Skyrim drops you into a frozen province on the brink of civil war, then hands you the soul of a dragon and lets you go anywhere. The Special Edition adds 64-bit support, better lighting, and full mod compatibility on top of the 2011 base game. You can play 200 hours and still trip over a quest you never saw.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Whiterun | shout system basics | Two-Handed Berserker | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Blackreach | skill perk trees mastery | Two-Handed Berserker | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Solstheim | smithing and enchanting + gear | Stealth Archer or Two-Handed Berserker | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | The Throat of the World | Build optimization | Stealth Archer | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Markarth | Min-max | Stealth Archer or Sword and Board Paladin | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Whiterun)
The central hold capital with the most useful early services: the Skyforge, a court mage, and the Companions guild.
Level/Difficulty: 1-10 Key Rewards: Companions questline, free house Breezehome, easy training
What to Do in Whiterun
- Learn shout system. Dragon Shouts are unlocked by absorbing dragon souls at Word Walls scattered across the map. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Two-Handed Berserker as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Rush The Lover Stone near Markarth at low level for 15% faster skill gains across the board.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Mehrunes' Razor or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand shout system fundamentals
- Two-Handed Berserker selected and functional
- Whiterun main content cleared
- Ready for Blackreach
Phase 2: Early Game (Blackreach)
A glowing underground cavern beneath the Dwemer ruins, packed with Falmer, crimson nirnroot, and geode veins.
Level/Difficulty: 20-40 Key Rewards: Elder Scroll access, Crimson Nirnroot, soul gem deposits
What to Do in Blackreach
- Work on skill perk trees. Eighteen skills level through use, and every level grants one perk point to spend across constellation-shaped trees. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Mehrunes' Razor if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Buy every Fortify Smithing and Fortify Enchanting potion ingredient you find, the crafting loop is the real endgame.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Solstheim.
- Consider whether Stealth Archer might suit your playstyle better than Two-Handed Berserker.
Phase 2 Checklist
- skill perk trees integrated into gameplay
- Mehrunes' Razor acquired
- Blackreach fully cleared
- Ready for Solstheim
Phase 3: Mid Game (Solstheim)
The Dragonborn DLC island, half ash wasteland and half snowy forest, home to Hermaeus Mora and Miraak.
Level/Difficulty: 30+ Key Rewards: Bend Will shout, Black Books, unique Stalhrim gear
What to Do in Solstheim
- Master smithing and enchanting. Smithing improves and creates gear, Enchanting adds magical effects, and the two loop together with Alchemy to push damage absurdly high. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Daedric Bow. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Sneak everywhere even out of combat, the skill levels just by moving crouched near enemies.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in standing stones for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- smithing and enchanting mastered
- Daedric Bow acquired or in progress
- Solstheim fully cleared
- Ready for The Throat of the World
Phase 4: Late Game (The Throat of the World)
Skyrim's tallest mountain and the home of the Greybeards, reached by climbing the 7,000 Steps.
Level/Difficulty: Any Key Rewards: Main quest progression, Clear Skies shout, Paarthurnax
What to Do in The Throat of the World
- Finalize your build. You should be running Stealth Archer or Two-Handed Berserker with optimized gear.
- Daedric Bow should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Save before opening any new dungeon, the autosave can land you mid-ambush.
- alchemy crafting optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Markarth.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Daedric Bow upgraded to max
- The Throat of the World fully cleared
- Ready for Markarth
Phase 5: Endgame (Markarth)
A stone city built into a Dwemer ruin, riddled with Forsworn intrigue and a memorable murder mystery.
Level/Difficulty: 10-25 Key Rewards: Mehrunes' Razor quest start, Aetherium Forge, Silver-Blood feud
What to Do in Markarth
- Markarth tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Take the Steed Stone if you hate carry-weight management, it removes armor weight and adds 100 capacity.
- The endgame loop: run Markarth, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Sword and Board Paladin for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where alchemy crafting mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Markarth fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Leveling crafting and combat skills evenly, which inflates your level faster than your power.
- Selling Daedra Hearts and dragon bones instead of saving them for top-tier gear.
- Ignoring poisons, a single damage-health poison on a sneak shot deletes most enemies.
- Fighting in heavy armor with no Stamina, leaving you unable to power attack.
- Skipping the Standing Stones, free passive buffs that too many players walk past.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Rush The Lover Stone near Markarth at low level for 15% faster skill gains across the board.
- Buy every Fortify Smithing and Fortify Enchanting potion ingredient you find, the crafting loop is the real endgame.
- Sneak everywhere even out of combat, the skill levels just by moving crouched near enemies.
- Save before opening any new dungeon, the autosave can land you mid-ambush.
- Take the Steed Stone if you hate carry-weight management, it removes armor weight and adds 100 capacity.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Guides
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Overview
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Best Builds
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Tier List
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Beginner's Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Tips & Tricks
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Weapons Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Combat Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Boss Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Maps & Locations
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Crafting Guide
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Classes & Characters
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