Hysteria

School	Illusion
Level	Master
Magicka Cost	866
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Self
Effect	Creatures and people up to level 25 flee from combat for 60 seconds.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Master Illusion (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Hysteria
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Hysteria is the Master version of Fear and Rout. Every creature and person up to level 25 within 250 feet of the caster flees for one minute. It scatters a whole crowd of enemies at once.

Spell Tome

Hysteria is learned by reading Spell Tome: Hysteria. The spell is also taught during Illusion Ritual Spell.

Hysteria Map Location

Hysteria map location:
Hysteria is tied to Illusion Ritual Spell, a quest from Drevis Neloren at the College of Winterhold. He teaches Vision of the Tenth Eye and asks for four hidden books, found in the Arcanaeum, the Hall of Attainment, the Hall of Countenance and the Midden. Handing them over earns a Master Illusion tome and opens the rest for sale.

Map credit by Map Genie.

How It Plays

Hysteria is a Master ritual spell. It needs both hands and a charge of about three seconds. When it goes off, every valid target around the caster flees in terror for a full minute. The radius is huge, so a whole camp or a full hall of enemies can break and run at once.

The spell is a strong escape tool. A caster surrounded by a large group can clear a path in one cast. It also buys a full minute to heal, to change tactics or to pick off fleeing enemies one by one.

Undead, Daedra and Dwarven automatons ignore Hysteria until the caster takes Master of the Mind. Dragons are immune to all Illusion magic. Fleeing enemies return once the minute is over.

Compared with Fear and Rout

Fear scares a single target up to level 9. Rout scares a small group up to level 20. Hysteria frightens everything up to level 25 in a vast circle around the caster. It costs far more magicka than either and takes much longer to cast.

The other Master Illusion spells work on the same huge scale. Harmony calms everyone nearby, Mayhem drives them into a frenzy, and Call to Arms strengthens allies.

Perks and Builds

The Master Illusion perk halves the large magicka cost of Hysteria. Animage, Kindred Mage and Aspect of Terror all raise the level limit, and they stack with each other. Master of the Mind lets the spell work on undead, Daedra and automatons.

Quest Background

Hysteria is the reward for the Illusion Ritual Spell quest. Drevis Neloren, the Illusion master at the College of Winterhold, offers it once Illusion is high enough. He teaches the spell Vision of the Tenth Eye and asks for four Master Illusion texts hidden around the College.

The books can only be seen while Vision of the Tenth Eye is active. One lies on a table in the Arcanaeum, and one on the upper landing of the Hall of Attainment. A third rests on a barrel in a storeroom of the Hall of Countenance. The last lies on a table next to the Atronach Forge in the Midden. Drevis greets the finished set with "Yes, very good. Here, then, is the first of the illusion spells you sought." He hands over Hysteria and then sells Call to Arms, Harmony and Mayhem.

Gameplay Tips

The Aspect of Terror perk lets the spell work on targets 10 levels higher, and the Kindred Mage perk adds 10 more levels against people.

Notes

Because of a bug, Drevis Neloren only offers the quest once Illusion reaches 100.

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.