Artifacts are legendary items of lore you are given a chance to collect during Arena. Each is imbued with unique powers and may be collected only by embarking on an artifact quest. Some artifacts are restricted by class and, as detailed below, the relevant rumors to start each quest can be found in all but one province (the Imperial City is the only place where all artifact rumors are available). Artifacts will disappear from your equipment list, but never randomly as their text descriptions imply; they disappear when they break or wear out from use. However, you can have equipment stores repair them, so you can keep them indefinitely if you wish. They cannot be sold, but may be dropped. You may not have more than one artifact at a time (although there is an exploit that allows you to do so). Therefore, if you have an artifact in your inventory, you will not get another artifact quest until the one you have disappears. Unlike future installments of The Elder Scrolls series, artifacts lack a unique appearance.
Armor Artifacts
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Auriel's Shield
| Artifact: Auriel's Shield (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Ebony Kite Shield | |||
| Statistics | ||||
.png){kind=small} Rating |
-3 AC | |||
.png){kind=icon} Weight |
4 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"Auriel's Shield, an Ebony shield said to have once belonged to the quasi-mythical Elvish deity Auriel, can make its wielder nigh invulnerable. In its resistance to fire and magick, Auriel's Shield is unsurpassed. To defend its wielder from any attacks it cannot absorb, the Shield lends him or her health. Like many artifacts of Tamriel, the Shield has life and personality of its own, and does not feel bound to its user. A popular fable tells the tale of it abandoning one wielder in her greatest hour of need, but this is perhaps, apocryphal."—Codex Scientia
Auriel's Shield is a shield artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. The artifact quest for Auriel's Shield can be started anywhere but High Rock, as this is the province where the dungeon containing the map leading to Auriel's Shield will always be located. This map will lead to a second dungeon containing Auriel's Shield itself, and this dungeon can be located in any province with the exceptions of High Rock and the Imperial Province.
Auriel's Shield can be equipped by the following classes:
- Bard
- Rogue
- Barbarian
- Knight
- Ranger
- Warrior
- Spellsword
Auriel's Shield cannot be equipped by the following classes:
- Acrobat
- Assassin
- Burglar
- Thief
- Archer
- Monk
- Battlemage
- Healer
- Mage
- Nightblade
- Sorcerer
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Ebony Mail
| Artifact: Ebony Mail (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Ebony Cuirass | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-9 AC | |||
| Weight |
16 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Ebony Mail is an artifact created before recorded history, according to legend, by the Dark Elven goddess Boethiah. It is she who determines who should possess the Mail and for how long a time. If judged worthy, its power grants the wearer invulnerability to all common magical attacks that drain talents and health. It is Boethiah alone who determines when a person is ineligible to bear the Ebony Mail any longer, and the goddess can be very capricious..."—Codex Scientia
The Ebony Mail is a cuirass artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Black Marsh. The artifact itself will be found in Black Marsh.
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, the Ebony Mail should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use its armor type.
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Lord's Mail
| Artifact: Lord's Mail (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Adamantium Cuirass | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-9 AC (male pc) / -3 AC (female pc) | |||
| Weight |
16 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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|
The Lord's Mail is a cuirass artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Skyrim. The artifact itself will be found in Black Marsh, Summurset Isle, or Valenwood.
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, the Lord's Mail should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use its armor type. Female characters only get the armor rating reduction identical to a leather armor cuirass, so they should refrain from starting this quest. They should instead opt for the Ebony Mail if they can use this kind of armor
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Spell Breaker
| Artifact: Spell Breaker (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Dwarven Tower Shield | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-3 AC | |||
| Weight |
10 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"Spell Breaker, superficially a Dwarven tower shield, is one of the most prized ancient relics of Tamriel. Aside from its historic importance dating from the Battle of Rourken-Shalidor, the Spell Breaker protects its wielder almost completely from any spellcaster, either by dispelling magicks or silencing any mage about to cast a spell. It is said that the Spell Breaker still searches for its original owner, and will not remain the property of any one else for long. For most, possessing Spell Breaker for any time is power enough."—Codex Scientia
Spell Breaker is a shield artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Hammerfell. The artifact itself will be found in Valenwood and maybe other locations.
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, Spell Breaker should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use tower shields.
Weapon Artifacts
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Auriel's Bow
| Artifact: Auriel's Bow (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Elven Longbow | |||
| Statistics | ||||
.png){kind=icon} Damage |
2-12 | |||
| Weight |
1 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"Auriel's Bow appears as a modest Elven Longbow, but it one [sic] of the mightiest weapons ever to exist in Tamriel's history. Allegedly created and used, like its sister Auriel's Shield, by the great Elvish demi-god, the Bow can turn any arrow into a missile of death and any wielder invulnerable to any lesser attacks. Without Auriel's power behind it, however, the bow uses its own store of energy for its power. Once exhausted of this energy, the bow will vanish and reappear where ever chance puts it. Its most recent appearances have been subject of gossip for hundreds of years."—Codex Scientia
Auriel's Bow is a long bow artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Valenwood. The artifact itself will be found in Elsweyr, Skyrim.
