Dragonhide

School	Alteration
Level	Master
Magicka Cost	837
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	Caster ignores 80% of all physical damage for 30 seconds.
Duration	30 seconds
Perk	Master Alteration (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Dragonhide
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Dragonhide is the Master armor spell in Alteration. For 30 seconds, the caster ignores 80 percent of all physical damage. It works differently from the flesh spells, which only add to the armor rating. The effect also stacks with worn armor, so blows and arrows barely hurt a well armored caster.

Dragonhide is an end game spell. Tolfdir gives the tome at the College of Winterhold as the reward for the Alteration Ritual Spell quest, which opens once Alteration reaches 90. Mass Paralysis is the other Master Alteration spell, and it goes on sale once the quest is done.

Spell Tome

Dragonhide is learned by reading Spell Tome: Dragonhide. The spell is also taught during Alteration Ritual Spell.

Dragonhide Map Location

Dragonhide map location:
Tolfdir gives the tome as the reward for Alteration Ritual Spell. He offers the quest at the College of Winterhold once the Alteration skill reaches 90. The quest asks for dragon heartscales, cut from a dragon skeleton with the dagger Kahvozein's Fang.

Map credit by Map Genie.

How It Plays

Dragonhide cuts every physical hit down to a fifth of its normal damage. Swords, axes, arrows and the claws of beasts all count as physical damage. Magic, fire breath and frost breath are not physical, so the spell leaves them at full strength. A ward or the Magic Resistance perks cover that side.

The 80 percent reduction equals the largest reduction armor can ever give. Plain armor reaches that limit only at a displayed armor rating of 567. Dragonhide gives the same protection to a mage in robes. A light armored character gains a heavy armored character's defence for half a minute.

The spell also stacks with the armor already worn. Armor only counts if it is equipped before the cast. Changing gear while the spell runs can make the armor rating in the inventory show a value of 1. It is best to dress for battle first, then cast Dragonhide, then leave the gear alone.

The spell costs a great deal of magicka and lasts only 30 seconds. It is best cast at the start of a hard fight, such as a dragon, a dragon priest or a boss. Potions, Fortify Alteration gear and the Secret of Arcana power from the Dragonborn DLC help with the cost.

Perks and Builds

The Master Alteration perk halves the cost of Dragonhide. The Stability perk raises its duration to 45 seconds. Dragonhide is one of only two Master spells that can be dual cast, together with Guardian Circle in Restoration. Dual casting it with Alteration Dual Casting stretches the duration again, and with Stability it reaches 99 seconds.

A vampire with the Necromage perk in Restoration gets even longer Dragonhide. Necromage makes spells cast on an undead caster stronger, so the duration grows further. With Stability, dual casting and Necromage, a vampire can keep the spell up for more than two minutes.

Dragonhide is easy to confuse with Dragonskin, the Breton racial power. Dragonskin absorbs incoming spells instead of blocking physical damage. The Bones of the Earth power from an All-Maker Stone on Solstheim has the same effect as Dragonhide.

Quest Background

Tolfdir, the Alteration master at the College, has been working on what he calls "an improvement on the Ebonyflesh spell". He made progress with the essence of dragon scales, but they were not potent enough. His research points to two things: ancient dragon heartscales, and a dagger called Kahvozein's Fang. The dagger is said to be sharp enough to carve single scales off a dragon.

Kahvozein's Fang lies in a Nordic tomb with a dragon priest. The exact tomb changes from game to game. High Gate Ruins, Volskygge, Ragnvald and Forelhost are typical places. Tolfdir explains that a cult sect named the dagger after the dragon it worshipped. The sect's high priest kept it sharp for its many ritual sacrifices.

With the dagger in hand, the next step is a dead dragon. Equip Kahvozein's Fang in the right hand and search the dragon's remains. The heartscales appear in the inventory, even if the dragon was turned to ash. The Skeletal Dragon from the main quest of the College and Krosulhah from the Dragonborn DLC give no heartscales. The quest needs Dragon Rising complete, since dragons only start to appear after it.

