Every Elder Scrolls Conjuration Companion, Ranked By Power

The art of Conjuration in The Elder Scrollsuniverse is one that allows the player to summon a broad range of minions or weapons to aid them, varying from weak to extremely powerful. Conjuration is a school of magic that, depending on the player’s proficiency, calls specific beings from other realms, especially Oblivion. Not all spells are created equally, however, and a player needs to know which summoned creatures are going to be most helpful in different situations.

While Conjuration in Elder Scrolls can be used to manifest ephemeral weapons such as swords, bows or axes, the main focus of this school of magic is to bring creatures from other realms and maintain control over them. The conjurer can then command these beings to assist them in battle by drawing enemy fire or defeating their foes. This particular skill has been available to players since The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and is widely considered well-worth the time investment to level it up. Having a powerful Daedra by their side can save the player’s life in a variety of situations, but the player must also know which minions to summon to their side, bearing the current situation in mind.

Most Conjuration spells summon Daedra in Elder Scrolls from the chaotic plane of Oblivion, but some also employ necromancy to reanimate dead bodies or skeletons as undead minions. Whichever spells the player decides to use, it is useful to know how these creatures differ in terms of health, utility, and the damage they deal. Naturally, the more powerful a minion, the more advanced the spell will be, so the most powerful Conjuration spells are typically restricted to experts in the specialization.

Arvak, Skyrim’s Purple Skeleton Horse

While he offers little in the way of combat assistance outside of regular horse levels of aggression, Skyrim’s Arvak is a loyal undead steed the player can pick up in the Soul Cairn, a region within Oblivion they get to visit in the Dawnguard DLC. Once the player learns how to summon him, Arvak will come when called to carry them wherever they wish. This is extremely useful if one is over-encumbered or does not have access to any other horses, such as in Solstheim or Blackreach. Arvak can also be used to train certain skills such as one-handed, he can break the player’s fall and he can simply be resummoned whenever he’s killed. Shadowmere may be one of Skyrim‘s more famous equine companions, but Arvak is also well-noted for his unique flaming skeletal design and immortality.

Mind-Controlled Animals (& People) In Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

In the Elder Scrolls’ third title, Morrowind, Conjuration allows the player to take control of various creatures they come across with the Command Creature spell. Depending on the player’s level, the enthralled creature will then act as a follower and assist them in battle. Lower-level animals such as wolves and bears are common enough, but even more powerful creatures like Daedra and Dwemer Centurions can be enslaved to carry out the player’s bidding. In this way, the power levels between different kinds of companions vary considerably and in many cases are limited to areas where such creatures are found.

Command Humanoid is another Conjuration spell in The Elder Scrolls 3:Morrowind which functions in much the same way as Command Creature, except it’s specifically aimed at NPCs. The player can use this spell for more than just combat, as it comes in handy to get particular NPCs to move either out of your way or to a more convenient location. Command Humanoid can also be used to sow chaos among enemy ranks, as oftentimes they will continue to fight one another even when the Conjuration spell has worn off.

Lesser Deadra From The Realm of Oblivion In Elder Scrolls Are Powerful Summons

The Elder Scrolls universe is home to many different species of Daedra who hail from the plane of Oblivion. They range in appearance from crocodilian Deadroth to humanoid spiders and can act as useful conjured companions. While most can only be summoned for a short amount of time, they bring with them the unsettling powers associated with their immortal kind. Morrowind’s most impressive Deadric minions include the Winged Twilight or the Golden Saint, each with various magical and melee attacks. Winged Twilights, messengers of Azura, are harpy-like creatures with a strong resistance to magic and poison, while Golden Saints are versatile Amazon-like warriors who hail from the Shivering Isles.

One of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s most impressive Daedra include the Xivilai, humanoid magic-users who summon smaller lizard-like Daedra called the Clannfear to overwhelm their opponents. Spider Daedra too are higher-tier residents of Oblivion, incredibly agile fighters who employ shock spells from a distance. Similar to the Xivilai, they can summon small spiders to attack enemies, and thus they make excellent companions, albeit not the best choice for arachnophobes.

Undead Minions, Courtesy of The Elder Scrolls Art of Necromancy

Present in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, the ability to use Conjuration as a means of necromancy is fairly common. Even from relatively low levels, players can reanimate slain NPCs or summon undead apparitions for a limited time to act as battle companions. This also works with skeletons, ghosts, and various other types of undead in The Elder Scrolls universe. Skyrim’s Dead Thrall spell allows a reanimated corpse to remain as a permanent follower, one that players can give gear and items to.

