In The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, the enchanting system relies on Soul Gems. These items are essential for those who have a magic-based play style, like a mage or even a hybrid mage. They are needed to maintain any enchantments you may have on your weapons.

The tricky part is knowing where to find them and how to fill them. Unfortunately, they are difficult to find with little guidance on where to look. However, they are not impossible to stumble across, and they are well worth the journey to obtain them so you can enhance your character.

Every Type Of Soul Gem

Know What You're Searching For

There are several different types of Soul Gems you can find in the game. Each one will have various characteristics for enchanting weapons and items. Most of the Soul Gems will be single-use, meaning once you use them, they will be destroyed. However, there is no limit to the number of times you refill the Azura's Star. This Soul Gem is a great asset to possess for enchanting in late-game.

Each one is worth money, depending on whether it currently has a soul trapped in it or not. The higher the rank of the gem, the more difficult it will be to find it throughout your travels. You are able to carry more than one gem at a time, which is good considering you're typically only able to use them once.

How To Get Soul Gems

Methods And Locations To Get Gems

Overall, there are five ways you can get your hands on Soul Gems. Some gems will be easier to find than others, especially those that are lower ranked. All of them, however, can be found by exploring the Cyrodiil map. that the loot is leveled, so the higher your level, the better the chances of finding higher-ranked gems.

• Opening containers such as chests, sacks, and display cases, as they will sometimes hold gems. One of the hidden locations throughout the game is a tomb with a few Soul Gems in a chest.
• Purchasing them directly from vendors such as General Goods merchants and Mage vendors. They will have an expensive and limited stock of gems that will be refreshed every seven days in-game. Some will already be filled with a soul, so bear in mind the gem is only as good as the kind of soul it has in it.
• Looting NPCs and enemies, either after defeating them or by pick-pocketing, as they will sometimes carry gems.
• Some gems are received as a reward after completing quests, the Azura's Star in particular. You will receive the Azura's Star after completing the quest at the Shrine of Azura.
• You are able to create some gems, such as the Black Soul Gem, by placing a Grand Soul Gem inside a special altar and casting the Soul Trap on the altar.

Filling And Using The Soul Gems

Choose Your Souls Wisely Before Filling

To capture a soul in a Soul Gem, you must use the Soul Trap spell. There are different levels of Soul Trap spells, with the difference being the duration of the spell. You will need at least a level 25 Mysticism to use the lowest level of Soul Trap. If you don't have this, go to Edgar's Discount Spells in the Imperial City Market district to buy the Minor Life Detection, then spam it.

You can purchase the Soul Trap spell at many mage vendors, such as Treyvond the Redguard, located at Cheydinhal West Gate in the Mages Guild building. You will need to cast this spell on an enemy, then kill them before the spell runs out. It is recommended to lower the enemy's health before casting the Soul Trap spell so you don't risk it running out before they're defeated. Their soul will then be sucked into your chosen Soul Gem if it has enough space. This spell can also be an enchantment added to various weapons as well.

Most of these gems are strictly used to capture creature souls. There are dozens of creatures you can utilize the souls of, such as Bears, Wraiths, Ghosts, Goblins, Minotaurs, and Will-o-the-Wisps. However, if you wish to capture human souls, you will need a Black Soul Gem. The process to capture a human soul is the same as the others, using the Soul Trap and killing the human before the spell runs out. to check to make sure you have an empty Black Soul Gem in your inventory.

The higher the difficulty of an enemy, the higher the rank of a Soul Gem will be needed to trap it. If you have multiple empty Soul Gems, it may trap the soul in the lower Soul Gem, depending on the rank of the soul you're taking. Pay attention to the tier of the empty Soul Gems in your inventory and use the Soul Trap spell on enemies that will maximize the use of your gems.

If you only have a lower tier gem and take out an enemy with a high soul rank, your gem will remain empty.

Many creatures fit into each category associated with the soul type, giving you plenty of opportunities to fill your gems. Unfortunately, the game won't outright tell you what kind of soul a creature has. To tell what a creature's soul type is before you kill it, observe its size and power. Once you have the soul captured to the appropriate gem, you can apply it to your desired weapon or armor.

To enchant your selected item, you will need to use the Altar of Enchanting. This altar is unlocked after you become an Apprentice in the Mage Guild. After interacting with the altar, select the Soul Gem, followed by the enchanted item you wish to refill, and the desired effect. If you need to recharge an enchanted item, simply click on the gem with a soul in your inventory and choose to recharge the enchanted item. The duration of the soul enchantment on an item will depend on the tier of the Soul Gem. The higher the rank of soul in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, the longer you can use your weapon or armor before needing to refill it.