Fear

School	Illusion
Level	Apprentice
Magicka Cost	153
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Aimed
Effect	Creatures and people up to level 9 flee from combat for 30 seconds.
Duration	30 seconds
Perk	Apprentice Illusion (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Fear
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Fear is an Apprentice Illusion spell that sends a target running. A creature or person up to level 9 flees from the fight for 30 seconds. Rout and Hysteria are the stronger versions that scare a whole group.

Fear suits the early game, once Illusion reaches the Apprentice rank. Most court wizards sell the tome, and so does Drevis Neloren at the College of Winterhold. The in-game description of Illusion names Fear first among the spells the skill makes easier to cast.

Spell Tome

Fear is learned by reading Spell Tome: Fear. Calcelmo, Drevis Neloren, Falion, Farengar Secret-Fire, Madena, Sybille Stentor, Wuunferth the Unliving and Wylandriah sell the tome.

How It Plays

Fear is an aimed fire and forget spell that hits one target. The target turns and runs away from the caster for half a minute. A fleeing enemy stops attacking, which buys time to heal, to deal with other foes or to escape. It also leaves the enemy's back open to arrows and spells.

The spell works best when a fight goes badly. A strong bandit can be sent running while the caster finishes the weaker ones. Once the fear wears off, the target comes back, so a plan for the second round helps.

Undead, Daedra and Dwarven automatons ignore Fear until the caster takes Master of the Mind. Dragons can never be frightened by Illusion magic, whatever the perks.

Perks and Builds

The Apprentice Illusion perk halves the cost of Fear. Animage raises the level limit by 8 against animals, and Kindred Mage raises it by 10 against people. Aspect of Terror is the fear perk of the tree, and it stacks with both of those. Illusion Dual Casting raises the level limit further when the spell is cast with both hands.

Aspect of Terror has a second use for fire mages. It also raises the damage of fire spells, which makes it a popular perk for Destruction characters too. The Intense Flames perk in Destruction adds a fear effect of its own to every fire spell.

Staves, Poisons and Enchantments

The Staff of Fear casts the effect from its own charge. A Fear Poison applied to a weapon or arrow makes the target flee when struck. Weapons with the Fear enchantment have the same chance on each hit.

Compared with Calm

Fear and Calm both stop an enemy from attacking, but they work in different ways. A calmed target turns hostile again as soon as it is struck. A frightened target keeps running even while the caster attacks it, too terrified to fight back.

That makes Fear a strong tool for wearing down a tough enemy. The caster can hit the fleeing target again and again without any answer. Fear also turns away charging animals. A cave bear or a sabre cat hit by the spell veers off and runs instead of reaching the caster.

Fear keeps the fight going, though, while Calm ends it. A caster who wants to slip away or fast travel does better with Calm.

Gameplay Tips

The Aspect of Terror perk lets the spell work on targets 10 levels higher.
Dual casting raises the highest level the spell can affect.

Notes

Faralda may ask to see this spell at the gate of the College of Winterhold during First Lessons. She teaches it for 30 gold to anyone who needs it.

Spell Categories

All Illusion Spells

Novice

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Clairvoyance	25 per second	Concentration	Shows the path to the current goal.
Courage	39	Fire and Forget	Target won't flee for 60 seconds and gets some extra health and stamina.
Fury	67	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 6 will attack anything nearby for 30 seconds.

Apprentice

Apprentice spells need a little practice in the school.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Calm	146	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 9 won't fight for 30 seconds.
Fear	153	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 9 flee from combat for 30 seconds.
Muffle	144	Fire and Forget	You move more quietly for 180 seconds.

Adept

Adept spells are the middle rank and hit noticeably harder.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Frenzy	209	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 14 will attack anyone nearby for 60 seconds.
Rally	113	Fire and Forget	Targets won't flee for 60 seconds and get extra health and stamina.
Frenzy Rune	278	Fire and Forget	Targets up to level 20 that fail to resist are frenzied for 30 seconds.
Orum's Aquatic Escape	165	Fire and Forget	Caster is invisible for 15 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell. Can breathe water for 15 seconds. Improved night vision for 15 seconds.

Expert

Expert spells are powerful and expensive to cast.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Invisibility	334	Fire and Forget	Caster is invisible for 30 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell.
Pacify	290	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 20 won't fight for 60 seconds.
Rout	316	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 20 flee from combat for 30 seconds.
Fenrik's Welcome	116	Fire and Forget	Caster becomes invisible and can open locks with level Expert and below for 5 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell.

Master

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Call to Arms	655	Fire and Forget	Targets have improved combat skills, health and stamina for 10 minutes.
Harmony	1052	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 25 nearby won't fight for 60 seconds.
Hysteria	866	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 25 flee from combat for 60 seconds.
Mayhem	990	Fire and Forget	Creatures and people up to level 25 will attack anyone nearby for 60 seconds.