23 BEST Mage Gear In Skyrim [And How To Get Them]

With hundreds of Skyrim Best Mage Gear Items, one starts to wonder what they should choose. The Best Mage Gear makes the player one of the most powerful mages in the game. With it, you can fight a horde of enemies and still come out unscratched. But it is not easy to get that type of Gear. For that, you’ll have to know where to get it in the world and how to get it, along with a couple of their pros and cons to help differentiate them better.

Best Skyrim Mage Gear

Here is the list of all Mage Gear items that will be discussed in the guide. View the comparison table below:

Aetherial Crown

The Aetherial Crown is a unique Skyrim Best Mage Gear item that has a unique enchantment. It doesn’t directly affect your stats or give you a reduction in any School of Magic. Instead, it allows you to hold the abilities of the last Standing Stone with the one you currently have. That makes it quite powerful if you utilize it properly. For example, you can get the Lover’s Stone and then the Mage Stone and learn Mage skills 35% faster.

You get the Aetherial Crown during the quest ‘Lost To The Ages’. In the quest, you have to find four different Aetherial Shards. Then, you will have to go to the Ruins of Bathalft south of Iverstead. There, once you have defeated a Dwarven Centurion, you can use the Forge to make the Aetherial Crown. For that, you’ll need the following materials.

• 1x Aetherium Crest
• 2x Flawless Sapphire
• 2x Dwarven Metal Ingot
• 2x Gold Ingot

Pros

• You can have the power of two different Standing Stones.

Cons

• Useless until you get the best Standing Stones.

Ahzidal’s Mask

Belonging to one of the Dragon Priests, Ahzidal’s Mask is useful equipment. It holds an enchantment that helps the magic wielders in battle. With it, your Fire Resistance increases by 50%, and your Fire spells deal more damage to the target. It makes them stronger and more dangerous to their enemies. The Mask has a unique design that sets it apart from other Armor pieces for the Head. But you can’t disenchant the Mask and learn its ability.

Ahzidal is one of the Four Dragon Priests that you will come across in Solstheim. If you haven’t got the Solstheim then you will need the Dragonborn DLC to get it. Now to get to Ahzidal, you will have to get the quest ‘Unearthed.’

You can get the quest at the ruins of Kolbjorn Barrow, where Ralis Sedarys will give you the quest. Proceed with the quest until you come across Ahzidal. You will have to defeat him to get his Mask, among many other equipment items.

Pros

• The Mask comes with a powerful enchantment that makes you deadlier in Fire Spells.
• It has a unique appearance that makes it quite astonishing.

Cons

• The Mask limits you to Fire spells only, meaning you will have to keep extra items for other Schools of Magic.

Ahzidal’s Ring of Arcana

Like Ahzidal’s Mask, Ahzidal’s Ring of Arcana is another Skyrim best mage gear. It doesn’t give you any reduction to spells or give you extra Magicka. Instead, the Ring of Arcana gives you two new spells, namely the Ignite and Freeze spells. These are unique spells that are only available if you have Thzidal’s Ring of Arcana.

The Ring of Arcana is found during the quest ‘Unearthed.’ The quest becomes available during the Dragonborn DLC. In the quest, you will have to go to the Kolbjorn Barrow. There, when you’re at the third investment stage, There will be a chamber with pressure plates. Once you have lit all of them, the gate will open. Inside there will be Ahzidal’s Ring of Arcana.

Pros

• With Ahzidal’s Ring of Arcana, you get two unique spells.

Cons

• If you have better alternates, then they are useless.
• The Ring is acquired after spending a lot of time on the quest.

Archmage’s Robes

Some of the best Robes in Skyrim for the Mages are the Archmage’s Robes. Archmage is the highest-ranking Mage at the College of Winterhold. He is elected by the Council of Mages. As the Arch Mage is a high-ranking status, their Robes are some of the best that you will find in Skyrim. The robes have a powerful enchantment that makes them best for every mage.

