Elder Scrolls Lore » Discussions


Discussion: How are Enchantments Detected?

Tags: #Enchanting  #merchant 
  • Member
    May 8, 2018

    If a random adventurer tells a shopkeeper "I'd like to sell you this enchanted item", how does the shopkeeper know the item is actually enchanted? How does the adventurer? Assuming the enchantment graphics are visible to the characters and not just the player, not all enchanted items have a special glow to distinguish them from non-enchanted items, and some enchantments even have the same glow, so how would either party know that the "Iron Sword of Sapping" doesn't have a different magicka-related effect than the name implies?

  • May 14, 2018

    I assume that its the runes placed on the weapons/armour? I've never really taken a good look at them but if they're different that would explain it really. But I could be super wrong there, maybe...maybe it's magic :P

  • May 14, 2018

    This is an intriguing discussion. You are quite right in thinking visually that there is little way to tell the difference between an enchantment of drain Magicka and absorb Magicka. From what I can tell all enchantments take on a color that has pulsating swirl effect. And then with the twin enchantment the weapon takes on the colour of the most expensive enchantment. So you could have a dagger that does fire and paralyze but it will glow green because paralyze is the more expensive enchentment. The only way for a normal merchant to figure this out if they were not magickally attuned would be to um well test it lol. Feel sorry for who evers on the recieving end of that. Maybe there's some info regarding this in one of those enchantments skill books? Our resident lore experts might know?

    Never noticed any runes on weapons in Skyrim but it'd look awesome if they lit up like they did in the Witcher 3. Aw man now I want a big ol' Hammer that has Lightning Runes in it so I can call it Mjolnir lol.

  • Member
    May 14, 2018
    There used to exist a Detect Enchantment spell back in Morrowind. Personally, I don't think there is any way for someone to tell what kind of enchantment a weapon has - or even if it is enchanted - without the aid of any detection spell.
  • May 14, 2018

    I assume that the answer lord Todd Howard intended was "a wizard did it". Honestly, the possibilities are either that every merchant in Skyrim, including nords that will call you mean milk-related slurs for even mentioning magick, dabble in alteration themselves, or that they employ enchantment testers with the whole purpose of getting stabbed with demon flesh knives that they've been told will send their soul to the nightmare dorito dimension. I'm inclined to believe that it's just obvious to Tamrielans that such and so hat makes you more skiled at bedwetting when you slosh it over your head.

  • Member
    May 15, 2018

    Well, I honestly feel that merchants do employ people to either test out supposed enchanted items and/or people who specialize in indentifying. Though, I think it should be stated that magicka can be sensed if strong enough (according to Tolfdr, then again he mentions being attuned so I dunno). So I think it's possible to literally feel how powerful an item is (assuming it's that strong to be felt anyway). That's not counting the fact of the actual function of the enchantment from a lore standpoint. An amulet enchanted with Frost Resistance might make the wearer feel more warm, thus, staving off things like Skyrim's natural weather if strong enough and vice versa with Fire Resistance making you feel more cool, good for living in a volcanic wasteland or desert.

  • Member
    May 16, 2018

    I think one simple way to really know if a weapon is enchanted is just testing it against something or someone...