Dragons are universal problem for all Skyrim players, and some of them handle the challenge of fighting much better than others. This guide to dragons in Skyrim will teach you what successful players do to bring them down, even at higher difficulties. You will find dragon fighting strategies, helpful tips, which will help you meet and kill one of these reptiles even on Legendary difficulty.
Dragons appear at many points in Skyrim's main quest, and you're more likely to encounter them as the game progresses, especially as your character levels up. If you're looking for dragons, you can quickly travel to open areas by jumping to different locations until one spawns. There are also numerous Dragon Lords where dragons guard the walls of words. If you see a dragon in the distance, it can be distracted by simply approaching and entering its combat range. It's very difficult to sneak past one of them given their massive sight range, so it's practically guaranteed that it will spot you and start attacking.
Some dragons are essentially creatures that hunt from a distance until you get close enough or attack them directly. This can be frustrating for melee players, so it's recommended to use a ranged damage source, at least until you get a specific shout by completing the main quest.
Dragons land in flat, open areas, but only do so at random unless you take away their health. An early damage source such as a bow, atronach flame (spell) or a destruction magic spell can help lower their health and summon the AI to the ground. This is especially frustrating for pure melee characters who don't have a ranged attack source. In general, you can take a bow, but do not pump skill points on it.
Dragons in Skyrim are divided into five types: Normal Dragon (level 10), Blood Dragon (20), Ice Dragon (30), Elder (40) and Ancient Dragons (50). Skyrim's first DLC, Dawnguard adds two new varieties for higher level players: Revered - level 60+ and Legendary 75+. Higher level dragon types have stronger breath and melee attacks, armor, and more.
You can tell a Dragon's weakness by the type of breath it blows out, be it fire or frost. Revered (fire) and Ice dragons are the only types that have a fixed breath, while any other can have one of these two elements. Dragon's Weakness is the opposite element, and using it deals 25% additional damage. Dragons resist 50% damage from attacks of the same element, so it's important that you don't waste magic on opposing spells rather than exploiting the Dragon's weakness. Impact damage affects all dragons equally. Ranged and melee fighters take note: enchanted weapons do base damage plus additional elemental damage, so using a flaming ax against a fire dragon will still be respectable.
Bone dragons only appear as part of quests and are not randomly encountered.
close combat
Melee fighters are naturally at a disadvantage when fighting a flying lizard that can spew fire or frost hundreds of feet away. The only way to ensure that the Dragon will land is to use the Dragonrend Shout found while completing the Main Quest. Since you won't have it for a while, you'll need magic or a bow to help you lower his health while flying. They will sometimes land to engage in close combat, and most likely when critically wounded - this will be your moment to punish him and chop him down for firewood.
Sword and shield is the way to go so you can block those attacks that can't be avoided at close range. Naturally, with two-handed weapons and enough specialization, you can use power attacks and quickly kill them when they are vulnerable, but it is worth noting that their melee attacks are very strong, along with breathing, and without good resistance and equipment, it will be very tight.
Spell Damage
Mages also need to have some archery skills as they will need mana to kill the dragon in the early stages. Summoned creatures are usually not very useful against the dragon due to their low life, while followers like Lydia Housecarl can directly tank the dragon while you are attacking it.
Given all this information, archers have a big advantage against the Dragons of Skyrim. They usually have less problems using the terrain to your advantage, and the ranged weapon bonuses from perks are already set by default. The only advice I can give is to use your best Dragon Arrows. When the dragon is vulnerable and at mid-level, don't worry about drawing your bow fully. Aim to fire arrows at the creature quickly, as the durability strength only affects the range of the weapon, not the damage.
Getting help from NPCs
If you're having trouble killing the Dragon, you can bring it to civilization where the guards can distract it and damage it. Avoid going to areas with a lot of enemies, who are more likely to want to kill you, not the dragon. If you just can't win, you can always lower the difficulty level of the game to reduce the damage you take while increasing your damage. Switch the difficulty back when you're done and no one will know about it.
