Unlocking the Secrets of Nightingale Armor: A Comprehensive Guide to Leveling and Upgrading in Skyrim
So, you’ve donned the sleek, shadowy Nightingale Armor in Skyrim and are wondering if you can make it even better. The short answer is both yes and no. The Nightingale Armor itself doesn’t “level up” dynamically with you after you acquire it, but it can be upgraded. The version you receive is determined by your level when you first obtain it. However, through smithing and clever use of in-game mechanics, you can enhance its defensive capabilities, effectively making it more powerful. Let’s dive into the depths of this iconic armor set and explore every avenue for improvement.
Understanding Nightingale Armor Variants
Before we get into upgrading, it’s crucial to understand how Nightingale Armor is acquired. The game uses a leveled list system, meaning the stats of the armor you receive from Karliah during the Thieves Guild questline depend on your character level at the time you receive it. There are three distinct variants:
- Level 1-18: The weakest version.
- Level 19-31: A mid-tier version with improved stats and enchantments.
- Level 32+: The most powerful version of the armor.
Once you receive the armor, its stats are locked in. No amount of leveling will change it. This makes planning your Thieves Guild quest progression important.
Upgrading Nightingale Armor: The Smithing Path
While the Nightingale Armor’s base stats are fixed, you can improve its Armor Rating through smithing. To do this effectively, you’ll need a few key ingredients:
- The Arcane Blacksmith Perk: This perk in the Smithing skill tree is essential, as it allows you to improve magically enhanced armor and weapons.
- Void Salts: This is the material required to temper (upgrade) the Nightingale Armor at a grindstone.
- High Smithing Skill: The higher your Smithing skill, the better the armor’s rating will be after upgrading. Reaching 100 Smithing allows you to achieve the maximum improvement.
- Smithing Enhancements: You can further boost your Smithing skill temporarily using potions of Fortify Smithing and by equipping items enchanted with Fortify Smithing. Crafting these potions and enchanting the gear requires Alchemy and Enchanting skills.
The process is straightforward:
- Visit a grindstone.
- Select the Nightingale Armor piece you wish to upgrade.
- Ensure you have Void Salts in your inventory.
- Improve the armor as much as possible.
Enchanting: A Path Not Tread
While you cannot directly re-enchant the Nightingale Armor with different enchantments, you can benefit from additional enchantments on other gear worn alongside it. Focus on enchantments that complement the Nightingale Armor’s stealth-oriented benefits, such as:
- Fortify Sneak: Improves your sneaking ability.
- Fortify Archery: Increases bow damage (especially useful considering you also receive the Nightingale Bow).
- Fortify Stamina: Increases your stamina, allowing for more power attacks and sprinting.
- Resist Magic: Provides general magical resistance.
Alchemy and Enchanting Synergies: Reaching Peak Performance
To truly maximize your Nightingale Armor’s potential, delve into the complementary skills of Alchemy and Enchanting.
- Alchemy: Craft potions of Fortify Smithing to significantly boost your smithing effectiveness. By brewing stronger potions, you can temporarily push your Smithing skill far beyond 100, resulting in superior armor upgrades.
- Enchanting: Enchant gear with Fortify Smithing to further enhance your smithing capabilities. The more pieces of gear you enchant (e.g., gloves, ring, amulet, armor), the larger the boost.
The infamous Alchemy/Enchanting loop can also be used, although it can be seen as an exploit. This involves creating potions to fortify enchanting, using these potions to create gear that fortifies alchemy, then using that gear to make better fortify enchanting potions, and so on. This loop allows you to create ridiculously powerful potions and enchantments. This is explained further at the Games Learning Society. You can also use this to create powerful smithing potions.
Games Learning Society sheds light on how these skills interweave in creating powerful characters.
Nightingale Weapons: Blades and Bows
It’s important to note that the principles for the Nightingale Blade and Nightingale Bow are the same as the armor. Their base stats are determined by your level when you receive them. Both can be improved through smithing using appropriate materials (Ebony Ingot for the blade). Like the armor, weapons can only be improved with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Leveling Nightingale Armor
1. Can I level up Nightingale Armor after receiving it?
No, the Nightingale Armor does not dynamically level up with you after you receive it. The stats are fixed based on your level at the time of acquisition. However, it can be improved by smithing.
2. What level should I be to get the best Nightingale Armor?
You should be at least level 32 to receive the highest-level variant of the Nightingale Armor.
3. What perk is required to upgrade Nightingale Armor?
You need the Arcane Blacksmith perk in the Smithing skill tree to improve the Nightingale Armor.
4. What material is needed to upgrade Nightingale Armor?
You need Void Salts to improve the Nightingale Armor at a grindstone.
5. Can I enchant the Nightingale Armor with different enchantments?
No, you cannot directly re-enchant the Nightingale Armor with new enchantments. Its inherent enchantments are permanent.
6. Is the Nightingale Armor considered Daedric Armor?
No, the Nightingale Armor is not a Daedric artifact. It was made by the followers of Nocturnal.
7. Is Nightingale Armor better than Dragonscale Armor?
Dragonscale armor, when fully upgraded, can provide a slightly higher armor rating, but the Nightingale armor has useful enchantments. It depends on your play style and what you value more.
8. Where can I find Void Salts to upgrade the armor?
Void Salts can be found in various locations, including alchemist shops, as loot from certain creatures (like Storm Atronachs), and in specific locations around Skyrim.
9. Does the Nightingale Bow level up with me?
Similar to the armor, the Nightingale Bow’s base stats are determined when you receive it, based on your level. It can be improved through smithing with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
10. Can I duplicate Nightingale Armor?
There are duplication glitches in Skyrim that could be used, but these are considered exploits and may affect your game experience. It is generally not recommended.
11. Is Nightingale Armor good for stealth?
Yes! Nightingale Armor is excellent for stealth-based characters due to its enchantments that enhance stamina, sneak, and magical resistance.
12. Does the Nightingale Blade get better at higher levels?
The Nightingale Blade, like the other Nightingale gear, is leveled based on when you first get it. The best base version is received when you are level 46 or higher.
13. What is the best level to get the Nightingale Blade?
Get the Nightingale Blade at level 46 or higher to obtain its most powerful version.
14. Can Serana wear Nightingale Armor?
Yes, Serana can wear Nightingale Armor. She prefers light armor, and the Nightingale set is a good option for her.
15. Is there a way to remove the Nightingale Armor enchantments?
Without using mods or console commands, you cannot remove the enchantments on the Nightingale Armor. Mods exist that allow you to customize or remove enchantments from items.
Conclusion: Mastering the Nightingale Set
While the Nightingale Armor doesn’t “level up” in the traditional sense, understanding its tiered variants and utilizing smithing, alchemy, and enchanting allows you to maximize its effectiveness. By strategically planning your quest progression and investing in the right skills, you can ensure your Nightingale Armor is a powerful and essential part of your Skyrim adventure. Go forth, Nightingale, and embrace the shadows!