Getting your hands on the Arch Mage’s Robes is quite straightforward. You will have to become the Arch Mage to get the Arch Mage’s Robes. For that, complete the College of Winterhold questline. When you get to ‘The Eye of Magnus’ quest, you will become the Arch-Mage of Winterhold in the end. That is when you’ll get the Arch Mage’s Robes.

Pros

• Arch Mage’s Robes has powerful enchantment to your spellcasting.
• The Robes will have you stand out among all other mages, showing your status.

Cons

• They have no Physical defense, which can make you vulnerable to Physical attacks.

Armor Of The Old Gods

One unique Armor set in Skyrim that you can use as Mage Gear and equipment are the Armor of the Old Gods. The Armor Set is made of Forsworn Armor, making it a unique armor in that sense. The Armor has enchantments for early mages or for the players that are still learning the basics, as the enchantments surely come in handy. It is a lightweight Armor, so you won’t have to worry about running out of space.

The Armor of the Old Gods is acquired in the quest ‘No One Escapes Cindhna Mine.’ It is a quest in which you are framed for a Murder. Now you will have to escape the prison by finding the King in Rags, Madanach. To get his help, you will have to break out of the Cindhna Mines in Markarth. When you manage to escape, you will get your items and the Armor of the Old Gods as a reward.

Pros

• The Armor Set gives good enchantments for Magic Users.
• It is a lightweight armor, so you won’t have to give up too much weight limit to it.

Cons

• It has Sneak and Bow enchantments which will be useless to a Mage.

Bloodthorn

If you always seem to run out of charge on your enchanted Skyrim Best Mage Gear in the game, then the next Mage Gear is for you. It is the Bloodthorn, the enchanted Dagger, that fills a Soul Gem. Whenever you kill a target, it will fill the Soul Gem inside your inventory. Then, you can use the Soul Gem to recharge the weapon or staff that has run out of Charge. In addition to that, the Bloodthorn will drain 10 Health Points on each hit.

The Bloodthorn is located at the Hag’s End. Hag’s End is a Nordic Ruin to the Southwest of Solitude, in the Mountains. Alternatively, you can access it from Markarth, but you will have to Northeast from that. To get to Bloodthorn, you will first have to deal with Forsworn at Deepwood Redoubt. Once you reach Hag’s End, you will come across Witches and Hagravens. You’ll find the Bloodthorn with a dead Witch.

Pros

• With the Bloodthorn, you will fill a Soul Gem for every enemy killed.
• It also drains 10 Health off of Target.

Cons

• Apart from the Soul Enchantment, the Dagger is useless.

Diadem Of The Savant

If you’re on the search for an All-Rounder type of Skyrim Best Mage Gear for your Mage run, then we have come across one of the best items. It is the Diadem of the Savant. It is a Circlet that reduces the Magicka cost of Spells in all schools. That makes it quite useful for you. You won’t have to change your equipment to cast different spells. And all of the spells will benefit from it.

The Diadem of the Savant is located in the Shalidor’s Maze. Now the Shalidor’s Maze itself is located in the Ancient Nordic city of Labyrinthian. You’ll get to Labyrinthian and then to Shalidor’s Maze during the quest ‘The Staff of Magnus’. Once you have completed the maze, you will have to defeat a Dremora. The Diadem of the Savant can then be looted from the Dremora’s corpse.

Pros

• Reduces spell cost of all school spells.

Cons

• The Reduction of Magicka’s cost is almost negligible.
• It provides very little Physical defense.

Mace Of Molag Bal

Are you a mage that finds themselves always in a tough spot? You might have the best spells, but sometimes, all you need is a weapon that dishes out a good amount of damage. That’s where the Mace of Molag Bal comes in. It deals direct damage to the Magicka and Stamina of the enemies. Not only that, if they die within 3 seconds, you will get a Soul Gem filled with Soul. It is a must to have a weapon in fights.

