Soul capturing-sorry, beginner is baffled

[Windy Entwhistle]

IS there anyway of knowing how big a monster's soul is in terms of levels?

I've been experiencing a strange problem. I have petty soul gems and minor soul gems in my inventory. I successfully cast soul trap on creatures (white cloud around the body). I kill it inside a minute but only sometimes does the soul go in the bottle.

IS this because the souls I've killed are too big for the gem? I've had no problems capturing cave riders and rats, nix hounds and other minor monsters but I recently tried a couple of scamps and those souls just wouldn't go in the bottle!?

Is there a way of knowing which souls will fit where before I start hacking?

[johnny]

Don't exactly know, that's why i only carry greater soulgems and grand soulgems. Anything will fit in those.

[Bruce The Aussie]

i think it will automatically fit the soul into the smallest gem it will fit into that you have. meaning if you have a grand soul gem and a normal soul gem, a nix hound would go into the normal one. so just carry a managerie of soul gems. or use the editor to look at the different creatures soul size.

[HammerHead]

You should also be aware that some creatures are able to dispel the soultrap spell.
To avoid that it's a good idea to enchant a weapon with the spell meaning that every time you make succesfull hit, the spell will take effect.

C

[Windy Entwhistle]

HAve just been trawling a couple of FAQ sites and discovered that it's because I'm using gems that are two small for the monsters souls.

Fine, that's that sorted.

On the same thread - I've just run out of soul gems. I find them occasionally on bodies but I still haven't been able to find anyone who sells them. Could someone please give me a couple of names and addresses for places I can buy them (I've tried Balmora, Vivec and Sadrith Mora Mage GUilds - but no one seems to have them.

Thanks

[Arquendil Lorigollo]

Well,
If you're a member of the Mages Guild, their supply chests have a few that resupply every now and then. Also there's an Enchanter in Balmora Mages guild that sells empty and filled soulgems, a trader in Suran sells a few, and if you want to explore some of the Telvanni District in Vivec their canton has some dungeons/labs with soulgems.
Those are the places I know to get soulgems, but if you want something easier...

You might want to take a trip to the Shrine of Azura...

[johnny]

And raid a few smuggler caves, stealing from the dead costs nothing.

[HammerHead]

If you have Tribunal, you can by grand soulgems from the enchanter guy in Godsreach.

C

[Rageheart]

i suggest for the enchanter getting a heavy daedric warhammer and enchanting it with soul trap on strike, and head toward dagoth ur or the grazelands and get yourself some constant effect souls (Ascended sleeper, or golden saint)

[Skunk]

It is possible to *buy* a Summon Golden Saint spell - and you can trap the soul of your own summoning.

I don't think that it is neccessary to have a 'brilliant' weapon to enchant with 'Soul trap on strike'. Anything that gives you approximately 30s to kill and trap the soul is enough. There is (for example) nothing to stop you carrying two swords, one enchanted with soul trap on strike and the other with a damage health enchantment. Then all you have to do is hit your opponent once with the Soul trap sword and then switch weapons to finish him off.

Personally, I use a Glass Longsword to trap souls with...