Dead Thrall

Characteristics[]

Casting Dead Thrall raises the dead body of most humanoid beings (Men, Mer, and Beastfolk) whose level is 40 or under to "permanently" fight alongside the Dragonborn. The thrall follows and defends its master until banished, killed, or turned.

Occasionally, the thralls will vanish, even if within eyesight, or when entering certain areas they may not follow, but they may show up again later, even if on the other side of Skyrim.

Unlike other reanimation spells, thralls that die will not turn to ash and may be raised again if so desired. If the conjurer has the Dark Souls perk, the thrall will be raised with an extra 100 hit points; however, once these are spent they are not recoverable unless the thrall dies and is re-enthralled. If the Dragonborn has the Twin Souls perk, two Dead Thralls may be summoned at one time, or a Dead Thrall and an atronach or Dremora.

Spell tome[]

Attributes[]

• Weight: 1
• Value: 1270
• See Spell Tome for a complete table of spell tomes, their descriptions, and their values.

Acquisition[]

• Phinis Gestor sells this spell after the completion of the Conjuration Ritual Spell.
• After entering Apocrypha in The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn, it is possible to find the tome at the table next to the Black Book.

Equipment[]

Upgrading the thrall's equipment may increase its effectiveness.

Thralls will use any weapon given to them as long as the weapon matches its proficiencies. For instance, mages will prefer to continue using their spells and wielding staves rather than equipping powerful melee weapons. Most thralls, regardless of proficiencies, will also use the shields given to them, provided they have a free hand available. However, thralls are much more picky about the armor/clothing they will wear.

• Thralls will equip whatever armor they die in. The armor given to them must be the specific item; it cannot be a duplicate (e.g. if a thrall spawned with an Iron Helmet, it will only wear that Iron Helmet and will not equip any other Iron Helmets found in the game). An exception is reanimated Forsworn, who will use any Forsworn Armor dropped by other Forsworn. If gear is given to the follower, then the follower is killed and enthralled, they will continue to wear whatever they had while alive, but fast-traveling will de-equip the gear, so this is of limited use.
• Thralls from Northwatch Keep may replace their Glass Armor with Elven Armor looted from other Northwatch Guards.
• Afflicted thralls may change their armor when moving to a different cell. They may equip lower level armor when moving to a new cell.
• Thrall equipment may be improved. To do so, loot the desired gear from the thrall's corpse. Modify the gear as desired through enchanting and smithing. Return the gear to the thrall's corpse, and reanimate it. The thrall will equip the gear upon leaving the current cell.
• Thrall gear may be reset by removing all the equipment, reanimating the thrall, then moving to a different cell. The thrall will generate a new set of equipment from the list of possible gear with which they can spawn. Note that this gear may be different from what they previously had. This trick may be used to re-enchant thrall equipment, obtain better versions of leveled gear a thrall may have equipped, or duplicate rare equipment.
• Thralls will not equip items in slots that were left empty when they generated their gear.
• Renaming thrall gear when enchanting it will simplify keeping track of unique equipment.
• Any enchantments on the armor or clothing will interfere with and negate the Dark Souls perk. Consider whether enchanting a thrall's equipment is worth the loss of the 100 health gained from that perk.
• If the thrall dies after the first time it has equipped enchanted gear, when it is reanimated the enchantments will not take effect even though the thrall still has the gear equipped. To remedy this, every time the thrall dies, loot the enchanted gear, and then give it back to them, allowing them to re-equip it.
• Replace the weapon into the inventory of any character that has dropped it and that will be the subject of the thrall spell, otherwise the character will not pick it up unless in battle.
• Dead thralls can benefit from the Fortify Carry Weight enchantment, but only if it is applied to currently equipped armor. It is not possible to enchant an item they did not wear in life and give it to them. The player can loot their worn armor, enchant it and then give it back to them. Corpses which had more armor slots in life will maximize the use of this enchantment.

Notable thralls[]

The characters listed below are thralls that have been deemed exceptional in some way by the community. The first three sections deal with thralls of different class, and the final covers thralls that retain their vocal clips upon death. All thralls listed here are able to be thralled at any level unless otherwise noted. Some of the named characters listed have unique abilities, while others are effective and easy to find.

