Thrall Thread : Living with the dead

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Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Thralls generally have the same issues as followers when it comes to bow and arrows though, so the highest rated bow may never get used.

^^^
I`ve not had this problem on my Xbox if the thrall isn`t carrying more than one bow .
It`s easy enough to check if there`s going to be an issue by stripping the thralls inventory , then activating and take them through a door.
If a hunting bow is now showing on their back , the bug will be present.
This is the case with dead followers mostly but not many other NPC.

The best solution for the bug is a tempered and enchanted Forsworn Bow which will use the most powerful arrow(that`s right , just one needed) you can provide. Living followers will use arrows at the normal rate

It is a fact that thralls can make bad choices regarding their gear if they have usable alternatives in their inventory.
Take heed if you`re going to use yours as a pack mule
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Further experiments with permanency have revealed 2 Reaver candidates.

Reaver Lord - I had visited Nchardak and killed the Reavers there before I had completed Dragon Rising back in Skyrim.
I noticed that the corpses lingered there longer than expected so I thralled the corpse of the boss and took him to Tel Mythryn where he was left with an anchor in inventory.
He remained there quite some time while I killed my 1st dragon , visited the Greybeards , was attacked by Cultists , and subsequently advanced in quests involving Miraak until I completed the quest inside Nchardak with Neloth.
When I exited that Dwarven Ruin after reading the Black Book , the other dead Reavers had disappeared and I was attacked by a dragon.
Later returning to Tel Mythryn , the Reaver Lord remains !

Reaver Marauder(Kagrumez boss in Carved Nordic armor)-
I put an anchor on this guy as soon as he had been killed and kept him thralled throughout the trials. He was defeated twice and reactivated each time.
After concluding the quest , he exited the ruins with me and is now undergoing a waiting test at Tel Mithryn.

I believe these particular reavers may be different because these 2 ruins do not respawn like all the other reaver lairs.
 
Ancarion - Thalmor Wizard. static lvl 23 with good attributes
Anchored/moans.
Shock attacks, wards, mage armor, Storm Atronach summons !!!
Makes a great partner/bookend for the Northwatch Interrogator.

DO NOT kill him or his soldiers to get the map when you first meet him ! If you do he will vanish from the game(like Savos) when you conclude the quest.
If your speech skill is 75+(potion/enchants/blessing can help if not), you can swing a deal to sell him stuff.
After giving the map back to the Skaal blacksmith , THEN return to kill him and his 3 Thalmor soldiers (also anchored)at their ship. These soldiers are somewhere between lvl 20-30 in my game(lvl 31 DB)
The soldiers found at the Abandoned Shack will respawn however.
In my case , this was an easy decision because Ancarion doesn`t sell anything and his gold reserves do not reset(xbox)
Ancarion is indeead a fine thrall, too bad I couldn't keep him long enough... I was reanimating him to meet some of my pointy-ear fellows, Rulindil and Elenwen, but then he simply dissapeared! A shame isn't it? Next gameplay I'll make sure to reunite the three in my living run, though.

If it is not asking much, would you mind testing Atar's permanency, Adam? So far he seems to have the same issues Ancarion had: Complete his quest, thrall him, walk away, and then -poof- he's gone. Truth is, I would'nt bother with it if he didn't look so badass; at least from my roleplay perspective, he's one of the very few bandit chiefs that evoke the feeling of -bandit chief- on me.
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Ancarion - Thalmor Wizard. static lvl 23 with good attributes
Anchored/moans.
Shock attacks, wards, mage armor, Storm Atronach summons !!!
Makes a great partner/bookend for the Northwatch Interrogator.

DO NOT kill him or his soldiers to get the map when you first meet him ! If you do he will vanish from the game(like Savos) when you conclude the quest.
If your speech skill is 75+(potion/enchants/blessing can help if not), you can swing a deal to sell him stuff.
After giving the map back to the Skaal blacksmith , THEN return to kill him and his 3 Thalmor soldiers (also anchored)at their ship. These soldiers are somewhere between lvl 20-30 in my game(lvl 31 DB)
The soldiers found at the Abandoned Shack will respawn however.
In my case , this was an easy decision because Ancarion doesn`t sell anything and his gold reserves do not reset(xbox)
Ancarion is indeead a fine thrall, too bad I couldn't keep him long enough... I was reanimating him to meet some of my pointy-ear fellows, Rulindil and Elenwen, but then he simply dissapeared! A shame isn't it? Next gameplay I'll make sure to reunite the three in my living run, though.