Depending on the type of summoned minion, the undead vary greatly in strength and resistance. Skeletons and zombies are some of the easiest to conjure, requiring very little mana but also being extremely weak. Reanimation spells are more or less valuable depending on the creature being targeted. It also has a drawback in the necessity for a suitable corpse existing in the first place, so the usefulness is entirely situational. The most powerful undead minions in Elder Scrolls include the spellcasting Lich from Oblivion, and Skyrim’s ax-wielding Wrathmen and Bonemen Archers, all formidable opponents in their own right.

Dremora Lords, Oblivion’s Mightiest Warriors, Are Powerful Conjuration Companions

No list of conjured companions would be complete without the quintessential Dremora Lords, some of the franchise’s most intimidating creatures. Only well-versed conjurers can bring these bloodthirsty warriors into the mortal realm, and there’s good reason for it. Dremora Lords are heavily-armored servants of The Elder Scrolls’ Deadric Prince Mehrunes Dagon and make an appearance in all Elder Scrolls titles from Morrowind to Elder Scrolls Online. They are characterized by their massive two-handed weapons which they swing fearlessly at any enemy in sight.

They deal huge amounts of damage, but their exclusive use of melee combat leaves them vulnerable to highly mobile or magic-using enemies. The famous red-trimmed black armor worn by Dremora Lords is greatly sought after by Skyrim players for its toughness and domineering aesthetic, a look that certainly suits servants of the Daedric Prince of Destruction.

Skyrim’s Seekers, Servants of Hermaeus Mora, Are Great Conjuration Minions

In Skyrim’s Dragonborn DLC, the player must venture into the shadowy realm of Apocrypha, a place within Oblivion where the Daedric Prince of Forbidden Knowledge, Hermaeus Mora, resides. This sinister entity has filled his home with endless corridors jammed full of every book ever written, and all that coveted knowledge is watched over by his personal minions. One of which, the Seeker, is a kind of Daedric creature that the player can learn to summon, provided they are experienced enough in the Conjuration skill.

Seekers are floating, eldritch creatures that have an affinity for magic, casting powerful spells at enemies. They can also project mirror images of themselves as a defense, so even if a foe gets close enough to hit the Seeker, they have to find the real one first. Seekers are highly valued as companions mostly for their firepower, as they deal massive damage from a distance. They also have a unique Lovecraftian aesthetic, bringing with them the chilling experience of Apocrypha.

Elder Scrolls’ Atronachs Are The Most Powerful Conjuration Companions

There are a number of Conjuration companions that are made from a certain element such as Flaming Familiars, but the most powerful of these are the Atronachs in Elder Scrolls. They have been around since Daggerfall, and unlike other Daedra, they are largely unaffiliated with any Daedric Princes, content to occupy their time with battling Atronachs of differing elements. There are many kinds, but only a few can be summoned using Conjuration, each one useful for a specific situation.

Frost Atronachs are the tanks of the elemental world, drawing enemies’ attention and slowing them down with weak melee attacks while the player does the real damage. Fire Atronachs act as flamethrowers, blasting enemies from afar with an incessant barrage of fire spells, and like all Atronachs, they explode for extra damage when defeated. Storm Atronachs are similar, except their magic revolves around shock spells and they require a higher Conjuration level to summon. Ash Guardians are a breed of Atronach found on Soltsheim, made out of enchanted ash. They primarily use fire and melee attacks, but they do not have a time limit and only disappear when defeated. All Atronachs are resistant to their own magic, and will not take damage from destruction spells that match their element.

What makes Atronachs the best summoned creatures is their versatility and sheer power levels. As long as the player can assess their situation and decide which Atronach is best, they will receive a huge advantage in combat. The highest level Conjuration spells in Skyrim include the ability to summon Atronachs permanently, and coupled with the Twin Souls perk, a player can have two perennial elemental bodyguards ready to destroy any unfortunate enemies in a variety of spectacular ways.

It is difficult to nail down exactly which Conjuration companions are the best as there are lots of variables involved. Sometimes, a player just wants to summon a particular type of minion out of personal preference for their looks or lore. Others are adamant about making the most of their precious Magicka, only summoning minions they can get the best utility from. Whichever avenue a spellcaster decides to take, The Elder Scrolls’ Conjuration skill remains an engaging and fantastical school of magic.

About The Author