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, Auriel's Bow should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use long bows.
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Chrysamere
| Artifact: Chrysamere (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Adamantium Claymore | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Damage |
2-18 | |||
| Weight |
14 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"Chrysamere, the Paladin's Blade and Sword of Heroes, is an ancient claymore with offensive capabilities only surpassed by its defenses. It lends the wielder health, protects him or her from fire, and reflects any deletory spells cast against the wielder back to the caster. Seldom has Chrysamere been wielded by any bladesman for any length of time, for it chooses not to favor one champion."—Codex Scientia
Chrysamere is an adamantium claymore artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. The artifact quest for Chrysamere can be started anywhere but Elsweyr, as this is the province where the dungeon containing the map leading to Chrysamere will always be located. This map will lead to a second dungeon containing Chrysamere itself, and this dungeon can be located in any province with the exceptions of Elsweyr and the Imperial Province.
Chrysamere cannot be acquired by Acrobats, Bards, Burglars, Thieves, Healers, Mages, or Nightblades.
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Ebony Blade
| Artifact: Ebony Blade (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Ebony Katana | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Damage |
3-16 | |||
| Weight |
6 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Ebony Blade, sometimes called the Vampire or the Leech, resembles an ebony katana, but its power is very dark indeed. Every time the Ebony Blade strikes an opponent, part of the damage inflicted flows into the wielder as raw power. The Blade itself may not be any more evil than those who have used it, but at some point in its long existence, a charm was cast on it so it would not remain with one bladesman. The wizard who cast this charm sought to save the souls of any too infatuated by the Blade, and perhaps he was right..."—Codex Scientia
The Ebony Blade is a katana artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Morrowind. The artifact itself will be found in Skyrim, Valenwood or Elsweyr
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, the Ebony Blade should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use its weapon type.
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Staff of Magnus
| Artifact: Staff of Magnus (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Ebony Staff | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Damage |
1-8 | |||
| Weight |
3 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Staff of Magnus, one of the elder artifacts of Tamriel, was a metaphysical battery of sorts for its creator, the Arch-Mage Magnus. When used, it regenerates both a mage's health and mystical energy at remarkable rates. In time, the Staff will abandon the mage who wields it before he or she becomes too powerful and upsets the mystical balance it is sworn to protect."—Codex Scientia
The Staff of Magnus is a staff artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Elsweyr. The artifact itself will be found in High Rock, or Valenwood.
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Volendrung
| Artifact: Volendrung (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Dwarven Warhammer | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Damage |
3-18 | |||
| Weight |
16 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Hammer of Might, Volendrung is said to have been created by the Dwarves of the now abandoned clan of Rourken, hundreds of years before they disappeared from the world of Tamriel. It has the ability to grant health to its wielder, but it is best known for the paralyzing and strength leeching effects it has when cast at an enemy. Like the Dwarves who created it, Volendrung is prone to disappearing suddenly, resurfacing sometimes in days, sometimes in eons."—Codex Scientia
Volendrung is a war hammer artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Hammerfell. The artifact itself will be found in High Rock, Morrowind.
As artifacts cannot be sold to merchants and you are limited to a single artifact at a time without exploits, Volendrung should not be obtained by classes that are unable to use War Hammers.
Notes
- Due to the effect of paralyzing enemies activating every strike and this contributing to the degradation of the weapon, this might be the worst artifact in the game in terms of usability overall.
Other Artifacts
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King Orgnum's Coffer
| Artifact: King Orgnum's Coffer (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"King Orghum's [sic] Coffer is a small-sized chest, ordinary in appearance. It is remarkably light, almost weightless, which offers a clue to its true magic. Once a day, the Coffer will create gold from naught. When King Orghum himself possessed the Coffer, the supply within was limitless. Those who have found it since report that the Coffer eventually disappears after having dispersed enough gold to shame even the wealthiest of merchants. Where and why it vanishes is still a mystery."—Codex Scientia
King Orgnum's Coffer is an artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but the Summurset Isle. The artifact itself will be found in High Rock or the Summurset Isle.
The artifact will passively generate 1-100 gold for you per day.
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Necromancer's Amulet
| Artifact: Necromancer's Amulet (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-9 AC | |||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The legendary Necromancer's Amulet, the last surviving relic of the mad sorcerer Mannimarco, grants any spellcaster who wears it the ability to absorb magical energy and regenerate from injury. The Amulet is mystically fortified to give the person wearing it an armor rating equivalent to plate armor, without the weight and restriction of movement. This makes the artifact popular amongst thieves and mages alike. It is the one flaw of the Amulet that it is unstable in this world - forever doomed to fade in and out of existence, reappearing at locations distant from that of its disappearance."—Codex Scientia
The Necromancer's Amulet is a amulet artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but High Rock. The artifact itself will be found in the Summurset Isle and maybe other places
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Oghma Infinium
| Artifact: Oghma Infinium (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Oghma Infinium is a tome of knowledge written by the Ageless One, the wizard-sage Xarses. All who read the Infinium are filled with the energy of the artifact which can be manipulated to raise one's abilities to near demi-god proportions. Once used, legend has it, the Infinium will disappear from its wielder."—Codex Scientia
The Oghma Infinium is an artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Skyrim. The artifact itself will be found in Black Marsh, Elsweyr, Morrowind, Skyrim, or the Summurset Isle.
