Steel Armor is the first real upgrade for heavy armor users, one rung above Iron Armor. A full set gives 72 armor for 52 weight, so you gain a noticeable chunk of protection for only a few extra pounds. It is solid, practical Nordic gear, the kind of armor that half of Skyrim’s sellswords and bandit chiefs seem to buy in bulk.
How to get it
Crafting needs the Steel Smithing perk, which is the very first perk in the Smithing tree and has no skill requirement at all. The recipes are cheap: mostly Steel Ingots with a single Iron Ingot and some Leather Strips per piece. Steel Ingots are sold by blacksmiths across the province, or you can smelt them yourself from iron and corundum ore.
If you would rather pay than hammer, blacksmiths such as Adrianne Avenicci in Whiterun keep heavy armor in stock, and steel is among the most common pieces you’ll see early on. It also enters leveled loot almost immediately, so bandits and mercenaries drop it all the time.
The set comes in two styles that share identical stats. One pairs the plain Steel Helmet with Nordic gauntlets and cuffed boots; the other swaps in the Steel Horned Helmet, Imperial-style gauntlets and shin boots. Both use the same recipes, so pick whichever look you like.
Is it worth wearing?
Absolutely, for the early game. Steel gives a clear jump over iron and is still easy to maintain, and the Steel Smithing perk doubles how much you get out of each tempering. That alone keeps steel relevant longer than its numbers suggest.
Its natural successors are Dwarven Armor (more protection, much heavier) and Steel Plate Armor (more protection, only slightly heavier). Juggernaut, Well Fitted and Matching Set all apply, and since both styles count as steel, mixing a horned helmet with the other style’s boots won’t break your set bonus.
Good to know
- The two steel styles have exactly the same armor rating, weight and value.
- The Steel Smithing perk is also required for Imperial Armor.
- Generic enchanted steel helmets, gauntlets and boots only come in one style; there are no enchanted horned helmets, Imperial gauntlets or shin boots.
Set pieces
| Piece | Slot | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel Helmet | Head | 17 | 5 | 125 | 00013954 |
| Steel Armor | Body | 31 | 35 | 275 | 00013952 |
| Steel Nordic Gauntlets | Hands | 12 | 4 | 55 | 00013953 |
| Steel Cuffed Boots | Feet | 12 | 8 | 55 | 00013951 |
| Steel Shield | Shield | 24 | 12 | 150 | 00013955 |
Full set totals
- Steel Armor – helmet, cuirass, gauntlets and boots: 72 armor, 52 weight, 510 gold; with the Steel Shield: 96 armor, 64 weight.
Variants
These versions share the set’s look or slot but are separate items in the game files:
| Piece | Slot | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel Horned Helmet | Head | 17 | 5 | 125 | 000F6F24 |
| Steel Armor | Body | 31 | 35 | 275 | 000F6F22 |
| Steel Imperial Gauntlets | Hands | 12 | 4 | 55 | 000F6F23 |
| Steel Shin Boots | Feet | 12 | 8 | 55 | 000F6F21 |
Crafting and upgrades
Recipes at the forge – requires the Steel Smithing perk:
- Steel Helmet: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 2 Steel Ingot
- Steel Armor: 1 Iron Ingot, 3 Leather Strips, 4 Steel Ingot
- Steel Nordic Gauntlets: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 2 Steel Ingot
- Steel Cuffed Boots: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 3 Steel Ingot
- Steel Shield: 1 Iron Ingot, 1 Leather Strips, 3 Steel Ingot
- Steel Horned Helmet: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 2 Steel Ingot
- Steel Imperial Gauntlets: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 2 Steel Ingot
- Steel Shin Boots: 1 Iron Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, 3 Steel Ingot
Improve (temper) the pieces at a workbench with Steel Ingot.
Stats from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): base armor rating, weight and value before Smithing improvements and perks. The ID is the item’s form ID for the console.