Adding a Trainer NPC to Skyrim

Overview

This tutorial shows all the main steps you need to follow to add a trainer NPC to Skyrim. In this tutorial I am using an existing merchant (created following the tutorial Adding a Merchant NPC to Skyrim) and expanding the services he offers by adding training lessons.

Required tools

• Creation Kit: available on Steam (Menu option View -> Tools and then select Creation Kit)

Add a Trainer NPC

The main steps for adding a trainer to Skyrim are:

1. Edit an exising NPC
2. Assign the right class to your NPC
3. Assing the right factions to your NPC
4. Add the training dialogue

Edit an existing NPC

First we are going to load the esp file that contains the merchant NPC we want to edit. To do this:

1. Launch the Creation Kit
2. Select the menu option File -> Data ...
3. Check the flag at the left side of the esp file that contains the NPC to edit (for example MyMerchant.esm)

   Note: If you want to edit the existing esp file, just press the button Set as Active File while having your esp file selected. If you want to create a new esp file, then don't set the esp file as the active file

4. Press the OK button and wait until the CK has finished uploading everything (the CK will load your esp file and all the required masters like Skyrim.esm and Update.esm)

   Note: the CK has a bad habit of showing lots of warning messages. When the first one appears click on the Cancel button and you won't see more of these warnings.

Assign the right class to your NPC

Setting the NPC class

1. In the Object window expand the menu Actor and choose the existing NPC you want to edit.
2. Double click on the selected NPC and a window will pop-up like the one shown in picture Setting the NPC class.
3. In the Stats tab look for the class field and click on it: select one of the trainer classes from the drop-down list. All trainer classes names follow this convention: Trainer + "Skill" + "Trainer level", where:
   1. Skill indicates the name of the Skill the NPC trains, like Alchemy, Sneak, etc.
   2. Trainer level indicates if the trainer can train you depending on the level your character has in that particular skill. There are 3 trainer levels:
      1. Journeyman: can increase your skill from 1 to 50
      2. Expert: can increase your skill from 1 to 75
      3. Master: can increase your skill from 1 to 90

   In picture Setting the NPC class the class is set to TrainerMarksmanMaster, that means the NPC can train you in Archery and has a master level.

Related pages

• Adding a Merchant NPC to Skyrim