Aside from health and magic potions, you'll want to replenish your resources in a tough dragon fight, a few more tools come to mind:
All normal dragons have dragon bones. If you intend to become a tank, don't sell them, rather save them in a safe place for later. Dragons also drop gear and weapons, though a little less frequently. My favorite unlock location for storing dragon bones and ores is Shack Meeko, though there are plenty of safe zones you can use - in general chests of drawers, tables and cabinets won't respawn.
Defeating dragons will result in your Dovahkiin absorbing the dragon's soul. They are only used to unlock shouts once you have found them on the wall. In the end, you will have too many dragon souls. However, there are many words that will expand your arsenal of shouts.
One of the best additions in the gaming world Elder Scrolls are dragons. Since there are a lot of these flying, deadly creatures, and they are not very friendly. You will have many chances to blunt your sword on their scales. What starts as a one-off brawl in a random location then turns into a real fight. Arriving in the city, you will hear a deafening roar of a dragon, from which buildings will shudder, and as soon as this monster notices you, a fight will begin.
Fighting dragons is not easy. Every time you think that it has become easy to cope with a dragon, a new one will appear - even bigger and scarier.
However, there are some tricks that can make fighting dragons easier. In this article we will tell you how to fill up any dragon in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You will learn what strategy to use against which dragon is better to use, what equipment to choose, and most importantly - where are the lairs of dragons in Skyrim!
Basic information about dragons
It seems that dragons do not lose energy and magic, so cold or lightning is powerless here. Their breath can be subdued by Shouting, but it cannot be weakened. So you will need to have a couple of potions with you to resist fire or ice in order to prepare for the next attacks.
First, dragons cannot be frozen, paralyzed, or immobilized in any other way. You can beat them off with fairly powerful attacks, but you can’t kill them with this. They bounce for a moment, and then go on the attack again. A short pause is just enough to raise the shield. This means that melee with them can be a real challenge. Even if other characters help you, the dragon will swing its tail, wings and incinerate everyone with its breath
However, this does not mean at all that you should not fight dragons in a group. If you have an ally, you can surround the dragon and try to confuse him. He will move his head back and forth, wondering who to attack, which means that he will attack you and your ally once or twice before you lull his guard. Somewhere in the middle of the game, there is a chance that you will be able to attack the dragon with three people, and this will make it much easier to fight them in their nests.
Thus, there is an almost "ideal" way to hunt a dragon, as well as ways specific to each of the three types of characters. Here are the most important points to kill those flying hulks.
Dragon fight strategy
The most important thing in these battles is which Shout you use. The most effective Shouts for fighting dragons in Skyrim are:
✓ Fire Breath - very useful in the battle against ice dragons
✓ Frost Breath - use it against fire breathing dragons
✓ Marked for Death - especially effective against dragons on the ground
✓ Dragonrend: You will get it towards the end of the storyline when you fight dragons all the time. But, since this Shout forces the dragons to land, it is better to use it at the end of the fight.
There are other Shouts that can be useful depending on your playstyle or specific situation, but these are the most common. For example:
✓ Become Ethereal or Slow Time - can help if your hit points are too low.
✓ Animal Allegiance - useful if you are fighting a dragon next to a mammoth or saber-toothed cat. This shout can be used for extra help.
✓ Call Dragon or Call of Valor - These Shouts can be especially useful, however, they can be inconvenient due to the time they need to cool down.
As long as you don't have a Dragonrend, you will have to manually force the dragon to land. Try to stay outside at all times. If you're on a mountain path, run back onto a flat surface, or climb up a plateau to force the dragon to land for a hand-to-hand fight. Of course, the dragon doesn't have to land just because you're out in the open - it can keep attacking you with its breath, but that's the only way to get to them.
Optimal equipment for fighting dragons
If you wear a ring or amulet that helps soften the blow from the dragon's breath, then you will be able to withstand the most difficult parts of the battle.
Weapons and shields can be replaced with dual magic if you are a mage of course - just be sure you don't use the magic of the same element as the dragon's breath, otherwise it won't deal as much damage. If you've fortified fire magic enough, for example, it's worth using it against ice dragons, although you shouldn't expect it to work wonders. However, the mage still needs a sword (or the Bound Bow spell), as the dragon is constantly moving and will move out of the cast's range.
