in order to get the most out of Skyrim’s legendary loot.

Updated on March 9, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Skyrim is a game that many people feel becomes easier and easier as players power through this title and see everything this title has to offer. The world may scale with the player's level, but what tips the scales in the Dragonborn's favor is the high-level equipment they gain access to over the course of their adventure. One thing that most people need to be mindful of is the armor that they wear into battle, with the player finding it more advantageous to use special pieces of armor that let players enjoy a great bonus and turn the tide against any enemy that stands in their way.

17 Ancient Shrouded Armor

Complete The Dark Brotherhood Side Quest "Locate The Assassin Of Old"

• Base total armor rating of 72
• Set pieces boost poison resistance by 100%, muffle footsteps, enhance damage with a bow by 35%, double sneak damage bonus with one-handed weapons, and boost Armor Rating by 25

The Dark Brotherhood is one of the most beloved factions in The Elder Scrolls. Players love roleplaying as an assassin who takes a wealth of valuable contracts before eventually trying to weed out any weakness in the group from within.

During one of the quests assigned by The Dark Brotherhood, players can stumble upon a unique version of their regular armor set that is perfect for rogues, thieves, and anyone who prioritizes stealth will find to be right up their alley. It helps that the armor set looks amazing and features a unique spin on the established Dark Brotherhood armor design.

16 Linwe's Armor Set

Looted Or Pickpocketed From Linwe

• Base total armor rating of 69
• Set pieces boost Stamina by 15 points, improve Sneak by 15%, and enhance both One-Handed and Bow attack damage by 15%

The Dragonborn can join numerous guilds during their adventures in Skyrim, completing various quests and rising the ranks to become a notable member of these groups. The Thieves Guild is one such group that is beloved by the masses for letting them sell stolen goods and letting them interact with a wealth of unique characters.

One of the unique armor sets they can find while completing the duties of the Thieves Guild resides in the Uttering Hills Cave. During the quest "Summerset Shadows", players will encounter a person named Linwe who can be looted or robbed to attain Linwe's Armor Set.

15 Shrouded Armor

Automatically Obtained After Joining The Dark Brotherhood

• Base total armor rating of 58 for the standard set and 72 for the alternate variant
• Set pieces boost poison resistance, muffle the wearer's footsteps, enhance Bow damage by 20%, double backstab damage, and boost Armor by 25 points

The Shrouded Armor is one of the easiest unique sets of armor players can find in the game. All they need to do is join the Dark Brotherhood, and they'll receive a brand new set of this armor in no time.

This armor set is great for players who enjoy being a stealth archer, given the sheer number of useful ways this armor set helps them tackle their enemies from the shadows. This build is a fan-favorite in Skyrim because of its low-risk, high-reward nature.

14 Jester's Outfit

Found In Dawnstar Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

• Base total armor rating of 0
• Set pieces boost Speech (bartering), One-Handed by 12%, Sneak by 30%, muffles the wearer, and doubles sneak attack damage with one-handed weapons

The Jester's Outfit is a clothing set that boosts the player's bartering, one-handed, and sneak skills. It looks almost exactly like the outfit worn by Cicero, the Keeper of the Night Mother's Coffin, and can likewise be found during the Dark Brotherhood questline.

After interacting with Cicero for the first time, he can be found in a few locations throughout the game. In the Dawnstar Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, look for this lightly enchanted unique outfit near the entrance.

13 Ahzidal's Armor

Found In Kolbjorn Barrow In Solstheim

• Base total armor rating of 87
• Set pieces grant the player Waterwalking, increased range on Rune and Conjuration spells, improved Ward spells, and a chance to paralyze enemies who hit them in melee
• Also comes with jewelry which grants the player the Ignite and Freeze spells, and makes their reanimated creatures explode for 50 points of frost damage upon death
• The full set boosts the player's Enchanting by 10 points

Ahzidal's armor comes in two varieties, male and female, both of which enhance the player's enchanting skill. The male set is much like the Iron Armor set, featuring ram horn adornments, while the female set uses deer antlers and no frontal plating.

It's a very well-designed set that blends in seamlessly with just about every environment in the game. Look for the heavy Ahzidal's Armor set in Kolbjorn Barrow, where each piece is spread throughout the dungeon. Players are naturally guided to this location in the quest "Unearthed."

12 The Armor Of The Old Gods

Found In The "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine" Questline

• Base total armor rating of 50
• Set pieces improve Sneak by 20%, Bow damage by 20%, Magicka by 30 points, and Destruction spell cost by 15%

Obtained after completing the quest “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine,” the armor of the old gods is an interesting Forsworn-themed light armor set with some powerful enchantments. The set is perfect for casters and archers who like to attack from a distance, as it decreases the cost of destruction spells, improves sneaking, bolsters bow damage, and increases Magicka by 30 points.

