How to Carry More in Skyrim: A Comprehensive Guide
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So, you’re knee-deep in a dungeon, pockets overflowing with dragon bones, enchanted swords, and enough cheese wheels to feed a small village. You’re over-encumbered, and your Dragonborn is moving slower than a snail in molasses. The question is burning: How do I carry more in Skyrim?
The answer, thankfully, isn’t a simple one, because Skyrim offers several ways to increase your carrying capacity. Here’s the lowdown:
- Level Up and Choose Stamina: Each time you level up, you can choose to increase your Stamina. This not only boosts your Stamina pool but also adds 5 points to your maximum carrying capacity. This is a fundamental and reliable method.
- The Steed Stone: This Standing Stone grants a permanent bonus of 100 carry weight. It also eliminates the weight of equipped armor. Finding this early on is a huge boon.
- Extra Pockets Perk (Pickpocket Tree): Invest 3 perk points in the Extra Pockets perk in the Pickpocket skill tree (requires Pickpocket skill level 50). This gives you a flat +100 to your carry capacity.
- Fortify Carry Weight Enchantments and Potions: These provide temporary increases to your carry weight. Look for armor with the “Fortify Carry Weight” enchantment, or craft/purchase potions with the same effect. They are essential for tackling particularly loot-heavy excursions.
- Exploit Followers (with caution): Your followers have a hidden “carry capacity” that’s far higher than what the game displays. Drop items on the ground and instruct them to pick them up. They can carry an absurd amount this way, but be warned – there are reports of items sometimes disappearing when doing this.
By combining these strategies, you can transform your overburdened adventurer into a walking, talking loot vacuum. Choose the right path for you, and get back to exploring the vast world of Skyrim!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Carry Weight in Skyrim
How much carry weight do I start with in Skyrim?
Your base carry weight in Skyrim is 300. This is before any bonuses from your race, skills, or gear are applied. Plan your inventory carefully early in the game, as it is easy to go over the initial weight limit.
Where is the Steed Stone located?
The Steed Stone is located just west of Solitude, in the Haafingar Hold. Head east from the Serpent Stone or north from Ironback Hideout. Look for a rocky outcropping with the stone atop it. This location is key for players wanting to maximize carry weight.
Does my race affect my carry weight in Skyrim?
No, your race does not directly affect your base carry weight. However, some races may have starting skill bonuses that can indirectly affect your carry weight, such as a bonus to Stamina or Pickpocket, which could, in turn, help you reach the Extra Pockets perk faster.
Is there a permanent carry weight enchantment?
Yes, you can learn the “Fortify Carry Weight” enchantment and apply it to clothing and jewelry. This provides a permanent boost to your carry capacity, and it can be stacked across multiple items. You must first find an item with the enchantment, disenchant it to learn the enchantment, then apply it to your desired equipment.
How do Fortify Carry Weight potions work?
Fortify Carry Weight potions provide a temporary boost to your carry weight. The strength and duration of the potion depend on the ingredients used to create it. These potions are useful for when you need a quick carry capacity boost to get you back to civilization to sell or store items.
What ingredients make Fortify Carry Weight potions?
Several ingredients can be used to make Fortify Carry Weight potions, including:
- Creep Cluster
- Giant’s Toe
- Hawk Beak
- Histcarp
- Mudcrab Chitin
- Scaly Pholiota
- Wisp Wrappings
Experiment with different combinations to discover the most potent recipes.
Can followers carry enchanted items to help them carry more?
Yes! Giving your follower gear enchanted with Fortify Carry Weight will indeed increase their carrying capacity. This is a great way to make them even more useful pack mules without having to resort to dropping items on the ground.
What happens when I’m overencumbered?
When you are overencumbered, your character’s movement speed is severely reduced, and you cannot run or fast travel. This makes it difficult to escape dangerous situations or quickly return to a vendor. Being overencumbered can make combat and exploration more difficult.
Does armor weight affect sneaking in Skyrim?
Yes, armor weight does affect your ability to sneak. Heavier armor makes more noise, making it more difficult to remain undetected. However, perks in the Sneak and armor skill trees can mitigate this penalty.
Is there a console command to increase my carry weight in Skyrim?
Yes, you can use console commands to adjust your carry weight. The most common command is:
player.modav carryweight <x>
Replace <x> with the amount you want to increase your carry weight by. For example, player.modav carryweight 100 will add 100 to your current carry weight. Remember that console commands can affect gameplay balance.
Can I get unlimited carry weight in Skyrim?
While there isn’t a specific mechanic for unlimited carry weight, using console commands (as mentioned above) allows you to set your carry weight to an extremely high value, effectively giving you unlimited carry capacity. However, be mindful of the potential for game instability if the value is excessively large.
Does body weight affect my character’s stats in Skyrim?
No, your character’s visual body weight (adjusted through racemenu or mods) does not affect any gameplay stats in Skyrim. It is purely a cosmetic choice. In older RPGs, weight could affect speed and other stats.
Where can I store items safely in Skyrim?
You can safely store items in containers within player-owned houses or containers within player guild halls (such as the College of Winterhold dormitories after joining the College). These containers will not respawn, ensuring that your stored items remain safe. Be aware that some containers in non-player-owned locations may respawn, causing you to lose your items.
How do I make money quickly to buy a house for storage?
There are many ways to make money quickly in Skyrim. Some effective methods include:
- Completing quests: Many quests offer substantial gold rewards.
- Crafting and selling: Crafting valuable items like potions or enchanted gear and selling them to vendors.
- Looting and selling: Exploring dungeons and selling valuable loot.
- Mining and selling ores: Mine valuable ores and sell them or craft them into ingots.
- Joining a guild: Some guilds, such as the Thieves Guild, have options to make money.
These are all methods to increase wealth, so that more focus can be placed on building up stats and skills.
Do backpacks increase carry weight in Skyrim?
Not in the base game, but mods can add backpacks that increase your carry weight. These mods often provide a more immersive and balanced way to increase your carry capacity compared to simply using console commands. Backpack mods usually have a set carry weight amount that can be found on the specific page that provides the mod.
Learning and understanding how game mechanics work, such as how to effectively increase carrying capacity, are important aspects of gaming literacy. The Games Learning Society is an excellent resource for those interested in the intersection of games and learning. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.