The 10 HARDEST Elder Scrolls Enemies And Bosses
Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, Morrowind, Oblivion, Daggerfall, Arena, Ebony Warrior, Karstaag, Vivec, Almalexia, Jagar Tharn, Gaenor, Ancient Vampires, Ancient Lich, Gatekeeper, hardest enemies, toughest bosses, video game challenges, RPG, fantasy combat,
The Hardest Elder Scrolls Enemies & Bosses
Matrix link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10Xz4wD0F4VL6I5okufgq7XOqmU1hoGI3-p3i4-VgHKc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
FL Notes: Something confusing I realised about Elder Scrolls lore, is that Vivec is both a city and a character, and Oblivion is both an alternate realm and a game
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re revealing our picks for the Elder Scrolls’ strongest enemies and bosses.
After getting to level 80, you’ll be greeted by the Ebony Warrior. They’re a formidable opponent, dressed in intimidating ebony armor, hoping the Dragonborn can send them to Sovngarde. His armor is heavily enchanted, giving him regeneration and a bunch of resistance. He has a whopping 2000 health and multiple immunities, and knows two shouts. It is possible to kill him easily, for example, Mehrunes’ Razor has a 2% chance to instantly kill anyone, which applies to the Ebony Warrior. Alternatively, you can use Unrelenting Force to fling him off a cliff, but beating him honorably is maybe the most satisfying fight in Skyrim.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ebony_Warrior
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim
https://youtu.be/m2k9DuP_RDg Defeating The Ebony Warrior (Skyrim)
https://youtu.be/Z35eWAqjFsk Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior (LEGENDARY, LEGIT)
https://youtu.be/IGbCOo6v_94 Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior VS. Karstaag
The Warrior-Poet Vivec is one of the four main gods you’ll meet in Morrowind, who spends his time sitting in Vivec, not doing anything useful. He has 3000 health and 10,000 magicka, which is impressive for a god, but not quite unbeatable. Given how abusable the mechanics of Morrowind are, it’s quite easy to beat him once you become the Nerevarine, finally getting revenge for his betrayal thousands of years ago. Interestingly, you can finish the game after killing him, despite the warnings it flashes on the screen. The ancient dwarf Yagrum Bagarn is the only character required for completion, so feel free to destroy Vivec and take your vengeance.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Vivec_(god)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Morrowind
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Indoril_Nerevar
https://youtu.be/NvFsI1ttkGc The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Vivec's death, and the end of an era
https://youtu.be/0agt90Fzt3Y Morrowind: Killing Vivec As The Neravarine
https://youtu.be/OF2fUihc7OI Morrowind Clip - Killing Vivec in one hit
Slaughterfish are potentially the most annoying opponents in the series, second to only cliff racers. Well, fascinatingly it turns out the Giant Slaughterfish is one of the hardest enemies in Oblivion. Its health is 20 times your current level, meaning at level 50 it will have an insane 1000 HP. It can be found during the Arrow of Extrication quest, part of the Thieves Guild questline. An extra level of difficulty comes from fighting underwater, where it’s possible to drown, and you will have barely any visibility. It highlights just Oblivion’s ridiculousness, with Morrowind’s hardest enemies being literal gods, but Oblivion’s being a big fish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV:_Oblivion
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Giant_Slaughterfish
https://youtu.be/O0zZhczCzlc Oblivion: Giant SlaughterFish
https://youtu.be/cqLnBGqTFdQ?t=1855 Who is the Strongest Enemy in Oblivion?
