Unleash Your Inner Dragon: A Simple Guide to Shouts in Skyrim
So, you’re the Dragonborn? That’s nice. Everyone seems to be Dragonborn these days. But can you shout? Not just yelling at the thief who took your sweetroll. We’re talking serious shouts. Those are earth-shaking displays of Thu’um power. If you struggle with Fus Ro Dah, don’t worry. This guide helps you master the Voice.
Understanding the Roar: What Are Shouts?
“Fus Ro Dah” is more than just a fun phrase to say when you stub your toe (though that’s satisfying). It’s a Dragon Shout. A unique ability for the Dragonborn. Think of it as dragon language with raw power mixed in. Early in your journey as a Dragonborn, you will discover this ability.
Channeling Your Inner Dragon: How to Use Shouts
Ever shout and feel nothing happen? That’s typical. Skyrim’s shouts need finesse. It’s like ordering coffee – there’s a right way. For shouts, it’s all about pressing buttons. A quick tap gives you the first word. Want more? Hold it longer for two words. For three words, hold it down for 2-3 seconds. A quick tap gives “Fus,” a level 1 Unrelenting Force. Hold longer for “Ro,” adding more power.
Shout and Wait: The Cooldown Reality
Shouting uses energy, even for Dragonborn. Using a shout triggers a cooldown period. Think of it as needing time to breathe. The more powerful the shout, the longer the cooldown. Choose wisely, or watch enemies approach slowly while you recover.
Mastering the Hold: The Key to Powerful Shouts
The key to powerful shouts isn’t just mashing buttons. It’s about the hold. Yes, you need to hold down that button longer than you think you should. Experiment. Feel the virtual power surge.
Unlocking the Dragon’s Tongue: From Souls to Shouts
Learning a shout is half the battle. You’ve got words, but you need dragon souls to fuel them. Think of souls as magical batteries. You get these by slaying dragons and absorbing their essence. Gruesome but effective.
Dragon Souls: Your Shout Fuel
No souls, no shouts. After learning a word, unlock it in your skills menu using a dragon soul. Check your “Shout” menu’s bottom right corner for your soul count. If it’s zero, you can’t shout.
The Unlocking Ritual: Turning Souls into Power
You’ve bravely defeated a dragon and absorbed its soul. Now what? Head to your skills menu, find “Shout,” and look for greyed-out shouts. Highlight one and check the bottom left of your screen. The game will tell you which button to press to use a soul and unlock the shout.
Your First Shout: A Freebie
Good news! Your first shout, Unrelenting Force, is given to you after defeating your first dragon. Consider it a beginner’s perk, a little gift to welcome you into the Dragonborn club.
Cheat Codes for the Impatient: Console Commands
If you want shortcuts to shout mastery, console commands can help. Use commands like `addshout` or `player.teachword` to add shouts instantly. But remember, you still need dragon souls to use them in the menu. Cheating gives you words, not free power.
Equipping Your Roar: Getting Shouts Ready
Unlocking a shout doesn’t mean it’s ready. You must equip it first. Go to the magic tab in your menu, then down to “shouts.” Find Unrelenting Force (or any shout) and select it. You’re now ready to shout.
Shout Troubles? Common Issues and Fixes
Even Dragonborn face problems. Can’t shout? Greyed-out words? Let’s troubleshoot some common issues.
Soul-less and Shout-less: The Soul Deficiency
The most common reason for shout problems? Lack of dragon souls. Those white words in your menu are available for use. The grey ones are locked because you’re out of souls. Check that soul counter in your menu. Zero equals no unlocking fun.
The Grey Shout Mystery: Why Are They Grey?
If your shouts are grey, it’s likely a soul issue. Grey shouts are locked. You need dragon souls to make them white and usable. It’s a reminder to kill more dragons.
Soul-Stealing Glitches: Absorption Bugs
At times, Skyrim surprises you with glitches. The game may mistakenly think you’ve absorbed a soul from a dragon in battle. This results in no absorption sequence. Frustrating but not uncommon.
Mod Mayhem: Interference from Modifications
Mods can enhance Skyrim but may cause issues with shouts, especially if they affect dragons or their behavior. Modding bliss comes with glitches and compatibility problems.
Miraak: The Soul Thief
Miraak can be a nuisance, stealing dragon souls from you after you defeat a dragon. Expect that animation, only to find Miraak has swooped in. If he steals your soul, try another dragon. Be persistent; eventually, you will get your soul.
Summon Durnehviir: Location, Location!
Summoning Durnehviir can be tricky. Aim at the ground, not at the sky or trees. Pick a spacious spot; dragons need room to land. Use all three words of the summon shout; no half-measures allowed.
Shout Spotlight: Notable Dragon Vocals
Skyrim has many shouts, each offering unique destruction or utility. Let’s highlight a few notable ones.
Unrelenting Force: The Classic “Get Off My Lawn” Shout
Unrelenting Force, or “Fus Ro Dah,” is Skyrim’s iconic shout. You learn it during the main quest early on. The first word is given to you in Bleak Falls Barrow, so by the end of “Dragon Rising,” you’re already a shout novice. It controls the battlefield effectively; enemies ragdoll off cliffs due to fall damage.
