As the fifth chapter inTheElder Scrollsfranchise,Skyrimmade leaps and bounds in simplifying old-school RPG elements into a more easily accessible final product. This was clearly the right move, given how popular the series has remained (and how often it’s been ported). The exploration in this game is the beating heart of the series and one of the biggest reasons why players keep coming back. With the release ofStarfield, the entertainment factor of handcrafted Bethesda worlds is something fans are more aware of than ever before.
One of the many things players will find during their journey in Skyrim tomake things easier for themselvesare Standing Stones. These unique structures provide numerous perks and benefits that make them worth seeking out. The Guardian Stones that players find early on during their journey in Skyrim do a great job of introducing these benefits before gamers find more variedStanding Stones inSkyrimduring their travels.
Updated on June 05, 2025, by Gerardo Molina: Standing Stones in Skyrim sound great on paper, and while they are too in action, there’s one particular thing about them that can be a bit annoying, and that’s finding them. While players will encounter many Standing Stones accidentally as they venture through Skyrim, others they’ll have to seek, and a few of them are located in hard-to-reach places.
And to make matters worse, a couple of them are also surrounded by bandits, conjurers, and even undead, so getting the useful perks they grant won’t always be easy. That said, unless players are devoted completionists, they might not want to discover them all and focus instead on those that boost the skills and aspects they’re most interested in strengthening.
Can You Change Standing Stones Or Equip More Than One?
At the beginning ofSkyrim, Standing Stones are quickly presented to the player, but one shouldn’t worry too much about choosing the bestStanding Stoneat this point in the story – a player’s choice of Standing Stone blessing is not permanent inSkyrim. If the Dragonborn finds a Standing Stone out in the world with a buff that they like more than their currently selected one, all players have to do is just walk up to it, interact, and accept the swap. Without doing anything else, players will switch to the new Standing Stone and gain its benefits instantly.
But the Dragonborn doesn’t necessarily have toonlyequip one Standing StoneSkyrimbuff. Normally, the Dragonborn can only have one Standing Stone active at a time. But with the Aetherial Crown, a helmet that can be unlocked by following theAetherium Forge questline “Lost To The Ages"in theDawnguardDLC, players are given one more “slot.”
With the Aetherial Crown equipped, the Dragonborn’s current Standing Stone buff will remain in their Active Effects, while the new one will essentially be applied to the Crown itself. Players will always retain their original Standing Stone (unless replaced), but theStanding Stonebuff tied to the Crown will only be active while it is equipped. For instance, players could activate The Tower for the Crown to have access to its Unlock spell when needed but equip other Helms during combat.
To start “Lost To The Ages,” players should head to the Dwemer ruinArkngthamz, entered through a cave in the mountains to the southwest of Markarth in Skyrim’s deep southwest.
13The Atronach Stone
Turns Incoming Damage Into Magicka
Choosing the Atronach Stone is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it lets the player convert half the damage of enemy spells into Magicka, preventing damage. However, the blessing also makes the player’s Magicka regenerate 50% slower – this makes absorbing enemy spells a necessary means to the player’s spellcasting ends.
The blessing is balanced somewhat by a slight bonus to the player’s maximum Magicka, but ultimately, this ability will lead to playerstaking more hitswhen it’s usually best to take less. This blessing is situationally ideal for a spellcaster who expects to face other spellcasters, but it’s not great for 24/7 use on any character.
Atronach Stone Location
The Atronach Stone is found in Eastmarch, and it can be reached easily by heading to Darkwater Crossing or Mistwatch and heading north. It is located in the middle of the Hot Springs that cover the area.
A Magickal Glass Cannon
Another double-edged sword, the Apprentice Stone, is in many ways the polar opposite of the Atronach Stone. ThisSkyrimStanding Stone lets the player regenerate Magicka twice as fast but also makes them twice as vulnerable to magic-based attacks. Instead oftaking spells to the dometo regenerate Magicka, the player must dodge incoming spells to maximize this Stone’s potential.
