Skyrim Perk Calculator
Plan your character build and optimize your perk point allocation.
Calculator
Your character’s current level (e.g., 1).
The level you plan to reach (e.g., 50).
How many perk points you have already used in your skill trees.
Available Perk Points
Perks To Gain
Total Perks at Target Level
Perk Distribution Visual
What is a Skyrim Perk Calculator?
A Skyrim Perk Calculator is a tool designed for players of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to help with character build planning. Every time your character gains a level, you are awarded one perk point to spend on special abilities in the game’s 18 skill trees. Since you don’t start the game with all perk points, this calculator helps you forecast how many points you will have available by a certain target level.
This allows for strategic planning, ensuring you can unlock the key abilities for your desired playstyle, whether you’re a stealthy archer, a powerful mage, or a heavily-armored warrior. Using a skyrim perk calculator is a core part of effective optimizing Skyrim character builds.
Skyrim Perk Calculator Formula and Explanation
The calculation for perk points in Skyrim is straightforward. You receive one perk point for every level up. Since you start at Level 1 with zero perk points, the total number of perk points you have earned is always one less than your current level.
The formulas used by the calculator are:
- Total Perks at Target Level = Target Level – 1
- Available Perk Points = (Total Perks at Target Level) – Perks Already Spent
- Perks To Gain = Target Level – Current Level
| Variable | Meaning | Unit | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Level | Your character’s current in-game level. | Levels | 1 – 81+ |
| Target Level | The desired level you want to calculate for. | Levels | 1 – 252 |
| Perks Already Spent | The number of perk points you have already allocated. | Points | 0 – 250 |
Practical Examples
Here are a couple of common scenarios where a Skyrim Perk Calculator is useful:
Example 1: Starting a New Character
You are starting a new character and want to plan a ‘spellsword’ build that requires key perks in One-Handed, Destruction, and Heavy Armor. You estimate you’ll need about 45 perks to complete the core of your build.
- Inputs:
- Current Level: 1
- Target Level: 46
- Perks Already Spent: 0
- Results: The calculator will show that you will have exactly 45 available perk points by the time you reach level 46, confirming your build is viable.
Example 2: Mid-Game Respec
You are currently Level 30 and feel your build isn’t working. You have spent 29 perk points but want to switch to a stealth archer. You plan out the new build and find it requires 50 perk points for all the essential abilities.
- Inputs:
- Current Level: 30
- Target Level: 71
- Perks Already Spent: 29
- Results: The calculator shows that at Level 71, you will have a total of 70 perk points. Since you already spent 29, you will have 41 new points to gain and allocate. This helps you understand the leveling commitment required for your new Skyrim character build planning.
How to Use This Skyrim Perk Calculator
Using this tool is simple. Follow these steps to plan your character build:
- Enter Your Current Level: Input the current level of your Dragonborn. If you’re starting a new game, this will be 1.
- Set Your Target Level: Decide on a level you want to plan for. This could be a mid-game goal (like 40) or an end-game goal (like 80).
- Input Perks Spent: Enter the number of perk points you have already used. For a new character, this will be 0.
- Calculate: Click the “Calculate Available Perks” button to see the results. The tool will display your total available points, points yet to gain, and the total you’ll have at your target level.
- Analyze the Chart: The bar chart provides a simple visual of how your spent points compare to your future available points.
Key Factors That Affect Perk Points
While the formula is simple, several in-game factors influence how you acquire and use perk points:
- Leveling Speed: Skills level up through use. Focusing on a few core skills will level your character faster than spreading your efforts thinly.
- Skill Choices: Some skills, like Smithing and Alchemy, can be power-leveled quickly, allowing for faster acquisition of perk points if that is your goal.
- Legendary Skills: Once a skill reaches 100, you can make it “Legendary.” This resets the skill to 15 and refunds all perk points spent in that tree. This is the primary mechanic for leveling beyond level 81 and acquiring more than 80 perk points. The topic of skyrim legendary skills perks is crucial for late-game builds.
- Trainers: You can pay trainers to increase your skill level, which contributes to your overall character level, thus granting perk points faster.
- Skill Books: Finding and reading skill books scattered throughout Skyrim grants a free level in their respective skill, accelerating your character leveling.
- Guardian Stones: Activating the Mage, Thief, or Warrior stone at the start of the game increases the learning speed of associated skills by 20%, leading to faster leveling and more perks over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many perk points do you get per level in Skyrim?
You get exactly one perk point each time your character levels up. You start at level 1 with 0 points.
What is the max level in Skyrim?
Without using the Legendary skill system, the effective max level is 81. However, by making skills Legendary, you can reset them and continue leveling indefinitely, removing any hard level cap.
Can you get every perk in Skyrim?
Yes, it is theoretically possible. There are 251 perks in the base game. By repeatedly using the Legendary skill mechanic to reset skills and continue leveling, you can eventually earn enough perk points to unlock every single perk.
How does the Skyrim leveling system work?
Your main character level increases as you level up your individual skills (like One-Handed, Sneak, or Destruction). Each time a skill levels up, you gain experience toward your next character level. Higher skill gains provide more XP.
What are Legendary skills for?
Making a skill Legendary resets it to 15 and refunds the perks spent in it. This allows that skill to contribute to your character’s overall level again, enabling you to level up past 81 and continue earning perk points.
Is it better to specialize or generalize my skills?
For most of the game, specializing is more powerful. Focusing your perk points into 3-5 core skill trees will make your character much more effective than spreading points thinly across many skills. Generalizing can be a fun playstyle but is often weaker, especially on higher difficulties.
How do I respec my perks?
The main way is by making a skill Legendary. Alternatively, at the end of the Dragonborn DLC, you can spend dragon souls to reset the perk points within a single skill tree without resetting the skill’s level.
How many perk points does it take to max a skill tree?
This varies, but most skill trees require roughly 14-20 perk points to fully unlock every ability. You can check specific trees with a detailed skyrim perk calculator tool online.