Masque of Clavicus Vile
| Masque of Clavicus Vile | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armor Rating | 23 |
| Weight | 7 |
| Value | 1277 |
| Slot | Head |
| Set | - |
| Level | - |
| Class | Helmets |
| Skill | Heavy Armor |
| Unique | Yes |
| Item ID | 000d2846 |
| Game/DLC | Skyrim |
The Masque of Clavicus Vile is the Daedric artifact of Clavicus Vile, the Prince of bargains and wishes. It is a heavy helmet that makes its wearer more persuasive and more charming at the market. It raises Speech, improves prices and speeds up Magicka regeneration a little. Clavicus Vile grants it in Haemar's Shame, near Helgen, at the end of A Daedra's Best Friend, a Daedric quest that begins in Falkreath.
Legend says the Masque wins its wearer the respect and admiration of everyone who meets them. The game gives that legend a practical form: merchants pay more and charge less.
Armor Enchantment
Prices are 20% better. The mask also adds 10 points to Speech and makes Magicka regenerate 5% faster.
The Enchantment Effects page lists every armor enchantment.
Masque of Clavicus Vile Map Location and Quest Guide
Masque of Clavicus Vile map location:
The Masque of Clavicus Vile is given by Clavicus Vile at his shrine in Haemar's Shame. It is a reward of A Daedra's Best Friend, which opens from level 10.
- Speak to Lod in Falkreath, then find Barbas.
- Travel with Barbas to the shrine of Clavicus Vile in Haemar's Shame.
- Retrieve the Rueful Axe with Barbas.
- Return to the shrine with Barbas and the axe.
- Give the Rueful Axe to Clavicus Vile.
- Accept the Masque of Clavicus Vile.
Map credit by Map Genie.
Killing Barbas with the axe gives the Rueful Axe instead of the Masque.
How It Plays
The Masque is a trader's helmet. Its Speech bonus and its price bonus work together. The Speech bonus improves prices on its own, and the barter bonus adds to it. The result is one of the best discounts at merchants of any helmet in the game.
The Masque also helps in conversation. A higher Speech skill makes persuasion and intimidation easier. Many quests offer a Speech check to win a better reward, avoid a fight or learn a secret. The Masque makes those checks a little easier to pass.
The small Magicka regeneration bonus is a pleasant extra. It suits a mage who wears the Masque in town. The Masque can sit in the pack until the next trip to a shop.
The Masque counts as a heavy helmet. Its base rating matches the Daedric Helmet. A heavy armor warrior can wear it in battle with no loss of protection and still enjoy better prices at every stop.
Compared with Other Helmets
Blackguard's Hood from the Dragonborn DLC gives a flat price bonus that slightly beats the Masque. The difference is small. The Masque still adds Speech for persuasion and protects as a heavy helmet.
The Guild Master's Hood and Volsung, the dragon priest mask, also improve prices. Volsung adds water breathing and carrying capacity. The Guild Master's Hood fits a thief's light armor set. The Masque fits a warrior or a merchant who wants the strongest price bonus in heavy armor.
The Masque is also a Daedric artifact. Collectors who chase every artifact need it. The Rueful Axe, the other reward of the quest, is a unique weapon rather than an artifact.
Perks and Builds
The Speech Skill tree builds on the Masque. Haggling improves prices in five ranks. Allure helps with traders of the opposite sex. Persuasion makes persuasion checks easier, and Intimidation makes intimidation easier still. Investor and Master Trader add gold to merchants.
A smith, an alchemist or an enchanter who sells crafted goods gains a great deal. Each ingot, potion or enchanted item sells for more. Over a long game, the Masque pays for houses, training and rare gear.
Quest Background
A Daedra's Best Friend begins in Falkreath. A guard asks about a stray dog, and the blacksmith Lod wants it found. The dog turns out to be Barbas, who can talk. Barbas is the companion of Clavicus Vile, and the two have fallen out.
Barbas leads the way past Helgen to Haemar's Shame, a cave at the foot of the Throat of the World. Vampires worship at Clavicus Vile's shrine inside. The Daedric Prince thanks the hero for ending his last worshipers' misery, since they had begged him to cure their vampirism.
Clavicus Vile wants the Rueful Axe from Rimerock Burrow. Barbas tells its story. A wizard named Sebastian Lort wished to end his daughter's curse as a werewolf, and Clavicus gave him an axe. Sebastian waits in Rimerock Burrow with the axe.
The axe brings a choice. Barbas holds half of Clavicus Vile's power. Kill Barbas with the axe, and Clavicus Vile lets the hero keep the Rueful Axe. Return the axe instead, and Clavicus Vile takes Barbas back and grants the Masque.
Lore
The best known tale of the Masque is the story of Avalea, a noblewoman. As a girl, she was disfigured by a spiteful servant. She made a bargain with Clavicus Vile and received the Masque. It did not change her face, but everyone suddenly respected and admired her.
Avalea married a well-connected baron. A year and a day later, Clavicus Vile took the Masque back. Avalea, pregnant with the baron's child, was cast out of his house. Twenty one years and one day later, her daughter took revenge by slaying the baron. The tale shows the price of every bargain with Clavicus Vile.
The Masque appears in several games of the series. In Morrowind and Oblivion it raised Personality. In Skyrim it raises Speech and prices instead.
Bugs
Wearing the Masque together with the Ebony Mail can make the wearer's head disappear from view.
Gameplay Tips
- Wear it while trading to get better prices from every merchant.
- Its 23 armor matches the Daedric Helmet.
Smithing Guide
Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.
Notes
Keeping the Rueful Axe instead means losing the Masque, which counts toward the Oblivion Walker achievement.
Armor Categories
All Helmets
Light Armor
All light armor helmets are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Heavy Armor
All heavy armor helmets are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Dragon Priest Masks
The Dragon Priests wore these masks, and each one carries its own enchantment.
| Name | Image | Armor | Weight | Value | Set | Upgrade | Perk | DLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahzidal | 
|
23 | 9 | 1165 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |
| Dukaan | 
|
23 | 9 | 1202 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |
| Hevnoraak | 
|
23 | 9 | 891 | Dragon Priest Masks | Iron Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Konahrik | 
|
24 | 7 | 3200 | Dragon Priest Masks | Gold Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Krosis | 
|
21 | 5 | 1615 | Dragon Priest Masks | Iron Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Miraak | 
|
27 | 9 | 849 | Dragon Priest Masks | Cannot be upgraded | None | Dragonborn |
| Morokei | 
|
5 | 4 | 637 | Dragon Priest Masks | Refined Moonstone | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Nahkriin | 
|
23 | 9 | 2173 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Otar | 
|
23 | 9 | 1521 | Dragon Priest Masks | Refined Malachite | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Rahgot | 
|
23 | 9 | 962 | Dragon Priest Masks | Orichalcum Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Vokun | 
|
23 | 9 | 2182 | Dragon Priest Masks | Steel Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Volsung | 
|
21 | 5 | 4611 | Dragon Priest Masks | Corundum Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Wooden Mask | 
|
1 | 2 | 51 | Dragon Priest Masks | Cannot be upgraded | None | Skyrim |
| Zahkriisos | 
|
23 | 9 | 1239 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |