The first two characters created for Skyrim in my household both have detect life, an alteration spell. My character has an alteration of 34 with no perks. He is level 42. My new character, started since the patch, has level 32 alteration and cannot buy Detect life anywhere. He is level 46. We're on Xbox.


As this character is a cat, with light armor whose sneak and security abiltities are both high, (beyond level 70) he is suited for Detect Life yet cannot purchase this anywhere in Skyrim.

I asked about this on this forum and was told you had to have an alteration of 60.

Is this because of the patches?

I have tried both sellers listed by a well known wiki site, all the court wizards I can find, including all at Winterhold, yet no detect life. I have tried all sellers repeatedly.

Merry Christmas. I am feeling the new Skyrim is unneccesarily puntative. Please don't tell me I can use a shout- it's not the same, and draws attention whenever it is employed. Not a good thing for a cat in the shadows.

Before patch; buy detect life. After patch; no detect life.

Try going to the Rift and do the quest Infiltration at Treva's Watch. The reward for it should always be a Detect Life tome.

Thank you, I tried to find the name of the castle with that reward but couldn't. I'll do it.

still- has Alteration Detect Life been altered by the patch? Two characters in my home before patch have it, two after do not.

I have never acquired detect life outside of a quest. Of course, I've never got my alteration skill very high, even on my mage characters.

The availability of books sold by the teachers at the College also seems to be related to your skill level in their specialty. So maybe Detect Life (Adept) only becomes available once you reach a ~50 skill?

There are two mages who always sell Detect Life and haven't since the patch. I haven't had much sleep and can't tell you their names- but purchased just such a spell from one in a pre patch game and they're listed in the well known wiki Oblivion site.

It's hard to imagine being level 46 without Detect Life. I think many here are still on their first character and haven't noticed any change in availability since the patch.

Well, there are console commands to grant the spell...

Though, I shouldn't mention that otherwise I'll get flamed again for mentioning the PC version.

It is a quest reward that can be obtained.

I hit level 40 on my Orc, and had Conjure Flame Atronach, I Didn't go any higher then 30, so I couldn't use it, plus magicka was low...

I thought Bound BAttle-Axe and Bound-Sword were my only two options...
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My Newest Gameplay as a Dark Elf Necro/Conjurer (Con+Des) I found Bow Bow...and Banish Daedra, Raise Revenant....

o_o I need to go on Wiki and take a look at all the spells...I stopped doing Conjuration due to not enough weapons to have fun with on my orc...now I wish I would have cause Bound-Bow is effin SWEET! no Arrows to pick up, no Bow to Carry Around...ugh...

I'm thinking of doing like a Demon Hunter type character next, Probably Wood Elf (if I get around to making a wood elf lol)...Make him Conjurations/Sneak/Archery and leave all one handed weapons/two handers to the pits...

I purchased the detect life spell in earlier characters. Neither of them had alteration above 33 or 34.


This was before downloading the patch.

I have now completed the castle and have the spell. Thank you Reeven.

Also Dragon Shout: Aura Whisper

Yes, the whisper that is so loud everything in the room hears it. Still no Detect life spells for sale since patch.

No they don't...o_o...they only hear it if you're not SNEAKING. I do it in public people hear it..I do it in a dungeon and I am in sneak, nobody hears it...

I tested it before I posted.

The weird thing is I saw Detect Life and Detect Dead on a vendor somewhere but didn't buy them, figuring I'd pick them up later and now I cannot find them as I can't remember who was selling them

And that was with the latest patch.