Daedric Armor is the endgame heavy set that looks like it was designed by someone who really, really likes spikes. It is black and red, horned and glowing, and it offers the highest base protection of any regular heavy armor: 108 armor across the four main pieces. The price for that is weight; at 81 for the full set, it is also the heaviest set in its class.
How to get it
To forge it you need the Daedric Smithing perk at Smithing level 90, which sits after Ebony Smithing in the heavy branch. Each piece uses Ebony Ingots, Leather Strips and one Daedra Heart. The hearts are the tricky part. Every type of Dremora can drop one, apothecaries sometimes sell them, and the Dremora that keep returning to the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon after Pieces of the Past make a handy renewable source.
Daedric armor can also be produced at the Atronach Forge in the Midden, beneath the College of Winterhold. You need the Sigil Stone in the forge’s pedestal (a reward from a Conjuration ritual quest that requires Conjuration 90), then you offer the matching Ebony piece plus a Daedra Heart, a Centurion Dynamo Core and a Black Soul Gem. No Smithing perk is needed, which makes it a neat route for conjurers.
Random Daedric armor only enters leveled loot at player level 48, with enchanted pieces from level 49, so most players end up making theirs.
Is it worth wearing?
If raw armor rating is what you want, nothing in the standard heavy line beats it. The direct rival is Dragonplate: it offers slightly less protection but is much lighter, and its materials come from dragons you will be killing anyway. Daedric’s weight matters less once you have Conditioning, and then it’s mostly a question of look and of how many Daedra Hearts you can spare.
Tempering uses Ebony Ingots, and the Daedric Smithing perk doubles the improvement. Juggernaut, Well Fitted and Matching Set all stack nicely, and a fully tempered set will reach the armor cap easily with the right perks. Keep in mind that the set is also hugely valuable, so selling spare pieces can empty a merchant’s purse in one go.
Good to know
- Each piece needs one Daedra Heart, so a full set with shield takes five.
- Tempering uses Ebony Ingots, not hearts.
- Due to a bug, the Atronach Forge boots recipe gives a Dremora-only, unenchanted pair of boots.
Set pieces
| Piece | Slot | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daedric Helmet | Head | 23 | 15 | 1600 | 0001396D |
| Daedric Armor | Body | 49 | 50 | 3200 | 0001396B |
| Daedric Gauntlets | Hands | 18 | 6 | 625 | 0001396C |
| Daedric Boots | Feet | 18 | 10 | 625 | 0001396A |
| Daedric Shield | Shield | 36 | 15 | 1600 | 0001396E |
Full set totals
- Daedric Armor – helmet, cuirass, gauntlets and boots: 108 armor, 81 weight, 6050 gold; with the Daedric Shield: 144 armor, 96 weight.
Crafting and upgrades
Recipes at the forge – requires the Daedric Smithing perk:
- Daedric Helmet: 1 Daedra Heart, 3 Ebony Ingot, 2 Leather Strips
- Daedric Armor: 1 Daedra Heart, 5 Ebony Ingot, 3 Leather Strips
- Daedric Gauntlets: 1 Daedra Heart, 2 Ebony Ingot, 2 Leather Strips
- Daedric Boots: 1 Daedra Heart, 3 Ebony Ingot, 2 Leather Strips
- Daedric Shield: 1 Daedra Heart, 4 Ebony Ingot, 1 Leather Strips
Improve (temper) the pieces at a workbench with Ebony 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.