https://youtu.be/RTzpJK0itjs?t=35 Giant Mudcrab/Slaughterfish - Fists only
Daggerfall is one of the most difficult games in the series, primarily because of its age. The first dungeon is notoriously difficult, but things get somewhat easier after completing it. Many players will quit before this point, making Daggerfall, and similarly Arena, the least accessible in the franchise. If you’re hardcore enough to power through, you’ll probably come across an Ancient Lich. These are incredibly dangerous, and have a plethora of extreme spells they’ll throw at you. Ranged attacks are essential, and bring plenty of potions. On the bright side, their spells are so powerful they’ll regularly blow themselves up. If you’re not lucky enough for this, then you’re in for one hell of a fight.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Ancient_Lich
https://youtu.be/bRR9K54MSSQ Daggerfall Unity Gameplay: Releasing a ANCIENT LICH into a crowded Castle Daggerfall (Apologies for narration)
https://youtu.be/FEf0jbiDNcY 18825 A - DaggerFall - Ancient Lich
https://youtu.be/nszGRHtV-fg TES II: Daggerfall (1996) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
After finding Sotha Sil’s corpse, the Nerevarine will have to battle Almalexia, the third killable god in the game. She has 3,000 health, and is completely insane once the player meets her. This is a stark contrast to how she’s presented in the lore, where she used to be caring and compassionate. Almalexia is indeed tough, but she doesn’t feel much worse than most enemies in the game’s expansions. This is a testament to how difficult the expansions themselves are, requiring you to thoroughly explore the base game before starting them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Morrowind
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Almalexia
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Tribunal:Almalexia
https://youtu.be/5Lv4nyAEG7M Morrowind - Almalexia final speech and fight
https://youtu.be/yZkdI51mWGc The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal | 1440p60 | Full Expansion Main Quest Walkthrough No Commentary (Almalexia appears ~3:32:50)
https://youtu.be/IyvJlGYjQnw Morrowind Almalexia vs. Everybody
Shivering Isles provided Oblivion with some of its greatest content. Sheogorath’s realm is home to many oddities, but the Gatekeeper is easily the most powerful. He’s a behemoth, tasked with guarding the realm, with his body being created out of his victims. There are two variations of the Gatekeeper, with the second being ridiculously overpowered. His power comes from his enormous health pool, which peaks at 1800. Also, it’s constantly regenerating, and his physical and magical attacks are both overwhelming, with enormous range. The first variation can be killed during a quest, but you need special bone arrows to defeat him, without these, it’s nigh on impossible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV:_Shivering_Isles
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:Gatekeeper
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Gatekeeper_(Shivering_Isles)
https://youtu.be/A7hvPZ6ytqY Oblivion: Shivering Isles - Longplay Full DLC Walkthrough (No Commentary)
https://youtu.be/r2oiWcO4T7E Oblivion: Shivering Isles Part 2 - The Gatekeeper
https://youtu.be/YeF_ScafsJg Oblivion: Jyggalag vs Gatekeeper
While not quite as powerful as the Ancient Lich, the Ancient Vampires are harder. They appear more frequently, and can detect you even when you’re invisible. The primary reason they’re more challenging is because they don’t blow themselves up, lacking any ranged spells. You would assume ranged weapons would be the way to go, however, they’re phenomenally fast, able to close the distance between reloads. Spell reflection is the way to go, or you can use the etiquette skill, convincing them to chill out and stop trying to kill you. It’s a real shame they took out this feature, since it’s hilarious using charisma to befriend enemies.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Vampire_Ancient
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire_Ancient
https://youtu.be/nszGRHtV-fg TES II: Daggerfall (1996) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
https://youtu.be/rhSLy8m3Xy0 The Elder Scrolls II : Daggerfall - Subtitled Vampirism Dream
https://youtu.be/7tcSZ_xcuKg Daggerfall sneak system is really good
Arena is generally considered tougher than Daggerfall, making it the hardest in the series. The combat is less refined, making it more punishing, and the enemy scaling isn’t optimal. If you make it out of its hellish starting dungeon, and then complete the game, Jagar Tharn will be your final opponent. He’s the Imperial Battle Mage of Uriel Septim VII, famously portrayed by Patrick Stewart in Oblivion. The Staff of Chaos is his weapon of choice, which he used to banish Uriel Septim briefly into the Oblivion realm. Your best chance of beating him is using spell reflection, and chucking his own medicine right back at him. If you manage to win, then you are rewarded with massive bragging rights for finishing Arena.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Arena:Jagar_Tharn
