(Last edited: 01-03-24) CTRL+F is your friend! Herein, I will try to communicate all I know about necromancy, with little snippets about Necromage because it is relevant here. This page will be updated infrequently, but will be as I become aware of things in the future. Check in when the ‘last edited’ part changes; I will try to make summaries of updates available at the end of this page too. Note: I do have mods installed, but nothing that modifies leveling mechanics of NPCs. Additionally, I do not play with Dawnguard or any DLC (other than that high-res textures thing that Bethesda released). I do believe Dawnguard modifies the leveling behavior of vampires, but I know NOTHING of that! And and and… this information is applicable to someone who plays ‘SKYRIM LE’ (Legendary Edition).I know NEXT TO NOTHING of later editions of this game!
THERE ARE LOCATIONS WHERE LEVELS ARE DECIDED FOR RADIANT NPCS WHEN YOU ENTER THE CELL THE MAP MARKER/BUILDING IS LOCATED IN!!!!!!!! BEWARE!!!!!!!! And no, I do not know how to get Silvia and Vals Veran to be the levels they’re ‘supposed’ to be (or at least, higher than their minimum radiant tiers)!!!!!!!!
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Targets I know you must kill before 40 AND ARE RADIANT (this list will specify the last level you can be when they MUST be spawned into the game. More details will be provided below):
• PC=28: Bashnag and Drelas
• PC=30: Master Vampires, such as Movarth Piquine and Vighar, w/o Necromage
• PC=35: Northwatch Interrogator*
• PC=36: Briarhearts (all that I know of)
• PC=38: Master Vampires, such as Movarth Piquine and Vighar, w/ Necromage
• PC=47: Ancient Vampires (Necromage not needed)†
• PC=48+: Volkihar Vampires w/ Necromage
* While Interrogator is not a ‘permanent’ corpse, he will never level up once spawned in the game (none of them do). Sadly, this means you can never have level 36 Guards (in glass) and (the one) Mage at the same time as an enthrallable level 40 Interrogator.
† They are typically replaced by Volkihar Vampires at PC=48. I know of only one place in the base game that spawns vampires at their stated levels on UESP (and is guaranteed), and that is during The Wolf Queen Awakened. There are two that you can choose between… four, if you’re a way higher level (sorry! I haven’t figured out the specific level all four become Volkihar!)
Targets who level beyond 40 AND HAVE LEVEL MULTIPLIERS, i.e., targets who require you to stunt your level to or below 40:
• PC=26: Erandur – has level multiplier of 1.5
• PC=32: Thorek, Veren Duleri, and Archmage Savos Aren – have level multiplers of 1.25
• PC=34: Ulfric Stormcloak, and General Tullius – have level multipliers of 1.2
• PC=37: Fjola (Bandit Leader) – has level multiplier of 1.1
• PC=40: Lu’ah Al-Skaven, Estormo, Ancano, Madanach, Borkul the Beast, Kaie, Skjor, all housecarls, Cicero, and everyone in the Dark Brotherhood. Note: Aela the Huntress, Vilkas, and Farkas resurrect for ‘hunting trips’, so they are not safe for storage! I’d read that Skjor does too, but he has never resurrected for me.
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THE RADIANT TIER LIST
BRIARHEARTS’ TIERS (7-51):
@11=7, @12=16, @20=27, @28=38, @37=51
BASHNAG’S TIERS (12-46):
@9=12, @10=19, 16=27, @22=36, @29=46
MASTER VAMPIRES’ TIERS (14-53):
@15=14, @16=23, @23=31, @31=42, @39=53
NORTHWATCH INTERROGATOR’S TIERS (14-50):
@15=14, @16=23, @23=32, @29=40, @36=50
DRELAS’ TIERS (19-46):
@15=19, @16=27, @22=36, @29=46
BUTCHER’S TIERS (1-25):
@3=1, @4=9, @8=14, @12=19, @16=25
CAPTAIN HARGAR’S TIERS (9-25):
@7=9, @8=14, @12=19, @16=25
SARTHIS IDREN’S TIERS (6-28):
@13=6, @14=10, @19=16, @25=21, @29=28
IMPORTANT: Sarthis’ level typically locks into the 1st tier! To circumvent this, save BEFORE entering Riften Warehouse, enter, load that save from the main menu. Sarthis and Orini should level up by doing this!
BANDIT CHIEFS, GHUNZUL, & EISA BLACKTHORN’S TIERS (6-28):
@20=28 Note: Obviously not done yet!
IMPORTANT: Ghunzul’s level is locked in when you enter the CELL Cracked Tusk Keep is located in, not when you enter the building itself! ********In Ghunzul’s case, you can kill him, bring his body outside of Cracked Tusk Keep. Put an anchor in his inventory, leave for dur1 period, take anchor from him, wait dur3 period. Then, when you come back to Cracked Tusk Keep, wait an hour before entering the building. (From what I’ve investigated, this is how you get him to level up. No, the trick you can do with Sarthis to get him to level up doesn’t work with Ghunzul! Oh yea, and there are extra steps here, but you’ll have to forgive me, as I don’t have tons of patience to try everything for everything related to necromancy. I just know that this method does work. So, sorry if this is more work than really needed!)
ARONDIL’S TIERS (7-40):
@9=7, @10=14, @16=21, @22=30, @29=40
SILD THE WARLOCK’S TIERS (7=40):
@18=7, @19=14, @27=21, @36=30, @46=40
IMPORTANT: Sild’s level is locked in when you enter the CELL Rannveig’s Fast is located in, not when your enter the ruin!
