Stalhrim Armor (Dragonborn) is carved from stalhrim, the ancient enchanted ice of Solstheim. It glows a pale blue and comes in both heavy and light versions. This is late-game gear: the heavy four-piece set totals 102 armor, the same as Dragonplate but lighter, while the light set gives 78.5, above Glass.
How to get it
Crafting needs two things: the Ebony Smithing perk (Smithing eighty) and completion of the quest A New Source of Stalhrim. That quest starts in Skaal Village, where Deor Woodcutter is worried about the missing smith Baldor Iron-Shaper; you find Baldor at an abandoned lodge, fetch a map from Northshore Landing, and he then teaches you to work the ice. Be careful: if Deor or Fanari Strong-Voice die before the quest is done, you can never learn stalhrim smithing.
Raw stalhrim comes from 19 deposits around Solstheim. You need an Ancient Nordic Pickaxe to mine them, each takes twice as many swings as normal ore, and an exhausted deposit often reveals a frozen draugr with loot. Baldor also sells a few chunks. Heavy pieces need a Quicksilver Ingot each, light pieces a Steel Ingot.
Is it worth wearing?
For heavy armor, it’s Dragonplate protection at 59 total weight without killing a single dragon, and it unlocks on the Ebony branch rather than Dragon Armor. For light armor it beats Glass on protection at about the same weight – only Dragonscale clearly tops it.
There’s a neat bonus too: Resist Frost enchantments are 25 percent stronger on Stalhrim Armor. Against frost-breathing dragons and Solstheim’s icy enemies, that adds up. Matching Set, Custom Fit and Well Fitted all apply as normal. The main drawback is the grind – stalhrim takes some legwork to collect.
Good to know
- Heavy and light pieces are separate sets; mixing them breaks Matching Set bonuses.
- The Stalhrim Shield counts as light armor (29.5 armor).
- Crafting your first stalhrim item unlocks an achievement.
Set pieces
| Piece | Slot | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stalhrim Helmet (heavy) | Head | 22 | 7 | 1135 | 0401CDA1 |
| Stalhrim Armor (heavy) | Body | 46 | 38 | 2200 | 0401CD9F |
| Stalhrim Gauntlets (heavy) | Hands | 17 | 7 | 450 | 0401CDA0 |
| Stalhrim Boots (heavy) | Feet | 17 | 7 | 450 | 0401CD9E |
| Stalhrim Light Helmet | Head | 16.5 | 2 | 465 | 0401CDA3 |
| Stalhrim Light Armor | Body | 39 | 7 | 925 | 0401CDA2 |
| Stalhrim Light Bracers | Hands | 11.5 | 2 | 215 | 0401CDA5 |
| Stalhrim Light Boots | Feet | 11.5 | 2 | 215 | 0401CD7E |
| Stalhrim Shield (light) | Shield | 29.5 | 10 | 600 | 04026237 |
Full set totals
- Stalhrim Armor (heavy) – helmet, cuirass, gauntlets and boots: 102 armor, 59 weight, 4235 gold.
- Stalhrim Light Armor – helmet, cuirass, gauntlets and boots: 78.5 armor, 13 weight, 1820 gold; with the Stalhrim Shield: 108 armor, 23 weight.
Crafting and upgrades
Recipes at the forge – requires the Ebony Smithing perk:
- Stalhrim Helmet: 2 Leather Strips, 1 Quicksilver Ingot, 4 Stalhrim
- Stalhrim Armor: 3 Leather Strips, 1 Quicksilver Ingot, 6 Stalhrim
- Stalhrim Gauntlets: 2 Leather Strips, 1 Quicksilver Ingot, 3 Stalhrim
- Stalhrim Boots: 2 Leather Strips, 1 Quicksilver Ingot, 4 Stalhrim
- Stalhrim Light Helmet: 2 Leather Strips, 3 Stalhrim, 1 Steel Ingot
- Stalhrim Light Armor: 3 Leather Strips, 5 Stalhrim, 1 Steel Ingot
- Stalhrim Light Bracers: 2 Leather Strips, 2 Stalhrim, 1 Steel Ingot
- Stalhrim Light Boots: 2 Leather Strips, 3 Stalhrim, 1 Steel Ingot
- Stalhrim Shield: 1 Leather Strips, 4 Stalhrim, 1 Steel Ingot
Improve (temper) the pieces at a workbench with Stalhrim.
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.