Conjuration is one of the most popular magic skills used among the mages and sorcerers of Skyrim. That’s ultimately because it’s your best friend for lending you an extra hand in the fight. Spells of this variety allow you to summon anything from magical swords and monsters to the undead. Nonetheless, with so many options at your disposal, it can be tough on deciding which Conjuration spells to go with. That’s why we’ve got you covered with the 12 best Conjuration Spells in Skyrim ranked right below.
12 – Soul Trap
Enchanting weapons and armor in Skyrim is a vital part of making them more effective against certain enemies and more powerful in general. However, weapon enchantments must be recharged, and the only way to do that is with a Soul Gem containing a trapped soul. While this is all well and good, it’s often the case that you won’t have one readily available when you need it the most.
That’s why the Soul Trap is one of the best Conjuration spells for people who rely on enchantments and Soul Gems to keep them charged. That’s because this spell refills a Soul Gem if you kill an enemy within 60 seconds of casting it. With that in mind, this Conjuration spell is a bit selective depending on your play style. Nonetheless, for those who rely on enchantments, it comes in clutch when you need it most.
11 – Flaming Familiar
Flaming Familiar isn’t the strongest of all the Conjuration Spells, but it is one of the coolest. Essentially, this spell summons a Flaming Familiar who will run into battle and explode causing AoE damage. To say the least, it’s a lot of fun to use.
The best part is that it only cost 57 Magika to cast, allowing you to spam it to your heart’s content. Plus, the more you use it the more your Conjuration skill will increase. As a result, it’s one of the best Conjuration spells for Apprentice-level mages trying to level Conjuration up quickly.
10 – Bound Battleaxe
While being a dedicated mage in Skyrim can be tons of fun, there is the odd time now and then when you could benefit from the use of a melee weapon. But you’re a spell caster after all, so why not just cast a magical weapon to use? One of the best Conjuration spells that doe’s exactly that is Bound Battleaxe.
Cast this spell when you’re in need of a melee weapon, and you’ll have yourself a malicious battleaxe at your disposal that you can use for 120 seconds. There are also the Bound Sword and Dagger Conjuration spells, but we personally don’t find them superior, or more fun to use, than the battleaxe.
9 – Reanimate Corpse
If you need someone to fight beside you, Reanimate Corpse has your back. This Conjuration spell lets you resurrect dead enemies to fight alongside you for 60 seconds. You can even use it on animals, such as bears. The only exception is that you can’t use it on horses, nor bodies that are beheaded or dismembered.
Nonetheless, this is one of the best Conjuration spells because of how versatile it is. Even better, it’s an apprentice-level spell, meaning you can learn and use it in the early levels of your mastery.
8 – Bound Bow
Not all conflicts can be solved with magical swords. Some situations require the use of ranged combat. That’s why Bound Bow is one of the best Conjuration spells to have when ranged is the more effective way to engage in a fight.
It’s not just any old ordinary bow, either; it’s a Daedric Bow. With 100 Ethereal Arrows, I may add. The only downfall is that you can only use it for two minutes before it’s gone. So, make sure to plan out your attack before casting to get the most out of it.
7 – Summon Arniel’s Shade
If you need more powerful ranged combat than the Bound Bow, Arniel’s Shade will do the trick. This spell summons a shade of Arniel Gane for 60 seconds, who will cast fire and shock-damaging spells that hit for high AoE damage. What’s more, Arniel’s Shade is immune to physical and poison damage.
And if you thought it couldn’t get any better, this spell cost 0 Magika to cast. So what’s the catch? There’s a pretty extensive quest you need to complete to acquire it. Nonetheless, it’s pretty clear to see why this is one of the best Conjuration spells in the game.
6 – Conjure Frost Atronach
Now that we are halfway through our list, we are getting into the best of the best Conjuration spells. All of which happen to be summoning spells. While most of these have earned their spot owing to their sheer damage, that’s not exactly the case for the Conjure Frost Atronach. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
While the Frost Atronach can deal a fair amount of damage, they’re more effective at soaking it up. These beasts have an incredible 1,667 HP points. As a result, it’s perfect for distracting your enemies while you stay out of harm’s way and dish out all the damage.
5 – Conjure Storm Atronach
Conjure Storm Atronach is the definition of a glass cannon. It deals out high-damage lighting spells that hit for massive AoE damage. That being said, it’s relatively weak and often dies before you can make full use of its 60-second summon time.
Despite this and the high 322 Magika cost, the payoff is well worth it. So, if you’re ever in a pinch and need some hefty firepower, Conjure Storm Atronach is one of the best Conjuration spells you can use.
4 – Conjure Dremora Lord
Though Conjure Storm Atronach is a beast for dealing out huge amounts of damage, they, like a devoted mage, don’t do well when faced with close-quarters combat. That’s why if you need a true warrior by your side, cast Conjure Dremora Lord.
This menacing lord is equipped with Daedric armor and a mighty greatsword, and he will chop down enemies limb for limb for a whole 60 seconds. That being said, the main issue with these summons is that they fade after 60 seconds. However, this is not a weakness shared for our top three picks for the best Conjuration spells.
3 – Frost Thrall
Much like the Conjure Frost Atronach spell, the Frost Thrall summons a Frost Atronach who can dish out and more importantly, distract enemies and soak damage for you. But the Frost Thrall doesn’t disappear after 60 seconds. It stays fighting by your side until its health is completely depleted.
Naturally, it’s no easy path to acquire one of the best Conjuration spells in the game. That’s because the Frost Thrall requires the max level for the Conjuration skill, being 100. Furthermore, it requires a hefty 1,100 Magika to cast.
2 – Flame Thrall
Flame Thrall is another indefinite Conjuration spell that requires the Master skill level before you can use it. As a result, it may be some time before you can utilize it. Nonetheless, the grind for this Flame Atronach is well worth it.
Not only does the Flame Thrall have high HP like the Frost Thrall, but it also deals high amounts of damage too. This combination puts it just one step ahead of its frigid counterpart.
1 – Dead Thrall
Coming in at number one for the very best Conjuration spells in Skyrim is Dead Thrall, another Master-level spell. Much like the reanimate corpse spell, Dead Thrall allows you to bring any enemy back to life to fight alongside you. Unlike Reanimate Corpse, however, Dead Thrall is exclusive to human-type enemies.
Considering that, you may be wondering why Dead Thrall is the best Conjuration spell in the game. It’s because any dead body you resurrect can be equipped with any weapon and piece of armor, so long you have them on you. Furthermore, it will also have the abilities that particular NPC was using. So effectively, you could equip a powerful mage with the best armor and sword in the game and have it be a triple threat.
