Skyrim Guide: How to Level Up Fast

Skyrim Special Edition is out now for PS4, Xbox One, and PC leading to an influx of brand new players for the five year old game. While The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was hugely popular in its time, Skyrim Special Edition looks to still be adding a bunch of newbies anyway. So, with new players come a lot of old questions, and with everyone just starting out their adventures in Skyrim, the biggest on on everyone’s mind is how to level up fast in Skyrim Special Edition.

First, some notes. Leveling up fast in Skyrim Special Edition might seem enticing, but it can also impact the game in a number of ways. Most enemies are at fixed levels, so if you jump a ton of levels they will be super easy. You may enjoy this though. However, a few enemies, including some dragons, level up with you. This means that as you level up, they still remain a threat. Also, the way Skyrim has you leveling up, you need to focus on specific attributes in order to boost that stat. We’ve broken down this guide into those specific stats with a tip for how to level it up fast. Some of these require other things, so if you have any questions, let us know in the comments.

How to Level Up Fast in Skyrim Special Edition

Magic:
First up are the Magic stats, be sure to go to set the Mage Stone as active if you’ve discovered that location. If you’re married, you’ll also want to sleep with your wife to trigger an XP bonus. If you’re not, check out this guide on how to get married in Skyrim Special Edition.

Illusion: Once you have the Muffle spell (buy it from Farengar at Dragonsreach in Whiterun) simply use it constantly. It should always be active on your character. If you run out of Magicka just wait an hour or so to refill it.

Alteration: Obtain the Detect Life spell through any of a number of ways (check the shop at Winterhold). Find a highly populated area, such as an Inn, and cast the spell. Do this until you run out of Magicka, then head to a bed and rest. Just repeat this process.

Restoration: Head to the Labyrinthian Chasm to obtain the Equilibrium spell. This deals damage to yourself. Set your healing spell on your other hand and cast both over and over again, making sure not to kill yourself.

Destruction: This one requires you to be a little mean. Do the Dark Brotherhood questline to the point where you can purchase a Torture Chamber. Then you can use Destruction magic spells against the prisoners there. Be sure not to kill them, using healing spells if necessary. Repeat this process.

Conjuration: Obtain the Soul Trap spell. Once you have it, just find some random, wild animal. Kill it, then continue to cast Soul Trap on its dead body.

Enchanting: The only real trick here, other than constantly enchanting weapons, is to find a weapon that can trap souls on its own, along with Azura’s Star (a soul gem that will not disappear upon use). Killing animals and enemies with the weapon will recharge Azura’s Star, which you can keep using to recharge your weapon.

Combat:
Be sure to head back to the stones and select the Warrior Stone.

One-handed and two-handed weapons: Complete the Dark Brotherhood questline and you’ll get Shadowmere, an invincible horse. Now you can just spam attacks against him with whichever type of weapon you want to level up.

Light and Heavy armor: These also just require constant use. If you want, find a giant or a guard tower, somewhere where you can take a ton of damage in a relatively short amount of time. Keep an eye on your health, equip the armor you want to level up, and start taking punches.

Smithing: There are a few ways to do this one. My favorite is to use Iron Ingot and Leather Strips to creat as many Iron Daggers as you can, selling them off and using the proceeds to buy more Iron and Leather. You can also kill a bunch of animals to get leather, using just that to make Hide Bracers. Just craft as many small, easy to make items as you can and your smithing ability should level up fast. However, this was nerfed by an update at some point. It’s still helpful, but not nearly as much.

Thief:
Activate the Thief Stone for these.

Sneak: Find large groups of people, then sneak around them. Some might notice you, but the ones that don’t will feed your XP for your Sneak stat.

Lockpicking/Pickpocket: Another one of those that has little trickery to it. To level these up just do them as often as possible. For pickpocket, maybe focus on cheaper items.

Archery: Another one where Shadowmere is helpful. Just fire as many iron arrows at him as you can. It’s OK, he can’t die.

Alchemy: Become a hoarder. Every flower or other ingredient that you see, pick it up. Head to an alchemy table and create as many cheap potions as possible.

Hopefully this helps you out in your quest to level up fast in Skyrim Special Edition. The game has been out for a while, and updates change some stuff. I tried to investigate whether these still worked, but if I missed anything please shout it out in the comments. If you have a method that you think is better, please let me know as well.