Raise Zombie

School	Conjuration
Level	Novice
Magicka Cost	103
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Aimed
Effect	Reanimate a weak dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds.
Duration	60 seconds
Perk	Novice Conjuration (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Raise Zombie
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Raise Zombie is the first Conjuration spell that brings the dead back to fight. It raises a weak corpse, up to level 6, as an ally for one minute. When the zombie falls again or the spell ends, the body crumbles into a pile of ash. Reanimate Corpse is the next step and can raise stronger bodies.

Raise Zombie is a spell for the first hours of a necromancer's journey. Most court wizards, the Riverwood Trader and Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold sell the tome.

Spell Tome

Raise Zombie is learned by reading Spell Tome: Raise Zombie. Calcelmo, Falion, Farengar Secret-Fire, Madena, Nelacar, Phinis Gestor, Riverwood Trader, Sybille Stentor, Wuunferth the Unliving, Wylandriah and Talvas Fathryon sell the tome.

Location

Copies of the tome can be found in Fellglow Keep, Fort Snowhawk and Halldir's Cairn.

How It Plays

Raise Zombie is an aimed fire and forget spell. It needs a corpse within range, and the corpse must be of level 6 or lower. The body rises with whatever weapons it still carries and fights for one minute. Skeevers, wolves and weak bandits are typical targets in the early game.

Raising a fallen enemy turns the enemy's own side against it. A bandit killed at the door of a camp can rise and attack his former friends. The zombie also soaks up blows that would otherwise land on the caster.

Weapons matter. A corpse raised with a good weapon in its pack fights better. A strong weapon can be placed on the body before the cast, then taken back once the zombie turns to ash.

Choosing a Body

Every corpse raised with this spell turns to ash when it dies again, when the spell ends, or when another summon replaces it. The same body cannot be raised twice. A body reduced to ash by shock spells is also lost.

An enemy killed while paralyzed may rise unable to move. Frost spells with the Deep Freeze perk can cause this by accident. Finishing an enemy some other way keeps the body useful.

Perks and Builds

The Novice Conjuration perk halves the cost of Raise Zombie. Necromancy doubles the time the zombie stays, and Dark Souls gives it 100 extra health. Twin Souls allows two raised corpses at once. Summoner lets the caster raise a body from much farther away.

The Necromage perk in Restoration raises the level limit for corpses that were undead before death, such as draugr. A raised zombie trains Conjuration while it fights, as long as an enemy is around.

Stealing Zombies

Enemy necromancers raise the dead too. A body that an enemy is raising can be stolen while it is still rising. A stronger raise dead spell cast on it in that moment turns the zombie into the caster's ally instead.

Cost and Value

Raise Zombie costs 103 magicka at a skill of zero, a little less than Conjure Familiar. It needs a corpse, and the body fights with the weapons it had in life. The Novice Conjuration perk halves the cost.

Raised corpses make good support because they are so easy to replace. A fight that leaves bodies on the floor always offers a fresh zombie for the next room.

Followers and Similar Powers

Serana from the Dawnguard DLC casts Raise Zombie herself when the player character is between levels 12 and 19. At higher levels she moves on to Reanimate Corpse and then Revenant.

The Ritual Stone east of Whiterun gives a power that raises every corpse nearby once a day. It raises a whole group at once, though only once each day.

Gameplay Tips

The Necromancy perk keeps the zombie on its feet for longer.
The spell only works on whole bodies, so a beheaded corpse stays down.

Spell Categories

All Conjuration Spells

Novice

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Bound Sword	93	Fire and Forget	Creates a magic sword for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel.
Conjure Familiar	107	Fire and Forget	Summons a Familiar for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Raise Zombie	103	Fire and Forget	Reanimate a weak dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds.
Bound Dagger	53	Fire and Forget	Creates a magic dagger for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel.
Conjure Skeleton Minion	106	Fire and Forget	Summons a weak Skeleton warrior for 60 seconds.
Conjure Undying Ghost	All available magicka	Fire and Forget	Consumes all magicka and summons an Undying Ghost for 60 seconds. The ghost's attributes are equal to twice the amount of magicka consumed (up to 600).
Conjure Zombie	107	Fire and Forget	Summons a Zombie for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.

