Nirnroot

The glowing, chiming root of Nirn – Invisibility and Resist Magic, plus two poison effects.

Nirnroot is one of the Elder Scrolls series’ most famous plants – you’ll usually hear its soft chiming before you see its glow. It grows along riverbanks and lake shores. Invisibility and Resist Magic are its useful sides; Damage Health and Damage Stamina make it a poison ingredient too.

Alchemy effects

The effects are listed in the order you discover them by eating the ingredient or using it in a potion. Two ingredients make a potion when they share at least one effect.

  1. Damage Health – a poison effect that deals instant damage to the target’s Health. Also on: Crimson Nirnroot, Deathbell, Ectoplasm, Falmer Ear, Human Flesh, Human Heart, Imp Stool, Jarrin Root, Nightshade, Red Mountain Flower, River Betty, Skeever Tail, Small Antlers, Troll Fat, Void Salts.
  2. Damage Stamina – a poison effect that drains the target’s Stamina on the spot. Also on: Berit’s Ashes, Blisterwort, Blue Butterfly Wing, Bone Meal, Canis Root, Crimson Nirnroot, Cyrodilic Spadetail, Giant’s Toe, Jarrin Root, Rock Warbler Egg, Spider Egg.
  3. Invisibility – makes you invisible for a few seconds – until you attack or interact with something. Also on: Chaurus Eggs, Crimson Nirnroot, Ice Wraith Teeth, Luna Moth Wing, Vampire Dust.
  4. Resist Magic – reduces the damage and effects of hostile magic for a while. Also on: Bleeding Crown, Chicken’s Egg, Crimson Nirnroot, Hagraven Claw, Lavender, Tundra Cotton, Void Salts, Wisp Wrappings.

Tips and trivia

Ingun Black-Briar wants 20 for Few and Far Between, and Avrusa Sarethi buys them for 10 gold each. Its red cousin, Crimson Nirnroot, grows only in Blackreach. In To Kill an Empire you can add one to the Emperor’s stew as a secret ingredient.

Values from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm): base value 10 gold, weight 0.2.

Where to find it

  • Along the banks of rivers and lakes across Skyrim – listen for the chime, and look for the glow at night.
  • Follow the stream down from Half-Moon Mill towards a waterfall and Evergreen Grove for several in a row.
  • At least five on the islands and beaches north of Dawnstar.
  • Avrusa Sarethi grows eight in her garden at Sarethi Farm; Babette and Angeline Morrard in Solitude sell a few.
  • Dragonborn adds a giant variety on Giant Nirnroot Island off Solstheim.

Unofficial fan wiki. Facts are checked against the games; spot something wrong? Let us know.