If it is not asking much, would you mind testing Atar's permanency, Adam? So far he seems to have the same issues Ancarion had: Complete his quest, thrall him, walk away, and then -poof- he's gone. Truth is, I would'nt bother with it if he didn't look so badass; at least from my roleplay perspective, he's one of the very few bandit chiefs that evoke the feeling of -bandit chief- on me.

Sorry , but neither Atar or any of the mercenaries with him appear eligible for permanency by anchoring by my experience.
This is also the case with the Blood Horkers from Japhet`s Folly excepting Haldyn.

Other than the two Reavers in my last post (who both have tested to be perma with anchors btw) , the only perma for a Nord Warrior Bandit Chief I know of is Fjola(now Bandit Leader) from Mistwatch and this remains possible only because my level is less than 36(she scales 1.1xDB). Her corpse does not require an anchor however.


Note on anchors-
The "Beware The Butcher" pamphlets that are on the shelves in Hjerim can be used as anchors but the ones found inside the chest do not work as such. Don`t get them bunched together !
 

khazan99

Semi-professional cabbage collector
Would it be possible for you to list some of the 'anchors' that you have used and that work? Like in the above post, the info on using the "Beware the Butcher" pamphlets is really helpful. Or, if it has already been done, is there a specific page in this thread that you can point me to where the anchors are listed (77 pages is a lot to try and search through)?

And thanks again for putting this together; it has convinced me to try building a necromancer.
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Would it be possible for you to list some of the 'anchors' that you have used and that work? Like in the above post, the info on using the "Beware the Butcher" pamphlets is really helpful. Or, if it has already been done, is there a specific page in this thread that you can point me to where the anchors are listed (77 pages is a lot to try and search through)?

And thanks again for putting this together; it has convinced me to try building a necromancer.
The issue of what works as an anchor and what doesn`t is very dicey. No post has a list as you desire

What is certain are the Treasure Maps I through X.

Many Journals and Notes also qualify but no real pattern I can figure out.

Here`s what I do.

I get a handy vendor who will buy books.
At the moment , I`m using my spouse Jenassa and/or my Dremora Merchant.
If I pick up letters/books/notes/journals of any sort that seem unique, I keep them in my inventory until I can sell them to either.
These items should not have been dropped on the ground or placed in a bookshelf.
Then I check later on after store inventory has reset to see what remains.
It is these that I have been using as anchors.
This is how I discovered that the pamphlets in the chest in Hjerim aren`t useful because they disappeared after this test but the ones from the shelf did not.

The most recent anchors I have uncovered by this method are the translated books that Urag gives you in exchange for the Ancient Falmer Tomes you bring him.

Note that even a good anchor won`t prevent the disapperance of generic respawning NPC with few exceptions and that there are a number of named non-respawning NPC who are scripted to vanish that are also exempt from anchoring.
During my recent quest Blood on the Ice , I lost 2 anchors attempting to retain the corpses of Susanna the Wicked and Calixto. Also a similar failure on two Dremora I had retrieved from inside Azura`s Star.

Such are the dangers of Necromancy !
 
Would it be possible for you to list some of the 'anchors' that you have used and that work? Like in the above post, the info on using the "Beware the Butcher" pamphlets is really helpful. Or, if it has already been done, is there a specific page in this thread that you can point me to where the anchors are listed (77 pages is a lot to try and search through)?

And thanks again for putting this together; it has convinced me to try building a necromancer.

I could make a list of my known anchors for you; but what really matters, from my point of view, is how easy and fast one can obtain them. Here are some of the fastest methods I know:

--Watch out as it may contain spoilers!--

1- Bounty quests - So far the easiest method, as there are no level or quest requirements for getting them. All you have to do is get a bounty letter from a barkeeper or Jarl steward and complete your task (kill Giant, Bandit, Dragon). Once you're done with it, head back after a couple days and ask for more work. This method can be repeated as many as you want, and there can be more than one active job, seeing how each province of Skyrim treats crime individually. Keep in mind that a barkeeper will only ofter a bounty letter once.

2- Thieves Guild jobs - A bit tricky, but works as good as the previous method. You must be a member of the guils, which means having completed the quest Taking Care Of Business. Once inside the guild, Vex and Delvin will have series of repeatable sidequests for you to do. Most of the sidequests involve stealing a random item handing it for payment, All that is needed to do is get the item, return to your questgiver(s) and decline the job.

