I'm playing a mage/thief atm, focusing on 1-handed, light armor, archery and sneak in addition to spells. From what I gather, smithing using the heavy side of the tree (Dwarven, Orc, etc) makes better weapons than the light side. Is this correct? If so, should I focus on that side, even though I'll never wear heavy armor (but Goldie, my follower will).? Which is better?

My Smithing Tree is all Light and my armor and weapons are more than enough to handle the game.

After a certain point, it really does not matter what material your weapons or armor are, with some Perks and Skills, and maybe some crafting, any armor or weapon can be made strong enough to do what you need to.

However, you are right that the better weapons are in the Heavy side, but I can still improve heavy material weapons some with no Heavy Perks chosen.

Yes. Best weapon Light Side will give you is Glass, compared to Heavy Side's Daedric which does 2 more damage on average.


It's only one perk more and you'll get best light armor in the game anyway(Dragonscale). I say if you have a heavy armor follower, go heavy.

It depends on whether or not you intend to go all the way up. The first stop on the light side (Elven) gives better weapons than dwemer or orchish so you'd have to get to 80 skill for ebony to make better.

I would go to Elven for yourself (an Elven Gilded set is 12 less armor than Glass), and give your follower armor you loot.

Another option is going up the light side to dragon, which would give you both light and heavy options.

I've noticed that you seem to come across more Iron in Skyrim, so smithing with iron and heavy metals would be a good way to bulster your progression in the smithing class, plus the best light armor is generaly found or purchased any way. Smilth heavy, give it to your companion or sell it, then take the gold you make and get some better light gear. That's what I have been doing atleast, and I'm on a similar character build.

oh, and smithing tons of iron daggers, enchanting them, then selling them is a great way to get your smithing, enchanting and speech to level up really fast.