Summary
The Elder Scrollsis a franchise well-known for its memorable art direction, asSkyrimfans debate their favorite enemy design from the game. From the Flame Atronach to the lowly Mudcrab, Bethesda has established an extensive catalog of iconic enemies that players can come across, be it in a Daedric ruin or in the vast wilderness of Tamriel. Thoughdragons inSkyrimhave played a pivotal role as its main antagonists and source of powerful crafting materials, the Nord province is littered with plenty of callbacks to previousThe Elder Scrollsinstallments when it comes to monster design.
Pivoting away from theAyleid ruins of Cyrodiil inOblivion,Skyriminstead returns to the ancient remains of the Dwemer civilization, drawing inspiration fromMorrowindinstead. The automaton guardians of the Dwemer are joined by the draugr, bandits, and the Falmer to make up the majority ofSkyrim’s enemies, though it’s often the more unique foe that ends up leaving an impression on players instead. For example, everySkyrimfan remembers their first climb to High Hrothgar, if at least for the snow troll that attempts to ambush them in the blizzard.
However, a player named itsmezanelol opened up a thread on the mainSkyrimsubreddit where they asked other fans what the coolest enemy design in the game was, submitting the vicious Spriggan as their candidate of choice. Spriggans inSkyrimshouldn’t be trifled with, as their poison can be very potent on an unprepared player, and the Burning Spriggans of Solsheim can even take characters down with them by exploding upon death. From a design perspective, the creepy buzzing noise and its mystical tree-like appearance have contributed to the Spriggan’s reputation inThe Elder Scrollscommunity.
Other notable examples from the thread include the Seekers fromSkyrim’s Dragonborn DLC, as well as the Wispmothers. Due to the ties that Miraak has with Hermaeus Mora, the Seekers and many other enemies from Solstheim and Apocrypha drew inspiration from Lovecraftian visuals. Conversely, Wispmothers are one of the creepiest enemies that players can come across when roaming the frozen wastes ofSkyrimat night, and the local Nords believe that they are the vengeful ghosts of ancient Falmer.
ThoughSkyrimlaunched with decent enemy variety, players expanded on the game’s bestiary over the years through ambitious modding projects, patiently waiting for the sequel to launch. If thenextElder Scrollstitletruly does take place in Hammerfell, Bethesda will have an opportunity to create all sorts of new enemies for players to fight against, as the Redguard province has only partly been depicted inThe Elder Scrolls Online. While it’s too early to tell what sort of unique designs will fit Bethesda’s vision for the game, players can at least expect franchise regulars such as the Dwemer to make another appearance.
