If you’ve set foot in a Nordic ruin, you’ve met the draugr. These mummified Nord warriors lie still in their burial alcoves until you walk past – then they climb out, grab an ancient axe and remind you why grave robbing is a risky career.
Where to find them
Almost every Nordic ruin and barrow in Skyrim, including Bleak Falls Barrow, where most players meet them for the first time. Many ruins end with a stronger draugr boss guarding a chest and a word wall.
Variants
Draugr come in ranks that scale with your level – from basic Restless Draugr up to Wights, Scourges, Deathlords and the bosses known as Overlords. The tougher ones carry better weapons and can use shouts like Unrelenting Force and Disarm. Their souls grow with them: the weakest carry a petty soul, while Deathlords can fill a greater or even grand soul gem.
Named draugr
A few draugr are bosses with names of their own, such as King Olaf One-Eye in Dead Men’s Respite (Bards College questline), the Gauldurson brothers from “Forbidden Legend”, Guardians Saerek and Torsten in Ragnvald, and the Reachman hero Red Eagle in Rebel’s Cairn.
Abilities & attacks
- Melee with Ancient Nord weapons, sometimes two-handed; some use bows
- Restless Draugr, Wights and Scourges can use frost magic – Scourges may even summon a Frost Atronach
- Overlords, Scourges and Deathlords use shouts such as Unrelenting Force and Disarm
- Lie dormant in alcoves and sarcophagi until you get close
How to beat it
Bring fire – draugr are weak to it, and they shrug off half of any frost damage, so leave Frostbite at home. Poison does nothing at all. Sneak attacks on dormant draugr can kill them before they fully wake up. When a Deathlord inhales to shout, get behind a pillar or block with a ward or the Spellbreaker shield; Disarm can knock your weapon away, so pick it back up quickly. A handy rule: draugr that are armed or clothed in their niches can wake up, while bare, skeletal or fully wrapped ones are just corpses.
Loot & harvestables
Bone Meal (chance)
Leveled gold (chance)
Ancient Nord weapons and armor; Ebony gear on Deathlords
Gems
Lore & trivia
Draugr were once the honoured dead of the old Dragon Cult, interred to guard their masters – the Dragon Priests – for eternity.
Unofficial fan wiki. Facts are checked against the games; spot something wrong? Let us know.