Enchanting ( Oblivion ) Enchanting is the process of adding magical properties to an item . An item can only be enchanted once . However , simultaneous enchantments can be placed during the single enchantment process , if the item enchanted is a " charge based item " ( see below ) . Enchanting an item requires magical knowledge of the type of enhancement to be added ( i . e . the desired spell must be known and castable in order to place that effect on an item ) , as well as a Soul Gem containing a trapped soul . The greater the soul trapped , the more powerful an enchantment can be made . Soul Gems may also purchased or stolen from Mages Guild halls and the Arcane University itself . The Grand Soul Gems and Greater Soul Gems are primarily found in locked cases . Mages Guild members may simply pick up these loose soul gems for free . Enchantments can be performed at an Altar of Enchanting in the Arcane University or the Archmage ' s Quarters . Alternately , if the Frostcrag Spire add - on has been purchased , there will be a personal Altar of Enchanting in the Spire . Soul Gems . Soul Gems are a very important part of enchanting . They are magic stones that can hold the captured souls of most creatures . They come in different sizes and power and are used to transfer magicka to items being enchanted ( or recharged , in most cases ) . There are five different types of soul gem found throughout the game . They are as follows : Soul Gem — Charge Soul Gems are single - use items . Once used to recharge or enchant an item , they disappear , with the exception of Azura ' s Star . Black Soul Gem . It is possible through quests centered around the Mage Guild to acquire " Black Soul Gems . " These grand - quality soul gems can be used to trap the souls of humans and daedra ; all other Grand Soul Gems can only capture souls from lesser creatures . Charge - based enchantments . Weapons that are enchanted have a number of charges determined by the Soul Gem used during the enchanting . Each time the weapon hits a target , it uses a certain number of charges ( as determined by the magnitude of the effect produced ) . Typically , weapons are enchanted with destruction magic to increase their effectiveness . It is also possible to combine different effect types , such as Soul Trap " and " Fire Damage on strike . Some greater magical artifacts have 3000 charges , which exceeds even the strength of a Grand Soul Gem . Staves are also charge - based enchantments , but there is no known way for to enchant one ( other than during the quest " A Mage ' s Staff " ) . Recharging a weapon costs 1 per charge ( this can get very costly ) , or it can be recharged with a Soul Gem . It is cheaper to purchase soul gems from a Mages Guild Vendor and recharge the items than it is to pay for a recharge . Weapons may also be recharged with Varla Stone s . They are one - use items that recharge ALL magical items in the inventory . It should be noted that if Azura ' s Star is in the inventory , it can be used to recharge weapons easily , as it is a reusable Soul Gem . Using Azura ' s Star in conjunction with a Soul Trap spell and a summon spell can save a player thousands in recharge cost . Constant Effect enchantments . Armor , shields , clothing , rings and amulets can be enchanted with constant effects . These enchantments are applied and destroyed whenever the item is equipped . The magnitude of the constant effect varies depending on the Soul Gem used to enchant it , and is typically much lower than that of a charge - based enchantment . For example , with a grand soul gem , the most powerful light enchantment that can be placed upon it is up to 40 feet , whereas there are spells that illuminate up to 100 feet and beyond . Certain constant effects that do not have a capacity for variation ( such as Night - Eye , Water Breathing , and Water Walking ) may be placed on an item to full effect using only a petty soul . Player - enchanted items can contain only one constant effect enchantment .