The Oghma Infinium artifact quest can be done repeatedly, giving the player another extra 50 points for their attributes each time. However, the provinces and dungeons the player must travel to will differ each time. Beware that the game will soft lock if a character acquires the tome or levels up and the newly acquired attribute points can't be fully distributed due to having capped all attributes.
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Ring of Khajiit
| Artifact: Ring of Khajiit (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-6 AC | |||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Ring of the Khajiiti is an ancient relic, hundreds of years older than Rajhin, the thief who made the Ring famous. It was Rajhin who used the Ring's powers to make himself as invisible, silent, and quick as a breath of wind. Using the Ring he became the most successful burglar in Elsweyr's history. Rajhin's eventual fate is a mystery, but according to legend, the Ring rebelled against such constant use and disappeared, leaving Rajhin helpless before his enemies..."—Codex Scientia
The Ring of Khajiit is a ring artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Black Marsh. The artifact itself will be found in Hammerfell, High Rock, or Valenwood.
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Ring of Phynaster
| Artifact: Ring of Phynaster (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Rating |
-6 AC | |||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Ring of Phynaster was made hundreds of years ago by a person who needed good defenses to survive his adventurous life. Thanks to the Ring, Phynaster lived for hundreds of years, and since then it has passed from person to person. The ring improves its wearer's overall resistance to damage and grants total immunity to poison, spells, and electricity. Still, Phynaster was cunning and said to have cursed the Ring. It eventually disappears from its holder's possessions and returns to another resting place, uncontent to stay anywhere but with Phynaster himself."—Codex Scientia
The Ring of Phynaster is a ring artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Summurset Isle. The artifact itself will be found in Black Marsh, Elsweyr, Skyrim.
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Skeleton's Key
| Artifact: Skeleton's Key (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The power of the Skeleton's Key is very simple, indeed. With it, any non-magically locked door or chest is instantly accessible to even the clumsiest of lockpickers. A particularly skillful lockpicker may even open some magically barred doors with the Key. The two limitations placed on the Key by wizards who sought to protect their storehouses were that the Key could only be used once a day and it would never be the property of one thief for too long. Some of those who have possessed the Key have made themselves rich before it disappeared, others have broken into places they never should have entered ..."—Codex Scientia
The Skeleton's Key is an artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Valenwood. The artifact itself will be found in the Summurset Isle
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Warlock's Ring
| Artifact: Warlock's Ring (lore page) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares Appearance With | Nothing, it has no appearance | |||
| Statistics | ||||
| Weight |
0 kg | |||
| Enchantment | ||||
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"The Warlock's Ring of the Arch-Mage Syrabane is one of the most popular relics of myth and fable. In Tamriel's ancient history, Syrabane saved all of the continent by judicious use of his Ring, and ever since, it has helped adventurers with less lofty goals. It is best known for its ability to reflect spells cast at its wearer and to improve his or her speed and health, though it may have additional powers. No adventurer can wear the Warlock's Ring for long, for it is said the Ring is Syrabane's alone to command."—Codex Scientia
The Warlock's Ring is a ring artifact that can be obtained by taking part in an artifact quest. Per the Codex Scientia, this quest can be started anywhere but Morrowind. The artifact itself will be found in Elsweyr.
Notes
- Some classes are prohibited from using certain artifacts. For example, if your class cannot use bows (e.g., you're a Mage), you cannot use Auriel's Bow
- The items' materials are not implemented like you might expect, although they do act as advertised. For instance, the Ebony Blade does indeed do damage like a mere steel katana and not like an ebony katana (i.e., 3-16 pts. damage per hit), but on the other hand it can harm those creatures that a steel katana cannot (e.g., golems).
- The artifact chest is usually located at the southwest corner of the dungeon.
- Some dungeons that contain maps may have a raised platform that appear as though the chest is supposed to be there, but the chest may be located in any room in the dungeon level.
- Artifact weapons are twice as durable as normal weapons.[verification needed — see talk page]
- Page 120 of the Codex Scientia erroneously refers to the Necromancer's Amulet and the Warlock's ring as the "Necromancer's Ring" and the "Amulet of the Warlock," respectively.
- The quest giver for the Necromancer's Amulet quest erroneously refers to the amulet as the Necromancer's Robes.
Bugs
- After getting the quest for the Oghma Infinium, before doing the map quest, a bug may occur giving you 50 points to distribute at each level up.