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It's possible that I am missing something, but I was an enchantment nut when I played Morrowind. So far, I have gotten myself to the level where I can enchant items (and more importantly repair them). I have all six items of glass armor and have enchanted them all with grand soul gems, giving three a +10 str constant effect and giving the other three a +10 end constant effect. Of course, these have worked great and their benefits are obvious.
Where I got confused was when I started enchanting other items to boost other stats. For example, since alchemy is governed by intelligence, and I can't enchant an item that permanently boosts a skill, I enchanted several items of clothing to boost my intelligence. The question is...so what? My potion potency didn't change. I used the same items and ingredients but the results were the same whether my intelligence was 99 or 147. How does having my intelligence boosted that high actually help me?
I tried making a suit that boosted my personality through the roof thinking that my mercantile and speechcraft would have better results, but they do not seem to. Can anyone tell me what the benefits of boosting your non-physical stats over 100 are?
I would hate to think that I wasted about a dozed grand/greater soul gems making suits to boost my intelligence and personality for no reason.

tiny spolierette

Hmmm... bummer about the alchemy. If nothing else, Intelligence-boosting gear will increase your total magicka, and boosting willpower will let you regenerate magicka lickety split. Personality over 100 is probably useless.

Also, you should be able to craft skill-boosting items as well as attribute-boosting items. If you can't, you probably don't have a "fortify skill" spell in your inventory. Since you apparently have access to the Arcane University already, go to the altar of spellmaking and create a "fortify skill" spell. Doesn't matter what skill, so make it something you'll find useful. Then "fortify skill" should appear in the list of effects right below "fortify attribute" when you use the altar of enchating, and you should be able to enchant an item to fortify any skill (not just the one you created the spell for).

I have a thiefy character with a full set of leather armor (except boots - I have the Boots of Springheel Jak, +50 Acrobatics - they rock!), plus an amulet and two rings, each piece enchanted with a grand soul gem to fortify acrobatics +10. Add a spell to fortify acrobatics for total acrobatics well over 200 and you can do some seriously entertaining jumping around. But I digress.

Anyway, you should be able to make a suit of "fortify alchemy" gear and hopefully that would increase the potency of any potions you create while wearing it (and if the spell you created in step 1 was "fortify alchemy", cast that beforehand too).

where do you find fortify skill spells?

Thanks for the advice. My question is, where do I find fortify skill spells?
My only options for spellmaking are fortify attribute, health, magicka, and fatigue. I do not have a fortify skill option. I have several items I found that have fortified skills, but I do not seem to be able to get a "fortify skill" oiption on either my spellmaking or enchanting. Any advice?

This is turning into quite the difficult question. Re-loaded some saved games, the same character can't create "fortify skill" spells or items at level 20, but CAN at level 25. Nothing in spell inventory explains it (only added a feather spell and a shield spell). Nothing in item inventory explains it (level 25 character can get naked except for a soul gem and a shirt and still enchant the shirt). Restoration skill is 27 @ level 20 and 43 @ level 25, so it's not related to moving up from apprentice to journeman in restoration. I'll play around some more and see what I can find out. Weird.

spoiler

OK, it was driving me crazy so I Googled it. And I was right; you have to have a Fortify Skill spell or spell-like effect to create a Fortify Skill item. But getting a Fortify Skill effect takes some work. (Once you have an item or a permanent Fortify Skill effect, you can create any other Fortify Skill spell or item you want, assuming you can access the Arcane University). I got some permanent fortify skill effects somewhere between levels 20 and 25 when I did the quest for the Grey Prince in the Arena. Here's a link that lists other locations and quests where you can get fortify skill effects (scroll down or search for "fortify skill").

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/the ... 345&page=4

or you can....

Or you can make a redguard lol they start out with addrenaline rush, which gives you access to fortifyskill spells. lol

is this a pc/360 issue?

I am running the game on Xbox360. Do you think that makes a difference? I just noticed that the game is rated T on the 360 and M for the PC. I have items I found/earned that fortify my skills and I went into the arcane university wearing them, hoping that this would solve the problem, but I just can not find a way to get a fortify skil option for spellmaking OR enchanting. Is there a person, NPC, that I can go to and pay to make me a spell, like in Morrowind?
This is all very frustrating, you know? All you want to do is to walk a round like a god in your game...and something always gets in the way!

Thanks for the link!

Thanks for the link, Belthan. I found the post and I will try to get the rewards through there.

WHAT Fortify skill spells?

I have never found EVEN ONE. You can get Fortify Attribute spells, and Absorb Attribute spells, but NOT Fortify Skill spells.

[QUOTE=Fljotsdale]WHAT Fortify skill spells?

I have never found EVEN ONE. You can get Fortify Attribute spells, and Absorb Attribute spells, but NOT Fortify Skill spells.[/QUOTE]

I think you're right. You can only get spell-like effects that fortify attributes, several of which are mentioned in previous posts.

That's what I'm talking about. I keep reading threads that people are enchanting items to fortify certain skills, but Fortify Skill is not on my list when I am enchanting items and creating spells in the Arcane University. I have found items that give me constant effect skill boosts, but I can not make them myself and that is what I need to know how to do...if it is even possible.
Sorry if I was unclear.

l.

there are fortify skill spells... fortify sneak and security can be bought at the pirate ship addon thing that was realeased a while ago. i have no idea where fortify alchemy is, but im just sayin fortify skill spells can be found..

*Spoiler Warning!*

Thanks for all the info. The link Beltran gave me (above) answered all my questions.Once I touched the heavenstone north of Skingrad I got the "Jone shadow" spell which gives you invisibility and fortify sneak as well as a few other benefits.As soon as I had that spell available, Fortify skill became an option for spellmaking and enchanting.
The sad thing is, my potion's potency does not change even after making a suit that brought my alchemy from 100 to 170. I guess certain skill benefits max out at 100 no matter what you do.

[QUOTE=Olorin]The sad thing is, my potion's potency does not change even after making a suit that brought my alchemy from 100 to 170. I guess certain skill benefits max out at 100 no matter what you do.[/QUOTE]
Hmm. Maybe they did that because of those of us in MW who were jacking our intelligence up to 9,000 and making super-powerful potions, like a single fortify agility that would allow you to jump across the island, coast to coast, in four bounds, and last long enough for you to do it. I miss the old days...

Sometimes, when a company "balances" the game, they take away all the fun. Hmmmmmm. Oh, well.

[QUOTE=Olorin]Sometimes, when a company "balances" the game, they take away all the fun. Hmmmmmm. Oh, well.[/QUOTE]

True. I can see the attraction of seeking 'realism', but lets face it. We're fictional characters in a fictional world with fictional laws of physics. So what precisely is wrong with kicking your IQ up to 18,000? It's not like your brain is going to explode. Ooops. Darn. I just gave them an idea, didn't I?

It's possible you'll find some items that are useful but also lower an attribute. Having that attribute over 100 will compensate for the loss.

That's a good point. Sometimes I make a potion that has fantastic effects and then some other side effect that lowers one of my stats for a few seconds, I guess that could make up for it.
I guess I'm a bil like yrthwyndandfyre, just longing for the days of my youth when I walked through Morrowind like a god simply because I could make some exceptional potions, spells, and enchantments.

does any one know if boosting combat stats like blade or marksman over 100 will help?

ok listen closely. this will be dissapointing. getting any skill over 100 is worthless. you do the same damage with 300 blade as you do with 100 blade(same with other skills). the only useful boosts are to attributes like strenght and intelligence. however you don't get extra damage when you get strenght over 100 just extra health. same with intelligence. only get extra magika.