UESP Forums

I decided to try the absorb skill: mercantile on the shopkeeper of red diamond jewelry. There was then a red line connecting me to him and he attacked me then I ended up in jail.

Why did he attack me, what was the red line and why did I end up in jail? Did I not do the spell right?

Unfortunately, absorb spells are considered as attacking, therefore illegal.

The red line is a visual that tells you that the NPC's Mercantile skill is being absorbed.

oohh. thanks. That explains why he attacked me!

So if I can't use it on shopkeepers, who do I use it on? Or does it matter since either way I'm going to get attacked?

I've never tried it but it does seem kinda pointless eh?

It might be possible to absorb the merc skill of something you summon yourself (maybe just before they evaporate if you don't like being attacked).

It's totally useless, seeing as how any summon you have will probably not have very high Mercantile. It's just there because every other skill has an Absorb spell for it.

Well you could find a merchant and bribe hm till a hundred so he might take a hit for you and shout and "come on now!" and do nothing and then bribe again.