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Jagar_Tharn_(Arena)
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Jagar_Tharn
https://youtu.be/f7zZzZgL6qc TES I: Arena - Last Boss + Ending
https://youtu.be/8QtWZQYmsGw TES: Arena (1994) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
It’s kind of ridiculous that Gaenor, a Bosmer pauper, is arguably the strongest enemy in Morrowind, but it’s also exactly what we’d expect from Bethesda. Gaenor is capable of killing Almalexia, a level 100 foe, and also a god. He lingers outside Mournhold Temple, and will ask you for a few septims. He’ll keep asking for more, even asking for a million septims, which you can give him, but it will still make him mad, no matter what you do. When you next bump into him, he’ll be wearing a complete set of Ebony Armor and weapons. Even the highest level characters can perish in a couple of hits from him, causing many to consider the most powerful of skills - alchemy.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Tribunal:Gaenor
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Gaenor
https://youtu.be/Qgbl1rdJzm8 Gaenor vs Tribunal Bosses | Morrowind NPC Battle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4FaJOa14KA Morrowind - Killing Gaenor
https://youtu.be/7fVqjVfDyWY The hardest enemy in Morrowind (Gaenor)
Skyrim’s Dragonborn expansion added the formidable opponent Karstaag, who can be considered the toughest in the entire series. His starts are absurdly high, with 4000 health, insane damage output, health regenerations, and complete immunity to frost. Maybe the easiest way to beat him is to snipe him from a distance, with either spells or arrows. It’s not that fun to take him out this way, but taking him out other ways isn’t fun either. With such strength, he’s an absolute grind to win, and it isn’t even that rewarding. All you get for beating him is the ability to summon his ghost to fight for you, for only 2 minutes, which can only be activated 3 times total.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim_%E2%80%93_Dragonborn
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Karstaag_(Dragonborn)
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Karstaag
https://youtu.be/IGbCOo6v_94 Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior VS. Karstaag
https://youtu.be/f07qf-MrvsQ skyrim karstaag boss fight
https://youtu.be/kkvhXrd7DYw Skyrim - Karstaag on Legendary Difficulty - No Companions - 100% vanilla - 1080P HD
Which Elder Scrolls enemy did you struggle the most to overcome? Let us know in the comments section!
https://youtu.be/YRi6GBF5zB0 Bye! (Oblivion)
Matrix link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10Xz4wD0F4VL6I5okufgq7XOqmU1hoGI3-p3i4-VgHKc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
FL Notes: Something confusing I realised about Elder Scrolls lore, is that Vivec is both a city and a character, and Oblivion is both an alternate realm and a game
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re revealing our picks for the Elder Scrolls’ strongest enemies and bosses.
Ebony Warrior
“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” (2011)After getting to level 80, you’ll be greeted by the Ebony Warrior. They’re a formidable opponent, dressed in intimidating ebony armor, hoping the Dragonborn can send them to Sovngarde. His armor is heavily enchanted, giving him regeneration and a bunch of resistance. He has a whopping 2000 health and multiple immunities, and knows two shouts. It is possible to kill him easily, for example, Mehrunes’ Razor has a 2% chance to instantly kill anyone, which applies to the Ebony Warrior. Alternatively, you can use Unrelenting Force to fling him off a cliff, but beating him honorably is maybe the most satisfying fight in Skyrim.
Sources:
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ebony_Warriorhttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ebony_Warrior
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim
https://youtu.be/m2k9DuP_RDg Defeating The Ebony Warrior (Skyrim)
https://youtu.be/Z35eWAqjFsk Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior (LEGENDARY, LEGIT)
https://youtu.be/IGbCOo6v_94 Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior VS. Karstaag
Vivec
“The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind” (2002)The Warrior-Poet Vivec is one of the four main gods you’ll meet in Morrowind, who spends his time sitting in Vivec, not doing anything useful. He has 3000 health and 10,000 magicka, which is impressive for a god, but not quite unbeatable. Given how abusable the mechanics of Morrowind are, it’s quite easy to beat him once you become the Nerevarine, finally getting revenge for his betrayal thousands of years ago. Interestingly, you can finish the game after killing him, despite the warnings it flashes on the screen. The ancient dwarf Yagrum Bagarn is the only character required for completion, so feel free to destroy Vivec and take your vengeance.
