Dragon Scales are the armored hide plates you peel off a dragon after a fight. They are the main ingredient of Dragonscale armor, the best light armor you can forge, and every piece of Dragonplate needs a few as well. Unlocking them takes the Dragon Armor perk at the very top of the Smithing tree. Worth 250 gold and weighing 10, they are lighter and cheaper than bones, but still a serious haul.
How to get it
Like bones, scales come almost entirely from dragon remains. Absorb the soul, walk up to the skeleton and grab what is there. A full Dragonscale set needs 14 scales (four each for the cuirass and shield, two each for helmet, gauntlets and boots), so expect to kill quite a few winged lizards before you’re fully dressed.
One set of scales sits loose in the world, outdoors near Lund’s Hut, which is a nice early bonus if you pass by. Scales are not a regular item in blacksmith inventories, so hunting is the way to go.
They also feature in Dragon Research, the Dragonsreach side quest where the court wizard wants dragon remains to study. Keep a spare one in your pack and you can wrap that up without waiting for the next dragon attack.
Used to craft
Dragon Scales appears in 10 recipes in the game files.
Armor
- Dragonplate Armor – Dragonplate Shield (3), Dragonplate Helmet (2), Dragonplate Gauntlets (2), Dragonplate Armor (3), Dragonplate Boots (3)
- Dragonscale Armor – Dragonscale Shield (4), Dragonscale Helmet (2), Dragonscale Gauntlets (2), Dragonscale Armor (4), Dragonscale Boots (2)
The number in brackets is how many Dragon Scales each recipe needs. Bold labels are the Smithing perk the recipe requires.
Improving gear
At a grindstone or workbench, Dragon Scales is the material used to improve (temper) 8 items, including Dragonplate Armor, Dragonscale Armor.
Good to know
- Dragonscale armor is light armor, Dragonplate is heavy – both come from the same Dragon Armor perk, so pick based on your armor skill.
- Scales also temper Dragonplate helmets, gauntlets and boots, so keep a few after crafting.
Data from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): value, weight, ore veins, recipes and merchant lists. ID 0003ADA3 is the item’s form ID for the console.
