Finding a reliable mount in Skyrim can be a pain. Regular horses die to everything from frost trolls to stray arrows, and unless you’re willing to fork over thousands of gold every time yours kicks the bucket, you’re stuck hoofing it across the province. Enter Arvak, the spectral horse from the Dawnguard DLC. This skeletal steed doesn’t just look cool, it’s immortal, summonable anywhere, and completely free once you’ve learned the spell. Whether you’re exploring the frozen peaks of the Throat of the World or sneaking through bandit camps, Arvak’s on-demand availability makes him one of the most practical mounts in the game. This guide covers everything you need to know: where to find him, how to get the summoning spell, and why he might just be better than Shadowmere.
Key Takeaways
- Arvak in Skyrim is a free, immortal spectral horse summoned via Conjuration spell that eliminates the frustration of managing regular horses that die and require expensive replacement.
- To obtain Arvak, progress through the Dawnguard DLC questline and locate his skull in a tower near the Reaper’s Lair in the Soul Cairn during the ‘Chasing Echoes’ quest.
- Unlike Shadowmere or regular horses, Arvak can be summoned anywhere, anytime, and instantly re-summoned if dispelled, making him the most convenient mount for exploration and fast-traveling.
- While Arvak has identical health to regular horses and isn’t ideal for sustained combat, his on-demand availability and zero management requirements make him superior for practical overworld travel.
- Summoning Arvak costs 136 magicka at base Conjuration skill and counts against your active summon limit, so you’ll need to choose between mounting him or maintaining other combat summons.
What Is Arvak and Why Should You Get Him?
Arvak is a spectral horse you can summon through a Conjuration spell, unlocked during the Dawnguard DLC questline. Unlike regular horses, Arvak doesn’t exist as a persistent entity in the game world, he appears when you need him and vanishes when you don’t. That means no more watching your horse charge headfirst into a giant camp or getting launched into orbit by a dragon.
The biggest draw? Convenience. You can summon Arvak anywhere, anytime, as long as you have the magicka to cast the spell. Climbing a mountain and realize you need a mount? Summon him. Fast-traveled to a remote location without a stable nearby? Summon him. He’s essentially a personal Uber that never complains about the terrain.
Arvak also levels with your Conjuration skill, which means summoning him repeatedly will gradually increase your Conjuration experience. It’s not a fast leveling method, but it’s passive progression while you travel. Plus, let’s be honest, riding a flaming skeletal horse just feels cooler than trotting around on a generic brown mare.
The spell has no duration limit, either. Arvak sticks around until he takes enough damage to dispel, you summon another creature, or you dismount and walk far enough away. For players who hate micromanaging mounts or worrying about their survival, Arvak removes that entire headache.
Where to Find Arvak in Skyrim
Accessing the Soul Cairn
You can’t just stumble onto Arvak in the overworld. He’s tied to the Soul Cairn, a plane of Oblivion you access during the Dawnguard DLC questline. Specifically, you’ll enter the Soul Cairn during the quest “Chasing Echoes,” which is part of the main Dawnguard storyline.
To get there, you need to progress through the Dawnguard faction quests, either siding with the vampire hunters or joining the vampires themselves. Both paths eventually lead you to the Soul Cairn, so your faction choice doesn’t lock you out of Arvak. The Soul Cairn is a massive, otherworldly graveyard filled with soul-trapped victims, hostile spirits, and plenty of loot scattered across its desolate terrain.
One heads-up: entering the Soul Cairn has consequences. If you’re not a vampire, Serana will partially soul trap you to allow passage, which debuffs your Health, Magicka, and Stamina until you reclaim your soul later. If you are a vampire, you can skip the debuff entirely. It’s temporary either way, but worth noting if you’re planning a tough fight immediately after.
Locating Arvak’s Skull
Once inside the Soul Cairn, Arvak’s skull is located in the eastern section of the map. If you open your map, you’ll see the Soul Cairn is divided into several distinct areas. Head toward the Reaper’s Lair, which sits on the far east side. Arvak’s skull is near this landmark, inside a medium-sized stone structure that looks like a ruined tower.
The tower isn’t marked on your compass or map, so you’ll need to explore the area manually. It’s surrounded by Bonemen, Mistmen, and Wrathmen, standard Soul Cairn enemies that aren’t too dangerous if you’re appropriately leveled. Inside the tower, you’ll find a spectral figure named the Soul of Arvak’s Owner, who’s been searching for his lost horse. Next to him is Arvak’s Skull, glowing faintly on the ground.
Pick up the skull, talk to the owner’s ghost, and he’ll teach you the Summon Arvak spell as a reward. The entire encounter is non-hostile, so no combat required, just a bit of exploration to track down the right building.
Step-by-Step Guide to Obtaining Arvak
Starting the Dawnguard DLC Questline
First, you need the Dawnguard DLC installed and active. If you’re playing Skyrim Special Edition or Anniversary Edition (current as of 2026), Dawnguard is already baked into the game, no separate download required. For original Skyrim on older platforms, you’ll need to purchase or install the DLC separately.