Bend Will: Dragon Taming 101
If you want to control dragons, you’ll need the Bend Will shout. This requires dedication and effort.
Three words of power: dedication. Yes, you guessed it. Unlock all three to tame those majestic beasts.
Soul Tear: Not a Shout for Close Encounters
Soul Tear is powerful. But range is a quirk. Do not use it in someone’s personal space. Aim your crosshair away from the target’s body. It’s a shout that prefers a bit of space.
Summon Durnehviir: Redundancy Alert!
We mentioned Summon Durnehviir before, but it’s worth repeating key points. Ground aiming is crucial. Spacious landing zones are a must. All three words are non-negotiable. Follow these rules, and you’ll have an undead dragon buddy… temporarily.
Riding the Scaled Beasts: Dragon Riding and Taming in Skyrim
Ever dreamt of soaring through the Skyrim skies on a dragon’s back? Skyrim does not let you “befriend” dragons traditionally. No dragon pets to cuddle. But, with “Bend Will,” you can temporarily tame and ride them. Think of it as forceful persuasion, not a friendship.
Dragonborn DLC: Your Ticket to Dragonback Rides
Dragon riding isn’t a vanilla Skyrim feature. You need the Dragonborn DLC to unlock this adventure. Consider it the dragon-riding expansion pack.
Bend Will Shout: The Dragon Tamer’s Tool
To ride a dragon, you need the full “Bend Will” shout. That means completing the Dragonborn main questline to acquire all three words. Master Bend Will, shout at a dragon. If successful, the dragon will land and let you hop on for a ride.
Dragon Riding Reality Check: Limitations
Do not expect to fully control your dragon taxi service. Direct steering is not an option. Think of it as dragon-assisted fast travel with a view. Named dragons are off-limits for taming and riding. Alduin, Paarthurnax, and other special dragons are too important or legendary for that.
Learning to Bend Will: The Path to Dragon Riding
Acquiring the “Bend Will” shout is a quest in itself. It involves the Dragonborn DLC main questline. You’ll go on a black book retrieval mission. This leads to Hermia Mora. After completing “The Path of Knowledge,” Hermia Mora will demand a bargain for the third word of Bend Will, kicking off “Gardener of Men.” It’s a journey to dragon riding.
Troubleshooting Soul Absorption Failures: Getting Your Souls Back on Track
Dragon soul absorption glitches can frustrate, but often they are fixable. Here’s a quick troubleshooting checklist:
The Classic Reload: Restart and Hope
Sometimes, the simplest solution is best. Reload your game. It’s like turning it off and on again. This often fixes minor hiccups.
Dragon Diversity: Try a Different Scaly Foe
If one dragon is stingy with its soul, chase another one. Maybe that dragon is just having a bad day.
Mod Detox: Disable Your Mods (Temporarily)
If a mod is causing soul absorption issues, disable them, especially the dragon-related ones. It’s a process of elimination.
Unofficial Patch Power: The Unofficial Dragonborn Patch
The Unofficial Dragonborn Patch is a community-made mod that fixes many bugs in the Dragonborn DLC, including soul absorption glitches. If you’re modding, this patch is essential.
Save Cleaning: The Nuclear Option
If all else fails and soul-stealing bugs remain, clean your save. This advanced step uses tools to remove faulty scripts from your file. Proceed with caution and research cleaning tools.
Essential Skyrim Survival Tips (Because Why Not?)
While on your Dragonborn journey, here are a few extra nuggets of wisdom.
Tamriel 101: Geography for Dragonborn
The Elder Scrolls games, including Skyrim, take place on Tamriel continent on Nirn planet. Skyrim resides in the north of Tamriel. Geography lesson complete. Back to dragon slaying.
High Hrothgar: Reaching the Greybeards
Need to visit the wise Greybeards at High Hrothgar? Go to Ivarstead, on the western edge of Rift. Find the bridge leading to the Seven Thousand Steps. It’s a scenic climb up Throat of the World mountain. Pack snacks.
Lydia: Your Loyal (Sometimes) Companion
Lydia, your housecarl, is a Nord warrior and a steadfast companion… most of the time. If she’s less-than-essential (dies often), use `enter setessential 1` to make her essential. No more Lydia deaths (unless you really try).
Home Sweet Home: Buying a House in Whiterun
Want a place to store loot and display dragon bones? To buy Breezehome in Whiterun, complete Bleak Falls Barrow quest for Jarl Balgruuf first. Finish the dungeon crawl, and he will grant you permission to purchase it from his steward, Proventus Avenicci, for 5,000 gold. Save those septims.
Calling Your Horse: The Myth of Equine Teleportation
Vanilla Skyrim lacks a “call horse” button. Your trusty steed isn’t glued to you. However, your horse usually appears when you fast travel or use a carriage to a new location. Fast travel is your pseudo-horse-calling spell.
Menu Mastery: Navigating the Interface
Lost in menus? Access the interface with “B” button on Xbox, “O” button on PS3, and “Tab” button on PC. Mastering the menu is half the battle in any RPG.
Your comprehensive guide to shouts in Skyrim ends here. Now go forth, Dragonborn, and make those mountains tremble!
