Summary
Daedric Princes are icons of power inThe Elder Scrollsuniverse and return inSkyrim. They toy with mortals for their enjoyment or to gain power. Players can assist these Daedric Princes in each ofThe Elder Scrollstitles to obtain powerful Daedric Artifacts. Just like Daedric Artifacts, not all Daedric Princes are created equal, but all do feature inSkyrim.
While it’s hard to list the Daedric Princes as objectively weaker or stronger than others, players can view their actions and Artifacts to determine which Daedric Princes are more influential than others. Based on the events ofSkyrim, here are all 17 Daedric Princes ranked from weakest to strongest.
Updated on June 22, 2025 by Jake Fillery:The gods and demons that are worshiped and feared across Tamriel and beyond, the Daedra cannot help but get their fingers in every pie and sweet roll. Players will encounter all Daedra in some form or another, and considering the lore around these ancient beings of Daedric Lords, some Skyrim players might find themselves overwhelmed with the equipment, quests, and lore to be found. Luckily, this update will aid players in understanding the strongest Daedra in Skyrim, as well as some facts about that which will aid their quest to fully understand the workings of Tamriel and the deities that are involved.
17Jyggalag
Daedric Prince Of Order
There was a time in theElder Scrollstimeline when Jyggalag was unquestionably the strongest Daedric Prince in the franchise. His power was so vast that the other Daedra conspired against him, cursing him with his alter ego Sheogorath. Of course, fans that completedOblivion’s Shivering IslesDLC know that Jyggalag’s curse has been broken. Even with his curse broken, the Prince still needs to regain his power. Based on his complete absence inSkyrim, it’s safe to say that Jyggalag’s power is still in its infancy.
Jyggalag’s Sword
To obtain the dreaded sword of Jyggalag, players will first need to reach the quest: Resorting Order. Players will find themselves within the Solitude Sewers during this quest, in which they will locate a strange and unique sword embedded into a tree.
Alternatively, players can find a unique version of Jyggalag’s Sword inSkyrimin The Mind of Madness quest, in which it will be used as a piece of cutlery to be picked up by the player if they feel so inclined whilst in Pelagius’ Mind.
16Clavicus Vile
Daedric Prince Of Trickery & Wishes
Few mortals worship Clavicus Vile, he is represented as two beings instead of one, and his influence is rather lacking in mostElder Scrollstitles. Clavicus Vile certainly has plenty of Daedric Artifacts under his name, but that is all this Prince has accomplished duringSkyrim.
A Daedra’s Best Friend
To meet Clavicus Vile, players will need to communicate with his loyal hound, Barbas. Once players return Barbas to Clavicus Vile’s shrine at Haemar’s Shame, they will be able to commune with the Deadric Prince, and even be granted a reward if they feel so welcome to one, or rather murderous at that.
Players will have to return the Rueful Axe orkill Barbas with it. Either way, Clavicus Vile would like a conversation with the Dragonborn, even if it seems that Vile is uninterested in the adventures of his loyal pup. Players can start this quest by finding Barbas near the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary close to Falkreath.
15Peryite
Daedric Prince Of Pestilience
Skyrim’sloading screen tips and various books mention how weak Peryite is when compared to other Princes. He is known for pestilence,disease, and order—not to be confused with Jyggalag’s complete order—which makes him sound weak on paper. He has done little to prove this false, although some fans theorize Peryite is biding his time to show his true power.
The Only Cure
From Kesh the Clean at the Shrine to Peryite, players will be able to activate The Only Cure quest, in which the player will be tasked with assisting the Daedric Prince Peeryite to obtain a unique reward. This quest sees players fetch a bunch of ingredients, and then kill Orchendor.
In completing this quest, players will be able to commune with Peryite, and the completion of their task will net them the Spellbreaker shield. It’s always fun to talk to a Daedric Prince, even if that entity requires poison to converse with the legendary Dragonborn.
14Namira
Daedric Prince Of Shadows, The Mistress of Decay
Namira is the Daedric Prince of Darkness. She oversees all taboo acts such as cannibalism and vile creatures. Few know of her plane of Oblivion and the full strength of Namira, making her feared by most mortals. Similar to Sanguine, so little has been done by Namira on the mortal plane that she doesn’t have the same strength as other Princes during the Fourth Era.
The Taste Of Death
To feel closer to Namira, human flesh needs to be consumed. The Taste of Death will guide players through this journey of cannibalism, assisted by theleader of this hungry cult, Eola. The quest involves taking players through the Hall of the Dead and the Shrine of Namira to seek a Daedric reward.
When players do decide to have a nibble on human flesh, they will get to talk to Namira, the Lady of Decay. She presents the Dragonborn with the Ring of Namira, which will allow players to feed on human flesh, providing them with +50 stamina, health, and health regeneration for five minutes after consumption.
13Sanguine
Daedric Prince Of Debauchery
Sanguine is the Daedric Prince of dark desire. Gluttony and sin are the two pillars of this Daedric Prince, which is mainly why so many mortals worship him. Worship directly leads to power since he has more mortals to influence, meaning that Sanguine is likely much stronger than he lets on. Still, he has done little with that power for mortals to witness.
A Night To Remember
The Dragonborn goes on a bender that sees them dazed and confused in A Night to Remember. This Daedric Quest will see the player party up with Sam Guevenne in a drinking contest, with the winner receiving a magical staff. However, Sam Guevenne at The Misty Grove isn’t what he seems.