A good buff on a bow is elemental damage (although you'll need to use two bows for different types of dragons) or Silent Moon Enchant. While the Silent Moon Enchant is only useful at night, the damage bonus it gives is very effective. It is worth using Absorb Health, because, believe me, you will lose enough health.
With this set, you can easily fire your bow until the dragon gets close enough to cast a spell, shout, or melee weapon. To be honest, this set is easy to play with and will help in any situation - the dragon is in front of you or not.
Equipment and weapons of the Warrior
All of the above seems simple, but until you get this ability, every fight with a dragon will be a real test of patience if you do not want to use a bow or magic. It is best to get an ally who uses magic or a bow, and then hide, giving him the opportunity to prove himself. Go inside the tent, under the canopy, or at least hide behind a shield (if you have the Elemental Protection perk). Once the dragon lands, load up and fire, preferably before it hits you. Repeat to complete the battle.
You can use Shouts to deliver long range attacks. If this is the case, consider taking the Talos Amulet, as it reduces the recharge time by 20%.
Thief equipment and weapons
To be honest, a thief should have the easiest time with dragons. The bow is an incredibly powerful weapon when trained and can take out a dragon no matter where it is. Of course, you might think that the hand-to-hand combat lover is the easiest, but until you get the Dragonrend, the dragon may not land at all, then things will smell fried. Even if this happens, the archer can noticeably damage his health while the master of hand-to-hand combat is helpless.
Mage equipment for hunting dragons
Pure mages will have a hard time, as only destruction magic will help here, although the Atronach can help if the enemy is far away. The illusion doesn't work without a high level of perks, and the Atronach will be practically useless. The ability to destroy high level coupled with the right perks will allow you to deal with dragons when they are far and near.
Here's an example of a good strategy, say, while fighting an ice dragon: grab a Flame Atronach and start hitting the dragon with fireballs (with one hand to save magic) until it gets closer. As soon as he gets close, take a fire spell in both hands and don't forget to absorb potions to save magic until the dragon dies or takes off again. Don't forget that since these spells ignite instantly, they are good to use on flying dragons, as you don't have to aim your shots, and they can also make the dragon land.
One of the safest ways to kill a dragon (if you are a mage) is to use a battle mage. Wear strong armor and don't forget to strengthen it properly to increase your stamina level, then grab a weapon that can literally "suck" the health out of enemies - a sword is best here, as it is the fastest. The dragon will be confused and will constantly turn around to keep up with you, and in the meantime you can reduce his health and, as they say, go your own way.
To be honest, the mage can deal with the dragon quite easily, so if you have the opportunity to strengthen your equipment and magic level, everything should go well.
Dragons in Skyrim
As your level increases, you will meet more and more powerful dragons on your way. Most of these changes are just "cosmetic", but there are some differences between different breeds of dragons. There are a number of named dragons in the game, although they are just a boosted version of a certain type of dragon.
The Dragon
Blood Dragon
Ice Dragon
old dragon
ancient dragon
Bone Dragon
Dragons of Skyrim main storyline
Mirmulnir
It is best for a hand-to-hand combat fan to stay in the tower and watch the movements of the monster until it lands. Run out of the tower, land a couple of hits, and then hide in the tower again while he flies in the air. Mages can do the same, because you are unlikely to be ready to fight a dragon head-to-head right now.
Saloknir
Meet at Kartsspire
The dragon itself should not be a problem for you. Since more than one ally is helping you, the monster must fall quickly. What complicates the situation is that immediately after you deal with the dragon, you will also have to deal with Forsworn. Luckily, the dragon itself will help you get rid of many of these freaks running around during their rage attacks.
Alduin
Everything Alduin does, he does with fire, so you'll need gear to counter his attacks. His attacks are fire rain from the sky, breath of fire, a very powerful bite, and a devastating tail lash. While it bites you, fireballs will fall from above, so your only choice is to just endure the battle. It is practically indestructible until you use the Dragonrend shout.
Second meeting. Unlike your previous encounter with the dragon, this fight is quite simple. Although all companions can be left behind, three of the most powerful warriors in Sovangard will fight with you. In addition, by this time you will already be quite experienced, and you will also have improved equipment. And Alduin will be almost defenseless next to the four heroes.