Mages[]

These thralls will use destruction spells and readily wield staves you give them. Some will even conjure allies using their own spells.

Name	Acquisition	Level*			Stamina	Magic Resistance	Enchantable Items	Notes
Arch-Curate Vyrthur	"Touching the Sky," after Auriel's Chapel	15–75** (PC x1.2)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	3	Does not moan. Corpse rarely resets Necromage perk** allows use up to PC level 42. Casts frost and shock magic, Frost Atronach. Wears Ancient Falmer Armor.
Estormo	"The Staff of Magnus"	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Uses powerful magic, like Flame Cloak and Lightning Bolt Corpse does not reset Groans occasionally Can conjure Flame Atronachs
Forsworn Ravager	The Reach (on the ruins of Karthspire Camp)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	1	Ice Princess rapidly shoots Icy Spears & conjures a Frost Atronach Wears full set of Forsworn Armor
Haldyn	Japhet's Folly (inside the tower)	40 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	The leader of the Blood Horkers is a powerful mage who uses Lightning Bolt and Fast Healing, and wears a full set of Nordic Carved Armor without a helm
Hamelyn	Honningbrew Meadery (basement)	25 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	25%	3	The Rat King uses Lightning Bolt, Ice Spike and Mage Armor spells Dual casts Lightning Bolt, but does not have the Impact perk Has a natural 25% resistance to magic
Kornalus	Harmugstahl	40 (max)	500	410	50	30%	1	120 armor
Lu'ah Al-Skaven	Ansilvund Burial Chambers	8–50 (PC x1)	150+(PC-1) ×8.3	150+(PC-1) ×6.7	25	[?]	2–3	Wears 2 boots and levelled Black mage robes, Has a Staff of Familiar or Staff of Zombies. Uses a combination of Grand Healing, Greater Ward, Ironflesh, Close Wounds, Revenant, Dread Zombie, and Turn Greater Undead. May occasionally employ Ice Storm and Ice Spike.
Malkoran	The Break of Dawn	40 (max)	500	460	25	55%	1	Shade spawns upon death 120 armor Does not moan Body may reset after quest is complete Every time the shade dies it yields a bone meal and 250 gold
Malyn Varen	"The Black Star" (inside Azura's Star)	25 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Players must be careful that they do not knock his body off the platform.
Master Conjurer	Hob's Fall Cave	40+	500	460	[?]	30–55%	1	120 armor Name may change to "Master Necromancer" upon reanimation
Master Vampires	Broken Fang Cave, Shriekwind Bastion, etc.	42**	669	414	257	50% frost resistance 50% weaker to fire	1–2	Affected by Necromage perk** Can keep vocal clips
Necromancer	The Man Who Cried Wolf, at the tower in Wolfskull Ruins	[?] (PC x1.2)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	The four located near the altar are unique characters, they do not reset. Casts frost and shock magic, Reanimate Corpse, Oakflesh Wears Necromancer Robes.
Orchendor	The Only Cure	40 (max)	625	430	205	100%	2	Teleportation spell Corpse does not reset Ideal thrall; very strong and immune to most magic
Sebastian Lort	A Daedra's Best Friend	40 (max)	234	231	25	25%	1	Conjures Storm Atronach Casts Chain Lightning and Lightning Bolt Heals self with Close Wounds May disappear upon completion of "A Daedra's Best Friend."
Sild the Warlock	Rannveig's Fast	40 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	1	Uses extremely powerful magic Very high health Corpse does not reset
Silus Vesuius	Pieces of the Past	40 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	Corpse does not reset Summon Familiar in battle Uses moderately powerful magic
Silvia	Darklight Tower	7-51	103-620	86-350	50	Unknown	2-3	Wears Necromancer robes and 2 boots. Has a Staff of Hag's Wrath and levelled dagger Employs destruction magic and her staff in fights. Might also summon something from Oblivion.
Sulla Trebatius	Alftand Cathedral (near the end with Umana)	10–30	391	222	197	0	3	Uses mostly fire magic Comes with enchanted Imperial Sword Wears Imperial armor, boots, and bracers Has many perks (Agumented Flames, Bladesman, Fighting Stance, Recovery, Regeneration, Respite, Tower of Strength) Heals himself
Traveler	Random Encounters after siding with the Dawnguard	1–60**	[?]	[?]	[?]	50% frost resistance 50% weaker to fire	3	Uses a spell to summon Gargoyle.
Volkihar Vampire	Broken Fang Cave, Haemar's Shame, etc.	48**	843	413	294	50% frost resistance 50% weaker to fire	1–2	Affected by Necromage perk**