3- A new debt (Dragonborn dlc quest) - This is my favorite one. instead of completing bounty jobs, there will be a bounty on your head! After completing Reluctant Steward, Mogrul will come to you stating that since you helped Drovas to work at Tel Mithryl, you are now responsible for paying his debt too. If you refuse to pay, he will start sending hired thugs after you. Mogrul's orders can be obtained form every encounter with his thugs, provided you survive it...
...
But don't get me wrong! From a roleplaying perspective, having a diverse variety of anchors can make the game experience even more enjoyable. Some anchors fit really well with some corpses; My cultists, for instance, are being anchored with dragon claws, so if you feel like getting a list of permanent items, please let me know :]
 

The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass

Sahrot Vahlok Spaan. Bahnahgaar. Minion #88!
Staff member
Dead thralls are not effected by Fortify Melee/Range/Magic School enchants, are they? I'm pretty sure they aren't, and the UESP Follower page suggests they aren't. But since they aren't, what else can I put on a Melee Thrall's gauntlets? Fortify Armour and what else?
 

Irishman

Well-Endowed Member
Dead thralls are not effected by Fortify Melee/Range/Magic School enchants, are they? I'm pretty sure they aren't, and the UESP Follower page suggests they aren't. But since they aren't, what else can I put on a Melee Thrall's gauntlets? Fortify Armour and what else?

Fortify Magicka. the spell cost reducing enchants dont work but the fortify health/stamina/magicka do work.
 

The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass

Sahrot Vahlok Spaan. Bahnahgaar. Minion #88!
Staff member
Dead thralls are not effected by Fortify Melee/Range/Magic School enchants, are they? I'm pretty sure they aren't, and the UESP Follower page suggests they aren't. But since they aren't, what else can I put on a Melee Thrall's gauntlets? Fortify Armour and what else?

Fortify Magicka. the spell cost reducing enchants dont work but the fortify health/stamina/magicka do work.
On a melee only bandit type?
 

Irishman

Well-Endowed Member
Dead thralls are not effected by Fortify Melee/Range/Magic School enchants, are they? I'm pretty sure they aren't, and the UESP Follower page suggests they aren't. But since they aren't, what else can I put on a Melee Thrall's gauntlets? Fortify Armour and what else?

Fortify Magicka. the spell cost reducing enchants dont work but the fortify health/stamina/magicka do work.
On a melee only bandit type?

Get a different thrall? haha Nah I'm not sure. None of the other Enchantments will help you as far as I know....
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Fortify Magicka. the spell cost reducing enchants dont work but the fortify health/stamina/magicka do work.
On a melee only bandit type?

Get a different thrall? haha Nah I'm not sure. None of the other Enchantments will help you as far as I know....
Yeah , for melee the #2 enchantment slot on gauntlets is pretty much useless.
I usually add Fortify Unarmed just because I can.
 

Irishman

Well-Endowed Member
Just came across a 'Vampire Assassin' on my non-necromancer game. I dont think there is much difference between them and any other Vampire (I believe they are ordinary not master variety as she radiantly levels to 48). For a unique name though she might be cool to have. She also comes with an 'assassins writ' which may be an anchor. I have slain her just outside Whitrun and I will note the game time to see if she stays there with her letter on her.

Wondering if anyone has thralled her? Moaner?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Vampire_Assassin
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Just came across a 'Vampire Assassin' on my non-necromancer game. I dont think there is much difference between them and any other Vampire (I believe they are ordinary not master variety as she radiantly levels to 48). For a unique name though she might be cool to have. She also comes with an 'assassins writ' which may be an anchor. I have slain her just outside Whitrun and I will note the game time to see if she stays there with her letter on her.

Wondering if anyone has thralled her? Moaner?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Vampire_Assassin

As a randomly encountered NPC , she will vanish rather rapidly no matter what you do.
These will radiantly scale up to VolkiharV lvl 48 and can be thralled temporarily if you have the Necromage perk.

Retrieve the note if you can , sell to vendor to check if it`s a possible anchor for a named non-respawning NPC.

Of all the many NPC I`ve ever run into "out there" , NONE who didn`t already have a perma corpse have been successfully anchored with the sole exception of the Old Orc.
 

iMACobra

Experienced Necromancer
Just came across a 'Vampire Assassin' on my non-necromancer game. I dont think there is much difference between them and any other Vampire (I believe they are ordinary not master variety as she radiantly levels to 48). For a unique name though she might be cool to have. She also comes with an 'assassins writ' which may be an anchor. I have slain her just outside Whitrun and I will note the game time to see if she stays there with her letter on her.

