In the world ofSkyrim,alchemy provides players with the ability to fortify themselves — as well as weaken others. Some of the game’s most useful poisons are ones that inflict the Paralysis effect, temporarily rendering foes unable to move.
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For players who want to coat their weapon in this devastating brew, look no further. With plants, fungi, and slightly more…macabre ingredients,Skyrim’sDragonborn can create a poison to incapacitate even the brawniest of bandits andmost fearsome of Dragon Priests. Furthermore, skilled alchemists can add other effects to their poison as well, giving themselves an even bigger advantage.
Updated June 01, 2025 by Demaris Oxman:A decade after the game’s initial release,Skyrimdemonstrates its staying power with a still-active player base. Even so, players are always trying to change up the game and keep it interesting after so long. One way to do that is by exploring different play styles — and alchemy offers interesting boosts to several. The Paralysis effect in particular allows players to employ some interesting — and vicious — strategies in battle. To that end, this guide has been updated with additional information on where to find and how to combine ingredients with the Paralysis effect.
The Paralysis Effect
When hit with a weapon coated in Paralysis poison, an enemy will becompletely immobilized, falling to the ground. This gives the player a window to heal, summon magical constructs, or simply wail on their foe. The amount of time the paralysis lasts will depend on the player’s Alchemy level, so be sure to grind the skill or purchase training to maximize these poisons' usefulness.
Players can alsoparalyze foes through magicor via weapon enchantments. However, these methods require an extremelyhigh Alteration skillor decently high Enchanting, respectively. Alchemy is thus usually the easier option for rendering foes immobile.
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Additionally, poisons bearing the Paralysis effect are among themost valuable alchemical productsin the game. Crafting them will level the Alchemy skill quickly, and players can sell them off to get rich quick.
Ingredients & Locations
Thankfully, paralysis-inducing ingredients aren’t too hard to track down in Skyrim. Just mix any two on the list below, and the Dragonborn will have an excellent poison on their hands. Most ingredients can be purchased from alchemy merchants, but the Dragonborn can alsocollect them with their own handsin the locations detailed below.
Combining Effects
Not only is paralysis a great effect on its own, but it also lends itself fantastically well to combining with other deadly effects.Imp Stoolin particular is aningredient with lots of potential, as it contains the effectsDamage HealthandLingering Damage Healthalong with Paralysis. The following recipes utilize effects that work in deadly harmony with Paralysis.