Melee[]

These thralls generally have good armor and use melee weapons effectively. They will also use ranged weapons given them when fighting at a distance.

Name	Location or Quest	Level*			Stamina	Magic Resistance	Enchantable Items	Notes
Bandit Chief	Dungeons, Camps, etc.	28 (max)	497	25	258	0	4/5	Equips full set of Steel Plate armor whether they were killed without a helmet, gauntlet, etc.
Champion of Boethiah	Boethiah's Calling	38 (max)	533	198	174	10% 50% fire resistance	3	Equips Ebony Mail (136) Level 38 when PC level less than 58 Is more skilled in Light Armor rather than Heavy Armor. 50% Fire resistance
Chief Yamarz	The Cursed Tribe	20 (max)	1271	114	50	0	4	Equips full set of Orcish armor (228) Over 1,200 health if the player kills the Giant.
Dremora Markynaz	Atronach Forge	36 (max)	435	50	190	0	None	Retains vocal clips 170 armor
Forsworn Ravager	The Reach	34 (max)	447	116	182	35%	4	Equips full set of Forsworn armor Will dual wield (most of the time), meaning that it will never stop attacking because it will be unable to block. Sprints to get in range of targets. Has the Savage Strike perk.
Krev the Skinner	Gallows Rock, in "The Silver Hand" quest.	28 (max)	497	40	258		4	Gender is radiant can be male or female Better in heavy armor
Redoran Guard DR	Old Attius Farm	50 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	0	5	Does not moan. Equips full set of Bonemold Pauldron Armor, including shield. Body does not reset. (Only the corpse found at Old Attius Farm)
Northwatch Guard	Northwatch Keep	36 (max)	565	170	190	0	4	Equips full set of Glass armor (169)
Thalmor Soldier	Diplomatic Immunity	36 (max)	565	120	190	0	4/5	Equips full set of Elven/Glass armor Corpse does not reset (Only those found during Diplomatic Immunity)

Archer[]

These thralls use ranged weapons more effectively. They will switch to melee weapons in close quarters.

Name	Location or Quest	Level*			Stamina	Magic Resistance	Enchantable Items	Notes
Forsworn Ravager	The Reach	34	447	116	182	45%	4	Equips full set of Forsworn armor Archery (87) Has Power Shot, Ranger, and Quick Shot perks.
Northwatch Archer	Northwatch Keep	36	565	170	190	0	4	Equips full set of Glass armor (169) Archery (100) Does not have Power Shot, Ranger, nor Quick Shot perks.
Thalmor Soldier	Diplomatic Immunity	36 (max)	565	120	190	[?]	4	Equips full set of Elven or Glass armor Corpse does not reset (only those found in the quest Diplomatic Immunity)

Retain vocal clips[]

These thralls do not switch to the standard moans and groans of reanimated corpses. They instead continue to use the unique vocal clips they had in life.