Additionally, the armor has some interesting implications about the Forsworn and their adherence to “the old gods” who just might happen to be the Daedra.

11 The Blackguard Armor

Found After Assisting Glover Mallory In Solstheim

• Base total armor rating of 72
• Set pieces boost Lockpicking by 40%, Pickpocketing by 40%, prices by 25%, and carrying capacity by 50

After helping Glover Mallory in Ravenrock on the island of Solstheim, players will gain access to his secret stash and the Blackguard armor. Glover is Delvin's brother, and so this set acts as an upgraded version of the Thieves Guild set.

To gain access to the armor, players will need to get the Bonemold Armor formula from Esmond’s corpse in the Castle Karstaag Caverns. The Blackguard armor provides a forty percent bonus to both lockpicking and pickpocketing, perfect for enterprising young thieves.

10 Falmer Armor

Found In The Mzinchaleft Depths

• Base total armor rating of 93
• No enchantments innately imbued in Falmer armor, though it is enchantable

The Falmer are one of Skyrim’s greatest mysteries, and their armor is no different. While the Dawnguard DLC added the Falmer Hardened and Falmer Heavy Armor, which can be looted from Falmer enemies, the true Falmer armor is unique.

The armor is equivalent to that of Dwarven armor with significantly less carry weight. Additionally, the set is enchantable, meaning players can put whatever magic they want on this unique set of chitin. The most powerful piece of the Falmer armor, however, is the helmet. Falmer helmets can be worn alongside circlets, allowing characters to stack enchantments, or to wear strong unique circlets such as the Aetherial Crown without losing any armor rating.

9 Auriel’s Shield

Found In The Forgotten Vale In The Dawnguard DLC

• Base armor rating of 32
• Enchanted to release a Thuum-like push after blocking 15 hits

With an armor rating equal to that of the Ebony variety, this sleek legendary shield is nothing to scoff at. But what makes this armor so special is its unique enchantment that acts as its own unrelenting force shout when power bashing. The shield can be found in the Forgotten Vale during the Dawnguard storyline and is looted from a Falmer enemy.

The shield is unique in that when blocking attacks it charges its effect and after blocking 15 hits, Auriel’s Shield is ready to release its own unrelenting force equal to the might of a full Fus Ro Dah.

8 The Helm Of Yngol

Found In Yngol's Barrow After Fighting Yngol Himself

• Base armor rating of 21
• Helmet resists Frost Damage by 30%

With an armor rating of 21, this is one of the most powerful helmets players can find in Skyrim. The Helm of Yngol can be picked up in the throne room of Yngol’s Barrow after fighting Yngol’s shade and grants a pretty significant boost to the player's frost resistance. It also has the added bonus of granting the Dovahkiin an even more impressive pair of horns than the base iron helmet seen in the trailers and art for the game. Further, the helmet has a unique background as it belonged, of course, to Yngol.

Yngol was the son of Ysgramor who launched a campaign bringing humans into Skyrim and Tamriel long, long ago. Yngol, however, never joined his father's campaign as his ship was separated and he and his crew were slaughtered on the trip across the Sea of Ghosts. Overall, it sounds like a pretty bad way to go.

7 The Nightingale Armor

Found In The Thieves Guild Questline

• Base total armor rating of 69
• Set boosts Stamina by up to 40 points, Frost resistance by up to 50%, Lockpicking, and One-Handed by up to 25%, Illusion by 17%, and muffles the wearer

The sneaky and sinister armor of the Nightingales is earned by following the Thieves Guild’s main questline. This light armor set offers some of the best stat boosts in Skyrim and looks cool and spooky to boot. This skin-tight stealth suit is perfect for any heist.

This armor should only be obtained after reaching level 32, however, as that is when the set’s enchantments reach their maximum potential. The set increases stamina, reduces incoming frost damage, muffles the user’s movement, raises the lockpicking and one-handed skills, and reduces the cost of casting illusion spells. All useful enchantments for any player planning to accomplish some thieving.

6 Targe Of The Blooded

Found On The Corpse Of Umala In Alftand

• Base armor rating of 20
• Shield Bash deals 3 damage per second for 5 seconds (a total of 15 extra damage)

In the Dwemer ruin of Alftand, players will follow the story of a group of adventurers who were ambushed and slowly all killed by Falmer…well mostly. The Dragonborn will come across the last two survivors, Umala and Sulla fighting amongst themselves. Upon killing them both, players will find a special shield on Umala.