To kick off Dawnguard, either wait for a courier to deliver a letter about vampire hunters recruiting, or head directly to Fort Dawnguard in the southeastern Rift. The fort is located in a valley southeast of Riften, accessible through Dayspring Canyon. Talk to Isran, the leader of the Dawnguard, and he’ll send you on the first quest, “Awakening.”
From there, progress through the main questline. You’ll eventually reach “Chasing Echoes,” the quest that takes you into the Soul Cairn. This happens roughly midway through the Dawnguard storyline, so expect several hours of questing before you reach Arvak if you’re starting from scratch.
Navigating the Soul Cairn
The Soul Cairn is huge, disorienting, and easy to get lost in. The entire zone is bathed in a purple haze, with crumbling ruins and floating soul fragments everywhere. Your main objective during “Chasing Echoes” is to find Valerica, Serana’s mother, but Arvak is a side objective.
Once you enter, open your map and orient yourself. The Reaper’s Lair is to the east, and Arvak’s tower is nearby. You don’t need to complete “Chasing Echoes” to get Arvak, you can grab him as soon as you enter the Soul Cairn. In fact, many players explore the Soul Cairn thoroughly before finishing the main quest objective, since there’s a ton of unique loot and collectibles scattered around.
If you’re struggling to find the tower, hug the eastern wall of the zone and sweep north to south. The tower is a standalone structure, not part of a larger ruin complex, and the spectral owner inside is visible through the doorway once you’re close enough.
Returning the Skull and Learning the Spell
Once you’ve picked up Arvak’s Skull, the ghost of Arvak’s owner will automatically initiate dialogue. He’s been searching for his horse for what feels like an eternity, and he’s overjoyed you found the skull. In gratitude, he teaches you the Summon Arvak spell on the spot.
The spell is added directly to your Conjuration spell list, no need to buy it from a vendor or read a tome. Your Conjuration skill level doesn’t matter for learning it, and there are no prerequisites beyond picking up the skull. From that moment on, you can summon Arvak whenever you want.
If you want to power-level Conjuration, summoning Arvak repeatedly in quick succession will grant small amounts of experience each time. It’s not the fastest method, but it’s a nice passive bonus during long travel sessions.
How to Summon and Use Arvak
Summoning Arvak works like any other Conjuration spell. Open your Magic menu, navigate to Conjuration, and equip Summon Arvak to either hand. The spell costs 136 magicka at base Conjuration skill, which is relatively cheap. Cast it, and Arvak materializes in front of you in a burst of spectral flames.
He appears as a skeletal horse wreathed in purple fire, with glowing eyes and an ethereal mane. Visually, he’s one of the most striking mounts in the game, and his appearance alone makes him a fan favorite. Functionality-wise, he behaves exactly like a regular horse: you can ride him, sprint with him, and even engage in mounted combat.
One key advantage: Arvak can be summoned indoors in some locations, though the game will prevent this in tight spaces or during certain quests. Outdoors, he’s available everywhere, dungeons, wilderness, cities (though guards might comment), and even on mountaintops.
When you dismount and walk away, Arvak lingers for a short time before despawning. If he takes damage from enemies, he’ll eventually dispel like any other summon. The good news? You can immediately re-summon him as long as you have the magicka. No cooldown, no waiting period.
Arvak’s speed is identical to other horses in Skyrim, so don’t expect him to outpace Shadowmere or regular mounts. His real value lies in convenience, not raw stats.
Arvak vs Other Skyrim Horses: Which Is Better?
Comparing Arvak to Shadowmere
Shadowmere is Arvak’s biggest rival for the title of best mount in Skyrim. Shadowmere is a unique horse tied to the Dark Brotherhood questline, and he’s got some serious advantages: significantly higher health (1,637 HP compared to a regular horse’s 500 HP), fast health regeneration, and the ability to tank hits from dragons and giants without immediately dying.
Arvak, by contrast, has the same health as a standard horse, around 500 HP. He’ll go down faster in combat, especially against high-damage enemies. But here’s the thing: Arvak is immortal in the sense that he can be re-summoned instantly. Shadowmere dies (rarely, but it happens), and you either have to wait for him to respawn near the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary or reload a save.
Shadowmere also has a habit of charging into fights without your input, which can blow your stealth or pull aggro from enemies you’re trying to avoid. Arvak despawns when you dismount and walk away, so he’s not getting into trouble on his own.
For pure combat tanking, Shadowmere wins. For convenience, flexibility, and not having to babysit your mount, Arvak is the clear winner. Plus, you don’t need to join the Dark Brotherhood to get him, which matters for players avoiding that questline.
Advantages Over Regular Horses
Regular horses in Skyrim, whether purchased from stables or stolen, are fragile, expensive, and annoying to manage. They cost 1,000 gold each, die easily, and don’t respawn. If you fast-travel without them, they’re stuck at your last location. If they die in combat, they’re gone for good.
