Nightingale Armor
| Nightingale Armor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armor Rating | 34 |
| Weight | 12 |
| Value | 1949 |
| Slot | Body |
| Set | Nightingale |
| Level | 1-18; 19-31; 32+ |
| Class | Chest Armor |
| Skill | Light Armor |
| Unique | Yes |
| Item ID | 0005db86, 000fcc0e, 000fcc0f |
| Game/DLC | Skyrim |
The Nightingale Armor is the dark cuirass of the Nightingales, the secret order of thieves who serve Nocturnal. It is the centerpiece of the most famous thief's outfit in Skyrim. The cuirass adds Stamina and resists frost, and its strength depends on the character's level. It is taken from the Armor Stone in Nightingale Hall, near Riften, during Trinity Restored, late in the Thieves Guild questline.
Guards notice the armor at once. One of their lines says the armor is like nothing they have ever seen, "like forged midnight".
Armor Enchantment
Stamina rises and Frost Resistance improves. The strength depends on the level when Trinity Restored begins. Levels 1 to 18 give 20 Stamina and 15% Frost Resistance. Levels 19 to 31 give 30 Stamina and 30%. From level 32 the armor gives 40 Stamina and 50%.
The Enchantment Effects page lists every armor enchantment.
Nightingale Armor Map Location and Quest Guide
Nightingale Armor map location:
The Nightingale Armor is taken from the Armor Stone inside Nightingale Hall, near Riften. It is the reward for Trinity Restored in the Thieves Guild questline.
- Speak with Brynjolf and Karliah in the Ragged Flagon - Cistern.
- Meet Karliah at the standing stone just outside Riften.
- Enter Nightingale Hall with Karliah and Brynjolf.
- Activate the Armor Stone to take the Nightingale set.
- Equip the armor and follow Karliah's instructions.
Map credit by Map Genie.
The enchantment is set by the character level when Trinity Restored begins.
How It Plays
The Nightingale Armor is a light cuirass built for a fighter who sneaks. The Stamina bonus fuels power attacks, sprinting and the draw of a bow. A thief who opens fights with a sneak attack and finishes them with a blade uses Stamina all the time. The extra pool lets that thief fight longer before backing off.
The frost resistance is a quiet gift. Skyrim is a cold land, and frost magic comes from draugr, mages, frost trolls and frost dragons. A thief caught by an Ice Spike or a dragon's breath survives it far better in this cuirass.
The armor rating is solid for light armor. Most of the protection of the Nightingale look comes from this piece, so it matters more than the hood, gloves or boots.
Getting the Best Version
The strength of the enchantment depends on the character's level, and the timing is unusual. The level that counts is the level when Trinity Restored begins, not the moment the armor is taken. A character who wants the strongest version should reach level 32 before starting that quest.
The Thieves Guild questline can be paused before Trinity Restored for as long as needed. Brynjolf and Karliah wait in the Ragged Flagon to begin it. Gaining the levels first, through other quests or crafting, gives the best armor for the rest of the game.
Smithing and Upgrades
The armor is tempered with Void Salts, and the Arcane Blacksmith perk is required. Tempering ignores every smithing perk. As a result, the armor stops at Flawless with a Smithing skill of 100.
A smith can push past that limit with Fortify Smithing gear and potions. Enchanted rings, necklaces, gloves and an apron that boost Smithing all count. With those, the armor reaches Epic or Legendary quality.
Fine-Cut Void Salts can block the upgrade. If any are in the inventory, the workbench may refuse to use regular Void Salts. Dropping the Fine-Cut Void Salts fixes the problem.
Perks and Builds
The Light Armor Skill tree builds on the cuirass. Agile Defender raises the rating of every light piece. Custom Fit adds a bonus when the head, chest, hands and feet are all light armor, and the Nightingale set fills all four slots. Matching Set adds a further bonus for a full set of one kind, which the Nightingale pieces form. Unhindered removes the weight and speed penalty of light armor, and Wind Walker speeds Stamina regeneration.
Wind Walker pairs well with the Stamina bonus of the cuirass. The pool is larger and refills faster. A dual wielder or an archer spends that Stamina freely.
The Nightingale Blade and the Nightingale Bow complete the outfit. Karliah gives the blade after Hard Answers, the quest before The Pursuit. Karliah gives the bow after Blindsighted, where Mercer is finally hunted down. A thief who carries both looks and fights like a true Nightingale.
Quest Background
Trinity Restored opens in the Ragged Flagon - Cistern. Mercer Frey has fled, and Brynjolf wants him dead. Karliah warns that Mercer was a Nightingale and is very dangerous. She asks the Dragonborn and Brynjolf to meet her at a standing stone just outside Riften.
The standing stone hides the entrance to Nightingale Hall. On the way in, Brynjolf calls the Nightingales a religious group. Karliah answers that it is all about business. In the hall, the Armor Stone hands over a full set of Nightingale gear.
Karliah then explains the oath. The three will serve Nocturnal in life and after death as guardians of her shrine. Karliah calls Nocturnal at the three glyphs, and the Daedric Prince accepts the oath. A new trinity of Nightingales is born.
Karliah then reveals Mercer's true crime. He stole the Skeleton Key from the Twilight Sepulcher. The loss of the key is why the luck of the Thieves Guild has failed. Returning it will restore Nocturnal's favor.
Lore
The Nightingales are a trinity of three agents of Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night and darkness. They protect her shrine, the Twilight Sepulcher, and the Ebonmere within it. Gallus, Mercer Frey and Karliah formed the last trinity. Mercer murdered Gallus more than twenty five years ago and broke that bond.
After Darkness Returns, Nocturnal grants each Nightingale a power at the Ebonmere. One power grants invisibility while sneaking. A second drains life from a target. A third turns nearby enemies against each other. Nightingale Hall becomes a base for the order, with a portal to the Sepulcher.
Gameplay Tips
- Start Trinity Restored at level 32 or higher. The character level at the start of the quest, not when the set is taken, decides which version is granted.
- Temper it at a workbench with one Void Salts. The Arcane Blacksmith perk is needed.
Smithing Guide
Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.
Upgrades
Nightingale Armor is improved at a workbench with one Void Salts per improvement. An enchanted copy can only be improved with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
| Quality | Smithing | Armor |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 14 | +2 |
| Superior | 31 | +6 |
| Exquisite | 65 | +10 |
| Flawless | 100 | +13 |
| Epic | 134 | +17 |
| Legendary | 168 | +20 |
Armor Set
Nightingale Armor belongs to the Nightingale set. The table shows every piece of the set.
| Name | Image | Slot | Armor | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nightingale Armor | 
|
Body | 34 | 12 |
| Nightingale Boots | 
|
Feet | 10 | 2 |
| Nightingale Gloves | 
|
Hands | 10 | 2 |
| Nightingale Hood | 
|
Head | 15 | 2 |
Armor Categories
All Chest Armor
Light Armor
All light armor chest pieces are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Heavy Armor
All heavy armor chest pieces are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
