Examples of the seven Bandit subtypes
- For other uses, see Bandits.
- "We wanted to establish the bandits as somewhat nomadic and rugged. By clothing them in wolf pelts and leather we provided them with light armor and plenty of warmth for the cold Nordic nights."
- ―Bandit Armor[src]
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 (or fur shoes), and may include gauntlets, a helmet, or a shield as well.
Although most bandits are Nords, Orcish bandits and other races are also common. Bandits almost always appear in groups, and often inhabit forts 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 be encountered traveling along the roads, but it is not as common. Their Solstheim counterparts are the Reavers, who are always Dunmer.
Subtypes
| Name | Level | 
|
|
Stamina | Drop | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandit | 1 | 35 | 25 | 70 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | 1068FE |
| Bandit Outlaw | 5 | 110 | 25 | 85 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | 37C2D |
| Bandit Thug | 9 | 235 | 25 | 105 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light and heavy armor, gold, lockpicks | 37C2E |
| Bandit Highwayman | 14 | 320 | 24 | 120 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | 37C35 |
| Bandit Plunderer | 19 | 400 | 25 | 170 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | 37C3C |
| Bandit Marauder | 25 | 490 | 25 | 245 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | 37C43 |
| Bandit Chief | 28 | 500 | 25 | 260 | Melee weapons, bow and arrows, heavy armor, gold, lockpicks | E1646 |
Bandit Corpses
| Name | Level |
|
|
Stamina | Drop | Location | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TreasCorpseBanditWoodElfFemale | 1 | 35 | 25 | 70 | Long Bow, Iron Arrows, light armor, gold, lockpicks | Silverdrift Lair, Hag Rock Redoubt, Broken Fang Cave | 000328DC |
Notable Bandits
Locations
A group of bandits
- 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 found on roads throughout Skyrim.
- Near Winterhold on the glaciers.
Conversations
Bleak Falls Barrow
Bandit: "So we're just supposed to sit here while Arvel runs off with that golden claw?"
Bandit 2: "That dark elf wants to go on ahead, let him. Better than us risking our necks."
Bandit: "What if Arvel doesn't come back? I want my share from that claw!"
'Bandit 2: "Just shut it and keep an eye out for trouble."
Swindler's Den, In My Time of Need
Bandit: "I'm not sure I like these Alik'r warriors hiding out here. They seem like trouble."
Bandit Thug: "Keep it to yourself. They're not paying us to talk. They'll be gone as soon as they've found whoever they're looking for. And we'll have all the more coin."
White River Watch
Bandit: "So, you in?"
Bandit 2: "...Yeah. We can't have that rheumpy-eyed fool as our watchman, even if he is Hajvarr's uncle. Time we dealt with both of them."
Bandit: "We strike tonight, at dusk. Be ready."
Think it'll work?
Bandit: "You think it'll work?"
Bandit 2: "'Course not. Dogs I could train. But a half-starved wolf? Not a chance."
Bandit: "Right. Lucky if it doesn't rip our throats out."
Embershard Mine
Bandit: "Aren't you worried someone will wander in here? The entrance isn't exactly hidden, you know."
Bandit 2: "This again? I told you we have someone standing guard out there. And, don't forget the rock trap we rigged up. So, stop your worrying and get some rest. Your shift is coming up and I don't want you dozing off again like last time."
The down bridge
Bandit: "I knew I heard something. What's this bridge doing down?"
Bandit 2: "I thought we had a guard posted outside."
Bandit: "We did! Keep your eyes peeled. I don't think we're alone. You check the entrance. I'm going to look over here."
Lost Knife Cave
Bandit: "So, you're saying you brought that cat down alone?"
Bandit 2: "Why? You don't think I could do it?"
Bandit: "Wasn't our last catch a Cave Bear?"
Bandit 2: "Yeah, why?"
Bandit: "Take down that one with your bare hands too?"
Bandit 2: "Troll's blood was he a tough one!"
Bandit: "Pfft"
Bandit 2: "But, I've got the key to the Sabre Cage! Look!"
Bandit: "What's that supposed to prove? Get back on patrol!"
Drunk boss
Bandit: "Looks like the boss is at it again."
Bandit 2: "Why? What's he doing now?"
Bandit: "He's on one of his drunk rants again. Except this time he's challenging everyone to a duel over in the hole. We've got him locked in there now, but he's still challenging anyone that looks crooked at him."
Bandit 2: "Someone should let that cat lose. That'd shut him up real quick."
Bandit: "Don't say that to loud, you don't want it getting back to him."
Pinewatch
Bandit: "I tried to tell him that he wouldn't get past the traps, but he wouldn't listen..."
Bandit 2: "It was a stupid plan, and now Rigel is so mad she won't even let us cut him down from there!"
Bandit 3: "Aye, and she's added more traps now as well... A moment of silence for our fallen friend..."
Conversations
Eisa Blackthorn: "Damn it, not now!"
Bandit: "There she is!"
Bandit 2: "Get her!"