You get the Mace of Molag Bal after a Daedric Quest. The quest is named ‘The House of Horrors’. It starts when you go into an Abandoned House in the city of Markarth. There, Molag Bal will give you the quest to take revenge upon Boethiah’s servant. You will have to torture the servant and make him submit. In return, he will reward you with the Mace of Molag Bal.

Pros

• The Mace of Molag Bal is perfect to use against Mages.
• Once an enemy is killed within 3 seconds, it will fill a Soul Gem.

Cons

• The quest to acquire the Mace includes torturing an aged NPC.
• If you are a pure mage, then the Mace of Molag Bal will be useless to you.

Master Robes

The Archmage’s Robes are another Skyrim best mage gear according to players, but if you still haven’t gotten to the point to get it, then you have to get the next best Robes for mages.

For that, we have the Master Robes. The Master Robes are the best when it comes to Magicka regeneration. That is because they give you 150% Magicka Regeneration. And if you get any specific School Master Robes, you will get a 22% Magicka cost reduction for their spells.

Sadly, you can’t go on and craft these like any other armor piece. But we came across the Master Robes at a few different locations. You might get your hands on one as Loot on your Journey through Skyrim, but we suggest that you look at other ‘confirmed’ locations. A few traveling traders sell the Master Robes. Alternatively, different teachers at the College of Winterhold sell them once you are at level 32 or above.

Pros

• The Master Robes have the best Magicka Regeneration.
• If you have a specific School of Magicka Master Robes, you get a 22% Cost reduction for that school.

Cons

• These provide no Physical defense.

Miraak’s Armor Set

The armor worn by Dragon Priests is arguably one of the powerful Skyrim best mage gear. Their Armor set has some unique enchantments. As for the Miraak’s Armor set, it will give you Spell Absorption. Meaning that if someone uses a spell against you, it will instead fill your Magicka. Not only does it have Absorption from Spells, but from Dragon breath too.

Miraak’s Armor set is acquired during the Main questline of the Dragonborn DLC. In the quest ‘At the Summit of Apocrypha’, you will have to face Miraak himself. As we’ve already mentioned that the Armor gives him Spell Absorption, so you will have to use Physical damage weapons. That way, you will quickly defeat him and loot his armor from him.

Pros

• The Armor Set is perfect for mage build as it lets you absorb Magicka from spells used against you.
• The Mask from the Armor Set increases the Magicka points.

Cons

• You will only get the Armor Set if you have the Dragonborn DLC.

Miraak’s Staff

Apart from Miraak’s Armor set, the Sword and the Staff are both quite useful items. But as we’re discussing the Skyrim Best Mage Gear found in the world of Skyrim, we have to talk about Miraak’s Staff. Unlike most other Staves, the Miraak’s Staff deals direct damage using its enchantment ‘Mora’s Agony’. The enchantment Sprays the ground with tentacles. And if anyone steps on it, it staggers and poisons the target.

Like the Miraak’s Armor, you will get your hands on Miraak’s Staff during the Dragonborn DLC. In the main quest line’s final quest, ‘At the Summit of Apocrypha’, you will face Miraak. Use the same strategy as using physical damage on him, and you will have him begging for life in no time. Finish him and loot the Staff off of his body.

Pros

• It is great to stop enemies from advancing toward you.
• The Miraak’s Staff has one of the highest numbers of Charges in a Staff.

Cons

• You will need to own the Dragonborn DLC with the Base game to get the quest to Miraak’s Staff.

Morokei’s Mask

The Mask of Morokei is Skyrim Best Mage Gear that is definitely made for Mages. It is a Priest Mask, which means it is already overpowered. Its enchantment lets you regenerate Magicka 100% faster than before. That means that you won’t ever run out of Magicka unless you are spamming Spells here and there. If you are in a fight, chances are that your Magicka won’t ever deplete.

