The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the definitive open-world games of all time. It introduced us to dragons for the first time in an Elder Scrolls game, as these intimidating beasts could appear at any time, in any place.

RELATED: The Best Hidden Quests In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Alongside the dragons came the game's signature new mechanic: Dragon Shouts. These granted players the ability to use their character's own voice as a weapon. The effects of these Shouts were incredibly varied, and ranged from summoning a dangerous thunderstorm to forcing enemies to flee. Let's now take a look at the 20 best Shouts in Skyrim.

Updated on June 24, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Skyrim is one of the best games ever made, serving as a great example of how to make a video game that stimulates the senses and retains a sense of wonder all the way to the very end. A big part of what makes the game exciting is the sheer number of options that players have to approach a given situation, with Shouts being an ability that can change things in a flash. Here are some of the best Shouts in the game that deserve to be on this list.

20 Fire Breath

The Fire Breath Shout in Skyrim

Dragons are most well-known for their ability to breathe fire, even in Skyrim. Their powerful fire attacks can really devastate an enemy even at long range, as the effects of the Shout continue to burn the target over time. Well, now there's a Shout that lets the Dragonborn do it too.

The Fire Breath Shout not only sets everyone on its path on fire, but it also knocks enemies backwards. The damage done on targets depends on how many words are unlocked, and at highest it can dish out 90 fire damage.

19 Marked For Death

The Marked for Death Shout in Skyrim

When facing particularly tough enemies, the Marked For Death Shout can be surprisingly useful. It's definitely not best in terms of its statistics, but due to the weakening curse it applies on enemies for a full minute, it does have its uses.

Marked For Death basically lowers an enemy's armor rating and drains their health over time for 60 seconds straight. With the third word unlocked, the armor penalty is -75 per second and the health penalty is -3 per second.

18 Storm Call

The Storm Call Shout in Skyrim

While destruction magic does allow you to do cool things with sparks, there's nothing like calling forth an actual storm to destroy your enemies. With Storm Call, the Dragonborn can summon a powerful thunderstorm with random flashes of lightning attacking enemies all around them.

Each lighting strike does about 80 damage, and it doesn't discriminate between targets. Everyone from innocent bystanders, to followers, to actual enemies will take damage during the storm, so be cautious when using this Shout, especially in public areas.

17 Whirlwind Sprint

The Whirlwind Sprint Shout in Skyrim

While most Shouts provide some extra damage through similar mechanics as destruction magic, there are also a few Shouts that are simply there as part of a toolkit. The Whirlwind Sprint, which is learned during the main quest, is one such Shout. Despite its lack of utility in combat, it's an essential ability.

RELATED: Skyrim: Best Armor Sets & How To Find Them

Whirlwind Sprint pushes the Dragonborn forward quickly. It's a great way to jump gaps or avoid trapped hallways in dungeons. In combat, it can sometimes be used to either get in the enemy's face quicker or to find cover faster. For those wanting to just get to an objective quickly, it's also a nice mobility Shout to use.

16 Bend Will

For those who have the Dragonborn DLC, one of the best Shouts will become available during its main quest. Much like other Shouts, learning all three words will grant you the full power of this ability, which is no less than to tame and ride dragons in the same way that Miraak does.

That being said, with only two words you already get a pretty strong Shout which lets you turn enemies into allies for a short period of time. Anything that tames a hostile creature is always useful when fighting a group pf enemies, which is why Bend Will is so incredibly powerful.

15 Drain Vitality

Players who have the Dawnguard DLC installed will know that some of the Legendary dragons found in this version of the game have an extraordinarily annoying skill: drain vitality. Their ability to Shout at the Dragonborn and drain magicka, health and stamina all at the same time makes them frightening opponents.

The good news is that the Dragonborn can actually learn this Shout as well. The Drain Vitality Shout at its best drains 5 points from magicka, health, and stamina per second for a total of 30 seconds. It may not be the strongest, but it can be devastating against enemies who rely on magicka and stamina, but have larger health pools.

14 Dragon Aspect

One of the more unique Shouts in the game is the Dragon Aspect Shout. Found in the Dragonborn DLC, once unlocked to its highest level it gives incredibly good bonuses: +25% power attack, +125% armor rating, -20% cooldown time for Shouts and +25% resistances against frost and fire. Essentially, the Dragonborn becomes a tank for 300 seconds.

Even at its second level, this Shout is pretty amazing. Once the Dragonborn is at 50 HP or lower, a dragon will come to help him in battle. Due to just how powerful this Shout is, its use is unfortunately capped at once per day, but it's definitely worth the use against incredibly powerful enemies.

13 Disarm

A group of skyrim bandits standing by a tree

While it might be a little unfair to bring a sword to a fistfight, that is exactly what this next Shout lets you do. Disarm, true to its name, causes enemies to drop their weapons, leaving them largely defenseless to your attacks. They can either try to retrieve their lost arms or fight you head-on with nothing but their fists, but, either way, it will turn the battle in your favor.

RELATED: The Best Skyrim Mods That Are Popular With Fans

However, this Shout does only work on foes with weapons to drop. Any animals or automatons or dragons, none of which carry weapons, won't really be affected by this Shout. It's definitely useful in specific situations, but not for every encounter.

12 Soul Tear

During the adventures in the Dawnguard DLC, the Dragonborn will learn a new Shout from Durnehviir, an undead dragon. This Shout is tremendously useful and deals immense amounts of damage. The Soul Tear essentially tears away a creature's soul, which dishes out around 300 points of damage when leveled to three words.

Moreover, if the enemy is killed through this Shout, it will fill a soul a gem. The killed enemy will be resurrected and will fight on the Dragonborn's side, which is a pretty cool and unique feature. For those wanting to collect soul gems for enchanting and who like a bit of spice in their Shouts, this is definitely a strong one to consider learning.