Apprentice

Apprentice spells need a little practice in the school.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Bound Battleaxe	169	Fire and Forget	Creates a magic battle axe for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel.
Conjure Flame Atronach	150	Fire and Forget	Summons a Flame Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Flaming Familiar	57	Fire and Forget	Summons a flaming familiar which will charge into battle and explode.
Reanimate Corpse	144	Fire and Forget	Reanimate a more powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds.
Soul Trap	107	Fire and Forget	If target dies within 60 seconds, fills a soul gem.
Conjure Boneman	129	Fire and Forget	Summons a Boneman Archer from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Summon Arvak	136	Fire and Forget	Summons Arvak in the Soul Cairn or Tamriel wilderness to act as your steed.
Conjure Foul Zombie	75	Fire and Forget	Summons a Foul Zombie for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Haunting Spirit	128	Fire and Forget	Summons a Haunting Spirit for 60 seconds. When killed, the spirit steals 10 points from the skills of its killer and transfers them to the caster for a short time.
Conjure Skeleton Marksman	132	Fire and Forget	Summons a Skeleton Marksman whose arrows weaken foes for 60 seconds.
Soul Split	96	Fire and Forget	Sacrifice a friendly conjured or reanimated minion to summon 2 Sundered Shades for 60 seconds.
Summon Daedric Horse	136	Fire and Forget	Summons a Daedric Horse to act as your steed.

Adept

Adept spells are the middle rank and hit noticeably harder.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Banish Daedra	196	Fire and Forget	Weaker summoned daedra are sent back to Oblivion.
Bound Bow	207	Fire and Forget	Creates a magic bow and 100 magic arrows for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel.
Conjure Frost Atronach	215	Fire and Forget	Summons a Frost Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Revenant	183	Fire and Forget	Reanimate a powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds.
Conjure Mistman	193	Fire and Forget	Summons a Mistman from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Ash Spawn	186	Fire and Forget	Summons an Ash Spawn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Seeker	157	Fire and Forget	Summons a Seeker for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Banish Undead	176	Fire and Forget	Summoned or raised undead up to level 15 are sent back to the grave.
Conjure Dark Seducer Archer	75	Fire and Forget	Summons a Dark Seducer Archer for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Dark Seducer Warrior	75	Fire and Forget	Summons a Dark Seducer Warrior for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Golden Saint Archer	75	Fire and Forget	Summons a Golden Saint Archer for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Golden Saint Warrior	75	Fire and Forget	Summons a Golden Saint Warrior for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Putrid Zombie	107	Fire and Forget	Summons a Zombie for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Skeleton Champion	192	Fire and Forget	Summons a Skeleton Champion that gains +10% attack damage for each nearby enemy (up to 5) for 60 seconds.
Conjure Tomb Guardian	192	Fire and Forget	Summons a Tomb Guardian for 60 seconds that conjures a Shade when it kills an enemy.
Necromancer's Ritual	123	Fire and Forget	Regain 30 health and magicka every time a friendly conjured or reanimated minion dies for 120 seconds.

Expert

Expert spells are powerful and expensive to cast.

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Command Daedra	243	Fire and Forget	Powerful summoned and raised creatures are put under your control.
Conjure Dremora Lord	358	Fire and Forget	Summons a Dremora Lord for 60 seconds.
Conjure Storm Atronach	322	Fire and Forget	Summons a Storm Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Dread Zombie	302	Fire and Forget	Reanimate a very powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds.
Expel Daedra	215	Fire and Forget	Powerful summoned daedra creatures are sent back to Oblivion.
Conjure Wrathman	301	Fire and Forget	Summons a Wrathman from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Ash Guardian	340	Fire and Forget	Creates an Ash Guardian that guards that location until destroyed. Consumes a Heart stone from your inventory, without which it will be hostile.
Conjure Ayleid Lich	358	Fire and Forget	Summons an Ayleid Lich for 60 seconds.
Conjure Cursed Spectre	258	Fire and Forget	Summons a Cursed Spectre for 60 seconds that drains health and magicka from enemies.
Conjure Malignant Zombie	161	Fire and Forget	Summons a Malignant Zombie for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
Conjure Skeleton Warlock	258	Fire and Forget	Summons a Skeleton Warlock that wields powerful shock magic for 60 seconds.
Pride of Hirstaang	287	Fire and Forget	Summons a Bear for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing. Resist 50% of frost damage for 60 seconds. Health regenerates 50% faster for 60 seconds.

Master

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

Name	Cost	Casting	Effect
Dead Thrall	1000	Fire and Forget	Reanimate a dead body permanently to fight for you. Only works on people.
Flame Thrall	900	Fire and Forget	Summons a Flame Atronach permanently.
Frost Thrall	1100	Fire and Forget	Summons a Frost Atronach permanently.
Storm Thrall	1200	Fire and Forget	Summons a Storm Atronach permanently.
Conjure Ancient Deathpriest	1004	Fire and Forget	Summons an Ancient Deathpriest that wields powerful magic and commands the undead for 60 seconds. When killed, the Deathpriest splits into 3 Tortured Shades.
Conjure Bone Colossus	1004	Fire and Forget	Summons a Bone Colossus for 60 seconds. While active, conjured skeletons regenerate health and you can summon 2 additional skeletons. Only 1 colossus can be summoned at a time.
Conjure Staada	75	Fire and Forget	Summons Staada for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.