As with all of the masks, the Morokei’s Mask is looted from a Dragon Priest’s corpse. You’ll find Morokei in the Labyrinthian. It is the Ancient Nordic ruins that you get to visit in the quest ‘The Staff of Magnus’. Morokei is the Dragon Priest that carries the Staff of Magnus that you’ll need to complete the quest. His dead body will have the Mask on it.

Pros

• It has massive Magicka regeneration stats.

Cons

• To get it, you will have to complete the whole quest of the College of Winterhold.
• The Mask has lower defense stats compared to other Masks.

Nahkriin’s Mask

We have another Dragon Priest Mask in our list of the best gear. That shows how overpowered the Dragon Priest Masks are during gameplay. As for the Nahkriin’s Mask, it increases your Magicka by solid 50 points.

In addition, it lets you cast the Destruction and Restoration spells at a lower cost. That makes it the perfect Mask if you intend to continue using the Mage build. It will allow you to become much more deadly while giving you no drawbacks.

The Nahkriin’s Mask is related to the main questline of Skyrim. That is the Questline, where you have to ultimately defeat Alduin, the World-Eater. During the quest ‘The World-Eater’s Eyrie,’ you must release the captured dragon and ride on it to Skuldafn Temple to get to Sovngrade. At the Skuldafn Temple, you will come across Nahkrinn. Defeat the Dragon Priest and loot his body to get the Nahkriin’s Mask and the Dragon Priest Staff.

Pros

• You get +50 Magicka by equipping the mask.
• It reduces the Spell casting cost of the Destruction and Restoration Spells.
• The Mask has great defense Stats.

Cons

• You will only get one shot to get the Mask. If you missed it at the Skuldafn Temple, you won’t get the Mask unless you use console commands.

Necromancer Amulet

Although many often dislike the Necromancy side of Magic, it is a deadly School of Magic. That is shown in Skyrim as it has access to raising powerful dead to help you in your fights. And like with all Schools of Magic, the Necromancy side or Conjuration side of the magic has its own Gear too. We have the Necromancer Amulet that reduces the overall cost of Conjuration spells, but it comes at a cost too.

The quest involves a disturbing story like the Necromancy. In the quest, you have to find a Serial Killer who is on the loose in the city of Windhelm. To start the quest, a few conditions must be met, meaning that it won’t start right away. After you have completed a bunch of quests, you will get the quest when you enter the city. Complete the quest, and you will get the Necromancer Amulet.

Pros

• The Amulet is perfect for players that extensively use Conjuration Spells.
• It increases the player’s Magicka by 50 points.

Cons

• When equipped, the player’s regeneration speed of Health and Stamina will significantly decrease.

Nightweaver’s Band

Sometimes, you aren’t looking for the best and the greatest of all items. You only require a minor upgrade to your equipment to make it much better. Or that you have the perfect Gear, but it is missing the last piece. That is where the Nightweaver’s Band comes in. It doesn’t have any powerful enchantments to it. It provides minor improvements to your Sneak and Destruction spells.

Part of the Dark Brotherhood’s questline, the quest ‘Recipe for Disaster’ is where you will get the Nightweaver’s Band as a reward. During the quest, you have to find the Chef that will serve food to the King. Get his identity and then locate and kill him. Now if you manage to hide his body, then Festus Krex will give you the Nightweaver’s Band as a reward. But if you forget to do so, you won’t get it.

Pros

• You won’t have to unequip any other gear to wear the Nightweaver’s Band.
• Perfect for Mages that want to avoid unnecessary encounters.

Cons

• You will have to complete a long list of quests to get the Nightweaver’s Band.

Potions Of Magicka

If you’re going for a Mage Build in Skyrim, then things won’t always go in your favor. There are fights where we hoped that we had a little bit more Magicka or that our Magicka doesn’t deplete as much as it did. Now as you progress in Skyrim, you will find tons of powerful enchanted items. These items are hard to get (which you can check from our list), so early players often rely on Potions of Magicka.