When the four of you reach the foggy area, choose the Clear Skies shout. Wait until you are told to use it, then use the third level shout to clear the fog. This will have to be repeated several times until Alduin stops hiding. When the dragon appears, your friends will start attacking it, however, it is invulnerable until you use the Dragonrend cry on it. Drop him to the ground with this shout, and you can start attacking him with the whole quartet. He fights in the same manner as before, but now he has many more targets to distract him from you. These battles are pretty easy to complete even with simple healing items.
Nests and other dragons in Skyrim
✓ The first checkpoint will be after killing Mirmulnir. After that, dragons will appear all over the world, although still rarely.
✓ The second checkpoint is after getting the Dragonrend shout. There will be more dragons, they will appear more and more often as soon as you arrive in the city.
✓ The last point will be after the completion of the main storyline. Dragons will appear constantly, attacking you every time you drive into a city or dungeon.
Nahagliv
Paarthurnax
Winturut
Vujotnaak
Dragon Nests
Ancients Ascent is located in the mountains, east of Falkreath. There are two paths to the mountain. The first is a mountain path on the side of the mountain, often guarded by a dragon who will try to weaken you before you reach the winged monster that lives above. The easiest way to get up is to go through Bonechill Passage, a small cave with ice trolls. This is 100% the simplest and easiest way, so go ahead.
The tower is in the southeast of Ivarstead, up a winding path through the mountains. Getting there is much harder than fighting the dragon itself. Unfortunately, along the way you will meet a bunch of bears, who strive to distract you from the main task. This is usually one of the first places you should meet dragon hunters.
This is one of the most easily accessible nests. Head south from Winterhold, straight through the woods and up the mountains. Of course, more often than not the dragon itself will find you and attack long before you even get to the word wall. By the way, be careful: somewhere here lives the absolutely harmless dragon Hagraven, and if you hit her, she can become brutal.
This is a real thorn in your armor. You can get to the top either up the mountain north of Rannveig's Fast, or along the winding path south of Morthal. This path is more dangerous, because on the narrow paths you will meet ice trolls. If a dragon attacks you here, you will not avoid problems. It is better to go through the mountains, because then the dragon will attack you in the open.
Another easy dragon lair: to get to it, you just need to go through the wastelands, south of Riften, and then go up the southeast path. The dragon will attack you on the main road, so you won't have any problems with it. Once he is dead, you can continue your climb to the word wall.
Not the easiest road. The local dragon loves to roam, which means you will have to fight him before you start climbing the mountain, or you can meet him on a narrow path. On the way you will also meet polar bears, giants, and sometimes even ice trolls, and they will try to get your attention sooooo diligently. In addition, a second dragon will fly somewhere nearby, which will attack even before you have time to deal with the first.
Description of the enemy
This reptile is the most powerful and dangerous dragon in Skyrim, added to the game with the Dawnguard add-on. It is distinguished by the purple color of the scales and large swirling horns on the head.
The main feature of the dragon is that it has a new mind - "Life Drain", which takes away ~ 7 units of health, mana and stamina. And so all this will go on for 20 seconds (total ~ 140 units of health, Also, the Legendary Dragon has only three types, each of which owns "Life Drain", "Ruthless Force" and another certain that "mind. I have written about these three types below.
Main characteristics
As I wrote in the previous section, the Legendary Dragon has three types in total:
1. Fiery.
2. Frosty.
3. Frosty (more pumped).
I. Fiery type.
HP: 4163
MP: 150
Stamina: 347
Armor: 175
Possession of that "mind: Drain life (~ 7 units / s. (HP, MP and stamina) for 20 seconds), Ruthless force, Fire breath (~ 125 units (HP))
II. Frosty type.
HP: 4163
MP: 150
Stamina: 347
Damage: 200 (wings), 300 (bite, tail)
Armor: 175
III. Frosty (more pumped).
HP: 4363
MP: 150
Stamina: 347
Damage: 200 (wings), 300 (bite, tail)
Armor: 175
Possession of that "mind: Drain life (~ 7 units / s. (HP, MP and stamina) for 20 seconds), Ruthless force, Frost breath (~ 150 units (HP and stamina), slowdown).