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CORPSE BEHAVIOR SECTION:
Typically, the rule is, corpses are swept away once a ‘duration-one’ period (aka dur1 period) has passed. That is, one day plus to the next round hour. The periods of certain significance to a necromancer are ‘duration-three period’ – 30 days plus to the next round hour, ‘duration-two period’ – 10 days plus to the next round hour, and ‘duration-one period’ – one day plus to the next round hour. There are permanent corpses (they’ll never disappear nor need an anchor), and also, corpses that will reset/respawn dead back in the dungeon they were found in, too! I am not aware of any instances where a corpse will respawn, resurrect, or reset before a dur2 period has elasped. A number of corpses can be anchored-to-permanency. The general rule for corpses that can be anchored is, if they last a dur1 period, they’ll at least, be anchored until just short of a dur2 period. It’s fairly straightforward! The idea is to make them last longer in the game without needing as much maintenance!
Corpses that last dur3 period w/o anchor, i.e., permanent corpses:
Anska, Old Orc, Jaree-Ra, Ritual Master (and her three helpers), Sulla Trebatius, Umana, J’darr, Madanach and all his friends, includes Kaie, Duach, Odvan, Borkul the Beast; Atar (his relevant quest in Karthwasten must be halted. Otherwise is SFR, i.e., he is scripted for removal – and there is nothing you can do about it); Eisa Blackthorn (you cannot enter Frostmere Crypt, which means you cannot get all three Ice Form words); Salma (must be killed instead of Beem-Ja. If I recall correctly, she is SFR as soon as you leave Ironbind Barrow and Beem-Ja is dead); Kornalus; Telrav; Sild the Warlock; Chief Yamarz (beefy version (I don’t know about the weak version) will be permanent provided you haven’t finished The Cursed Tribe. It is possible to ‘legitimately’ progress through the quest and keep Yamarz as a permanent corpse if you either take Shagrol’s Hammer or let Yamarz confront you before he takes the hammer himself).
Corpses that last dur2 period w/o anchor:
Vighar (Dark Ancestor must be halted, i.e., cannot receive reward for this quest); Ghunzul; Rigel Strong-Arm; Bashnag
Corpses that last dur1 period w/o anchor:
Movarth Piquine (Laid to Rest must be halted, i.e., cannot receive reward from jarl lady)
Corpses that last dur3 period w/ anchor aka anchored-to-permanency:
Northwatch Interrogator, Drelas
Corpses that last dur1 period w/ anchor:
Any dremora (excluding summons)
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not named section
Drelas’ affinity (and level) is locked in when you enter his cottage, i.e., all you have to do to get the Drelas you want is save before entering.
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FOLGUNTHUR’S INVISIBLE WALL
Relevant if you want the strongest Gaulderson, Gaulder Blackblade and/or Blackbow (because if you lock one the other locks too)!
These three are from position #1! I chose it because it’s close to a tree! Originally, I thought you could walk up to the water, but you really can’t!
These two are from position #2! I chose it because I wanted to find out if you could pick this deathbell, and you can; just don’t walk past it!
This is position #3! I chose it because there are dragonflies here that you can catch, though I don’t know how liberal one can be when pursuing them. All I know is, you can stand here and not worry! TIP OF THE DAY: Stay way the hell away from Folgunthur! Don’t even go to Morthal until level 36 (the level when Blackblade and Blackbow are max!) In fact, don’t leave Riverwood until you’re level 100, just in case!
RANNVEIG’S FAST’S INVISIBLE WALL
Relevant if you want the strongest Sild!
Don’t run past this rock pictured in these screenies! You’ll lock Sild if you walk farther than this point!
GEIRMUND’S HALL INVISIBLE WALL
Relevant if you’re trying to get the strongest Gaulderson, Blackbow and/or Blackblade!
If you’ve ever wondered why the Gaulder Blackbow and Blackblade were weak as heck? It’s because you crossed any of the relevant invisible boundaries I’ve shown on this page, or you’ve read the book! The key level of importance is 36 when it comes to these weapons.
TELRAV’S SPAWN BOUNDARY
Relevant if you want the strongest Telrav!
This is spot #3! It’s right outside Sarethi Farm! It’s a good idea to approach Sarethi Farm from the east or south instead of by road. You’ll see why in a second.
Spot #1! I chose it because it’s on the road to Nilheim! Walking toward Nilheim, Telrav will level lock beyond this point if you take the road. You can give this section a wide birth to get to Sarethi Farm, i.e., stay off the road!
These are screenies from position #2! I chose it because it’s on the way to Snapleg Cave. Just trying to show that you can’t get the paralysis staff without level-locking Telrav.
GHUNZUL’S SPAWN BOUNDARY
Relevant if you don’t want to go through the trouble of trying to get him to level up after he’s spawned stunted!
You’ll notice here that I am far away from Cracked Tusk Keep. You walk past this point, Ghunzul will spawn in level-locked, indeed…
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AND MORE TO COME AS I GET AROUND TO TAKING NOTES, LEARNING, AND ADDING IT… I am currently in the process of putting together an anchor list, so there’s that… I do want to post pictures of the ‘commonly crossed’ boundary lines for NPCs whose radiant tiers are set in the ‘wilderness’ and not when entered indoors, e.g., Ghunzul, Sild, Mikrul, and Sigdis, etc.
As a closing note, I do really hope it doesn’t take me long to finish up this info package. I am hoping that by writing this as I am now that it makes me want to get those pictures up pronto! Let’s all cross our fingers! But in the meantime, I’ll release it as is because that’s the responsible thing to do!
NEW ADDITIONS SUMMARY SECTION
For edit date 29-02-24 (later in the day):
• Added pictures of Folgunthur’s and Rannveig’s invisible wall
• Added Tip of the Day. Blackbow & Blackblade are strongest at level 36!
For edit date 01-03-24:
• Added more pictures: Geirmund’s Hall, Cracked Tusk Keep, & Telrav/Nilheim invisible walls