Use Muffle or Clairvoyance repeatedly.
Muffle and Clairvoyance will both buff your Illusion magic skill. While there are many low-level illusion spells in Skyrim, some (like Fury, Fear, or Calm) can cause NPCs (the other non-player characters in the game world) to attack you. So, purchase the Muffle or Clairvoyance spells and cast them on yourself over and over to continually raise your skill in Illusion magic. Buy the Muffle spell from Farengar at Dragonsreach in the city of Whiterun. Buy Clairvoyance from Lucan Valerius at the Riverwood Trader in Riverwood. When you run out of magicka (the power source that lets you cast spells), use the “wait” function for 1 hour so you can quickly recharge your magicka and start casting spells again. At higher levels, use the Harmony spell instead. Harmony is a Master-level spell, so you need to level up and become a master of illusion magic to cast it. However, using it will help you further level up your Illusion skill.
Sneak attack either Hadvar or Ralof.
Attacking an NPC can improve your Stealth and One-Handed skills. However, you may not want to go around stabbing every NPC in sight—so practice your fighting skills on an NPC that can’t be killed! Hadvar and Ralof both appear in the tutorial level of Skyrim, and they’re important to the plot (and therefore marked as unkillable). Choose one to attack, sneak up behind them, and continually stab them to level up your Stealth and One-Handed skills. Any unkillable NPC can be used to level up your fighting skills, not just Hadvar and Ralof; they’re simply two of the easiest NPCs to choose from, and the first ones you’ll encounter in the game. For example, you could also travel to High Hrothgar and sneak attack a meditating Greybeard since they also can’t be killed. Be sure to save your game first, just in case!
Summon and banish creatures.
Summoning creatures increases your Conjuration magic skill. At low levels, the Conjuration skill isn’t super useful—so level it up quickly using the Conjure Flame Atronach spell repeatedly. After casting the spell, immediately send it back where it came from using the Banish Daedra spell. Then, repeat until your Conjuration skill levels up. Alternatively, use the Conjure Familiar spell to repeatedly summon creatures. Find the Conjure Flame Atronach spell by traveling to the College of Winterhold and speaking to Faralda; she’ll automatically give you the spell. Buy the Banish Daedra spell from Phinis Gestor (at the College of Winterhold) or Calcelmo (in Understone Keep, Markarth). Buy the Conjure Familiar spell from Phinis Gestor, Farengar (in Whiterun), or Sybille Stentor (in the Blue Palace, Solitude).
Cast the Detect Life spell in busy locations.
Detect Life is one of the easiest ways to raise your Alteration skill. Learn the Detect Life spell and then visit a highly-populated area (including any of the major cities, like Whiterun or Markarth, or a busy inn). Then, cast Detect Life over and over until you run out of magicka. Rest for a couple of hours until our magicka refills, and start casting it again until you raise your Alteration magic enough to level up. Obtain this spell a few different ways: Find it as random loot on enemies. Purchase it from Tolfdir (at the College of Winterhold) or Wylandriah (in Mistveil Keep, Riften). Get the spell as a reward for completing the “Infiltration” quest from Stalleo at Treva’s Watch.
Use Telekinesis while fast-traveling.
Telekinesis is another effective spell for raising your Alteration magic. Use Telekinesis to carry heavy objects around when you’re exploring, such as barrels, urns, or even food! Keep on carrying the object around via Telekinesis until you’ve completely cleared a dungeons, and your Alternation will level up quickly. Alternatively, fast travel somewhere on your world map while casting Telekinesis to gain a huge skill increase. Because you’re casting the spell while fast-traveling, the game thinks your character has been casting it for hours and hours of in-game time—and rewards you accordingly. Obtain Telekinesis from several locations: Buy it from Tolfdir (at the College of Winderhold) and Wylandriah (in Mistveil Keep, Riften) after you reach Alteration Level 40. Find it in Proudspire Manor’s chest (in Solitude, after buying Proudspire for 25,000 gold). Find it in a variety of chests around the world, including Uttering Hills Cave and Labyrinthian.
Learn the Equilibrium and Fast Healing spells.
