Guard Armor is the uniform worn by the city and hold guards of Skyrim – the same people who ask about your sweetroll and once took an arrow to the knee. Each of the nine holds has its own colors and heraldry on the cuirass, helmet and shield, but the stats are identical. It is light armor in the early-game range: the 23-point cuirass matches Studded and Imperial Light Armor.
How to get it
None of the uniforms are craftable or sold in shops, so you’ll have to take them off guards. Since killing guards earns a bounty and an angry city, most players collect them when guards die naturally – during dragon attacks, vampire raids or Civil War sieges like the Battle for Whiterun. Every hold has its own version: Whiterun, Solitude, Riften, Markarth, Windhelm, Falkreath, Morthal (Hjaalmarch), Dawnstar (the Pale) and Winterhold.
Windhelm is the odd one in the game data: there is an Eastmarch helmet (slightly tougher at 12 armor) and a Windhelm shield, but no separate Eastmarch cuirass to collect. The Civil War matters too – guards serve the Jarl, so when a hold changes hands the garrison changes with it. If the Legion takes Windhelm, for example, Imperial guards under Brunwulf Free-Winter replace Ulfric’s men. That makes the end of the war a good time to fill gaps in your collection, as cities are full of fresh fallen defenders.
Is it worth wearing?
Not for protection. Cuirass, helmet and shield give 51 armor together, and there are no gauntlets or boots, so you’ll need to mix in other gear. The shield counts as heavy armor (17 armor, 3 weight), so it won’t benefit from Light Armor perks. Temper the cuirass with Leather and the helmet and shield with Iron Ingots.
The appeal is role-play and disguise. Want to play a retired guard, a city watch captain, or a Whiterun loyalist? This is it. It’s also a fun trophy collection – nine holds, nine uniforms.
Good to know
- All hold versions share the same armor rating and weight.
- Shields are heavy armor despite the light uniform.
- Guard helmets are full-face, hiding your character’s face.
- The cuirass, helmet and shield of one hold go together visually – mixing holds looks odd.
Set pieces
| Piece | Slot | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiterun Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 0002150D |
| Whiterun Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 00021615 |
| Whiterun Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214E0 |
| Solitude Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 000C7F5B |
| Solitude Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 000C7F5C |
| Solitude Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214F4 |
| Riften Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 00021507 |
| Riften Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 00021622 |
| Riften Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214BA |
| Markarth Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 00021508 |
| Markarth Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 00021613 |
| Markarth Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214DC |
| Eastmarch Guard Helmet | Head | 12 | 2 | 12 | 0010559D |
| Windhelm Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214EB |
| Falkreath Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 0002151E |
| Falkreath Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 00021619 |
| Falkreath Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214ED |
| Hjaalmarch Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 00021520 |
| Hjaalmarch Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 0002161B |
| Hjaalmarch Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214EF |
| Pale Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 00021525 |
| Pale Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 0002161F |
| Pale Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214F7 |
| Winterhold Guard’s Armor | Body | 23 | 6 | 75 | 00021522 |
| Winterhold Guard’s Helmet | Head | 11 | 2 | 35 | 0002161D |
| Winterhold Guard’s Shield | Shield | 17 | 3 | 40 | 000214F1 |
Crafting and upgrades
This set can’t be forged by the player – you have to find, buy or earn the pieces.
Improve (temper) the pieces at a workbench with Iron Ingot or Leather.
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.