There are few activities as fitting for the mighty Dragonborn of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as riding atop a fearsome dragon. While mounted, players can command their tamed aerial beast to attack enemies on land or duel other hostile dragons. Although the flying serpent cannot be directly controlled, it will act upon its master's demands. Skyrim's Dragonborn can land at any time if they wish to dismount, or they can have the dragon swiftly fly them across the map to another location. However, players should note that most named dragons cannot be tamed or ridden, such as Alduin or Paarthurnax in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The Dragonborn cannot use physical weapons while on a dragon, but it is possible to use magic spells, including Dragon Shouts. To command a dragon to attack a specific enemy, players can lock onto their target using Y on Xbox controllers, Triangle for PlayStation, or Space for PC. Engaging in combat atop a dragon provides a massive advantage, especially against foes who lack magic or projectile attacks. In order to tame and ride a dragon in Skyrim, players must unlock all three words of the Bend Will Dragon Shout.

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To begin learning the Bend Will shout, players must first start the Dragonborn DLC. To do so, they will need to complete the main story quest, "The Way of the Voice," and then visit any major settlement. Cultists of Miraak will confront the player and attempt an assassination. Once the Dragonborn slays the petty cultists, they will find a letter on one of the corpses. This note will direct the player to go to Windhelm docks and speak to an NPC named Gjalund Salt-Sage. After a bit of dialogue, Gjalund, the captain of The Northern Maiden, will take the player to Solstheim, where the Dragonborn DLC starts in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

How to Tame and Ride A Dragon in Skyrim

Skyrim How to Ride a Dragon

The first word of the Bend Will shout in Skyrim is located on the north side of Solstheim at Saering's Watch. A dragon and a few Draugr guard the area, but if players have a high level of Sneak, the flying beast and undead will autonomously fight each other, leaving only one enemy type to defeat.

The second word is taught to the player by the Daedric deity Hermaeus Mora during "The Path of Knowledge." During the main story quest, "The Gardener of Men," Mora will distill the final word of Bend Will to the player, allowing them to tame dragons.

With the Bend Will Dragon Shout equipped in Skyrim, players can finally overpower just about any dragon out in the wild and command the ariel beast to do their bidding.

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.