This blessing is ideal for a spellcaster who is particularly sure of their ability to evade incoming attacks, but it is also very useful against non-Magicka-based enemies like bandits, raiders, and guards.
Apprentice Stone Location
The Apprentice Standing Stone can be found in a marsh in Hjaalmarch. The easiest way to find this Standing Stone is to head to Solitude and look at the Dragonborn’s compass. At the docks, the icon for the Standing Stone should appear. Alternatively, head to Morthal and head northwest into the swamp to find the Apprentice Stone.
11The Tower Stone
Unlock Expert Locks For Free
Accepting the blessing of the Tower Stone grants the player the unique ability to unlock any Expert-level lock or below without having to go through the lockpicking mini-game. This Standing Stone ability can only be used once each day, though, and the player must either play long enough or wait long enough before being able to use it again.
This blessing is best suited for players who don’tuse the Lockpicking skilloften, as it provides a definite way to unlock all but the toughest of locks. It’s a good choice for thief types, too, for its reliability.
Tower Stone Location
The Tower Stone can be found on a cliff roughly halfway between the cities of Dawnstar and Winterhold in the Reach – it can be seen from far away, so players should look up to the hills if they’re lost. The Tower Stone is arguably one of the most remote Standing Stones in the game, as most of those that players will encounter early on are a little more packed together in terms of distance, whereas this Standing Stone is almost touching the map’s confines.
10The Ritual Stone
A player who chooses the blessing of the Ritual Stone will be given the daily power to mass resurrect the dead on a limited basis.Once per day, the player canreanimate all dead bodies around them in a 75-foot radius to fight for them for 200 seconds. The resurrected thralls will fight for the player and follow them until they collapse to the ground.
This Standing Stone inSkyrimis best used right at the end of a long, arduous dungeon, after fighting several high-power enemies before the final encounter. If the Dragonborn uses their power on their recently slain foes, they can sit back and watch the fun as these corpses turn against their former allies.
Ritual Stone Location
The Ritual Standing Stone can be found in Whiterun Hold. From the city of Whiterun (or rather from the stables outside the city), head east and around the base of the Throat Of The World as if the Dragonborn was going to Eastmarch. The Ritual Standing Stone can be found atop a cliff on this path, just west of Valtheim Towers. Players should be careful when trying to reach this Standing Stone, as activating it won’t be as easy as others spread throughout Skyrim. The power to raise the dead is something that more people besides the Dragonborn find useful, which means that others have likely sought and found it before. When players reach this Standing Stone, they’ll be greeted by a conjurer who showcases its power by raising a few skeletons in the vicinity. They shouldn’t be too much trouble, but the whole situation can be a bit of an unpleasant surprise the first time players experience it.
9The Lord Stone
A Huge Boost To Defense
The Lord Stone is a popular choice for front-line fighters, as its blessing increases a player’s defense in two major ways. Not only is the player’s physical defense increased, but they are also given a 25% Resist Magic effect. However, with its ability to protect a player from both physical and magical attacks, the Lord Stone is an excellent choice for almost any playstyle.
This is especially true for players who don’t want to waste valuable game time tracking down uniquemagical armor found throughout Skyrim. It’s simple, but it’s effectively the best way to increase the player’s defense without picking up new gear.
Lord Stone Location
The Lord Stone can be found far to the north of the province of Skyrim. From Whiterun, get a horse and begin trekking directly northward on the road. After a long way, the Dragonborn must head northeast until a fork in the road appears. Take the road west, then head into the western mountains just south of Fort Dunstad. The Lord Stone is found just north of the Shrine to Mehrunes Dagon.
8The Steed Stone
Increases Carry Capacity & Speed
The Steed Stone grants players a few useful effects related to moving around the world efficiently. While under this Standing Stone’s blessing, the player won’t be encumbered by worn armor and will receive a 100-point boost to theirtotal carrying capacity.
