Skyrim: Madness Ore & Armor (How to Find & Forge It)

Skyrim’s Madness Ore has been adjusted in the Saints and Seducers DLC, and now players can use it to craft their own Madness Armor (eventually).

Madness Ore in Skyrim is a crafting material the Saints and Seducers Creation Club DLC modified slightly, finally allows players to utilize it properly. After smelting Madness Ore into Madness Ingots, players can forge a new variety of Madness armor and weapons. These gear sets are great for players who prefer playing Elder Scrolls games with tank builds, as Skyrim’s Madness equipment is heavier and stronger than its Daedric and Dragonbone counterparts, but also weighs more than either.

In Skyrim, Madness Ore is quite rare and will sometimes spawn in the boss chest of a dungeon. A much easier way to get more Madness Ore in Skyrim is by trading for it with the traveling Khajiit merchants. However, the ability to buy Madness Ore from the Khajiit caravans only becomes available once the player has completed the two main quests of Saints and Seducers, “Balance of Power” and “Restoring Order.”

Related: Skyrim: How to Get a House in Whiterun For Free

Skyrim Madness Ore Quests

After players complete the Saints and Seducers storyline, a courier will approach them with a message titled “Note on New Wares.” Ri’saad, the letter’s correspondent, reveals in the message that he has exotic new goods for sale. Once players have read the letter, they can buy Skyrim’s Madness Ore from either Ri’saad or Ahkari. Ri’saad is a member of the Khajiit Caravan in Skyrim that travels between Whiterun and Markarth, while Ahkari’s group can be found on the paths between Dawnstar and Riften.

Unfortunately, even once players get Madness Ore in Skyrim they can’t use it right away, as they will still require the proper knowledge to craft it into Madness armor. After defeating Thoron during Saints and Seducers‘ “Restoring Order” quest, players will find a note called “Note on Amber and Madness Ore.” This clue will lead them on a Miscellaneous Quest to Mistwatch, a bandit fort located north of the border of the Rift and Eastmarch. Check out that location in this video from Gwerfaur on YouTube below:

At Mistwatch, players will encounter Evethra, an arcane blacksmith who has the information players will need to learn about using Skyrim’s Madness Ore. After slaying her and her skeleton minions, players can loot and read her journal to learn the secrets of Amber and Madness armor smithing. Once this journal has been read, players can begin crafting Madness armor and weapons.

Skyrim’s Madness Armor & Weapon Crafting

To forge Skyrim’s Madness armor and weapons, players will also need to gather Leather Strips and Ebony Ingots. There are multiple locations in Skyrim in which players can find Ebony Ore, but the best place to farm Ebony is in Gloombound Mine, located inside the Orc stronghold of Narzulbur in Eastmarch. Leather is made from animal hides, which can be found pretty much anywhere in Skyrim, and can be turned into leather strips at tanning stations.