Wondering if anyone has thralled her? Moaner?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Vampire_Assassin

As a randomly encountered NPC , she will vanish rather rapidly no matter what you do.
These will radiantly scale up to VolkiharV lvl 48 and can be thralled temporarily if you have the Necromage perk.

Retrieve the note if you can , sell to vendor to check if it`s a possible anchor for a named non-respawning NPC.

Of all the many NPC I`ve ever run into "out there" , NONE who didn`t already have a perma corpse have been successfully anchored with the sole exception of the Old Orc.
Did you really need to the anchor the Old Orc because on the "Bugs" section of his page on UESP, it states that he (dead or alive) and his 2 dead sabre cats stay at the spot you encountered them for the rest of the game meaning they are permanent?

Also, I am pretty sure that the Vampire Assassin at lv.48 is the exact same thing as a Vokihar Vampire so there is pretty much no reason to try and keep it.
 

Adam Warlock

Well-Known Member
Just came across a 'Vampire Assassin' on my non-necromancer game. I dont think there is much difference between them and any other Vampire (I believe they are ordinary not master variety as she radiantly levels to 48). For a unique name though she might be cool to have. She also comes with an 'assassins writ' which may be an anchor. I have slain her just outside Whitrun and I will note the game time to see if she stays there with her letter on her.

Wondering if anyone has thralled her? Moaner?

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Vampire_Assassin

As a randomly encountered NPC , she will vanish rather rapidly no matter what you do.
These will radiantly scale up to VolkiharV lvl 48 and can be thralled temporarily if you have the Necromage perk.

Retrieve the note if you can , sell to vendor to check if it`s a possible anchor for a named non-respawning NPC.

Of all the many NPC I`ve ever run into "out there" , NONE who didn`t already have a perma corpse have been successfully anchored with the sole exception of the Old Orc.
Did you really need to the anchor the Old Orc because on the "Bugs" section of his page on UESP, it states that he (dead or alive) and his 2 dead sabre cats stay at the spot you encountered them for the rest of the game meaning they are permanent?

Also, I am pretty sure that the Vampire Assassin at lv.48 is the exact same thing as a Vokihar Vampire so there is pretty much no reason to try and keep it.
possible i suppose.
recent patches may have changed things idk
if so , i can`t find Old Orc again in one of my games.
the creatures that were present when i found this one are no longer present at site of origin
unwilling to risk losing him by removing a cheaply acquired anchor at this point. better safe than sorry
Noting that I found him already dead and never triggered his dialogue or fought him (if that means anything)

Basic lesson is that almost all randomly encountered enemies are a pain in the ass for a necromancer and can`t be counted on to stick around

An exception that occurs to me is the cannibal Sigar who has a perma corpse so Old Orc may be same category
 

iMACobra

Experienced Necromancer
As a randomly encountered NPC , she will vanish rather rapidly no matter what you do.
These will radiantly scale up to VolkiharV lvl 48 and can be thralled temporarily if you have the Necromage perk.

Retrieve the note if you can , sell to vendor to check if it`s a possible anchor for a named non-respawning NPC.

Of all the many NPC I`ve ever run into "out there" , NONE who didn`t already have a perma corpse have been successfully anchored with the sole exception of the Old Orc.
Did you really need to the anchor the Old Orc because on the "Bugs" section of his page on UESP, it states that he (dead or alive) and his 2 dead sabre cats stay at the spot you encountered them for the rest of the game meaning they are permanent?

Also, I am pretty sure that the Vampire Assassin at lv.48 is the exact same thing as a Vokihar Vampire so there is pretty much no reason to try and keep it.
possible i suppose.
recent patches may have changed things idk
if so , i can`t find Old Orc again in one of my games.
the creatures that were present when i found this one are no longer present at site of origin
unwilling to risk losing him by removing a cheaply acquired anchor at this point. better safe than sorry
Noting that I found him already dead and never triggered his dialogue or fought him (if that means anything)

Basic lesson is that almost all randomly encountered enemies are a pain in the ass for a necromancer and can`t be counted on to stick around

An exception that occurs to me is the cannibal Sigar who has a perma corpse so Old Orc may be same category
Balbus also stays in my game, dead or alive.
 

The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass

Sahrot Vahlok Spaan. Bahnahgaar. Minion #88!
Staff member
The Boethiah Cultist will stay as well if youyou don't take the book
 

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