Quotes
| Quote | Condition |
|---|---|
| "That's close enough!" | If a foe approaches the bandit, but stays out of aggro range. |
| "I'm warning you, back off!" | |
| "You picked a bad time to get lost, friend." | Upon initiating combat. |
| "Well ain't this a surprise!" | |
| "Time to end this little game." | |
| "Never should have come here!" | |
| "Maybe I was just hearing things." | If the Dragonborn is sneaking and hidden. |
| "What was that?" | When a foe is detected while sneaking. |
| "Is someone there?" | |
| "Die already so I can take your stuff!" | During combat. |
| "You'll be so much easier to rob when you're dead!" | |
| "Can't wait to count out your coin..." | |
| "Gonna rip you... open!" | |
| "Gonna split your belly like an old woman's purse!" | |
| "Ha, I think you're bleeding!" | |
| "Son of a..." | |
| "Die, damn you!" | |
| "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!" | |
| "Hurry up and die already, so I can take your stuff!" | |
| "Tell you what. You start running so I can stab you in the back." | |
| "You should have stayed in your precious fortress!" | If a homeowner. |
| "I'll gut you like a horker!" | Only by bandits in Eastmarch and Winterhold, also said by male Dark Brotherhood Initiate. |
| "I'm gonna wear that tail as a belt!" | If their foe is an Argonian. |
| "You should have stayed in your precious forests, elf!" | If their foe is a Wood Elf. |
| "You'll make a fine rug, cat!" | If their foe is a Khajiit. |
| "You remind me of my cousin's cat, killed that one too!" | |
| "You call yourself a Nord?" | If their foe is a Nord. |
| "Lookie here. Looks like we got ourselves a hero." | |
| "Time to die, hero!" | |
| "You're a disgrace to your own kind!" | |
| "You won't leave Skyrim alive!" | |
| "Die, Orc filth!" | If their foe is an Orc. |
| "Kill it! Kill the monster!" | If their foe is a Werewolf. |
| "Burn it! Burn the Vampire!" | If their foe is a Vampire. |
| "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" | If the bandit is a Nord. This can also be said even when their foe is a Nord. |
| "Victory or Sovngarde!" | If the bandit is a Nord. |
| "No one bests an Orc!" | If the bandit is an Orc. |
| "I'll show you what a real Orc can do!" | |
| "I'll show you a real fight!" | |
| "Might pay off my bounty this time — walk in to the city a free man." | Only heard when Bandits are not alerted to the Dragonborn's presence. |
| "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 was a woman as fair as an evenin' of a 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..." | |
| "Go to the college, da said. Use your smarts, he said. Idiot, how was I supposed to know what college he meant?" | |
| "...gonna start keepin' a knife in my boot... tired of gettin' disarmed..." | |
| "Hmph. Looks like we got a cutthroat skulkin' around..." | After discovering a corpse. |
Character Model Generation Mechanics
- Bandits are generated with radiant character Base ID or Ref ID, while their base ID can be uncovered in Console Commands by typing
help. - The first two number determines their character type (Bandit Rank), the third letter determines character type (D: class, D: design, E: encounter/radiant).
- The fourth number determines the variant's race (e.g. 6 is always Bosmer) while the fifth one determines facial variants. e.g. 39D67 will always spawn bosmer female.
- While radiant characters' fourth number can be letter as well, this avoids using the same Base ID so the AI will not be bugged.
- All bandits models are generated within the same BaseIDs, therefore their facial features are not entirely generated randomly.
- With the exception of TreasCorpseBanditWoodElfFemale, her Base ID does not follow this rule, although she can still be generated with radiant characters.
Trivia
- A small group of bandits can be found in the wilderness, disguised as Imperial Soldiers. They will try to extort a "fine" from the Dragonborn. They can be found in some random encounter locations. If the Dragonborn is a member of the Imperial Legion, they can say "I'm in the Legion, and I know damn well you're not." or if with the Stormcloaks, can deny their "authority." This will turn the bandits hostile.
- Bandits may say "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" even if the Dragonborn is a Nord, and/or if the Bandit that said it is not a Nord.
- Bandits may utter generic greetings if the Dragonborn is successfully defeated.
- If calmed with a calming spell, they can be talked to, though they will only give out generic responses. Making them neutral this way will make it easier to get close to their pockets to be picked for valuables without having to battle them.
- After installing Dragonborn, Skyrim bandit chiefs may start appearing with Nordic Carved Armor and Nordic weapons at higher levels.
- After speaking to one of the Orc Strongholds, an Orc bandit can be caught off guard and spoken to before being detected. He can then be asked to grant "Blood Kinship," though he will attack as soon as the dialogue is over, and will not grant entrance to a Stronghold.
- If a bandit is fighting Shadowmere, they might refer to the horse as "hero."
- Although bandits can be of most of the races in Skyrim, there are no Altmer bandits.
- Sometimes one can encounter mage bandits. While most of the time they are Argonian or Dunmer, they can be of any race with the exceptions of Orc, Bosmer, and Khajiit.
- If the Dragonborn is a Khajiit, Khajiit bandits will still comment on how the Dragonborn will "make a fine rug", and call them a "cat."
- Although there are male bandits from these races, there are no female Orc, Khajiit, or Argonian bandits.
- While the other voice actors say the line ("..Kill him... he talks that way to me again..."), the voice provider for the male Imperials sings that quote.
- While most Bandit Chiefs are Nords, they can also be Orcs, Redguards, and Imperials, though they are never any other races that appear as that type of bandit (i.e., no Bosmer Bandit Chief). This is due to the fact only melee type bandits have the Bandit Chief actors.
Bugs
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This section contains bugs related to Bandits (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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- Bandits may sometimes say things like "Hey, watch it!" or "What is it?" when the Dragonborn is killed, or say speak of leaving trash around.
- If the Dragonborn is killed while they are a werewolf, the bandits will comment on them being naked.
- In rare instances, bandits may respond with neutrality, even when approached. However, they will not engage in dialogue, and will become hostile if spoken to too many times.
- 360 Bandits can send hired thugs after the Dragonborn, even if they are dead.
- 360 A bandit may give the Dragonborn a letter of inheritance.