11 Dragonrend

Something that dragons have and humans don't is the power of flight, and, while there's nothing in the Skyrim that grants you wings—not counting expansions or mods—you can bring the dragons down to size. Dragonrend is a Shout you obtain during the course of the game's story, and it lets you force any dragons to land for a while.

This can be very useful, as dragons do tend to fly around and hover in places, sending powerful attacks at you before they eventually land and can be hacked at with melee weapons. Obviously, this Shout can't be used against any other enemy in the game, but it remains an incredibly handy power to have on hand when looking to take down a dragon.

10 Throw Voice

Skyrim Shearpoint Throw Voice

At a glance, Throw Voice seems like a rather poor Shout to have. After all, there are way better ways to sneak around and the Shout might come at a time when players have already mastered Stealth in the game.

However, if players unlock Throw Voice early on, then a Stealth build will become pretty easy to pursue. It helps that watching enemies get confused and follow a phantom voice is pretty hilarious as well.

9 Cyclone

Skyrim Cyclone Shout Locations

Cyclone is pretty much a more basic version of Unrelenting Force. However, the iconic nature of the latter renders Cyclone fairly useless.

RELATED: Ways To Level Up Fast In Skyrim

That being said, sending gusts of chaotic wind at your opponents is pretty entertaining when this power is newly acquired. It's just a shame that Cyclone ends up being more of a novelty act than anything else.

8 Elemental Fury

Elemental Fury Shout in Skyrim

Players who regularly engage in melee combat will have a great time with Elemental Fury. This Shout imbues the Dragonborn with the spirit of wind, letting them unleash attacks at a blindingly fast pace.

It's a fun Shout to mess around with, especially during climactic encounters where a damage boost would be critical. Elemental Fury might not be the flashiest Shout around, but it's definitely powerful in many ways.

7 Aura Whisper

Skyrim Aura Whisper

There comes a time when the tired ambushes of Skyrim end up being frustrating instead of surprising. At these moments, many players would prefer to just figure out an enemy's location from the get-go.

If you feel the same way, then the Aura Whisper Shout is going to be pretty valuable indeed. It lets players figure out the location of each and every enemy in a particular dungeon with ease, making exploration stress-free in these hostile locations.

6 Become Ethereal

Become Ethereal Shout in Skyrim

There are many people who ignore Become Ethereal during their playthrough. Suffice to say, these people will be making a huge mistake when they realize just how effective this Shout really is.

From escaping combat without a scratch or descending from cliffs without worrying about dying, Become Ethereal's vast array of functions make it the most underrated Shout in Skyrim. The benefits of this Shout can be enjoyed from the very first word, which makes it even better.

5 Unrelenting Force

The signature Shout from Skyrim and likely the first one that players will obtain, Unrelenting Force is, quite literally a force to be reckoned with. At its fully upgraded level, it sends forth an overwhelming burst of power that knocks back anything and everything in its wake, from enemies to physics objects.

RELATED: Hidden Details In Skyrim Lore Only True Elder Scrolls Fans Know

There's also just something inherently fun about hearing your character speak the iconic "Fus Roh Dah!" line and seeing things exploded out in front of you. Combine that with the damage it does, the knockback effect, and the hilarious ragdoll physics, and you have a great dragon Shout.

4 Ice Form

While there is a Frost Breath Shout in Skyrim, it operates more akin to the ordinary frost mechanics, damaging enemy health and stamina and not too much else. However, the Ice Form Shout works a little differently. This power instantly freezes anyone in front of the player in a block of ice, completely immobilizing them.

Any number of foes can be paralyzed this way, from the humble roaming bandits of the roads to the giants themselves. From there, you can get in close and attack them while they're down. Even once the ice wears off, they still need to stand up before they can do anything, making Ice Form an incredible Shout.

3 Call Dragon

With all the hostile dragons roaming the wilds, it can feel pretty challenging to take them all on as just a human—well, Dragonborn, but still. So the power to summon your own dragon to the fight is incredibly appealing. The Call Dragon Shout is obtained by following the story and lets you bring forth a scaly ally of your own.

The dragon you summon is invincible and can't be killed, only downed temporarily. He'll do all the standard dragon things from flying around to breathing fire to swiping at your enemies with his sharp claws. When the fight is over, he'll leave until you decide to call on him again, which will probably be soon, given how awesome it is to have an entire dragon fighting for you!

2 Summon Durnehviir

Summoning just any dragon is one thing, but summoning Durnehviir is entirely different thing. This dragon is encountered in the Dawnguard DLC, and he's different from most other dragons. Durnehviir is actually decaying, he's an undead dragon able to summon undead creatures to his aid.

When summoned to help the Dragonborn in fight, he can use his summoning abilities as well. Moreover, he'll use Shouts like Drain Vitality and Frost Breath rather than the normal Fire Breath attack. Durnehviir can be summoned every six minutes roughly.

1 Slow Time

Finally, our last entry and what we think is the best Shout in all of Skyrim is Slow Time. This Shout is exactly what it says on the box; a power that makes everything move in slow motion for a while. Enemies move slower, projectiles hover in the air, and you can unleash a flurry of attacks that no one is prepared for.

The player is somewhat slowed by the Shout, but not to the same degree that everything else is. This can be combined with all manner of other strategies, whether it's used to extend the effective duration of potions, deal a huge number of attacks in a short period of time, or charge up spells to blast everything away. No matter your play style, Slow Time is a must-have Shout and the best one available in the game.

NEXT: Skyrim: NPCs With Hidden Secrets You Didn't Know About