Sources:
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Vivechttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Vivec_(god)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Morrowind
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Indoril_Nerevar
https://youtu.be/NvFsI1ttkGc The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Vivec's death, and the end of an era
https://youtu.be/0agt90Fzt3Y Morrowind: Killing Vivec As The Neravarine
https://youtu.be/OF2fUihc7OI Morrowind Clip - Killing Vivec in one hit
Giant Slaughterfish
“The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” (2006)Slaughterfish are potentially the most annoying opponents in the series, second to only cliff racers. Well, fascinatingly it turns out the Giant Slaughterfish is one of the hardest enemies in Oblivion. Its health is 20 times your current level, meaning at level 50 it will have an insane 1000 HP. It can be found during the Arrow of Extrication quest, part of the Thieves Guild questline. An extra level of difficulty comes from fighting underwater, where it’s possible to drown, and you will have barely any visibility. It highlights just Oblivion’s ridiculousness, with Morrowind’s hardest enemies being literal gods, but Oblivion’s being a big fish.
Sources:
https://youtu.be/cqLnBGqTFdQhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV:_Oblivion
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Giant_Slaughterfish
https://youtu.be/O0zZhczCzlc Oblivion: Giant SlaughterFish
https://youtu.be/cqLnBGqTFdQ?t=1855 Who is the Strongest Enemy in Oblivion?
https://youtu.be/RTzpJK0itjs?t=35 Giant Mudcrab/Slaughterfish - Fists only
Ancient Lich
“The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall” (1996)Daggerfall is one of the most difficult games in the series, primarily because of its age. The first dungeon is notoriously difficult, but things get somewhat easier after completing it. Many players will quit before this point, making Daggerfall, and similarly Arena, the least accessible in the franchise. If you’re hardcore enough to power through, you’ll probably come across an Ancient Lich. These are incredibly dangerous, and have a plethora of extreme spells they’ll throw at you. Ranged attacks are essential, and bring plenty of potions. On the bright side, their spells are so powerful they’ll regularly blow themselves up. If you’re not lucky enough for this, then you’re in for one hell of a fight.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_II:_Daggerfallhttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Ancient_Lich
https://youtu.be/bRR9K54MSSQ Daggerfall Unity Gameplay: Releasing a ANCIENT LICH into a crowded Castle Daggerfall (Apologies for narration)
https://youtu.be/FEf0jbiDNcY 18825 A - DaggerFall - Ancient Lich
https://youtu.be/nszGRHtV-fg TES II: Daggerfall (1996) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
Almalexia
“The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal” (2002)After finding Sotha Sil’s corpse, the Nerevarine will have to battle Almalexia, the third killable god in the game. She has 3,000 health, and is completely insane once the player meets her. This is a stark contrast to how she’s presented in the lore, where she used to be caring and compassionate. Almalexia is indeed tough, but she doesn’t feel much worse than most enemies in the game’s expansions. This is a testament to how difficult the expansions themselves are, requiring you to thoroughly explore the base game before starting them.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Tribunalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Morrowind
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Almalexia
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Tribunal:Almalexia
https://youtu.be/5Lv4nyAEG7M Morrowind - Almalexia final speech and fight
https://youtu.be/yZkdI51mWGc The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal | 1440p60 | Full Expansion Main Quest Walkthrough No Commentary (Almalexia appears ~3:32:50)
https://youtu.be/IyvJlGYjQnw Morrowind Almalexia vs. Everybody
Gatekeeper
“The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles” (2007)Shivering Isles provided Oblivion with some of its greatest content. Sheogorath’s realm is home to many oddities, but the Gatekeeper is easily the most powerful. He’s a behemoth, tasked with guarding the realm, with his body being created out of his victims. There are two variations of the Gatekeeper, with the second being ridiculously overpowered. His power comes from his enormous health pool, which peaks at 1800. Also, it’s constantly regenerating, and his physical and magical attacks are both overwhelming, with enormous range. The first variation can be killed during a quest, but you need special bone arrows to defeat him, without these, it’s nigh on impossible.