Name	Location or Quest	Level*			Stamina	Magic Resistance	Enchantable Items	Notes
Ancano	The Eye of Magnus	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Corpse does reset Uses very powerful spells, such as Thunderbolt and Chain Lightning Can conjure Atronachs into battle
Arondil	Yngvild	40 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	Does moan, though may use unique dialogue if he is killed by his ghosts and reanimated afterwards
Astrid	Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!	PC×1.2	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	None	Corpse does not reset
Cicero	The Cure for Madness	10–50	375	115	245	0	None	Will dual wield Dances randomly
Elenwen	Thalmor Embassy	30 (max)	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Killable after Season Unending
Erj	Nchuand-Zel Armory
Galmar Stone-Fist	Palace of the Kings	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	4	2H
General Tullius	Castle Dour	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	3	46 armor
Hefid the Deaf	The Ratway Warrens	3	50	50	50	[?]	2 (Iron Dagger and Ragged Robes)	She will only moan if run into, otherwise she will repeat dialogue if alive.
Krag	Nchuand-Zel
Legate Rikke	Castle Dour	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	Corpse does reset Does moan
Master Conjurer	Hob's Fall Cave	40	500	460	[?]	30–55%	1	120 armor Name may change to "Master Necromancer" upon reanimation
Reaver Lord DR	Brodir Grove, Haknir's Shoal, Nchardak, Wreck of the Strident Squall, Damphall Mine, Bloodskal Barrow	28	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	4	Wears full Nordic Carved Armor
Septimus Signus	Septimus Signus' Outpost	1	50	50	50	[?]	1 (Boots)
Skjor	The Silver Hand	10–50	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Does moan
Staubin	Nchuand-Zel Control
Stromm	Nchuand-Zel Living Quarters
Ulfric Stormcloak	Palace of the Kings	10–50		[?]	[?]	[?]	3	Will use shouts Only 6 armor
Velehk Sain	The Midden Dark	4	[?]	[?]	[?]	[?]	2	Body does not reset
Wyndelius Gatharian	Shroud Hearth Barrow	Radiant (1–25)	35–441	100–294	50–150	[?]	2	Looks like a ghost Corpse resets

*Levels with (max) mean the thrall will scale with the Dragonborn up to a maximum of that level. Levels without (max) mean the thrall is set at that level.

**Vampires can be thralled above the level 40 cap of Dead Thrall if the Dragonborn has taken the Necromage perk found in the Restoration tree. This perk affects all spells that target vampires including Dead Thrall. With this perk all versions of vampires found in the game are thrallable except Volkihar Master Vampires (level 53). Of note are Volkihar Vampires (level 48) and Master Vampires (level 42), the two highest level natural candidates for thralls in the game.

Uses[]

• If the player gets caught trespassing with a thrall, paying off the fine will cause the player to be teleported out of the cell. The thrall will then advance to the next tier of its character type, provided it has one (e.g. a level 42 Master Vampire will become a level 53 Volkihar Master Vampire). This can only be performed once per thrall, and thralls that advance beyond the Dead Thrall level cap cannot be reanimated if they die.
• The player may use a Dead Thrall as storage for an unlimited amount of items. To do this, one must simply kill the thrall, and when searching their body, fill it with the items that are to be carried. To retrieve the items, one must bring the thrall back to life and kill him again to unpack the items. A single torch placed in their inventory provides a handy light source as they will light up when out of combat situations.
• Since Dead Thralls can summon creatures using a staff in the their inventory, the player can have a larger group of allies to aid them in battle.
• Just like other followers, a single high quality arrow placed in the Dead Thrall's inventory allows them to fire an unlimited number of arrows of that type, increasing their archery effectiveness, and allowing the player to recover the arrows.
• Unlike followers, Dead Thralls will level-scale with the world. This means that it is possible to re-animate a dead thrall, and then they level up to 40, and when they die, it is not possible to re-animate them. However, many potential candidates are level-capped and will not scale past 40.
• If, for whatever reason, a follower dies, it is possible to raise them as long as their level is not greater than 40. After zoning, they will not wear the apparel that was given them before their death; however, if they are a Blade, their default spawn apparel will be the Blades full armor set, which may be upgraded and enchanted. Of note is the fact that these Blades' bodies do not reset.
• With a Dead Thrall following, most other characters, from kids to traders, will make negative comments regarding the spell by giving warnings to stay away or about using a dangerous spell. These comments/warnings do not appear to affect any quest or trading dialogs.
• Vampiric players will find that they can choose to skip the process of equipping their thralls with better armor or weapons entirely by using the following techniques. These tricks will function effectively even on the Master difficulty setting. This is useful as Dead Thralls can be very unreliable when transitioning from location to location, furthermore the process of equipping them with enchanted items is unreliable as well.
  • Illusion spells (Call to Arms, etc.) will be 25% stronger if the player is a vampire, greatly improving thralls. The player must have the Illusion school perk Master of the Mind to use the beneficial illusion spells on their Dead Thralls.
  • The Restoration school perk Necromage will not only improve the players active effects by 25%, but it also augments beneficial illusion spells by another 25% (50% total) when used on Dead Thralls.
  • Potions which improve Illusion spells improve the power of the spells, and not the duration. An Elixir of Illusion will add an additional 100% power to beneficial illusion spells, whereas player created potions can be even stronger. When used to cast Call to Arms, thralls become powerful enough to survive against the majority of enemies in the game.
• In some ways, it is inferior to temporary reanimating spells, in as much as it will only reanimate humans, elves, and beastfolk, (excluding Falmer, as they are classified as creatures) whereas Revenant, for example, works on not only Falmer, but many animals too.

