The Shellbug Helmet is a heavy helmet added in Dawnguard. It is not looted from anyone; you build it yourself at a forge from the shell of a shellbug, a large armored insect found in a couple of hidden spots. It has no enchantment, but an armor rating of 22 is respectable, and the look is unlike anything else in Skyrim.
How to get it
The recipe needs 2 shellbug chitin and 2 iron ingots. The tricky part is the chitin:
- Find a shellbug. One lives in a hidden chamber of Forgotten Vale Cave (Dawnguard); another sits in a side chamber of Sharpslope Cave.
- Mine the shellbug like an ore vein to get the chitin.
- Take the chitin and iron ingots to any forge and craft the helmet.
The Sharpslope one is in a cave full of Falmer and chaurus, so prepare accordingly. The shellbug there is found near the top of a spiral, behind a crevice under some large mushrooms.
Is it worth wearing?
For a character in the steel to dwarven range, it is genuinely good. 22 armor beats many early helmets, and it can be tempered with more shellbug chitin. On the other hand, chitin is rare, so tempering is a pain, and late-game sets like ebony and dragonplate overtake it. It is mainly a cosmetic treat that also happens to be decently protective. Since there is no enchantment, you are free to put your own on it, which makes it a nice blank canvas for heavy armor builds that want a unique look without giving up anything important.
Good to know
- Shellbug chitin is not an alchemy ingredient, unlike mudcrab chitin.
- Merchants and blacksmiths buy the chitin if you change your mind.
- Matches nicely with Falmer heavy armor for a full bug-themed outfit.
Stats
| Item | Slot | Type | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shellbug Helmet | Head | Heavy | 22 | 6 | 600 | 02012E8A |
Forge recipe: Shellbug Helmet – 2 
Shellbug Chitin, 2 
Iron Ingot.
Improve it at a workbench with Shellbug Chitin.
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.
