Blackguard’s Armor is a unique four-piece light armor set from the Dragonborn DLC, designed for thieves. The hood gives 25% better prices, the armor adds 50 carrying capacity, the gloves make lockpicking 40% easier and the boots make pickpocketing 40% better. It looks almost identical to Linwe’s Armor and the classic Thieves Guild Armor, but the enchantments are in another league.
How to get it
The set sits in the secret basement of Glover Mallory, the Breton blacksmith of Raven Rock on Solstheim. Glover is the brother of Delvin Mallory and a member of the Thieves Guild, so you need to be in the Guild too.
- Join the Thieves Guild in Riften.
- Travel to Raven Rock and talk to Glover Mallory at his smithy.
- Complete his quest Paid in Full, recovering the Bonemold Formula from Esmond Tyne in Castle Karstaag Caverns.
- Glover then gives you access to his basement, where the Blackguard’s Armor waits along with a Thief Cache.
Is it worth wearing?
For a thief, it is arguably the best set in the game. The Guild Master’s armor is harder to get, yet players agree the Blackguard’s enchantments beat it. A 25% price bonus and +50 carry weight are useful to every character, and the lockpick and pickpocket bonuses are about as strong as they come. The full set has 72 base armor rating for only 13 weight and tempers with leather.
The drawback is that it does not help in a fight at all. Many players wear it for shopping, looting and burglary, then switch to combat gear such as Nightingale Armor or Ebony when swords come out.
Good to know
- A note in Glover’s basement reveals that he is the father of Sapphire; giving it to her earns a unique gem.
- Cynric Endell wears a brown hood that looks like the Blackguard’s Hood, but his cannot be obtained.
- Swap the hood in only when trading if you prefer another helmet in combat.
Pieces and versions
| Item | Slot | Type | Armor | Weight | Value | Enchantment | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackguard’s Hood | Head | Light | 18 | 2 | 400 | Prices are 25% better. | 0402AD31 |
| Blackguard’s Armor | Body | Light | 33 | 7 | 600 | Carrying capacity increased by 50 points. | 0402AD33 |
| Blackguard’s Gloves | Hands | Light | 8 | 2 | 200 | Lockpicking is 40% easier. | 0402AD32 |
| Blackguard’s Boots | Feet | Light | 13 | 2 | 200 | Pickpocket success is 40% better. | 0402AD34 |
Full set: 72 armor, 13 weight, 1400 gold.
Improve it at a workbench with 
Leather.
Stats from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): base values before Smithing and perks. Where several versions exist (leveled copies), all are listed.
