Some of Skyrim's most iconic and powerful items aren't even found in the base game. The Dawnguard DLC doesn't just add new areas outside of Skyrim to explore, it also adds lots of new content to the mainland that doesn't have anything to do with the Dawnguard's trials against the Volkihar Vampires. The quest "Lost To The Ages" is one of these additions.
The Aetherial Crown has one of the most powerful passive abilities in Skyrim but players need to finish this lengthy cross-Skyrim questline to be able to get one for themselves. The branching questline gives players a choice between several items at the end, but most consider the Aetherial Crown to be the most powerful of the three options.
Stats And Effects Of The Aetherial Crown
- Armor Type: Helm (Circlet)
- Armor Rating: None
- Gold Value: 2250
- Upgraded With: Dwarven Ingot, no additional perks required (this doesn't increase Armor Rating)
- Special Effects: Allows players to have two Standing Stone buffs at once
The Aetherial Crown is a gold circlet with three aquamarine-colored shards of Aetherium embedded in its center and sides. Though it doesn't have an Armor Rating, it can still be tempered with a Dwarven Ingot with no special Smithing Perks taken, though this only increases its Gold Value – and it's hardly likely to be sold by any player.
Its special effect is to store the effect of a Standing Stone and imbue the player with its power when worn. When the player wears the Crown and chooses a Standing Stone, it becomes tied to the circlet and stacks with the player's normal Standing Stone abilities. This makes for a number of useful combinations, like The Lover and The Mage/Thief/Warrior for a 35% boost to associated skills.
How To Get The Aetherial Crown
The Aetherial Crown is earned at the end of the quest "Lost To The Ages" which can be started at Level 16 by reading a book titled "The Aetherium Wars". Players can also go directly to one of the locations tied to the questline: Arkngthamz south of Markarth, Raldbthar west of Windhelm, Deep Folk Crossing southwest of Solitude, or the Dwarven Storeroom just outside Mzulft. After starting the quest, players are tasked with finding four Aetherial Shards in each of these locations, which can take a fair bit of time.
Once done, head to Bthalft just south of Ivarstead to put the pieces together. Travel through the tower that rises out of the ground to find the Aetherium Forge just beyond a Centurion called The Forgemaster. After defeating it, players can choose one of three items to craft at the Forge. The Staff summons a Dwarven Spider or Sphere and the Shield turns enemies ethereal on hit, but the Crown is considered by many to be the best choice for its powerful passive that almost any build can make use of.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
