Bandits (Skyrim)

Bandits are one of the most common enemies encountered across Skyrim. They wield a wide variety of weapons, ranging from bows, one-handed and two-handed melee weapons, and on rare occasions spells. Their apparel varies from light to heavy armor, and always consists of a cuirass and boots, which may include gauntlets, a helmet, or a shield as well.

Although most Bandits are Nords, Orcish bandits and other races are also common, though Dunmeri bandits are rare, if not non-existent. Bandits almost always appear in groups and often inhabit fort ruins and caves. Bandit groups often set up regular patrols to guard entrances and other key areas, sometimes numbering near a dozen at well-fortified locations. They can also can be encountered traveling along the roads, but is not as common. Their Solstheim counterparts are the Reavers, who are explicitly Dunmer.

Known locations

 * Bleak Falls Barrow
 * Cragslane Cavern
 * Knifepoint Ridge
 * Fort Greymoor
 * Fort Dunstad
 * Fort Hraggstad
 * Halted Stream Camp
 * Helgen
 * Mistwatch
 * Redoran's Retreat
 * Robber's Gorge
 * Silent Moons Camp
 * Swindler's Den
 * Valtheim Towers
 * White River Watch
 * Uttering Hills Cave
 * Frostmere Crypt
 * Bilegulch Mine
 * Ravenscar Hollow
 * Faldar's Tooth
 * Lost Knife Cave, Lost Knife Hideout
 * Wreck of the Winter War & Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos
 * Embershard Mine
 * Irkngthand
 * Mzinchaleft
 * Raldbthar
 * Riverwood Folly
 * Randomly Spawn on roads throughout Skyrim
 * North of Winterhold in the glaciers
 * On the side of Winterhold

Quotes

 * "You picked a bad time to get lost, friend."
 * "Die already so I can take your stuff!"
 * "You'll be so much easier to rob you when you're dead!"
 * "Can't wait to count out your coin..."
 * "Gonna split your belly like an old woman's purse!"
 * "Ha, I think you're bleeding!"
 * "Never should have come here!"
 * "Son of a..."
 * "I'm gonna wear that tail as a belt!" (If player is an Argonian)
 * "Tell you what. You start running so I can stab you in the back."
 * "Ill gut you like a horker!" (only by bandits in Eastmarch /Winterhold)
 * "Die, damn you!"
 * "Die, Orc filth!" (If player is Orsimer)
 * "I'm warning you, back off!"
 * "You remind me of my cousin's cat, killed that one too!" (If player is a Khajiit)
 * "I'll mount your head on my wall!"
 * "You're dead! Dead!"
 * "I'll have your head!"
 * "That all you've got?"
 * "Prepare to die!"
 * "You won't leave here alive!"
 * "You'll make a fine rug, cat!" (If player is a Khajiit)
 * "You should have stayed in your precious forests, elf!" (If player is a Bosmer)
 * "Hurry up and die already, so I can take your stuff!" (This might have something to do with the effectiveness of the armour the player is wearing.)
 * "Maybe I was just hearing things." (If Dragonborn is in sneak mode and hidden)
 * "What was that?" (when a player is detected while in sneak mode)
 * "Did you hear something?"(when a player is detected in sneak mode)
 * "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" (sometimes said even when the player is a Nord)
 * "You call yourself a Nord?" (if the player is a Nord)
 * "Time to die hero!"
 * "You're a disgrace to your own kind!" '(if the player is a Nord)
 * "Burn it! Burn the Vampire!" (if the player is a Vampire)
 * "Kill it! Kill the monster!" (if the player is in Beast Form)
 * "Victory or Sovngarde!"
 * "Well ain't this a suprise!"
 * "Time to end this little game."

(Note: The following lines are only heard when bandits are not alerted to the Dragonborn's presence.)
 * "Might pay off my bounty this time — walk in to the city a free man."
 * "Should have known she was lying... she said she would wait for me, but they never wait..."
 * "I'll never do another span in that stinkin' jail. Rather die than give myself up."
 * "Never enough gold... just need one more good haul."
 * "...mead, mead, mead... ...kill 'em to get some beer every now and then.. Stupid bees and their stupid honey..."
 * *Singing* With three beers down, the Orc did frown, and bid the Elf goodbye, for none could know, 'twas not for show, and someone had to die.
 * "...picking pockets, now that's the real art... No rough stuff, just take it and go.. hmph, doesn't sound like much fun though...
 * "Lying little harlot.. that brat ain't mine, could be anyone's... won't get one rusty septim from me...
 * "Hmph, wizards... now that's power.. bet they got that "secret magic".. turn wood into gold.. yeah, wish I could turn wood into gold...
 * *Singing* Once as fair as evening... at the spring-time of Stros M'kai...
 * "..kill him... he talks like that to me again... get him while he's sleeping, or poison his meat.. see how he likes that...

Trivia

 * Bandits might sometimes say, "Go to college, Da said.. Use your smarts, he said.." If the player isn't seen. This is probably a reference to Warcraft II's 'Join the army,' they said.  'See the world,' they said."
 * A small group of bandits can be found in the wilderness, disguised as Imperial soldiers. They will try to extort a "fine" from the player. They can be found in some Random Encounters locations.
 * Bandits may say "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" even if the Dragonborn is a Nord, or if the Bandit that said it is not a Nord.
 * Bandits may utter generic NPC Greetings if the player is successfully defeated.
 * Using a calm spell on a bandit may allow the Dragonborn to speak to them. But they will only say general quotes. Like "Yes" or "Need Something?". This makes pickpocketing them for treasure maps and gold can be made easier than fighting them.
 * After playing on Solstheim, the bandit chiefs may wear Nordic Carved Armor.

Bugs

 * Bandits may sometimes say things like "Hey, watch it!" or "What is it?" when the player is killed.
 * If a player is killed, while he or she is a werewolf, the bandits will comment on the player being naked.
 * In rare instances, bandits may respond to the player with neutrality, even when approached, yet they will not engage in dialogue, and if "activated" too many times, will draw their weapons and attack.
 * Bandits can send hired thugs after you, even if they're dead.
 * On some instances, a bandit will give you a letter of inheritance

Banditen (Skyrim) Bandidos Bandits Bandyta Бандит