Raise your Restoration and Alternation magic by healing yourself. This spell deals 25 damage to you and restores 25 magicka—so, essentially, you’ll be using it to hurt yourself (and it also raises your Alteration skill). Then, when you’re hurt, use the Fast Healing spell to heal yourself, which raises your Restoration skill. Keep repeating this process (without accidentally killing your own character) until you run out of magicka! Find the Equilibrium spell in the Labyrinthian Chasm. Purchase the Fast Healing spell from Farengar (in Whiterun) or Colette (at the College of Winterhold). If you don’t want to use the Equilibrium method, simply make a habit of healing yourself with magic anytime your character gets hurt! Use the basic healing spell you get automatically at the start of the game, or Fast Healing as your skill increases.
Cast spells on Dark Brotherhood prisoners.
The Dark Brotherhood’s torture chamber can raise your Destruction skill. Once you complete the "Hail, Sithis!" quest, you'll be able to start the "Where You Hang Your Enemy's Head" quest by speaking with Nazir and purchasing a torture chamber for the Dawnstar Sanctuary. Then, attack the prisoners in the chamber with Destruction spells, but don’t kill them (because they won’t respawn). Attack them, heal them, and attack again until your Destruction skill is maxed out. Using healing magic to heal the hurt prisoners can help boost your Restoration magic skill as well. It’ll take about an hour to max out your Destruction skill this way (but you don’t have to do it all at once, either). Try enchanting your equipment with Destruction cost reduction enchantments as well, which will lower the Magicka required to cast the spells. Keep in mind that the torture chamber costs 5,000 gold to build—so plan accordingly!
Use the Soul Trap spell on bodies.
The Soul Trap spell raises your Conjuring magic skill. Once you have the Soul Trap spell, kill a non-human creature—it could be any animal you find out in the wild, like a deer, wolf, or frostbite spider, for example. Then, cast Soul Trap repeatedly on the body; each time you cast the spell, you’ll raise your Conjuring skill. If you run out of magicka, rest for an hour and then continue casting! Snag the Soul Trap spell from Farengar (in Whiterun) or Phinis Gestor (at the College of Winterhold). Once you have a bunch of trapped souls form the spell, use them to refill the enchantment on any soul trap weapons you have—which then levels up your Enchantment skill. For example, one popular soul trap weapon is the Mace of Molag Bal, which you’ll find in Markarth after finishing “The House of Horrors” quest.
Let yourself take damage in armor.
Take damage to raise your Light and Heavy Armor skills. The quickest way to raise your armor levels is to simply equip one of these armor types and then take damage. The safest way to do this is typically to let weak enemies (like wolves or mudcrabs) attack you, since they won’t do damage very quickly and your character is less likely to die accidentally. The more damage the armor absorbs, the more your skill will increase!
Deflect attacks with your shield.
Using your shield successfully raises your Block skill level. In Skyrim, your Block skill essentially determines how effectively you can use shields, and the quickest way to level up your Block skill is to let enemies hit you while blocking them with a shield. Let your character go up against tough enemy that can hit hard (like a giant, for example). Start blocking their attacks, and keep doing it until you max out your Block skill. Giant camps are located all over Skyrim, from Bleakwind Basin (west of Whiterun) the Broken Wind Camp (on the edge of the hot springs in Eastmarch). It may take around 30 minutes to get your Block skill all the way to 100, so make sure you have enough healing potions and spells to keep your character alive! This strategy is also effective for raising your character’s Armor skills.
Attack Shadowmere the horse.
Fighting Shadowmere can boost your melee and Archery skills. Shadowmere is a potential mount in Skyrim, but it’s special among other horses because it can’t die and has a much larger amount of health. So, if you deal a lot of damage, Shadowmere will simply regenerate and reappear. Attack Shadowmere to improve any kind of fighting skill, from One-Handed or Two-Handed melee skills to Archery. To get Shadowmere as a mount, complete the Dark Brotherhood assassin questline in Skyrim. Then, you’ll be able to summon the horse whenever you want!
Be stealthy in crowded areas.
Creep around constantly to improve your Sneak skill. Travel somewhere filled with other people (like a major city or town) and start crouching to sneak around. It’s okay if people see you; the goal is simply to use your sneaking skill around as many people as possible. With every person you sneak past, whether or not they notice you, your Sneak skill with improve! To make this as easy as possible, try sneaking up behind someone stationary, like a shopkeeper. Then, keep backing into the wall behind you indefinitely (so the game registers that you’re moving). This lets you boost the Sneak skill with little effort.
