If I'm just wandering and go into a place, is there a way to determine what level the npcs are...besides the obvious if they slaughter you.

Good question. The only one I know for sure is that Dragon Priest are about a 1000 levels above you. Stupid dragon priests.

I think in a lot of cases, but not all, the level range of the mobs is +/- range within 2 or 3 levels of the player character level when you enter a dungeon. Or zone? So you could start to clear a dungeon, but leave and come back 10 levels later, but their level will be much lower, around what you were when you first entered? I could be dead wrong on that though. But some areas or mobs are simply much higher - I've been able to clear one zone of a dungeon, but going deeper, the levels of the mobs are tougher. Early on I had to leave a few places partially cleared because I was getting defeated quickly. Coming back a few levels later was optimal.

On PC you can use console command "getlevel" on them. On console you need to use http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Dragon

UESP and other wikis should have lists on approximately what level what variants of enemies are. But for quick reference: "Marauder" "Nightprowler" and "Briarheart" =

All Dragon Priests are level 50.


The game draws enemies closest to your level in a pattern - most of them are generic fodder with occassional "miniboss" and of course a "boss" at the end. But the enemies don't scale forever - for example highest non-Chief Bandits(Highwaymen) are level 25. So even when you're level 80 and you encounter a bandit dungeon you'll be still facing mostly Highwaymen simply because there's no "better" enemy for the game to spawn in the Bandit category.


Yes - the "level" of a dungeon is set in stone first time you enter it.

I went into fort Amos with adept casters. Got inside but it was ugly.

Seems like the farther from. Whiterun I get it gets ugly. Went from pretty average to impossible...lol.

I actually would be happy if I could determine whether a person who is far away from my position is an opponent or some poor fellow falling victim to my arrow beforehand... probably my eyes are just too old these days.
An indication of hostility would be nice, though I understand its abundance. Having a hard time spotting wolves and sabre-tooth tigers as well... time for retirement?

I'd buy some perks to help with this if there were some to buy.

What about after you "clear" it?

When it respawns again will it stay at the original level or respawn to your new level?

Each dungeon/cave/fort etc has a level set eg 1-5, 6-10,11-15 etc etc, and the first time it is entered sets the level dependant on the characters level, for example a cave at 15-25 level varient

when entered by a character at level 1-14 the cave is set to level 15 and will be that forever

when entered at character level 15-25 the cave will be set at the same level as the charaters level for ever

when entered at charater level 26+ the cave is still set at 25 for ever

The respawns are at the same level as it is first set.

And a general rule I use is that the further away from the roads and tracks you are, the harder the enemies will be, with the odd exception.

I found that respawns would mostly be the same, with one or two slightly higher level guys as well (A dungeon with bandits, Bandit Outlaws and a Chief turned into one with the above plus 2 Bandit Highwaymen and one Bandit Plunderer)