Bethesda's beloved Elder Scrolls franchise may be getting a highly anticipated new entry in the next few years, but for many, the jewel in the series' crown remains 2011's The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. It is still considered to be one of the developer's best games over a decade after its initial release, and it fully optimizes the open-world RPG format that Bethesda has become so strongly associated with. With iconic designs, compelling world-building, and a thriving modding community that has continued to flourish years after its launch, there is plenty to love about Skyrim. However, there are one or two aspects of the title that fans might not be so keen on.
Players can encounter a multitude of enemies throughout Skyrim's massive world, and some are definitely more challenging than others. The variety of creatures, minions, and monsters that inhabit the northernmost province of Tamriel help provide color to the landscape and deepen The Elder Scrolls' impressively extensive lore, but plenty of combative skirmishes with the wide range of enemies can cause annoyance rather than awe. With irritating abilities, randomized appearances, and vexing stats, Skyrim has some supremely irksome adversaries. While gamers might dread encounters with particular types of foes, there are a few that have to take the title of most annoying among Skyrim's antagonists.
Ice Wraiths
The elemental Ice Wraiths can be particularly pesky and are considered by some to be among Skyrim's most ferocious enemies. They're quick, sneaky, and favor direct assaults. Even though their susceptibility to fire attacks can quickly turn these fierce monsters into manageable foes, that doesn't mean their frost attacks aren't potent or that their speedy movements aren't still problematic. The fact that Ice Wraiths can hide in the snow and pop up without warning in a number of different locations throughout Skyrim, in addition to their ability to give players the Witbane disease, makes them a rather annoying enemy.
Vampires
Characters afflicted with the Sanguinare Vampiris disease are an interesting element of Skyrim's gameplay, but they're also an irritating foe. Their resistance to frost damage and penchant for spellcasting can lead to some difficult fights, and the Nightmaster Vampire in the Dawnguard DLC is a particularly challenging enemy. Despite the fact that they don't tend to deal a lot of melee damage, vampires can use Vampiric Drain to target a player's health, stamina, and magicka, which puts gamers at a significant disadvantage. They may mostly be clustered in their lairs that are spread across the map in Skyrim, but players can also come across them attacking various settlements as well.
Dragons
One of the most memorable and fan-favorite aspects of Skyrim is its dragons. Dragons are typically a popular aspect of fantasy games, from Dragon Age to Elden Ring, although players aren't always pleased to see them. Not only are they a vital part of Skyrim's narrative, but they also pose a pretty large threat to gamers as they navigate the expansive open world. Dragons in general shouldn't be too much of a problem, given that they can have fairly predictable attack patterns, but they can also attack anywhere when players are outdoors. While some occurrences are scripted, there are enough random encounters that it will start to test a player's patience, especially with their tendency to attack after players fast-travel to a different location.
There are many different variants of dragons throughout Skyrim, and some stand out as more annoying enemies than others. Revered Dragons have enough abilities in their arsenal to make them a real headache compared to some of their simpler brethren, and their power to drain the player's vitality during combat can be incredibly bothersome. Another dragon type that's also included in the Dawnguard DLC is the Legendary Dragons – a very tough enemy with a hefty HP and an aggravating range of powers.
Draugr
These ancient undead Nordic warriors can also cause lots of problems for players. Resurrected from the grave, Draugr are probably some of Skyrim's most common antagonists that gamers can encounter. The sheer regularity with which players can come across them adds to their status as annoying antagonists, and in contrast to some other enemies that are maddening to deal with because of their difficulty, Draugr are troublesome because they can be quite boring. However, the Draugr Death Overlord can be a pretty challenging opponent, especially when it comes to dealing close-quarters damage, so Draugr can't be completely discounted.
Chaurus
The insectoid Chaurus are frequently identified as among the most annoying enemy types that gamers can come across in Skyrim, and it's easy to see why. From popping up at inopportune moments to hitting the players with ranged venomous attacks, these quick creepy crawlers are a pest. They can be hard to spot until they're already upon the player, especially in areas with low lighting like caves, and their potent poisons can quickly drain health. Take their nerve-shredding chittering and add on a pair of wings, and they're basically a player's worst nightmare.
Spriggans
Usually located underground or hidden in Skyrim's various caves or dense forests, Spriggans are magical wood-based creatures that relish ambushing gamers at the most annoying moments. They can camouflage themselves among trees and other foliage, so like the Chaurus, it can be hard to spot them before they're able to attack and take gamers unawares. To add to their annoyances, they can deal a significant amount of both magical and physical damage, go invisible, and heal themselves when they have low health, sometimes stealing victory from the jaws of defeat just when players think they've bested them.
Dwarven Centurions
The large mechanical guardians of the Dwemer ruins may have an intriguing design, but they're an incredibly formidable foe, especially to lower-level players. Armed with both a Dwarven Warhammer and a Dwarven Battleaxe, these metal behemoths may be massive and cumbersome, but they can wield these weapons to great effect as they deal massive damage. They can also withstand a lot of damage, making any encounter with this enemy a potentially lengthy one as they make up for their lack of agility with an impressive HP level. As they're highly resistant to ranged and magic attacks, players are forced to get in close and risk being pummeled by these lumbering foes if they hope to defeat them.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.