Just seems wierd that you have to have skill level 50 in Alteration to cast such a "beginner's" spell, especially since there's so few low level Alteration spells to begin with.

Anyone else surprised by this?

Try the shout aura whisper.

As a sneak character you won't use other shouts anyway.

Yup, I LOVE aura whisper for my thief/assassin. I was about to go for Detect Life for my low level warrior, but realized the high restrictions. Really makes you wonder why the heck any one that has aura whisper would ever bother with Detect Life.

The high skill level cost basically limits Detect Life use to dragonborn that don't ever want to pursue the Main Quest/Absorb Dragon souls. Seems like silly game designing to me.

That and Detect Life doesn't detect undead like Aura Whisper will. For that you need the spell Detect Undead and an even higher restriction of 75 Alteration.

Maybe they did it because you can spam the detect spells out of combat for free experience points? I don't know, either... it does seem kinda weird.

-Loth

Alteration seems to be the repository of utility spells that they wanted to keep in the game, but ultimately aren't that useful. Once somebody makes a darker dungeons mod, then maybe magelight and candlelight will be cool. However detect life and detect undead just feel like a hassle compared to the Aura Shout. I think the aura shout even has a way bigger radius too. And it keeps your hands free. And it costs nothing to maintain. Holy cow, detect life stinks. lol

Personally, I think it should be an illusion spell anyway, but yes, lower level. I do know that this spell can level you VERY quickly if you cast it in a crowded city, so maybe that's why it's so high up.

I really wanted this spell for my Khajiit thief, but when I found out that a. it's alteration, and b. it's an adept spell, I realized I would need to invest a lot more time and perks into something I otherwise didn't want. if it were Illusion, I'd take it in a second, as I was also interested in frenzy, calm, fear, and muffle.

I guess I'll just use the dragon shout for detect life.

I was beginning to wonder if there even was a detect life spell (being as I'm over 100 hours into the game) but then again I'm not specializing in Alteration. I've been spamming the Aura Whisper shout but I only have the first word of it and it seems to be active for less time than it takes to recast. I hope if I get the other words that extends the time it is active.

This is the only way to go lol my number one used shout by miles....

The recharge always seems to be 20 seconds longer than it's duration.
That's the only downside to it. But at least it keeps your hands free and is free to use.

I've tried this but it won't distinguish the deference between friendly, hostile, and neutral. I've killed many guards because of this

Is detect life different? Does it show diff. colours for friendly/hostile?

According to the wiki, friendlies show up as blue and enemies as red.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Detect_Life

So there is one reason to use Detect Life.

Of course most mobs in dungeons are going to be enemies. It's a rare thing to find something friendly in a dungeon.

EDIT: Another upside to using aura whisper: nothing else will detect automatons like Dwemer mechs.

I think it's good being high level. Having it be a beginner's spell would make every dungeon way too easy. And if all the good magic effects were beginner level, then any dumb schmuck of a character could do it, and those people dedicated to magic over other skills would be kinda shafted.

I like alteration. As my character is a Dark Elf, she is naturally attuned to this school. I am working on a Spell Sword - a character that is a combination of mage and warrior. Since my character is low level, I am using a shield until my character is stronger. In combat, I shield my character with a shield and Oakflesh.

I am, also, using Candlelight. Candlelight has a pleasant and very pretty look.

I am looking forward to using telekinesis and water breathing, plus the other alteration skills.

It is adepted but shame they wrecked the effect, way to high a cost for it level and needing to be maintained, no enchants for it. With the experience thing they could have always made it give less experience per detected person or work like conjure sword if there is someone near by you gain exp if not then you don't but not constantly gained for it's maintained or preferably a timed length.
It's just what you want when your trying to be sneaky having one hand in the air glowing as you try see whos about.

Give me back my detect life 250ft necklace and while your at it sort out the definition of hostile, friendly and "passive til they see you right in front of them", then again I had a friendly chat with a group of forsworn and then one with some vampires that wouldn't turn aggressive..

Detect Life isn't available as an enchantment option is it?