There are different ways to acquire the Potions. You can either come across these potions at different locations or in loot, purchase them from vendors, or craft them on your own. If you are going to fully rely on potions of Magicka, then the best bet is to learn to craft them. Because that is the sustainable method in the long run. There are tons of ingredients that give you Potions of Magicka. Head over to our Skyrim Alchemy Recipes guide for more information.

Pros

• With the Potions of Magicka, you won’t have to wait for Magicka to regenerate.
• It lets you quickly cast powerful spells on higher-level enemies.

Cons

• You will have to constantly keep a stock of Potions of Magicka.
• Crafting Potions can become a hassle if you don’t explore a lot.

Ring Of The Erudite

If you aren’t satisfied with the Nightweaver’s Band, then we have another Ring on our list. This time we have found something perfect for the Mages of Skyrim. It is the Ring of the Erudite. It is a powerful ring for mages that is because its enchantment will give you an ample amount of Magicka. The 100 extra Magicka will let you cast more spells. Not only that, but it also increases the regeneration of Magicka. Meaning you will recover it much faster.

The quest related to the Ring of the Erutide is the ‘Bloodline’ quest. If you have the Dawnguard DLC, then you will get the quest as it is part of the Main questline of the Dawnguard DLC. You will have to interact with a woman who will introduce herself as Serana. You will have to travel to Castle Volkihar, where you will get the opportunity to become the Vampire Lord. If you accept, you will get the Ring of the Erudite.

Pros

• This will give you 100 extra Magicka Points and higher Magicka regeneration.
• You won’t have to give up any of the four main pieces of equipment gear.

Cons

• If you decide to go against the Vampires, you won’t get the Ring.
• To get the Ring, you will need to have the Dawnguard DLC.

Sanguine Rose

Arguably the most powerful staff in Skyrim is the Sanguine Rose. The staff has the shape of a Flower. It summons a Dremora that fights your enemies, making it one of Skyrim best mage gear. The Dremora are the Humanoid Daedra that fight alongside you for 60 seconds. Although there are different types of Dremora, the Sanguine Rose summons Fighter Dremora.

Players get their hands on the Sanguine Rose in the quest ‘A Night To Remember’. The quest starts when the player is level 14 or above. They then compete with Sam Guevenne, who is Lord Sanguine in disguise. You will then have to complete a series of tasks, tracking what you and Sam did while the Dragonborn was drunk. In the end, you will find him, and he will reward you with the Sanguine Rose.

Pros

• You can summon a powerful Dremora to help you in combat.
• It is a high-value item that you can sell for Gold.

Cons

• The Sanguine Rose holds 13 Charges which will then require you a soul gem to fill.
• You can only summon one Dremora at a time.

Staff Of Magnus

One of the Best Staves in Skyrim is the Staff of Magnus. It is considered the deadliest Staff in Skyrim thanks to its powerful enchantment. And like most Staves, if you use it, it will release an attack like flames, frost, and other such elements. But the damage type of the Staff of Magnus is different than others. It will absorb 20 Magicka of the target. And if the target runs out of Magicka, it will start to absorb their health.

The Staff of Magnus is acquired during the quest named ‘The Staff of Magnus’. During the quest, you have to travel to the Labyrinthian and defeat Morokei. However, you won’t still have the Staff just yet. It will still be considered a quest item. For that, you will have to complete the College of Winterhold questline to fully own it.

Pros

• The Staff is one of the most powerful Staves in Skyrim.
• It will make the enemy mages run out of Magicka.
• Once fully charged, it will last for up to 45 Seconds.

Cons

• Its enchantment cannot be learned.
• The Staff is only available if you progress in the College of Winterhold questline.

The Black Star/Azura’s Star

As a Mage in Skyrim, you will often find yourself running out of charge on your enchanted items. If you keep on using a certain weapon, its Charges will deplete, and you will be left with a normal weapon.

To fill them up, you will need to utilize tons of Soul Gems. Instead, you can use The Black Star/Azura’s Star, which is a Daedric Artifact that works like a Soul Gem. But, unlike the Soul Gem, you can refill it with Black or White souls whenever you want, increasing its utility.