It turns out that Sam is the anagram for “Sanguine”, and players were partying with a Daedric Prince. It turns out that the player can have a fun night with the Daedric Prince, even if they don’t remember it. At least they have a token of their good night together with the Daedric Artifact – the Sanguine Rose.
12Meridia
Daedric Prince Of Life
Meridia is a great example of a powerful being that has lost their way. Meridia was originally a Magna Ge, one of the older species that fled when reality or “Mundus” was created. Through a series of unclear events, Meridia went from a Magna Ge to a Daedric Prince.
Her powers are high with her ability to bend light to smite undead. Unfortunately, she can only act through her agents. Yelling people to place Meridia’s Beacon can only do so much.
The Break Of Dawn
Players may find themselves discovering the Meridia’s Beacon item in a random location after they hit Level 12. After this, they will be tasked with returning it to the Statue of Meridia. Meridia will task the player with destroying the darkness that has spread within her temple.
In this quest, players will battle necromancers under the rule of Malkoran. In fulfilling Meridia’s wishes, players will be granted Dawnbreaker, a wonderous sword. This is also one of the rare instances where Meridia will speak to the player directly as the image of great light.
11Mephala
Daedric Prince Of Obfuscation & Secrecy
Mephala is the Daedric Prince of secrets and lies. She is known as a Webspinner for her meddling with the Chimer, guiding them to Morrowind and helping the Dunmer devise their clans or Houses. She is also responsible for the Morag Tong’s inception. Without her, the Dark Brotherhood wouldn’t exist and many of the franchise’s most iconic moments would have never occurred. Despite this, the fall of the Morag Tong has made her much less powerful in the mortal realm.
The Whispering Door
Within Whiterun lies a mystery, and a door with darkness that looms over a young boy. Inside The Bannered Mare, players will activate The Whispering Door quest, where they will investigate the mysterious Whispering Lady in Dragonsreach that hides behind a locked door. It’s up to the player to find out the mystery of this Whispering Lady, and what she wants with the Jarl of Whiterun’s troubled son.
It turns out that this whispering voice is none other than Mephala, the Lady of Whispers. Players should fear her for the way she strings together webs of love, hatred, loyalty, and betrayal. Players will need to find a way to open the door, and all that awaits them inside is the Ebony Blade, a darkness-imbued katana.
10Vaermina
Daedric Prince Of Dreams & Nightmares
Harnessing the power of dreams, Vaermina is a deceptively strong Daedric Prince. She visits mortals in their dreams and turns their humble slumber into a nightmare. Some mages believe that Vaermina’s influence on dreams is tied directly tothe source of magic itself. Furthermore, Vaermina also appears to know how to cure vampirism based on dialogue inMorrowind.
Waking Nightmare
Priesthood can be a tricky thing inSkyrim, especially when Daedric entities seem to love controlling the worship of others. Players can meet Erandur in Dawnstar, who is a priest of Mara, but formerly a priest of Vaermina. His task, alongside the Dragonborn, is to finally put a stop to the nightmares that are plaguing the population of Dawnstar.
This mission will see the supposed deception of the Daedric Prince, Vaermina, who commands the Dragonborn to kill Erandur. This dreaded Daedric Lord commands nightmares and other psychological torments and evils, and players should ignore her commands for help.
9Nocturnal
Daedric Prince Of Night & Darkness
Nocturnal is a strange Deadric Prince in that certain games and books refer to her as an Ur-Dra, meaning she was the first of her kind. In this case, it refers to being the void itself before Mundus and Oblivion were created. Should this be taken at face value, she should be considered the strongest Daedric Princes hands-down.
That said, there is no hard evidence that supports these claims besides her dialogue inThe Elder Scrolls Online. Disregarding this fact, she is still a powerful Prince that holds much powerthanks to her skilled thievesand Nightingales that worship her.
Darkness Returns
The central quest line involving the Thieves Guild will eventually see the player venture to the Twilight Sepulcher, in which they will be tasked with returning the Skeleton Key to complete their mission to Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night and darkness.
Through many trials, players will be able to meet this Daedric Prince, face to face. Nocturnal will appear in front of the Dragonborn, and converse with them for a time. Afterward, players may have lost the Skeleton Key, but they have gained new stealth-related powers as a Nightingale.
8Hircine
Daedric Prince Of The Hunt
Hunting is Hircine’s purpose. Every one thousand years, this Daedric Prince will commence a “Great Hunt” that involves spawning his creations into Tamriel to hunt down “prey.” The purpose of each Great Hunt can vary wildly, but it is known how devastating these can be as seen inMorrowind’s Bloodmoonexpansion. Hircine also birthed Lycanthropy, the disease that causes mortals to turn into beasts. His Artifacts are also something to behold with the likes of Savior’s Hide and the Spear of Bitter Mercy belonging to him.
Ill Met By Moonlight
To gain Hircine’s favor, players will need to assist a werewolf of the Daedric Prince’s design, Sinding. In helping this werewolf survive the hunt against him, the Dragonborn will obtain Hircine’s Ring. It’s an easy quest to obtain once players head to Falkreath.
During the hunt, players will witness a blood moon, as well as a unique forest area. The choice is theirs on whether they hunt Sinding or the hunters, but either way, they will commune with yet another Daedric Prince to cross off their god-celebrity list.