Enemy location
The legendary dragon is usually found in the area of Winterhold or most often near the Windy Arc.
Note: This enemy is encountered after you have reached level 78. And don't forget that it's only added to the game with The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard expansion.
Tactics against this beast
Since this "beast" mainly flies in the mountains, it will land quite rarely during the battle. So, the best weapons against the Legendary Dragon are magic and a bow with enchanted arrows. Yes, it's better with the enchanted ones. After reading the characteristics of the dragon, you will understand how best to enchant arrows;)
Also, in parallel with the Legendary Dragon, such a wonderful thing as crossbows was added to the Dawnguard add-on. Therefore, if you have a crossbow (Dwemer is the best) and bolts for it, do not be afraid to use all this on a dragon, because bolts from a crossbow reach much faster than arrows from a bow, and they also do more damage. I also advise you to enchant these bolts again, the damage will become even greater.
Achievement "Legend"
There is one achievement associated with the Legendary Dragon - "Legend". The meaning of the achievement is that you only need to defeat the dragon itself.
Well, this, of course, will not be very easy, but still worth a try. We get the necessary spells / small arms with a good supply of shells, go to the Windy Arc (there such reptiles fly most often) and look for our target! When you find it, save and start the battle! Only later, after defeating the Legendary Dragon, find and search his body, you will find so many useful things!
Trophies found from the enemy
During a search of the dragon's body, you will definitely find dragon scales and bone. But, in addition, there is gold and leveled equipment. Equipment can be anything from elven to daedric, it all depends on your level.
Sources of material
Some information about the Legendary Dragon, such as its stats, was taken from The Elder Scrolls Wiki.
Legendary dragons are the most powerful dragons in Skyrim. They are added by the Dawnguard DLC, just like , but differ significantly from them as appearance, as well as characteristics.
They have a specific pale purple color and large, twisted horns. These opponents are also distinguished by the peculiarity of their eye. One gets the impression that in the eye socket there is not one, but four eyeballs.
Unlike noble dragons, legendary dragons are not directly involved in the plot. Their main task is to prevent players who managed to pump the character, get bored.
Besides standard for the Thu'um dragons Unrelenting Force, Frost Breath, and Fire Breath, this dragon also wields Drain Life. This scream drains the opponent's life force (7 health per second for 20 seconds).
Legendary dragons stand out and loot that falls from them. In addition to bones, scales, gold and gems that are farmed from any kind of dragons, some daedric armor pieces. At level 78, it is most often already useless, but it can be sold for good money to local blacksmiths.
Like other types of dragons, the legendary ones are found throughout the vastness of Skyrim, but only after the player reaches level 78.
In Nordic ruins"Wind Arc" chance to see this dragon is much higher. You can find this place if you go down from Ivarsted, following the perimeter of the mountain range. There, on the border of the possessions of the Rift and Falkreath, in the Jerol mountains, the right place is located. After passing the ruins and killing the dragon priest you will meet the Legendary Dragon (if you have already reached the required level).
You can meet the legendary dragon and cunning. The level of the character quickly rises with the help of a special cheat code. If you don't like to cheat, but you don't have enough time to upgrade your character, you can use some of the game's hidden bugs. For example, when entering the center of a busy city, use the skill " Harmony". With each use, the Illusion skill will grow, and as a result, you will gain the necessary levels.
One of the achievement in steam. To get it, kill one of them.
It is difficult to defeat this kind of dragons. In close combat, even a pumped character is difficult to cope with him. The easiest way to emerge victorious from this fight is to use arrows and shout " dragon slayer”, or attack with the spell “Lightning Eyes” along with the pumped perk “Disintegration” or the same “Dragonbreaker”.
Well, we have finished writing, and now you know how and where to find the Legendary Dragon in Skyrim without any problems, even at a low level.
Dragons appear in Skyrim at the same time as the player. No one living has met them before, and their appearance anywhere causes panic and commotion.
Dragons are aggressive towards all the inhabitants of Skyrim. Be it the player, NPCs, or other monsters. Only in isolated cases, dragons are neutral to the player.