Although Targe of the Blooded doesn’t have any incredible stats to write home about, it does have a special enchantment, whereupon shield bash deals 3 bleeding per second over 5 seconds. While on its own this may seem small, this damage passes through armor, blocking, or any other effect enemies may have active, resulting in massive amounts of damage for multiple bashes draining health at the same time, and is highly effective at sending enemies to Sovngarde.

5 Lord's Mail

Found Through The Gift Of Kynareth Quest

• Base armor rating of 45
• Grants 75% poison resistance, and 17% magic resistance, and absorbs 5 points of health per second from nearby enemies

The Lord's Mail Creation added this powerful artifact to the world of Skyrim, and it is now included as part of the Anniversary Edition. It grants the wearer a massive boost to their poison resistance, which can be very useful against spider and chaurus enemies, and a considerable boost to magic resistance. This is extremely strong because things like dragon breath or enchantments on weapons also count as magic damage, making this piece of armor one of the best ways to improve the Dovakhiin's survivability. It works best in melee range as the life absorption will keep the player's health bar topped up as they fight.

To get the chest piece, players will need to find a letter addressed to General Tullius in Castle Dour, which sends the Dragonborn to a camp of Alik'r mercenaries. After obtaining the Lord's Mail from them, however, players will need to remove the curse from it by visiting the Temple of the Divines. Only then will they be able to equip one of the best chest pieces in Skyrim.

4 Dragonbone Mail

Found Through The Bones For A Crow Quest

• Base armor rating of 48
• Grants 100% Fire resistance

In the Anniversary Edition, or with the Alternative Armors - Dragon Plate creation for Special Edition, players can craft an alternate version of Dragonplate armor called Dragonplate Insulated armor. Players also gain access to a unique piece of this alternate armor called the Dragonbone Mail. This unique chest piece has a small dragon skull attached to it and a uniquely strong enchantment that completely protects the wearer from fire damage. This is extremely powerful as it completely trivializes fights with fire mages or atronarchs and makes fights with dragons far easier.

To gain this Dragon-proof armor players simply must talk to an innkeeper until they gain the "Bones for a Crow" quest. This will see the player hunting the Forsworn and Hagravens until they come across the body of Bjormund Wind-Strider. Here they will find this ridiculously strong piece of unique armor.

3 Deathbrand Armor

Found In The Deathbrand Quest

• Base total armor rating of 178.5, due to its enchantment
• Wearing the whole set grants the player 60 Stamina, 40 Carry Weight, 40% Dual-Wield damage, and grants Waterbreathing

The pirate Deathbrand left his magical armor set hidden all across Solstheim, and this is one buried treasure players should definitely try and uncover. The set is earned throughout the quest “Deathbrand.” Each piece of Deathbrand armor grants a powerful effect, made stronger for each of the other pieces of the armor the character is wearing. The chest piece grants 15 stamina per piece of armor, the boots grant 10 points of carry weight per piece of armor, the gauntlets grant dual-wielded weapons 10% damage per piece of armor, and the helmet grants Waterbreathing.

What makes the Deathbrand armor so powerful is its unique set bonus of 100 extra points of armor, making this light armor set better than most heavy armor sets in the game without any of the drawbacks.

2 Visage Of Mzund

Found On A Table In Fahlbtharz

• Base armor rating of 24
• Helmet boosts Stamina by 60 and grants the Breath of Nchuak ability, a damage-over-time spell

Found at the end of a long series of puzzle rooms in the Dwemer ruin of Fahlbtharz, this unique Dwarven Helm is tied with the next entry on this list for the highest base armor stat of any helmet in the game at 24 points.

The helmet is also enchanted to provide a huge boost to stamina to the wearer and also grants the ability Breath of Nchuak, which is a powerful steam attack dealing damage over time. With great defensive capabilities and an offensive power to boot, this helmet is one of the best armor pieces in the game.

1 Konahrik

Found By Combining Every Other Dragon Priest Mask In The Game At Labyrinthian

• Base armor rating of 24
• Helmet has a chance to heal the player and cast Flame Cloak when struck at low health

With equivalent base armor to the Visage of Mzund and a much harder acquisition quest, the Dragon Priest mask Konahrik is possibly the best helmet in all of Skyrim. In order to obtain this mask, players will need to defeat every dragon priest and bring their masks to the central location of the Bromjunaar Sanctuary in the ruins of Labyrinthian.

The mask has the potential to heal the wearer when taking damage with a grand healing spell and cast the flame cloak ability. This ability is itself very powerful and when paired with the mask's base armor, makes the Dragonborn nearly unkillable.