Rout

School	Illusion
Level	Expert
Magicka Cost	316
Casting	Fire and Forget
Delivery	Aimed
Effect	Creatures and people up to level 20 flee from combat for 30 seconds.
Duration	30 seconds
Perk	Expert Illusion (1)
Spell Tome	Spell Tome: Rout
Game/DLC	Skyrim

Rout is the Expert version of Fear. It works on an area, so every creature and person up to level 20 within 15 feet flees for 30 seconds. Hysteria is the Master version that scares everyone around the caster.

Rout belongs to the late game, once Illusion reaches the Expert rank. Drevis Neloren at the College of Winterhold is the only merchant who sells the tome.

Spell Tome

Rout is learned by reading Spell Tome: Rout. Drevis Neloren sells the tome.

How It Plays

Rout is an aimed fire and forget spell with a small area of effect. It frightens every valid target near the point of impact. A group of bandits rushing the caster can be broken up with a single cast. The ones that flee stop attacking, which lets the caster deal with any that stay.

Fleeing enemies come back once the fear wears off. The half minute of quiet is best used to heal, to pick off enemies at range or to slip away.

Undead, Daedra and Dwarven automatons ignore Rout until the caster takes Master of the Mind. Dragons are immune to all Illusion magic.

Compared with Fear and Hysteria

Fear, the Apprentice spell, scares a single target up to level 9. Rout scares a small group up to level 20. Hysteria, the Master spell, frightens everything up to level 25 within a huge radius around the caster for a full minute. Rout costs far less than Hysteria and needs only one hand.

Perks and Builds

The Expert Illusion perk halves the cost of Rout. Animage raises the level limit by 8 against animals, Kindred Mage raises it by 10 against people, and Aspect of Terror adds 10 more against everyone. These perks stack. Illusion Dual Casting raises the limit again when the spell is cast with both hands.

Best Uses

Rout suits a fighter who wants enemies out of the way but still intends to finish them. Unlike Pacify, the effect holds when the targets are attacked. Frightened enemies run or cower and beg for mercy while the caster chips away at their health.

With Kindred Mage and Aspect of Terror, Rout affects people up to level 40. Rout costs 316 magicka at a skill of zero, a little more than Pacify.

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.

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.