Pickpocket NPCs as they sleep.
Increase your Pickpocket skill by stealing as much as you can. There’s really no trick or cheat behind enhancing your Pickpocketing skill; just keep stealing small trinkets until it improves! To make this as easy as possible, try visiting a town or city and waiting until everyone goes to sleep. Then, break into their homes and pickpocket them while they’re sleeping (so it’s easier to creep up on them unnoticed). This strategy also lets you level up your Sneak and Lockpicking skills (since most homes are locked at night in Skyrim). You’re less likely to get caught when you steal light items (like gold coins), so try sticking to the lighter, smaller things until you gain a little more skill. After that, start aiming for more high-value steals (like jewelry).
Break your lockpicks.
Attempt (and fail) to pick locks to improve your Lockpicking skill. In Skyrim, practice really does make perfect! The easiest way to level your Lockpicking skill isn’t actually to succeed right away every time you pick a lock—but rather, to fail a few times first. Every time you fail to pick a lock and break your pick, your Lockpicking skill increases a bit. So, try repeatedly breaking into a single chest or door and failing to raise your skill. Gather a ton of lockpicks before attempting this so you won’t run out! To try this trick without upsetting an NPC, join the Thieves’ Guild in Riften and spend some time picking locks on the many practice chests there.
Craft weapons and armor.
Raise your Smithing skill by using a blacksmith forge as much as you can. Start small; collect or buy iron ingots and leather strips to make daggers (since they’re simple, requiring only 1 ingot and 1 leather strip). Do this until your Smithing skill improves enough to work with other metals, like dwarven ingots (which can be made from scrap metal in Dwemer ruins). Use them to make dwarven bows, which will further improve your Smithing skill. When you’ve reached high levels of Smithing, the best way to keep leveling is to purchase armor from blacksmiths and then upgrade it. Then, use items like the Necklace of Haggling to sell the upgraded armor back to a blacksmith and make a hefty profit. Keep upgrading armor to reach Smithing level 100.
Transmute iron ore to gold.
Making jewelry from altered gold raises your Smithing and Alteration skills. Mine as much iron ore as you can while out adventuring, and then use the Transmute Mineral Ore spell to turn the iron into gold and silver ore (which will raise your Alteration magic skill). With that, you’ll have plenty of materials to make jewelry with, which in turn will raise your Smithing skill. Plus, you’ll be able to sell the jewelry for a profit! Find the Transmute Mineral Ore spell at the Halted Stream Camp, northeast of Whitewatch Tower in Whiterun hold. It’s easy to find iron ore veins in mines around the game world, including Lost Prospect Mine (in the Rift), Mor Khazgur Mine (in Haafingar), and Darkwater Crossing (in Eastmarch). Keep any jewels you find or get as rewards for completing quests; you’ll be able to put those gems in your crafted jewelry, which makes it more valuable (so you’ll get more money for it).
Use valuable enchantments on weapons.
Valuable enchantments raise your Enchantment skill the fastest. Applying quick enchantments to nonmagical weapons in Skyrim is a great way to make money, but there’s also a way to maximize your Enchanting skill. Valuable enchantments (meaning the ones that sell for more money once applied) boost your Enchanting skill more—so try applying the most valuable enchantments possible to your armor and weapons. For example, some of the most valuable enchantments for armor include: Fortify Destruction Fortify Sneak Fortify Archery Valuable enchantments for weapons include: Banish Daedra Paralyze Absorb Health
Craft high-value potions.
The more valuable the potion, the higher your Alchemy skill will get. Just like enchantments, valuable potions are also worth more in terms of leveling up your Alchemy skill. So, the next time you’re at an alchemy station in Skyrim, focus on creating the most valuable potions possible and quickly increase your character’s Alchemy skill. The most valuable potions (and potion recipes) include: Fortify Carry Weight Invisibility Slow Regenerate Health (or Stamina/Magicka) Any potion made with the Giant’s Toe ingredient because it makes them longer-lasting and more potent, and thus worth more money.
Wear the Amulet of Articulation.