Sources:
https://youtu.be/cqLnBGqTFdQhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_IV:_Shivering_Isles
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:Gatekeeper
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Gatekeeper_(Shivering_Isles)
https://youtu.be/A7hvPZ6ytqY Oblivion: Shivering Isles - Longplay Full DLC Walkthrough (No Commentary)
https://youtu.be/r2oiWcO4T7E Oblivion: Shivering Isles Part 2 - The Gatekeeper
https://youtu.be/YeF_ScafsJg Oblivion: Jyggalag vs Gatekeeper
Ancient Vampires
“The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall” (1996)While not quite as powerful as the Ancient Lich, the Ancient Vampires are harder. They appear more frequently, and can detect you even when you’re invisible. The primary reason they’re more challenging is because they don’t blow themselves up, lacking any ranged spells. You would assume ranged weapons would be the way to go, however, they’re phenomenally fast, able to close the distance between reloads. Spell reflection is the way to go, or you can use the etiquette skill, convincing them to chill out and stop trying to kill you. It’s a real shame they took out this feature, since it’s hilarious using charisma to befriend enemies.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_II:_Daggerfallhttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Vampire_Ancient
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire_Ancient
https://youtu.be/nszGRHtV-fg TES II: Daggerfall (1996) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
https://youtu.be/rhSLy8m3Xy0 The Elder Scrolls II : Daggerfall - Subtitled Vampirism Dream
https://youtu.be/7tcSZ_xcuKg Daggerfall sneak system is really good
Jagar Tharn
“The Elder Scrolls: Arena” (1994)Arena is generally considered tougher than Daggerfall, making it the hardest in the series. The combat is less refined, making it more punishing, and the enemy scaling isn’t optimal. If you make it out of its hellish starting dungeon, and then complete the game, Jagar Tharn will be your final opponent. He’s the Imperial Battle Mage of Uriel Septim VII, famously portrayed by Patrick Stewart in Oblivion. The Staff of Chaos is his weapon of choice, which he used to banish Uriel Septim briefly into the Oblivion realm. Your best chance of beating him is using spell reflection, and chucking his own medicine right back at him. If you manage to win, then you are rewarded with massive bragging rights for finishing Arena.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls:_Arenahttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Arena:Jagar_Tharn
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Jagar_Tharn_(Arena)
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Jagar_Tharn
https://youtu.be/f7zZzZgL6qc TES I: Arena - Last Boss + Ending
https://youtu.be/8QtWZQYmsGw TES: Arena (1994) - Longplay [4K 60FPS]
Gaenor
“The Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal” (2002)It’s kind of ridiculous that Gaenor, a Bosmer pauper, is arguably the strongest enemy in Morrowind, but it’s also exactly what we’d expect from Bethesda. Gaenor is capable of killing Almalexia, a level 100 foe, and also a god. He lingers outside Mournhold Temple, and will ask you for a few septims. He’ll keep asking for more, even asking for a million septims, which you can give him, but it will still make him mad, no matter what you do. When you next bump into him, he’ll be wearing a complete set of Ebony Armor and weapons. Even the highest level characters can perish in a couple of hits from him, causing many to consider the most powerful of skills - alchemy.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Tribunalhttps://en.uesp.net/wiki/Tribunal:Gaenor
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Gaenor
https://youtu.be/Qgbl1rdJzm8 Gaenor vs Tribunal Bosses | Morrowind NPC Battle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4FaJOa14KA Morrowind - Killing Gaenor
https://youtu.be/7fVqjVfDyWY The hardest enemy in Morrowind (Gaenor)
Karstaag
“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn” (2012)Skyrim’s Dragonborn expansion added the formidable opponent Karstaag, who can be considered the toughest in the entire series. His starts are absurdly high, with 4000 health, insane damage output, health regenerations, and complete immunity to frost. Maybe the easiest way to beat him is to snipe him from a distance, with either spells or arrows. It’s not that fun to take him out this way, but taking him out other ways isn’t fun either. With such strength, he’s an absolute grind to win, and it isn’t even that rewarding. All you get for beating him is the ability to summon his ghost to fight for you, for only 2 minutes, which can only be activated 3 times total.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrimhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim_%E2%80%93_Dragonborn
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Karstaag_(Dragonborn)
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Karstaag
https://youtu.be/IGbCOo6v_94 Skyrim - The Ebony Warrior VS. Karstaag
https://youtu.be/f07qf-MrvsQ skyrim karstaag boss fight
https://youtu.be/kkvhXrd7DYw Skyrim - Karstaag on Legendary Difficulty - No Companions - 100% vanilla - 1080P HD
Which Elder Scrolls enemy did you struggle the most to overcome? Let us know in the comments section!
https://youtu.be/YRi6GBF5zB0 Bye! (Oblivion)
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