This blessing is ideal for virtually every playstyle but is especially suited forSkyrimplayers who partake in the economic side of the game. It lets players carry more trade goods, more crafting materials, and makes it far easier to bring huge dungeon hauls back to a loaded merchant.
Steed Stone Location
The Steed Stone is located in Haafingar Hold, just northwest of Solitude. Head north from the Statue to Meridia, located on the road leading southwest from Solitude. Avoid Wolfskull Cave and skirt around to the left to find The Steed Stone on a raised platform in the mountains just beyond.
7The Lady Stone
A Simple Boost To HP & Stamina
The Lady Stone is a Standing Stone inSkyrimthat improves the player’s ability to heal and regenerate stamina. Under this Standing Stone’s blessing, the player will get a 25% boost to their health and stamina regeneration – it’s a simple one, but it’s quite effective for close-combat characters.
Warriors, thieves, and close-combat mages will all find this stone useful in maintaining constant heavy attacks and mitigating some of the repercussions of close combat. More advanced players, who already have a good amount of health and a few trinkets to boost it by several points, might not find this Standing Stone very useful. However, for those starting out and in need of a little extra help, this is a godsend.
Lady Stone Location
The Lady Standing Stone can befound in Falkreath Hold, relatively close to the start of the game. Starting from the city of Falkreath itself, head directly north and swim across Lake Illnata to find a small island with the Lady Stone standing upon it. If players reach Half-Moon Mill on the road leading north from Falkreath, then they can also head directly east to find the same island.
6The Warrior Stone
Combat Skills Improve Faster
Once the tutorial mission is complete, players are tasked with heading to Riverwood (and, eventually, Whiterun). But if a slight detour is made, or if the player follows Ralof, the player will find themselves in the presence of the Guardian Stones. These represent the Warrior, the Mage, and the Thief, and they provide new players with a Standing Stone blessing right away.
The Warrior Stone lets the player improve all combat skills 20% faster. These include One-Handed, Two-Handed, Unarmed, Smithing, and Block. This Standing Stone blessing is ideal for those who intend to focus on physical combat or who wish to spec into a new close combat skill.
Warrior Stone Location
The Warrior Stone is one of the three Guardian Stones players can find southwest from Riverwood. These Standing Stones are likely to be the first ones that players encounter in the game as they make their way to Whiterun.
5The Thief Stone
Stealth & Thief Skills Improve Faster
The Thief Stone is another Guardian Stone, this time with an emphasis on stealth-related skills – it increases the rate the player can learn Thief-related skills by 20%. These skills include Pickpocket, Sneak, Lockpicking, Light Armor, Speech, Alchemy, and Archery. The Thief Stone blessing is ideal for thieves, assassins, and rangers who wish to take thingsa little more stealthily.
The Thief Stone is also useful for characters looking to pick up alchemy, speech, or lockpicking, as these skills are all useful no matter what class the player plays.Alchemy especially is usefulin harder difficulties, while speech and lockpicking can help the Dragonborn access previously inaccessible options in the world.
Thief Stone Location
The Thief Stone is one of the three Guardian Stones players can find southwest from Riverwood. These Standing Stones are likely to be the first ones that players encounter in the game as they make their way to Whiterun.
4The Mage Stone
Magicka-related Skills Improve Faster
The Mage Stone lets the player learn all magic skills 20% faster. These include Enchanting, Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, and Restoration. The Mage Stone blessing isideal for spellcasters and magic-users, but it’s also useful for quickly leveling a new magic skill, even for characters who haven’t touched the Mage-related skills in their playthrough.
While a player can only have one of the Guardian Stone blessings active at once, players who wish to increase all of their skills at once should consider heading tothe Bards College in Solitude. There, players will encounter a series of miscellaneous tasks, and completing each one will grant a slight boost to every single skill.
Mage Stone Location
The Mage Stone is one of the three Guardian Stones players can find southwest from Riverwood. These Standing Stones are likely to be the first ones that players encounter in the game as they make their way to Whiterun.
