Skyrim:Free Skill Boosts

There are many opportunities in the game to earn free increases in one or more skill levels, most often as a reward for completing a favor for an NPC. The following is a list of rewards that directly increase skill level(s). The increase is similar to training the skill, and counts towards leveling as normal. The skill boost does not set the skill's progress bar to zero (for example, if you have already spent some time training the skill and the skill is just about to increase, it will still be just as close to increasing again after the free skill boost, or higher if you have an experience bonus from a Standing Stone or resting active). The bonus is not available if your skill level is already at 100.

Fortify Skill effects applied by Alchemy, Enchanting, or Magicka do not affect these skill boosts, as they are temporary effects.


 These numbers do not include the bonus from the Oghma Infinium, which gives five extra skill points to every skill in one skill group of your choosing.

 
Combat
;All
+1 to all Combat skills for completing the quest Rjorn's Drum for Giraud Gemane. 
+5 to all Combat skills by selecting "The Path of Might" from the Oghma Infinium after completing the quest Discerning the Transmundane. 

;Archery
+6 to Archery for completing Archery Practice with Angi at Angi's Camp.
+1 to Archery for completing the quest Filial Bonds for Wulf Wild-Blood. 

;Block
+1 to Block for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Caves) for Roggi Knot-Beard. 
+1 to Block for giving the Dragon's Breath Mead to Horgeir in the quest Dragon's Breath Mead (quest).
+1 to Block (and +1 One-handed) for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Bandits) for Amren. 
+1 to Block (and +1 One-handed) for completing the quest The Ghost of Old Hroldan.
+1 to Block for completing the quest Filial Bonds for Wulf Wild-Blood. 

;Heavy Armor
+1 to Heavy Armor for completing the quest Kill the Bandit Leader for Brunwulf Free-Winter. 
+1 to Heavy Armor for completing the quest Filial Bonds for Wulf Wild-Blood. 

;One-handed
+1 to One-handed (and +1 Block) for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Bandits) for Amren. 
+1 to One-handed (and +1 Block) for completing the quest The Ghost of Old Hroldan.
+1 to One-handed for completing the quest Filial Bonds for Wulf Wild-Blood. 

;Smithing
+1 to Smithing for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Caves) for Oengul War-Anvil. 
+1 to Smithing for completing the quest Rare Gifts for Rustleif. 
+1 to Smithing for completing the quest Skilled Apprenticeship for Ghorza gra-Bagol.

;Two-handed
+1 to Two-handed for completing the quest A Few Words with You for Octieve San. 

Magic
;All
+1 to all Magic skills for completing the quest Pantea's Flute for Pantea Ateia.
+5 to all Magic skills by selecting "The Path of Magic" from the Oghma Infinium after completing the quest Discerning the Transmundane. 

;Alteration
+1 to Alteration from Dravynea the Stoneweaver for completing the quest Dravynea's Frost Salts.

;Conjuration
none

;Destruction
none

;Enchanting
none

;Illusion
+1 to Illusion for completing the quest Kill the Vampire for Sybille Stentor.

;Restoration
none

Stealth
;All
+1 to all Stealth skills for completing the quest Finn's Lute for Inge Six Fingers. 
+5 to all Stealth skills by selecting "The Path of Stealth" from the Oghma Infinium after completing the quest Discerning the Transmundane. 

;Alchemy
+1 to Alchemy for completing the quest Rare Gifts for Lami. 
+1 to Alchemy for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Caves) for Frida. 

;Light Armor
+1 to Light Armor (and +1 Lockpicking) for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Bandits) for Shahvee. 
+1 to Light Armor for completing the quest Kill the Bandit Leader for Annekke Crag-Jumper. 

;Lockpicking
+1 to Lockpicking (and +1 Light Armor) for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Bandits) for Shahvee. 

;Pickpocket
none

;Sneak
+1 to Sneak for completing the quest Some Light Theft for Stands-In-Shallows. 
+1 to Sneak for completing the quest Dungeon Delving (Caves) from Noster Eagle-Eye. 

;Speech
+1 to Speech for completing the quest Some Light Theft for Malur Seloth. 
+1 to Speech for completing the quest Rare Gifts for Ysolda. 
+2 to Speech from Azzadal after jumping from Bard's Leap Summit.

Notes
 
 

Bugs
Refer to individual quest pages for details on bugs related to those quests.

Free Training
Trainers who are also followers can train you for "free".  They will still charge you, but leave profit from training in their inventory. Simply request to see their inventory while they are an active follower, and take your gold back from any training sessions. This can be done with the following NPCs:

Companions members
Aela the Huntress (Archery - up to 75)
Athis (One-handed - up to 75)
Farkas (Heavy Armor - up to 90)
Njada Stonearm (Block - up to 75)
Vilkas (Two-handed - up to 90)

Other NPCs
Faendal (Archery - up to 50)

 

See Also
Skills: General information on all skills
Skill Books: Books that provide skill bonuses when read
Trainers: NPCs that can be paid for skill training
Leveling: Information on the character leveling system