I'm too lazy to make NPCs essential in the PC console (have to look up their codes and all). I just give them 1,000 health and that usually keeps them from being dragon chow. Its ridiculous - the alchemist in Morthal has 45 health. One little blast from a standard dragon kills her.

I was in Rorikstead a little while ago when two Elder Dragons popped up.

A Guard started shouting for everyone to get inside.
While watching the sky to see where the first will land, I hear two little girls arguing.
Look down for a second and then a Dragon lands and starts ragdolling a named NPC.


They were still fighting with each other while I was busy picking through the burning corpses.

This reminds me of the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1AenlOEXao video for Skyrim...


In the video, a boy sees the dragon, and as the townspeople figure out what is going on (an old man ringing a bell tells them [which is cool, they should have that ingame]) and run for their lives... even the guards are shouting for people to run!

Out of my way people! I'm the MF Dragonborn!

I must be doing something different, I seem to only ever get attacked by dragons in the wilderness.

your lucky my friend....i get what your saying though...i have neverhad a dragon attack windhelm yet i hear complaints about it getting attacked all the time

best one was in falkreath, the traders moody brother got killed. i took 3 screenshots serves him right for being a racist!

I had one attack at the outside gates/bridge area. I was able to keep the collateral damage to a minimum.

see and this goes for you last comment too...this could all be avioded from a simple patch

Way to dumb it down.

People complain when THEY CAN'T CHOOSE TO KILL NPCs. I also find it annoying that when I want to go on a rampage through Whiterun that half of the time I can't kill that person. That svcks.

The problem is that you have no choice in the matter about dragons attacking and killing people. That isn't fun. It's stupid. Especially considering that most NPCs in cities(especially small ones like Dawnstar) have some part to play in one quest or another.

Frankly I'm surprised that they decided to do something like this again. I remember when Oblivion initially came out one of the biggest issues people had with it was that Oblivion Gates would pop up at an obnoxious rate, their remains never left, and they had a tendency to kill people who you didn't want killed(to be fair, at least in Oblivion the cities were all walled up, safe and sound from Daedra). It forced you to rush through the MQ unless you wanted Oblivion Gates everywhere in your game.


I haven't gotten far into the MQ yet(only just met Delphine), so I don't have this issue frequently, but when I first got to Winterhold a Dragon spawned and it took me about 3 tries before I was satisfied that the dragon hadn't accidentally killed anyone before I even [censored] met them.

One a related topic, anyone have the console command to resurrect an NPC?

You answered your own question.

EDIT: It's Resurrect or Resurrect 1 (adding a 1 will make the NPCs stand up instead of dissapearing and respawning suddenly).

I sicked Odahviing on Riverwood once. He killed everyone but the children.

It's an odd sight; seeing a dragon breathe fire on a little kid and the kid just stands there.

ppl think kids dont die just because its imoral....NO its because their far more powerful then we think they are....stronger then even dragons

I'd like to see some better AI as well. Alchemists should run around handing out healing potions to the guards, priests should be casting healing hands, and old women should be trying to get the kids to safety. Some characters it makes sense to try and fight the dragon. A big strapping nordic blacksmith like Alvor had better try his best to take down that dragon.

One of the best comments yet

Thank you!

I like it, it adds more realism into the game.

Fact: Alvor always dies whenever a dragon attacks Riverwood.

I still have never had a dragon in a walled city. Not even on my level 59 nord with almost 200 hours. I want to see this but it never happens.

I'm not sure, but I think FT plays a role in how often this happens. That is, not only how often FT travel is used, but *where* one FTs too -- e.g., FT directly to Whiterun and/or Dragon's Reach increases the liklihood that a dragon attacks within the city walls.

Personally, if I FT (which I don't do very often) to a city, I do so indirectly via the stables. That way if the FT triggers a dragon, it'll be outside the city walls. However, in a city without proper walls (e.g., Dawnstar), this is only partially effective in that at least you *might* have the chance to draw the dragon away from the inner city.

Why FT seems to spawn the dragons more frequently, I don't know. For the most part though, from a RP perspective, I just assume that the dragons are drawn toward the dragonborn (perhaps unconsciously) and, thus, as the dragonborn you're both the savior and potential destroyer (albeit indirectly) of the civilians. With great power comes great responsibility.

However, I certainly wish the typical civilians were scripted to at least seek cover, especially indoors if possible. Watching the average citizen attacking a dragon when obvious fleeing options are available to them is definitely an immersion buzzkill.

I kinda like that Dragons can kill NPCs because at least there is something in the game that has a meaningful impact on the future, but that really svcks that the Dragon got Eorland in your game. Do you have a prior savegame that you can reload?

I remember in one of the pre-release interviews hearing Todd Howard says that if a merchant got killed the game would substitute another NPC in his place, under the theory that a shop would not remain closed but be occupied by a new tenant. Unfortunately, it sounds like this was not implemented, or maybe just not with Eorland, since he is unique.

i wish bro but i didnt notice till a few days in the game later

FT may play a role. I never FT and I have never seen a dragon inside a walled City either. I did not know they could even spawn inside a walled City until I read about it here.

Agree that the average citizen should take cover and sometimes they don't, although in the case of the OP, it was Eorland Graymane who died and I cannot imagine that guy running from anything.

I hate that too. I now run out of the cell as quickly as I can if a dragon appears near NPCs.

Unless they're Thalmore of course.

I have had a dragon warp inside Whiterun and Solitude with me.
Very similar to when you go through a door and a nearby NPC is pulled in with you.


During a Dragon attack, it would have been nice if non essential NPC's were to go into a downed state, just like followers, and not die unless you delivered the final blow.

It is quite annoying. They should be scripted to try to avoid the Dragon.