During the passage of the main plot, the player learns the history of the dragons, who they are, why they disappeared, and why they are now returning again. Many have not yet completed the storyline, and in order not to spoil your experience of the game, we will leave this section for later.
Most often, dragons will appear near the player in flight. Having chosen a target, the dragon circles over it, attacking with fire or cold from the air. Sometimes he can sit down himself - on the ground, or on a rock, or on the roof of a house.
But in order to put him on the ground for sure, you need to either inflict significant (about 2/3 hp) damage on him, or hit him with the “Dragonbreaker” shout. After that, the dragon will sit on the ground, and will no longer be able to take off (in the case of a scream, it will not take off until the dragon slayer acts on it).
While on the ground, dragons can still attack with their fire or ice breaths, and if the enemy is too close, bite him.
If a player has little health left in close combat with a dragon, then with a high chance the dragon will grab him with his jaws, help him to the sides, and then throw him out like a rag doll. Such a scene for the player means 100% death.
In the case of a dragon call, it does not appear immediately, but after a few seconds. If there is no enemy near you, then he will fly in circles. If an enemy appears (a red dot on the beacon), he will start attacking him from the air, or sit down on the ground and engage in close combat.
A successful dragon summoning will only happen if you are outdoors.
Appear from the level: 1
Color, subspecies |
Health |
Magic |
Power reserve |
Damage |
screams |
resistance |
|
50% fire resistance |
|||||||
Frost Breath, Ice Storm |
50% frost resistance |
||||||
Fire Breath, Fireball |
50% fire resistance |
||||||
Fire Breath, Fireball |
50% fire resistance |
The "weakest" representatives of the dragon race. This is the first type of dragon the player encounters in their travels. They have a dark gray color. They attack with fire and very rarely with cold. It has three types of color: brown, white and bronze. They can spawn at any player level.
Appear from the level: 10 *
You can recognize the bloody dragon from afar by its wide tail. Skin color: gray-green. Attacks are both fire and ice. A little stronger and tenacious of their younger relatives.
* An exception is the blood dragon near Robber's Bay - it is always there.
Appear from the level: 20
They are distinguished by a light gray skin color, and an abundance of spikes on the dorsal part of the body. They are roughly equal in strength to regular dragons, but due to the fact that their frost attacks slow the target and damage stamina, they are more difficult to deal with.
Appear from the level: 23
They stand out among others with orange-red skin, with black spots. Attacks are both fire and ice. Very durable and strong. Little is known about them, because. it is rare that anyone survives a meeting with them.
Appear from the level: 40
It is distinguished by a more massive body, scales with a red-brown tint, and a slight extension at the end of the tail.
Having reached level 32, I strongly recommend carrying elixirs with resistance to fire and cold. Because if you meet an ancient dragon without any resistance bonuses, it will be very difficult to deal with it. Very tenacious, they hit very hard both with elemental attacks and in close combat.
Appear from the level: 59
A rare type of dragon appears only in the Dawnguard expansion. Its main feature is that it can swim underwater.
Appear from the level: 78
Considered the strongest dragon in the expansion. He is the owner of unique eyes, resembling four eyes in one eye socket.
Appear from the level: -
A unique type of dragon that can only be found in the Labyrinthian, on the instructions of Winterhold. They don't fly, they don't have a soul.
Primordial Dragon. The oldest and most powerful. According to rumors, he participated in the creation of this world, and now he has come to destroy it. But it is to him that we owe salvation from execution.
Owns souls, can resurrect dragons, instilling souls in them, and devour the souls of dead people.
The first dragon we meet in the game.
Son of Akatosh and younger brother of Alduin, leader of the Greybeards. He lives in the Throat of the World.
Is an right hand Alduin, and faithfully serves him. But the dragonborn will be able to persuade him to his side, and it is Odawin who will help kill Alduin, and it is him that the player can call on the battlefield with a special cry available at the end of the main story.
If you immediately take on the main plot, then Milmurnir is the second dragon that you will meet in the game, near Whiterun. And the first dragon you fight.
During the passage of the main storyline, you, using the example of Saloknir, will see how Alduin brings dragons back to life. After he comes back to life, you will need to fight him right away.