Dwarven Spheres are the patrol guards of the Dwemer ruins. Folded up, they look like a metal ball roughly a metre across, rolling along on two angled wheels. Once they detect an intruder they spring open into a lanky, half-humanoid form with a blade on one forearm and a crossbow on the other. Some lie in wait inside large wall pipes and burst out when a trap is sprung or someone wanders too close. They hit harder and move faster than their spindly build suggests, and an under-levelled adventurer can be overwhelmed quickly.
Variants
| Variant | Level | Health | Stamina | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwarven Sphere | 16 | 315 | 170 | 27.5–41.25 |
| Dwarven Sphere (Avanchnzel / Sinderion’s lab) | 16 | 315 | 170 | 55–82.5 |
| Warped Dwarven Sphere (Dawnguard) | 7 | 141 | 134 | 19.25–28.875 |
| Broken Dwarven Sphere (Dawnguard) | 16 | 315 | 170 | 27.5–41.25 |
| Malfunctioning Dwarven Sphere | 16 | 365 | 160 | 27.5–41.25 |
| Dwarven Sphere Guardian | 24 | 453 | 262 | 55–82.5 |
| Dwarven Sphere Master | 30 | 619 | 301 | 61.6–92.4 |
| Tempered Sphere (Dragonborn) | 16–30 | 315–619 | 170–301 | 27.5–92.4 |
| Steadfast Dwarven Sphere (Dragonborn, follower) | 16–30 | 315 / 453 / 619 | 170 / 262 / 301 | – |
| Frosted Dwarven Sphere (Creation Club) | Part of the Forgotten Seasons content; no stats documented | |||
Every documented variant shares the same defences: immunity to poison and frost plus 25% magic resistance.
Where to find them
Spheres guard practically every Dwemer ruin in Skyrim. The hard-hitting version from the table above appears only in Avanchnzel and at the entrance of Sinderion’s Field Laboratory in Blackreach. Dawnguard adds the Warped and Broken versions, while Dragonborn brings Tempered Spheres to the ruins of Solstheim. Decorative sphere models, much larger than the working ones, stand in Understone Keep in Markarth.
Notes
Steadfast Dwarven Sphere. During The Kagrumez Gauntlet you can recruit a unique sphere from a locked chamber after the second trial at Kagrumez; the Steadfast Dwarven Spider waits in the room before it. It works like an animal follower: basic commands only, no inventory. It stays rolled up while your weapon is sheathed and unfolds to fight when you draw or enemies show up, using both blade and crossbow. It is noisy, so leave it behind for stealth work. At near-zero health it slumps and most enemies ignore it while it recovers, and if it dies it comes back after a day.
With Dawnguard you can also summon a sphere using the Aetherial Staff, earned after the Lost to the Ages quest. Hearthfire lets you craft sphere trophies for a home’s trophy room from specific Dwarven parts; they are purely ornamental.