The Amulet of Articulation helps level up your Speech skill. Luckily, it’s not too hard to find; while the Amulet of Articulation is unique, it’s a reward given to your character when you complete the Thieves’ Guild quest “Under New Management.” So, simply join the guild, complete the quest, and equip the amulet to gain a bonus to your Persuasion checks—plus a 5-35% bonus to Speech. With the bonus to your Persuasion checks, you’ll be able to succeed on almost any check, which in turn levels up your Speech skill much faster!
Ask an NPC to train you.
Trainers in Skyrim can level up your skills for a fee. Tired of running around Skyrim spamming spells and pickpocketing everyone in sight? Just ask a trainer to help you! Certain NPCs around Skyrim are trainers, meaning they’re especially good at a particular skill and can train your character in it for a fee. Find a trainer who specializes in the skill you want to improve, pay them, and instantly level up that skill. For example: Niruin, in the Thieves’ Guild (in Riften) is a trainer who teaches Archery. Farkas, in the Companions (in Whiterun) is a trainer who teaches the Heavy Armor skill. Giraud Gemane, in the Bard’s College (in Solitude) is a trainer who teaches the Speech skill. Nearly every teacher in the College of Winterhold (including Phinis Gestor, Faralda, Tolfdir, Drevis Neloren, and Colette Marence) specializes in teaching a particular school of magic. Remember, the more you level up your skills, the more expensive training becomes. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of gold if you choose this strategy!
Activate a Guardian Stone.
The Warrior, Mage, and Thief Stones each give different skill bonuses. Unfortunately, you can’t get all 3 bonuses at once, but you can get a 20% bonus in leveling all mage skills, warrior skills, or thief skills (which means they increase 20% faster). Choose a Guardian Stone based on the skills you most want to hone, and focus on leveling them. When you decide you want to focus on a different set of skills, simply return and activate a different stone! The Warrior Stone grants a 20% leveling bonus to the Block, Heavy Armor, One-Handed, Two-Handed, and Smithing skills. The Mage Stone grants a 20% leveling bonus to the Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Enchanting, Illusion, and Restoration skills. The Thief Stone grants a 20% leveling bonus to the Archery, Sneak, Alchemy, Light Armor, Pickpocket, Speech, and Lockpicking skills.
Sleep in bed with a loved one.
The Lover’s Comfort perk grants a bonus to skill increases. After you get married in Skyrim, you can opt to sleep in the same bed as your in-game partner—and gain the Lover’s Comfort perk as a result. When you have the Lover’s Comfort perk, all of your skills increase 15% faster than normal, making it easier to level up any skill you want to hone. Consider stacking the Lover’s Comfort perk with the bonus you get from one of the Guardian Stones. For example, if you had the Thief Stone bonus and the Lover’s Comfort perk, you’d learn all Thief abilities a whopping 35% faster—which is a decent bonus!
Track down skill books.
Skill books can increase a skill with no effort on your part. In Skyrim, one of the easiest ways to improve your skills (and eventually level up) is to find skill books out in the world. They’re simply books that, when read by your character, automatically level up a single skill, regardless of your character’s current progress in that skill. Look for skill books to effortlessly improve your skills! For example: Herbalist's Guide to Skyrim (found in Arcadia’s Cauldron, Whiterun) increases your Alchemy skill. The Black Arrow, v2 (found in Valtheim Towers or the Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun) boosts your Archery skill. Horror of Castle Xyr (found in the Glenmoril Coven or Rannveig’s Fast) increases your Destruction skill. Enchanter’s Primer (found in Carlotta Valentia’s house in Whiterun or Honeyside after purchasing it in Riften) boosts your Enchanting skill.
Hone many skills simultaneously.
Improving many skills levels you up faster than focusing on one. Regardless of which skills in Skyrim are your favorites, the easiest way to level up (especially at lower levels) is to boost several skills at once. Lower-level skills level up faster, and every leveled-up skill contributes to your overall character level, which is why it’s often easiest to use as many skills as possible early in the game. For example, sneaking around at night and pickpocketing people while they sleep boosts your Lockpicking, Sneak, and Pickpocketing skills simultaneously, making it easy to level up! Similarly, attacking an enemy with your sword while wearing light armor, holding a shield, and healing yourself when you get hurt is a great way to boost your One-Handed, Block, Light Armor, and Restoration skills.
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