The Black Star/Azura’s Star is acquired during the quest ‘The Black Star.’ Once you have acquired the Broken Azura’s Star, you will have then the option to bring it to either Aranea Ienith or Nelacar. If bought by Aranea Ienith, you will eventually get it as the Azura’s Star. If you bring it to Nelacar, you will get it as the Black Star.

Pros

• You will get a refillable Soul Gem.

Cons

• Filling the Black Star can be a hassle.

The Gauldur Amulet

Belonging to the powerful Archmage Gauldur of the First Era, the Gauldur Amulet is one of Skyrim best mage gear. It increases the Health, Magicka, and Stamina of the players by 30 points. That is more than enough to give you a small push to help you win almost every fight. With it, you get extra Health and Stamina to make you more durable. And the extra Magicka will help you with casting more spells.

The Gauldur Amulet was broken into three fragments that were then given to the sons of Gauldur. You will then have to go to their locations to find them. They are located in the Saarthal, Folgunthur, and the Geirmund’s Hall Dungeon. Once you have acquired all three Fragments of the Amulet, you will have to go to Reachwater Rock. You will then have to fight the keepers of the pieces and then reforge the Gauldur Amulet.

Pros

• Increases all three stats of the Dragonborn.
• Useful for every build that requires any one of the three stats.

Cons

• There are better items available for mages.
• Requires you to clear three different Dungeons.

The White Phial

One of the most unique items in Skyrim is the White Phial. It is the never-ending ultimate potion that you can only use once a day. There are six different types of effects that you can get out of The White Phial. But as we’ve mentioned, you will only get one charge for a day. It is a great utility potion.

The effects include restoring Health, increasing Stamina and Magicka, and increasing One-handed weapons damage. In addition to that, you also get Resistance to Magic and harder to detect buff.

To get the White Phial, you will have to complete two different quests. They are ‘The White Phial‘ and ‘Repairing the Phial’. You get the quest ‘The White Phial’ from the alchemist at Windhelm. Locate the Phial and then get it repaired. That will result in you permanently getting the Phial to keep. Keep in mind that the quest ‘Repairing the Phial’ only becomes available after you have completed the main quest ‘Throat of the World’.

Pros

• It saves you from the hassle of making Potions.
• Perfect for Mages that don’t get into many fights.

Cons

• It will be useless for a whole day if used.

Wabbajack

One of the unique Staves in Skyrim for the Mages is the Wabbajack. It is a Daedric Artifact that you get after the completion of a quest. When you use it, it gives out a unique effect on the enemies. These effects include transforming the target into a Harmless creature. Or dealing a different kind of damage or attacking them. arguably, it is one of Skyrim best mage gear.

You can get access to the Wabbajack in the quest ‘The Mind of Madness.’ During the quest, you have to gain access to Pelagius Wing, and there Sheogorath will give you the Wabbajack to complete the quest. Once completed, you will get the Wabbajack as a reward.

Pros

• The Wabbajack’s Attacks ignore the target’s attributes and deal the same damage to everyone.
• It is perfect for late-game enemies.

Cons

• It might end up giving a buff to your enemies.
• Has up to 20 uses, after which you will have to recharge it using Soul Gems.

Final Thoughts

The Skyrim Best Mage Gear will surely help you become the most powerful Mage in the land. If you want to go with the Pure Mage build, then according to this Subreddit Post, the Archmage’s Robes are the best. Check out which Skyrim Race is best for Mage Build, as that plays an important role. But if you’re looking for more builds or options, then the world of Skyrim has too much to offer.

Depending on how you play, you can have Wives that you live with. But, if it suits you, then you can get the Two-Handed Weapons that help you make a Tankier build. Or, if you want to do a Sneak Archer build, then check out different Bows and Arrows that might be suitable for you. For such a build, we have the best Light Armor listed for you. Make sure to check the Armor Cap before you go for the highest Armor ratings.

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