Arvak solves every single one of those problems. He’s free after the initial quest. He never permanently dies. He appears on-demand, so you never lose track of him. And he doesn’t require stable management or ownership worries, guards won’t accuse you of horse theft because Arvak isn’t technically a “real” horse.
The only downside? He doesn’t have the unique flair of some other modded horses available through community content, but for vanilla Skyrim, Arvak is unmatched in practicality.
Tips and Tricks for Using Arvak Effectively
Combat Situations and Limitations
Arvak isn’t built for sustained combat. His health pool is identical to regular horses, so he’ll go down quickly against tough enemies like frost trolls, Forsworn archers, or dragon breath attacks. Don’t expect him to tank damage the way Shadowmere can.
That said, mounted combat in Skyrim lets you attack from horseback, and Arvak is just as viable for hit-and-run tactics as any other mount. Charge in, land a few power attacks or spells, then wheel around and re-engage. If Arvak gets dispelled mid-fight, just re-summon him when you’ve got breathing room.
One quirk: summoning Arvak counts against your active summon limit. If you have a Dremora Lord or Flame Atronach active, summoning Arvak will dismiss them. This doesn’t matter much for exploration, but in combat-heavy dungeons, you might need to choose between a mount and a combat summon.
Also, Arvak can’t follow you into many dungeons or interiors. He’ll despawn when you enter, so don’t rely on him for dungeon crawling. He’s strictly an overworld travel tool.
Fast Travel and Convenience Benefits
Arvak’s real strength is convenience. When you fast-travel, he doesn’t come with you automatically like an owned horse, but that doesn’t matter because you can just summon him again at your destination. This makes him better than owned horses in some ways, since you’re never stuck walking from a fast-travel point to your actual objective.
He’s also fantastic for mountainous terrain. Skyrim’s horses have that infamous ability to climb near-vertical slopes, and Arvak is no exception. Need to scale the Throat of the World without following the winding path? Summon Arvak and spam the jump button up the mountain face. It’s janky, it’s ridiculous, and it’s faster than walking.
For players who hate backtracking, Arvak eliminates the need to return to stables or worry about where you left your mount. He’s always one spell cast away, which makes exploration significantly smoother.
Another underrated benefit: Arvak doesn’t trigger hostility from certain enemy types. Some creatures that would normally aggro on a regular horse seem to ignore Arvak in certain situations, though this isn’t consistent across all enemy AI. It’s a minor quirk, but worth noting.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Can’t Find Arvak’s Skull?
If you’re wandering the Soul Cairn and can’t locate Arvak’s tower, double-check your position on the map. The tower is in the eastern section, near the Reaper’s Lair. It’s a standalone stone structure, not part of a larger ruin complex, and it’s easy to miss if you’re not hugging the eastern edge of the zone.
One common mistake: players sometimes confuse Arvak’s tower with other similar-looking ruins. The key identifier is the spectral ghost inside. If you see the Soul of Arvak’s Owner glowing near the entrance, you’re in the right place. The skull itself is on the ground near the ghost, marked with a subtle glow effect.
If you’ve already completed the main Dawnguard questline and left the Soul Cairn, you can return at any time. Fast-travel back to the Soul Cairn entrance through the portal in Castle Volkihar or via the Boneyard in Fort Dawnguard, depending on your faction choice.
Summon Spell Not Working
If you’ve learned the Summon Arvak spell but it’s not casting, check your magicka pool. The spell costs 136 magicka at base skill, so if your magicka is too low, the cast will fail. Equip magicka-boosting gear, drink a magicka potion, or invest in magicka-regen enchantments.
Another issue: if you already have an active summon (Flame Atronach, Dremora Lord, etc.), summoning Arvak will dismiss it. Some players assume the spell is broken when it’s actually just replacing their active summon.
In rare cases, Arvak might not appear due to terrain collision issues. If you cast the spell and nothing happens, try moving to flatter ground or a more open area. Tight spaces, steep slopes, or cluttered environments can prevent summoning.
If Arvak is behaving weirdly, getting stuck on terrain, despawning too quickly, or not responding to commands, it’s usually a pathfinding glitch. Re-summoning him typically fixes the issue. On PC, console commands can force-fix persistent bugs, but console players will need to rely on saves and reloads.
One last note: some detailed walkthroughs for the Dawnguard questline can help if you’re stuck on earlier steps before even reaching the Soul Cairn.
Conclusion
Arvak isn’t the tankiest mount in Skyrim, but he’s easily the most convenient. His on-demand summoning eliminates the frustrations of managing a living horse, and his immortal nature means you’ll never have to replace him or track him down after fast-traveling. Whether you’re a completionist exploring every corner of the map or a casual player who just wants reliable transportation, Arvak delivers.
Getting him requires a bit of DLC progression and some Soul Cairn exploration, but the payoff is worth it. Once you’ve learned the spell, you’ve got a flaming skeletal steed for life, or undeath, as the case may be. Saddle up and enjoy never worrying about horse management again.