Trivia[]

•  PC   According to Creation Kit, what makes the thralls not turn into Ash Pile is the lack of "ReanimateAshPile" script from the "ReanimateSecondaryEffect" Magic Effect, Removing ReanimateAshPile script from ReanimateSecondaryEffect Magic Effect via Creation Kit will prevent corpses from becoming ash piles regardless the type of Reanimation spells.
• Sometimes when a mage reanimated by the player is attacked, it will summon an atronach. The atronach will register as an enemy, causing it to attack the summoner. Once it kills the corpse, it will disappear, having effectively killed itself.
• This can be cast on Ulfric Stormcloak after he is killed at the end of the Civil War missions. It is also possible to get General Tullius and Legate Rikke as thralls. Just make sure to complete the Civil War questline before reaching level 40.
• Dead Thralls, either one's own or raised by enemies, often moan "Thank you.," "Freedom." etc. when being destroyed. This also applies to other lower-level spells of the same type. Rarely, Dead Thralls will beg "Free... me." after being used for some time.
• Hold Guards may attack the Dragonborn if they see him/her using this spell in a city.
• Dead Thralls cannot regenerate their health and are immune to healing spells. That means they cannot be healed by the player and the only way for them to restore their health is to use healing potion given to them.
  • Another way to help thralls regain health is to give them weapons enchanted with "Absorb Health" ability.
  • If the Dragonborn decides to side with the vampires during the Dawnguard questline, they may purchase two spells which allow the healing of undead, Heal Undead and Necromantic Healing from a vampire in Castle Volkihar. Necromantic Healing can also be found in Dimhollow Crypt if Dawnguard is installed.
• Dead Thralls can be used as "walking trunks" and torch bearers. Putting a torch in their inventory will cause them to light it up under low light conditions whenever not in a combat situation, which also acts as something of an early warning system.
• Dremora Caitiffs and Churls found at the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon can be made into thralls.
• If Dawnguard is installed, and the Dragonborn sides with the vampires during the Dawnguard questline, if the Vampire Cattle in Castle Volkihar are killed and reanimated, they can be fed on anywhere. However, feeding in a city will get the Dragonborn a bounty.
• The effect actually lasts for 47951 hours, or 999 days according to Creation Kit, the equivalent of 5 1/2 years. So unless you ran the game continuously for 5 1/2 years, the effect is truly permanent.
• Thralls do not enter sneak mode as followers do when the player sneaks, so they will likely be noticed first by enemies.
• If the Thalmor Soldiers and Thalmor Wizards in The Ratway during "A Cornered Rat," and possibly "Alduin's Wall," are killed and Dead Thrall is cast upon them, they will keep some of their unique dialogue when in combat, such as referring to the Thalmor and Esbern.
• Dremora that are killed and Dead Thralled do not groan, and will continue to use their unique dialogue they had in life.
•  Creation Club   With the addition of Gallows Hall it is possible to legitimately thrall vampires above the previous level cap of 50 by using the Bloodworm Helm.
• Using Dead Thrall on a character that was being escorted by another in a convoy (Ondolemar, Thalmor Justiciars, Khajiit caravan leaders, Hunters, Vigilants of Stendarr, Farmers, Stormcloak Soldiers, Imperial Soldiers, etc.) will cause the escorts to follow the thrall.
• As with the other Master-level Conjuration spells, it takes two hands to cast the spell.

Bugs[]

Appearances[]

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim