Exploits and Tips
Item duplication, infinite skill, easy gold, factions and Standing Stones.
1.Item/Armor Duplication
Put armor on a mannequin, then take it back into your inventory. Leave the area and return — the item is still on the mannequin; take it too. Repeat as desired. (Also works on Hearthfire armory mannequins.)
2.Infinite Skill Gain (Oghma Infinium)
Own a house with an alchemy lab. Get the Oghma Infinium book but don't read it. Open the bookshelf at home, read the book and pick the skill set, place it on the shelf, then take it back but don't read it. Repeat → infinite skill gain.
3.Easy Experience (Helgen start)
At the game's start, enter the keep with Hadvar, have him cut your bindings, grab the iron sword from the wall, and keep hitting Hadvar — he won't die, and your One-Handed and Sneak skills rise quickly.
4.Easy Gold
- Chop wood: Sell as much wood as you want to Hod in Riverwood; he never runs out of money.
- Invisible chest (Dawnstar): Under the tree left of the Iron-Breaker Mine entrance is an invisible but lootable chest; reset stock by saving on the Khajiit caravan and reloading.
- Alchemy loop: Use the Fortify Restoration + Fortify Alchemy gear loop to make extremely valuable potions and sell them.
5.Standing Stones
Seen southwest of Riverwood as you leave Helgen. The Warrior/Mage/Thief stones improve their skill group 20% faster. Others: Lover (all skills faster), Steed (carry weight), Atronach (spell absorption), Lord (damage resistance).
6.Joining Factions
- The Companions: Kodlak at Jorrvaskr in Whiterun → "Take Up Arms".
- College of Winterhold: Tolfdir → "First Lessons".
- Thieves Guild: Find Brynjolf in Riften.
- Dark Brotherhood: Talk to Aventus Aretino in Windhelm → "Innocence Lost".
7.Vampire / Werewolf
- Vampirism: Contract the disease fighting vampires, wait 3 days → 4-stage vampire powers. Weakness to sunlight increases.
- Werewolf: Drink blood in the "secret ritual" during the Companions questline. To cure, complete Kodlak's quest (permanent).