One nice feature I noticed is that the game adds a "cleared" label to the marker on the map. I'm just curious as to HOW is a dungeon considered cleared?

One would think that just killing all hostile enemies in that area would work, but such is not always the case. I have a few locations in my game where I am pretty damn positive is already "cleared" - I went through the same dungeon like 2 to 3 times to check that all enemies are dead; but the game doesn't label the dungeon as "cleared".

And just for another example, the early Imperial Legion quest that Rikke gives you as a "test" to see whether you're worthy of joining the Legion or not. She sends you off to this small-sized fort so it's hard to miss any enemies. They even give you quest markers on the enemies so you know exactly if there are any enemies left. Yet after clearing all of the enemies at that fort (there are 2 interiors; the actual fort and the prison - again, very small sized, hard to miss anything), and upon completion of the quest, the game doesn't label the fort as "cleared".

Also did a quest near Morthal where I was tasked to kill a vampire lord in his lair... after killing all of the enemies in that lair and completing the quest, the lair isn't labelled as "cleared". I went in 3 times to check - no unkilled enemies.

Any ideas?

If the enemies within are dead, I think.

The fort you mention might not be labeled because Imperial soldiers are sent to garrison it afterwards, thus filling it with new NPCs?

My other theories are: if the boss is defeated (bandit chief, dragon priest, dragon, death lord, etc), if the big chest at the end is opened, if the backdoor to the entrance is used, if the dragon word within is learned, if the related quest is completed.

But I would like a definitive answer as well.

Man, threads move so fast, this got pushed to like page 24 or something.

I think it is if all enemies are killed. Even if you can't find anyone else, it is always possible there's a hidden corridor somewhere with a guy cowering.

My guess is a dungeon is cleared when the big "prize" or enemy is taken/killed, I don't think it cares if you leave a few bodies behind because you ran past them or whatever because you've still went down the path to the end of the dungeon, and into the great big monster, or dragon wall, etc.. Of course I haven't been playing long, so only a guess here.

Is there any way to leave your own notes like in Morrowind? I'd mark dungeons "explored" myself when I was confident I found all that could be found within.

Also dungeons re-populate with mobs after one in game month. So that could be a reason the "cleared" tag is removed.

I killed a dragon at one of the shout walls and it says cleared, though Krosis may have something to say about that seeing he's still alive.

I have no clue.

I used to carry around like 10 pillows at all times in Morrowind. When I had cleared something, I dropped a pillow by the entrance.

Edit: There is no way to add notes to the map.

Magic!

*snort* *snort*

You're welcome in advance for such a productive and helpful post.

i hated krosis, killed him eventually though

Actually, I think it has to do with whether or not you reached the innermost part of the dungeon, i.e. as far in as you could go. A lot of dungeons also have a final dungeon treasure chest that contains vastly superior loot to anything else in the dungeon. It make check to see if you have opened that as well.

Everytime you go out a dungeon Todd Howard logs in and manually walks all over the dungeon to check it... Why do you think Skyrim requires internet conection to play?

Hilarious

I think the answer is "It's complicated". I know for a fact that Bleak Falls Barrow did not "clear" for me until I finished a certain quest associated with that dungeon (I was rather confused why I hadn't gotten the Achievement for clearing the Barrow).

So, one answer is that, at least sometimes, if there are any unresolved quests which involve that particular dungeon, it won't clear. In general, I think it has to do with defeating the main "boss" in the dungeon, when there is no quest.

Lots of interesting theories here. So it's either defeating a boss, finding a boss chest, or defeating all enemies (bosses and normal enemies included)... we don't really know for sure yet though, and there doesn't seem to be a system in place to thoroughly test this yet.

I know I have definitely cleared out some dungeons (double/triple-checked) and it didn't say "cleared".

At the same time, I've been halfway through a dungeon, and it says "cleared", even though they are more enemies to kill.

So, I don't think it's based on clearing out enemies. Must be something else?

I assume many dungeons still have respawning enemies. Does the 'cleared' mark disappear after a while when dungeons respawn?

I have noticed that every dungeon has an easy shortcut from the "boss room" back to the entrance. This usually requires a lever or opening a door you can only open from the final "boss room". I think that is what triggers the dungeon being cleared (this is just my observation and thinking what makes the most sense). My guess is if you came back the way you came, the dungeon would never be "cleared"

There was a mod for it in Morrowind.

Skyrim doesn't require a connection to play, only to install.

I've assumed it's when you defeat the boss or find some specific loot. But I I too would like to know what the requirements are. So far every time I finish one it has said it's cleared.

My theory is its cleared when all missions to it all are done. There might be another quest somewhere else that needs to go there. Ive had that happen one time where i had to go back to a same area been before from a different city and once turned item in, said cleared. The item didint poof or i missed it till i got mission.

Its gets cleared if you get the all loot from a boos/chest. I went up to a wall stone with a dragon on it, killed it looted the chest but it didnt show clear till I looted the dragon too.

My experience. I went to a cave, no quests there...went all the way thru. Never found a boss or a boss chest. Got cleared when I left via the secret entrance. I went to the quest for the mage's guild to get the conjuration books. I killed The Caller in the Ritual Room (the third area). I found the boss chests (two, in the room leading to the secret exit). I used the secret exit. I turned in the quest and got the reward, plus started the new quest. It did not say cleared. I went back, ran thru the place 4 times, once with no light, once with a torch, once with Candlelight spell, and once while spamming Detect Life spell and waiting a LOT for mana regen (LOL). Didn't find anything new. I then proceeded to clean the place from top to bottom. Anything that could be put into my inventory from all three of the floors (granted, the Ritual Chamber is a tiny floor), went in and got dumped outside. Still no clear. So now I have a completely mapped, completely empty (excepting bodies, which never seem to despawn for me) 3 level fort with all the doors open, all the chests emptied, everything...And still no cleared tag...

Le Sigh...Every time I mouse over it on the map I get a twinge and REALLY want to go check it one more time.

I am chalking it up to a bug and hoping by the time I play this game a second time that it's fixed so I can one day see a map where everywhere is "Cleared" and breathe a sigh of 100% completion-ist glee.

I'm a bit confused about that myself. I cleared a fortress near Whiterun, but got no cleared label.
A while later I came back and saw they respawned. Maybe it was one month later, could be. But I killed everyone again and even killed the lady who just loves there, but no cleared label. Now I just let it be.