Dead Thrall -- Best Overall Conjuration Spell in Skyrim
Dead Thrall is the most powerful conjuration spell in the base game. It permanently reanimates a humanoid enemy of any level (as long as it is human or elvish) as a permanent follower. Unlike temporary reanimate spells, the thrall stays with you until killed or you cast another Dead Thrall. Because you can re-thrall them after death, you effectively have an immortal companion. High-value targets for thralling include Forsworn Briarhearts, powerful wizards, and the potent humanoids found in late-game dungeons. Acquiring this Expert-level spell requires reaching Conjuration skill 75 or purchasing it from Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold.
Check price on Amazon →Top conjuration spells in Skyrim ranked for combat effectiveness, leveling speed, and versatility. These picks work across difficulty levels and character builds.
Conjuration is one of Skyrim’s most powerful schools of magic for players who prefer controlling the battlefield rather than fighting directly. A well-chosen conjured ally can tank, deal damage, and give you time to heal or reposition. These five conjuration spells are the best the game offers across all play styles and skill levels.
| Spell | Best For | Rating |
| — | — | — |
| Dead Thrall | Late-game permanent companion | 5/5 |
| Dremora Lord | High-damage combat summon | 4.9/5 |
| Storm Atronach | Ranged combat support | 4.7/5 |
| Conjure Familiar | Early leveling | 4.5/5 |
| Conjure Bound Sword | Melee hybrids and leveling | 4.4/5 |
Our testing process
We compare every pick against the field on real specifications, certifications, and aggregated owner reviews. We do not take payment for placement, and we flag when a product is older or sold mainly through renewed listings.
Quick comparison
| Pick | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Thrall -- Best Overall Conjuration Spell in Skyrim | Check price | ||
| Dremora Lord -- Best Combat Summon | Check price | ||
| Storm Atronach -- Best Ranged Combat Support | Check price | ||
| Conjure Familiar -- Best for Early Leveling | Check price | ||
| Conjure Bound Sword -- Best for Melee-Magic Hybrids | Check price |
Reviewed in detail
Dead Thrall -- Best Overall Conjuration Spell in Skyrim
Dead Thrall is the most powerful conjuration spell in the base game. It permanently reanimates a humanoid enemy of any level (as long as it is human or elvish) as a permanent follower. Unlike temporary reanimate spells, the thrall stays with you until killed or you cast another Dead Thrall. Because you can re-thrall them after death, you effectively have an immortal companion. High-value targets for thralling include Forsworn Briarhearts, powerful wizards, and the potent humanoids found in late-game dungeons. Acquiring this Expert-level spell requires reaching Conjuration skill 75 or purchasing it from Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold.
Dremora Lord -- Best Combat Summon
Dremora Lords are Daedra that deal massive melee damage and are surprisingly durable against most enemies. They scale reasonably well into Master difficulty. The spell costs 340 magicka and summons a Dremora Lord for 60 seconds. Two of them, summoned simultaneously with the Twin Souls perk, make most encounters trivial. The Dremora Lord is especially powerful in narrow corridors where its charge attack can knock enemies back effectively. This is the go-to combat summon for the mid-to-late game and a reliable anchor for any conjuration build.
Storm Atronach -- Best Ranged Combat Support
The Storm Atronach is the strongest of the three base Atronach types and the most useful in open combat. It fires ranged lightning attacks, absorbs spells cast at it (thanks to its Atronach Absorb ability), and is immune to shock damage. In fights against mages and dragon priests, the spell absorption makes it dramatically more durable than the Flame or Frost Atronach alternatives. It is also effective against dragons who use lightning shouts. The 322 magicka cost is reasonable for the power it provides.
Conjure Familiar -- Best for Early Leveling
The Familiar is the most magicka-efficient conjuration summon in the game. At only 107 magicka, you can cast it repeatedly in the early game to level conjuration quickly. In actual combat, the Familiar is not particularly durable or damaging, but it acts as an effective distraction while you heal, reposition, or cast other spells. For characters who want to reach the higher conjuration tiers quickly without spending hours hunting enemies, spamming Conjure Familiar is the most direct route.
Conjure Bound Sword -- Best for Melee-Magic Hybrids
Bound Sword is arguably the best early-game offensive spell in Skyrim because it simultaneously levels both Conjuration and One-Handed skills. The summoned blade is comparable to Dwarven quality steel, weighs nothing, and benefits from One-Handed perks. When the Mystic Binding perk is acquired, it upgrades to a soul-trapping weapon. For characters who blend melee and magic -- Spellswords and Battle Mages -- Conjure Bound Sword delivers combat utility and skill leveling efficiency in one cast.
How to choose
What to consider
Your character build and current difficulty determine the right choice. Pure mages who want to stay at range should prioritize Atronachs early and graduate to Dremora Lords. Characters who want permanent support should work toward Dead Thrall as a long-term goal. For leveling the skill quickly, low-cost spells cast repeatedly are more efficient than powerful high-cost spells. The Twin Souls perk at Conjuration 100 doubles the value of every summon on this list by letting you maintain two simultaneously. Investing in Magicka and the Conjuration Dual Casting perk extends summon durations meaningfully.
What to consider
For more gaming guides, see our [best Skyrim mods for PC](/articles/best-skyrim-mods-pc) and [best RPG games for beginners](/articles/best-rpg-games-beginners) articles. Our [testing methodology](/methodology) explains how we evaluate game content guides.
Common questions
Conjure Familiar and Soul Trap are the fastest leveling spells because they cost relatively little magicka and can be cast repeatedly. Casting Soul Trap on a dead body over and over levels conjuration quickly. Once you reach level 40, switching to Dremora Lord and casting it repeatedly near an enemy still levels faster than most other methods while also being useful in combat.
Most summoned creatures have fixed stats regardless of your character level. This is why higher-tier spells like Dremora Lord and Dead Thrall stay useful late-game -- they were designed with strong base stats. Lower-tier summons like Familiar become ineffective at higher difficulties as enemy health and damage scales up while your summoned creature's stats remain static.
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