I have the Skyrim Hearthfire DLC, and would like to know if bandit NPCs can steal from my house or not.
Is this possible, and is there a way to prevent it?
Can NPCs steal from your home in Skyrim
the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim
Related Solutions
Time for more Skyrim Science!
So while I don't have a full answer to your question just yet, I do have some preliminary results.
I've been peeking around in the Skyrim Creation kit, looking at the spell effects for the five spells you list above. For instance:
The highest level reanimate spell has a magnitude of 40.
This is similar to how the master level frenzy spell, Mayhem, is set up, though it's magnitude is 25. This becomes relevant as soon as we read the effect's description:
Creatures and people up to level 25 will attack anyone nearby for 60 seconds
We've documented the frenzy effect over here already, so I think we can safely assume that if Reanimate works similarly (and there's no real reason it shouldn't), the magnitude of the spell effect correlates precisely with the maximum level corpse that can be raised.
That gives us this list:
Raise Zombie - up to level 6 creatures
Reanimate Corpse - up to level 13 creatures
Revenant - up to level 21 creatures
Dread Zombie - up to level 30 creatures
Dead Thrall - up to level 40 creatures
Which gives us an obvious series for our curve.
Double-casting conjuration spells increases the duration, not the effect, so that won't help against higher level enemies, but the Necromage perk will.
As to what level are which creatures, the first thing to realize is that certain creatures (i.e., Dragons, Giants, and Dwemer Automatons) simply cannot be reanimated.
That said here's as good a list as I can manage. If you don't see an NPC on here, it's most likely because they can be found at multiple levels. Creatures are listed under the minimum required spell to reanimate them:
Raise Zombie (up to 6):
- Bandit
- Bandit Outlaw
- Dremora Churl
- Forsworn
- Forsworn Forager
- Forsworn Shaman
- Vampire
- Vampire Fledgling
- Novice [Mage]
- Apprentice [Mage]
Reanimate Corpse (up to 13):
- Bandit Thug
- Dremora Caitiff
- Blooded Vampire
- [Mage] Adept
Revenant (up to 21):
- Bandit Highwayman
- Bandit Plunderer
- Dremora Kynval
- Forsworn Looter
- Vampire Mistwalker
- [Mage]
Dread Zombie (up to 30):
- Bandit Marauder
- Bandit Chief
- Dremora Kynreeve
- Forsworn Pillager
- Vampire Nightstalker
- [Element] Wizard
- Ascendant [Mage]
Dead Thrall (up to 40):
- Dremora Markynaz
- Forsworn Ravager
- Ancient Vampire
- [Element]mancer
- Master [Mage]
Too Powerful to Raise
- Dremora Valkynaz
- Volkihar Vampire
- Arch [Mage]
Enemies won't attack your house unless you are in very close proximity. Avoid loitering around the immediate surroundings of your house, if you need to visit it - fast travel there directly, if you want to visit a nearby location, fast travel to the house and if the coast is clear walk to your destination. When you arrive at the house, use Detect life and Detect Death to identify hostiles and kill them as fast as you can.
Best Answer
No. There are no NPCs in Skyrim that will steal items you stored in your home, or any other safe, non-resetting containers. Even thief and bandit NPCs won't be able to steal those items. Your items should be safe as long as you put them in a safe, non-resetting container.