Mastering The Art Of Investment: A Comprehensive Guide To Investing In Skyrim's Stores

Whether you're a seasoned Dragonborn or a newcomer to the world of Skyrim, you'll eventually find yourself in need of more gold to fund your adventures. One way to ensure a steady flow of income is by investing in the various stores scattered throughout the land. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps of how to proficiently invest in stores, making your journey in Skyrim more lucrative.

Step 1: Boost Your Speech Skills

Before you can invest in stores, you'll need to acquire the "Investor" perk found in the Speech skill tree. This perk requires a Speech level of 70, which may take some time to achieve. Here are some tips to help you quickly level up your Speech skill:

• — Buying and selling items to merchants will increase your Speech experience based on the item's real value. This means you can repeatedly buy and sell a single item to gain Speech experience quickly.
• — Selling items one at a time instead of in stacks will provide more Speech experience.
• — Boosting your Speech or haggling ability using items such as amulets or potions won't directly increase your Speech skill level but can make the leveling process more cost-effective.

Step 2: Acquiring The Investor Perk

Once you've reached a Speech level of 70, head over to the Speech skill tree and unlock the "Investor" perk. This perk will allow you to invest 500 gold into a store, providing its merchant with an additional 500 gold per day to spend on your items. Additionally, this action will improve the merchant's disposition, making them more friendly towards you while also counting as helping the local population for Thane quests.

Step 3: Identifying Suitable Stores

After acquiring the Investor perk, you'll want to find stores you can invest in. Unfortunately, not every merchant in Skyrim allows investments. Here are some general guidelines to help you identify suitable stores:

• — Stores situated inside buildings are more likely to accept investments than marketplace stalls.
• — Stores in major cities are more likely to accept investments than those in small settlements, forts, or longhouses.
• — Taverns and inns, as well as stores in smaller locations, typically won't accept investments.

Keep in mind that the list of eligible merchants can be expanded through mods or unofficial patches, depending on your preferences and the platform you're playing on.

Step 4: Initiating The Investment

Once you've identified a suitable store and have at least 500 gold in your inventory, approach the merchant and initiate a conversation. If you have the Investor perk, a new dialogue option should appear, stating: "I'd like to make an investment in your business."

Select this option and pay the merchant 500 gold. From that point on, the merchant will have an additional 500 gold per day to spend on items you sell to them. Remember that you can invest in multiple stores to ensure a consistent flow of gold during your adventures in Skyrim.

Step 5: Expanding Your Investment Empire

As you progress through the game and accumulate more gold, consider investing in even more stores to build a strong network of merchants with ample gold supplies. This will enable you to easily sell off your loot without needing to travel between multiple cities or wait for several days for merchants to replenish their gold reserves.

Investing in additional Speech perks, such as Merchant, Fence, and Master Trader, can further enhance your trading experience and make your investments even more lucrative.

Conclusion

Investing in stores is a strategic way to ensure a steady flow of gold in Skyrim, making your adventures more profitable and convenient. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll be well on your way to becoming a master investor and reaping the rewards of your efforts. Happy adventuring!