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Yes—some enchanted items affect followers in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but not every enchantment works for them. Weapon enchantments are reported to work normally; enchanted apparel and armor have a more limited set of supported effects. In particular, the available sources do not establish that a ring enchanted with Fortify Archery increases a follower’s damage.
How follower enchantments differ by item type
Bethesda’s Skyrim PC manual distinguishes between weapon enchantments and enchantments on worn items: weapon effects spend charges with use and need recharging, while worn-item effects are permanent and do not need recharging. For followers, a UESP equipment list reproduced in community discussions says weapon enchantments work normally, while apparel and armor enchantments only work for certain effects.
Which apparel and armor effects are reported to work?
Lists attributed to UESP in Steam discussions include these follower-apparel and armor effects:
- Fortify Health, Fortify Magicka, and Fortify Stamina
- Fortify Heavy Armor and Fortify Light Armor
- Fortify Unarmed Damage and Muffle
- Fire, frost, magic, poison, and shock resistance
- Carry weight; Health, Magicka, and Stamina regeneration; Waterbreathing; and Water Walking
The reproduced lists are not identical, so treat this as a reported reference rather than a verified exhaustive list for every edition, platform, or mod setup. The shorter list appears in a Steam discussion quoting UESP; a more detailed reproduction, including caveats, appears in another post in that discussion.
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- All-new features include remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more.
- Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Blood and gore, intense violence, sexual themes, use of alcohol
Will a Fortify Archery ring improve a follower’s damage?
That specific effect is not firmly established by the available sources. An archived question asks whether a ring enchanted with Archery improves a follower’s skill, but the brief replies do not substantiate an increase to follower damage. The question is raised in this GameFAQs thread; it is not evidence that the enchantment works. If you want a predictable benefit, choose an effect included in the reported supported list rather than assuming that gear boosting your own Archery skill will work the same way for a follower.
Practical caveats for specific effects
Health regeneration
The detailed list reproduced in a Steam discussion quoting UESP says Fortify Health Regeneration applies during the recovery phase outside combat.
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Carry weight
The same reproduced text describes a menu quirk: after a follower exceeds their unfortified carry limit, close and reopen the inventory menu before trying to add more items, up to the fortified limit.
Waterbreathing
The reproduced list also notes that followers cannot drown; Waterbreathing prevents them from surfacing for air, so it may change their behavior without providing a necessary survival benefit.
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Giving equipment to a follower
Followers can be directed to manage or carry items, but Bethesda’s manual cautions that not every follower can be commanded or can carry out every command. Check whether your follower accepts and equips the item rather than assuming that handing it over means the enchantment is active. The manual’s follower-command guidance is in the same Bethesda Skyrim PC manual.
Because follower-specific reports do not establish uniform behavior across all game versions, platforms, and mod configurations, treat the list as a practical guide, not a guarantee for every setup.
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Best Value
- Live Another Life, In Another World: Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls comes to life in one legendary experience from all three official add-ons.
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Rank #4
- Winner of more than 200 game of the year awards, Skyrim special edition brings the epic fantasy to life in stunning detail
- The special edition includes the critically acclaimed game and add-ons with all-new features
- All-new features include remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more
- Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Blood and gore, intense violence, sexual themes, use of alcohol
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