Death occurs when your Health is reduced to zero. Normally, you will be given the option to revive in place at the cost of a Soul Gem, or respawning at the nearest Wayshrine. If you are in an interior area such as a Delve or Dungeon, you will respawn at the entrance instead. If you choose to spend a Soul Gem and revive in place, you will be revived in ghost-form, unable to attack or be damaged for several seconds. The Soul Summons passive in Soul Magic can save you a Soul Gem provided you haven't died recently. If there are allies nearby, they may spend a Soul Gem to Resurrect you in place without the ghost-phase. This can be very helpful in boss battles, because if your whole group dies, you'll have to start the battle over. Each time you die your armor is damaged.
Death in PvPEdit
CyrodiilEdit
When you die in Cyrodiil by PvP, you will not have the option to revive in place, but instead be forced to respawn at a Keep of your choice which your Alliance controls, or possibly a Forward Camp if one exists. You may not respawn at a Keep which is currently under attack. You can still be Resurrected by your allies if any are around.
Imperial CityEdit
Dying in the Imperial City to most PvE enemies will give you the option to respawn in your current location at the cost of a Soul Gem (giving you several seconds in ghost-form as usual), or to Release, which will cause you to respawn at your Alliance's Rally Point in the District you are in or your section of the Imperial Sewers. In the case of deaths to PvP enemies, or NPC soldiers of the opposing alliances, the Release option is the only one available. You will lose Tel Var Stones in either case, and in the event of a PvP death, the player who killed you will claim those stones.
DuelingEdit
Dying in a duel in PvE zones allows you to revive in place for free, without the damage to your armor or spending a Soul Gem, though you still have to spend several seconds in ghost-form.
Death RecapEdit
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When you die, you have the option to see a recap showing you the most recent source(s) of damage, and possibly providing tips to avoid dying in the same way again. Skills, poisons and most siege weapons display their respective icons. Other types of damage in recaps are shown in the following table:
| Damage Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|
   |
Anthelmir's Construct | Damage from Anthelmir's Construct set |
  |
Bash | Damage from Bashing attacks, Deadlands Demolisher set, also "Mother's Calling" attack from Oakenclaw |
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Beast Attacks | Light Attacks from player Werewolves, "Lunge" and "Powerful Lunge" attacks from Bloodmaw, "Claw Strike" from Tharrikers. |
  |
Bleeding | Damage over time from Bleed Damage attacks |
  |
Boughroot Slash | Boughroot Slash attack from Oakenclaw |
  |
Burning | Burning status effect |
  |
Chill | Chilled status effect |
  |
Deep Freeze | Deep Freeze ability from Ice Pillars |
  |
Devour | Devour attack from Clannfears |
  |
Disease Area | Disease Damage area attacks |
  |
Disease Melee | Disease Damage melee attacks |
  |
Disease Ranged | Disease Damage ranged attacks |
  |
Diseased | Diseased status effect |
  |
Environmental | Environmental hazards such as lava or Slaughterfish |
  |
Fall Damage | Damage from falling from heights |
  |
Flame Area | Flame Damage area attacks |
  |
Flame Melee | Flame Damage melee attacks |
  |
Flame Ranged | Flame Damage ranged attacks |
  |
Flame Ranged NPC | Various Flame attacks from NPCs such as "Fire Salvo" from Honor Guards and "Burning Bolt" from Ogrim in Arlimahera's Sanctum. |
  |
Fire Lancer | Fire Lancer attacks |
  |
Fire Siege Weapon | Colf Fire Ballista/Trebuchet and Firebolt Ballista/Trebuchet attacks |
  |
Frost Area | Frost Damage area attacks |
  |
Frost Lancer | Frost Lancer attacks |
  |
Frost Melee | Frost Damage melee attacks |
  |
Frost Ranged | Frost Damage ranged attacks |
  |
Hemorrhaging | Hemorrhaging status effect |
  |
Magic Area | Magic Damage area attacks |
  |
Magic Melee | Magic Damage melee attacks |
  |
Magic Ranged | Magic Damage ranged attacks |
  |
Melee Heavy | Physical Damage from heavy melee attacks |
  |
Melee Light | Physical Damage from light melee attacks |
  |
Oblivion Damage | Oblivion Damage from attacks |
  |
Overcharged | Overcharged status effect |
  |
Poison Area | Poison Damage area attacks |
  |
Poison Melee | Poison Damage melee attacks |
  |
Poison Ranged | Poison Damage ranged attacks |
  |
PvP Bomber | Flame Damage from the Vicious Death set and Oblivion Damage from the Occult Overload Champion Star. |
  |
Ranged Heavy | Physical Damage from heavy ranged attacks |
  |
Ranged Light | Physical Damage from light ranged attacks |
  |
Root Corruption | Root Corruption damage from Distributary |
  |
Shock Area | Shock Damage area attacks |
  |
Shock Lancer | Shock Lancer attacks |
  |
Shock Melee | Shock Damage melee attacks |
  |
Shock NPC PvP Zones | Shock Damage attacks from various NPCs in Cyrodiil and Imperial City such as Guardian Storm from Mage Guards |
  |
Shock Ranged | Shock Damage ranged attacks |
  |
Sunbolt | Sunbolt attack from Distributary |
  |
Sundered | Sundered status effect |
  |
Triple Strike | Triple Strike attack from Honor Guards |