Hello folks.

I was curious if you can actually obtain Elven/Glass armour from shops/fallen enemies/loot without actually having to invest into smithing. If so, can people give an indication what your level of Smithing should be to craft them both? If so, are the resources readily available at vendors? I'd hate to mine the ore myself.

Thanks in advance!

Elven armor can be hijacked from the Thalmor soldiers. I don't know when glass shows up.

Around level 35 i believe.

Elven armor/glass weapons become common in the 20s; vendors will start selling them.

Reviewing my saves: My character had 2 pieces of Glass armor by level 30. My save at lvl 33 has her with an Ebony sword. 34 now, still looking for Ebony bow, and Glass boots/gauntlets.

Kill a Thalmor patrol and get elven armor at level 1. Thalmor should be put to the sword en-masse anyway, you'd be doing both yourself and the world a favor.

I got mine from kills , I have 2 glass axe's and 2 glass daggers.= level 20.