Tolfdir is delighted with the heartscale. He finishes his research and gives the first copy of the Dragonhide tome as the reward. Kahvozein's Fang can keep collecting heartscales from later dragons. These spare scales are no longer quest items and can be sold.

Stacking with Armor

Dragonhide and worn armor work one after the other. A caster whose armor already reaches the 80% cap takes only a fifth of a fifth of each blow, a total reduction of 96%. For as long as the spell runs, almost nothing physical gets through.

Dragonhide does not combine with the flesh spells. Only one armor spell works at a time, so a running Ebonyflesh can keep Dragonhide from taking hold. The spell is best cast on its own, after the armor is on.

Gameplay Tips

Put on all armor before casting. Armor only adds to the protection when it is already worn as the spell starts.
The Stability perk raises the duration to 45 seconds.
Dual casting works on this spell and stretches the duration further.

Notes

Dragonhide is one of only two Master spells that can be dual cast.
Tolfdir calls his research an improvement on the Ebonyflesh spell.

Spell Categories

All Alteration Spells

Novice

Novice spells are the first a mage learns and cost the least magicka.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Candlelight	21	Fire and Forget	Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds.
Oakflesh	103	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds.
Teleport Pet: Arachnia	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Arachnia the spider.
Teleport Pet: Bone Wolf	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Bone Wolf to your side.
Teleport Pet: Demented Elytra Nymph	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Demented Elytra Nymph.
Teleport Pet: Dwarven Mudcrab	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Dwarven Mudcrab.
Teleport Pet: Hilda	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Hilda.
Teleport Pet: Manic Elytra Nymph	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports pet Manic Elytra Nymph.
Teleport Pet: Nix-Hound	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Nix-Hound.
Teleport Pet: Skritch	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Skritch.
Teleport Pet: Sweet Roll	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Sweet Roll.
Teleport Pet: Thistle	0	Fire and Forget	Teleports Thistle.

Apprentice

Apprentice spells need a little practice in the school.

Name	Image	Cost	Casting	Effect
Magelight		84	Fire and Forget	Ball of light that lasts 60 seconds and sticks where it strikes.
Stoneflesh		194	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 60 points for 60 seconds.

Adept

Adept spells are the middle rank and hit noticeably harder.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Detect Life	100 per second	Concentration	Nearby living creatures, but not undead, machines or daedra, can be seen through walls.
Ironflesh	266	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds.
Telekinesis	170 per second	Concentration	Can pull an object to you from a distance. Add it to your inventory or throw it.
Transmute	100	-	Transmutes one piece of unrefined Iron ore to Silver, or Silver ore to Gold if the caster is carrying any.
Waterbreathing	222	Fire and Forget	Can breathe water for 60 seconds.
Ash Shell	251	Fire and Forget	Targets that fail to resist are immobilized in hardened ash for 30 seconds.
Master Transmute	100	-	Transmutes one piece of unrefined Iron or Silver ore to Gold if the caster is carrying any.
Paralysis Rune	172	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilizing them for 8 seconds.

Expert

Expert spells are powerful and expensive to cast.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Detect Dead	148 per second	Concentration	Nearby dead can be seen through walls.
Ebonyflesh	341	Fire and Forget	Improves the caster's armor rating by 100 points for 60 seconds.
Paralyze	450	Fire and Forget	Targets that fail to resist are paralyzed for 10 seconds.
Ash Rune	418	Fire and Forget	Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilizing them in hardened ash for 30 seconds.

Master

Master spells are the strongest in the school and need the most skill.

Name	Image	Cost	Casting	Effect
Dragonhide		837	Fire and Forget	Caster ignores 80% of all physical damage for 30 seconds.
Mass Paralysis		937	Fire and Forget	All targets in the area that fail to resist are paralyzed for 15 seconds.