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New ChecklistAll ListsMy ChecklistsAllAll ListsMy ChecklistsHow creative can you get with your first free checklist?Create a free accountAll Interactive Maps and LocationsTrainersBy Stephanie Lee, Hector Madrigal, Brendan Graeber, +162.5k moreUpdated: Aug 22, 2017 5:27pm UTC

Trainers can help you increase your Skills quickly, but they don't come cheap. There are Trainers available for each skill located throughout Skyrim.

Skyrim's many trainers scattered throughout the province don't service you for free! The expertise of a trainer simply tells you the maximum level he can train you to. For example, a Common-level trainer can only train your skill up to level 50. For more details, see "All Trainer Locations" below.

The higher your skill level, however, the more they will charge to train you in that particular skill. This even applies when you have a piece of equipment or a buff that temporarily increases your skill level! To save a lot of money, take off all of those pieces of armor or jewelry and remove all of those buffs before training!

Note that you may only have a trainer (no matter what level he or she is) train you a total of 5 times before you have to level up again!

All Trainer Locations

The chart below shows the locations of all Trainers in Skyrim. Common-level trainers can train your Skill up until level 50. Expert-level trainers can train you to level 75, and Master-level trainers can train your skill up to 90.

Mastery	Name	Location	Follower*
Alchemy Trainers
Common	Lami	Morthal, Jorgen and Lami's House
Expert	Arcadia	Whiterun, in Arcadia's Cauldron
Master	Babette	Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Alteration Trainers
Common	Melaran	Solitude
Expert	Dravynea the Stoneweaver	Kynesgrove
Master	Tolfdir	The College of Winterhold
Archery Trainers
Common	Faendal	Riverwood, in his house, hunting, or gathering firewood	Yes
Expert	Aela the Huntress	Whiterun, Jorrvaskr	Yes
Master	Niruin	Riften, Thieves Guild, Ragged Flagon Cistern
Block Trainers
Expert	Njada Stonearm	Jorrvaskr in Whiterun	Yes
Master	Larak	Mor Khazgur in The Reach
Conjuration Trainers
Common	Runil	Dead Man's Drink in Falkreath
Expert	Phinis Gestor	The College of Winterhold
Master	Falion	Morthal
Destruction Trainers
Common	Wuunferth the Unliving	Palace of the Kings in Windhelm
Expert	Sybille Stentor	Solitude
Master	The College of Winterhold Gatekeeper, Faralda	The College of Winterhold
Enchanting Trainers
Expert	Sergius Turrianus	The College of Winterhold
Master	Hamal	Markarth
Heavy Armor Trainers
Common	Hermir Strongheart	Windhelm
Expert	Gharol	Dushnikh Yal in The Reach
Master	Farkas	Jorrvaskr in Whiterun	Yes
Illusion Trainers
Expert	Atub	Largashbur in The Rift
Master	Drevis Neloren	The College of Winterhold
Lockpick Trainers
Expert	Majhad	Part of the Khajiit Caravans
Master	Vex	Ragged Flagon in Riften
Light Armor Trainers
Common	Scouts-Many-Marshes	Windhelm
Expert	Grelka	Riften, marketplace stall
Master	Nazir	The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
One-handed Trainers
Common	Amren	Wandering around Whiterun
Expert	Athis	Jorrvaskr in Whiterun	Yes
Master	Burguk	Dushnikh Yal in The Reach
Pickpocket Trainers
Common	Ahkari	Part of the Khajiit Caravans
Expert	Silda the Unseen	Beggar in Windhelm
Master	Vipir the Fleet	Ragged Flagon Cistern in Riften
Restoration Trainers
Common	Keeper Carcette	Hall of the Vigilant
Expert	Colette Marence	The College of Winterhold
Master	Danica Pure-Spring	Temple of Kyrnareth in Whiterun
Smithing Trainers
Common	Ghorza gra-Bagol	Markarth
Expert	Balimund	Riften, forge near market
Master	Eorlund Gray-Mane	Skyforge in Whiterun
Sneak Trainers
Common	Khayla	Part of the Khajiit Caravans
Expert	Garvey	Markarth
Master	Delven Mallory	Thieves' Guild in Riften (The Ragged Flagon)
Speech Trainers
Common	Dro'marash	Part of the Khajiit Caravans
Common	Revyn Sadri	Windhelm
Expert	Ogmund the Skald	Markarth
Master	Giraud Gemaine	The Bards College in Solitude
Two-Handed Trainers
Expert	Tobjorn Shatter-Shield	Windhelm
Master	Vilkas	Jorrvaskr in Whiterun	Yes
* You can effectively receive free training from a follower (see below)

Train for free!

1st tip - pick your trainer's pocket: One way to receive free training is to use the skill of Pickpocketing. Additionally, using certain potions, or magical items that increase the pickpocketing skill.

Many mage, thief and fighter skills can be trained for free by simply stealing the fee back after each training. Simply pick an area with easy access to trainers who are sleeping in their beds. The Companions building in Whiterun works for fighter skills, the College of Winterhold works for mage skills, and Riften would probably work for thief skills.

Talk to the trainer at night while they are sleeping and train your skill, then wait till they go back to bed and steal the money spent back. Be sure to steal the money back after each single skill up because the success rate will decrease as the trainer gains more gold. Using this trick you will not only gain free levels in your chosen skill, but your pickpocket skill will increase very quickly.

If you're particularly interested in leveling up Archery, Sneak, Pickpocketing or Lockpicking, the Thieves Guild is an ideal training ground. Follow the same procedure as above -- level with the appropriate trainer than pickpocket the money back. However, what makes the Thieves Guild so great for training is the fact that you won't rack up a bounty if you are caught trying to retrieve your hard earned cash. If you are caught with your hand down a trainer's pocket, they will reply with something like "I suppose I can let it slip this time." You won't be able to pickpocket the trainer once you have been caught, however this problem can be rectified by leaving the room, then returning. Do this as much as you want -- it is definitely the safest way to train for free. Don't feel bad though, they're all thieves after all -- wouldn't it be a little hypocritical of them to blow a gasket when they're the ones getting their pockets picked? As they say, what goes around comes around.

2nd tip - get free training from a follower: Some trainers can become followers, allowing you to receive free training from them this way: Ask a trainer to follower you, train as much as you can, then browse the trainer's inventory and get your gold back!  Hiring followers like Aela, Athis, Farkas, Faendal, Njada and Vilkas will surely help you boost your skill and character levels without paying for the training.

You can gain multiple levels if you continue to train the maximum (5/5) skill ups even after you level. Once you level up you are free to retrain the maximum 5/5.

Video Demonstration-

<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVb1mv10vik&list=PL11C68D40B6F0166A&index=5&feature=plpp_video</youtube>

Up Next: Alchemy

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The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimBethesda Game StudiosInitial Release: Nov 10, 2011+4Learn moreGo to comments