How Tall is Tsun in Skyrim? A Giant God of Trials Awaits

As a tech-savvy gamer, few video game adversaries stand out in my memory as much as the towering Nordic god Tsun in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Guarding the whalebone bridge to the Nordic afterlife of Sovngarde, Tsun towers over the Dragonborn at an incredible height of 1.34 units. While formidably tall, especially compared to the average player height of just 0.95-1.08 units, Tsun presents an epic but beatable trial barring your hero‘s entry into Sovngarde. In this guide, we‘ll analyze Tsun‘s towering height, abilities, role in Nord lore, and how to strategically overcome his trial as the ancient god of trials against adversity.

Tsun‘s Height Stands Apart as One of Skyrim‘s Tallest Figures

As you approach the Whalebone Bridge in Sovngarde, you can immediately appreciate just how gigantic Tsun appears compared to most NPCs. Let‘s look at some exact height measurements between Tsun and other major characters and enemies:

As these figures highlight, Tsun‘s height of 1.34 units stands noticeably taller than almost any other NPC. Even towering ancient dragons only reach 1.14 units – a full 0.2 units shorter than the god of trials. For comparison, an average human male height is around 1.75 meters or 5 feet 9 inches tall. Based on typical human proportions, that would make Tsun over 7 and a half feet tall!

Only the Ebony Warrior comes close at 1.21 units while wearing a complete set of bulky ebony plate armor. Still, Tsun stands head and shoulders above them all, befitting his role as a guardian god and challenge for the Dragonborn. Next, let‘s analyze why Tsun holds this position guarding Sovngarde in the first place.

Tsun‘s Origins as Shield-Thane to Shor

As a gaming lore enthusiast, Tsun‘s backstory as an ancient Nordic god fascinates me. Tsun served as the shield-thane of the god Shor, who represented the spirit of mankind in the mythology of The Elder Scrolls universe. Tsun died defending Shor against an invasion from the gods of Aldmeri (Elven) pantheon during the Ehlnofey wars that took place in the Dawn Era before recorded history.

This event established the mortal plane of Mundus where the games take place. As a result, Tsun earned his eternal position as the guardian of the bridge to the Nordic Hall of Valor in Sovngarde, where Nord heroes feast and celebrate for eternity after death. Tsun judges all who wish to cross the bridge and enter the hall, allowing only true heroes to enter while driving back the unworthy.

His brother Stuhn was also a shield-thane to Shor who became revered as the Nordic god of ransom. Clearly the Nords placed great importance on shield-thane protectors like Tsun, which explains why he stands as the final living god protecting the path to Sovngarde when the Dragonborn arrives.

Strategies for Overcoming Tsun‘s Trial

When you first approach Tsun guarding the entrance to the Hall of Valor, you likely feel small standing before his towering frame. He ominously warns that none may pass until they defeat him in honorable combat. While certainly intimidating, Tsun can be defeated fairly easily once the fight begins if you use the right strategies:

• Attack from behind: Immediately after the conversation ends, sprint around Tsun and strike him in the back before he equips his weapon to deal heavy sneak attack damage.

• Utilize shouts: Since Tsun stands immobile during dialogue, you can pre-emptively buff yourself with shouts or even blast him with Unrelenting Force for a head start.

• Kite backwards: Tsun‘s melee reach is limited, so keep your distance using bows or magic to whittle down his health. His movement speed is also quite slow.

• Circle strafe: Tsun lacks any sweeping attacks, so continuously circle strafing around him while attacking from the flanks avoids most of his offense.

With these tips, Tsun goes down fairly easily. But what about his stats and abilities themselves? Next, we‘ll analyze why he poses an underwhelming threat for his towering figure as a guardian god.

For His Size, Tsun‘s Abilities Are Surprisingly Average

Given his epic introduction and seemingly gigantic size, you might expect Tsun to be one of Skyrim‘s toughest foes. However, taking a closer look at his stats reveals a fairly average enemy:

• Health: 250 points
• Magicka: 50 points
• Stamina: 50 points

Let‘s compare Tsun to one of Skyrim‘s most notorious optional boss fights – the Ebony Warrior:

• Health: 950 points
• Magicka: 390 points
• Stamina: 320 points

The difference is stark. The Ebony Warrior over triples Tsun‘s health, and nearly octuples his magicka. In terms of equipment, Tsun wields an unenchanted ancient Nordic axe that deals a mere 15 points of damage. Contrast this to the Ebony Warrior‘s array of powerful enchanted ebony weapons and spells.

Clearly Tsun‘s power resides more in his mythic reputation than actual combat prowess. While he can certainly take a few hits, his limited endurance and slow speed make him more a gatekeeper figure than nearly invincible god. Defeating him relies more on skillful play than stats or gear. For veterans, Tsun presents a fun but beatable warm-up to flex your skills before facing Alduin.

Unlocking the Call of Valor: Tsun‘s Unique Gift

Once you‘ve proven your mettle against the God of Trials, Tsun congratulates you and fulfills his role as a master of the thu‘um. He teaches you the unique shout Call of Valor, one of the most epic shouts in the game. This shout summons one of the ancient Nord heroes from Sovngarde to fight at your side for 60 seconds.

Heroes like Hakon One-Eye, Felldir the Old, and Gormlaith Golden-Hilt are summoned, representing key figures from the Nordic rebellion against Alduin. Having one of these legendary warriors battling beside you never gets old, and makes the difficult final battle against Alduin much more manageable.

Call of Valor has a 120 second cooldown though, so use it wisely. Equipping certain armor sets like the Amulet of Talos can help reduce this cooldown. Some speculate Tsun only shares this powerful thu‘um once you prove worthy – a dragonborn who fails his test may not be gifted the shout.

Sovngarde Awaits: Tsun‘s Place in Nord Culture

Passing Tsun‘s trial allows you to enter the legendary Hall of Valor at the heart of Sovngarde. This grand mead hall and surrounding Nordic ruins represent the Nord‘s mythical afterlife, their version of paradise for fallen heroes. Ruled by the god Shor and his loyal shield-thane Tsun, Sovngarde symbolizes the Nord‘s rich cultural heritage and important historical figures.

As you explore the halls and speak with heroes of eras past, you gain insight into the dragon war against Alduin that eventually led felldir the Old to employ the Dragonrend shout to defeat him. It adds depth to the finale of the main questline. You also witness Nord beliefs about the afterlife firsthand – an eternity of feasting and comradery, with Tsun selecting the worthy to enter.

The iconic gigantic skull statue along the whalebone bridge where you first encounter Tsun makes for an awe-inspiring gatekeeper. And the sheer size of the Hall of Valor beyond, built from the remains of a giant beast, creates a grand centerpiece for the Nordic heaven. While Tsun himself is not the toughest fight, he introduces this rich culture and legendary landscape in epic fashion the moment you cross the bridge.

Triumphing Over Tsun – An Epic Clash With Skyrim‘s God of Trials

I hope this deep dive helped explain Tsun‘s important role as the God of Trials blocking your way into Sovngarde and the Hall of Valor beyond. At first glance his towering size appears nigh insurmountable. But upon closer inspection, Tsun presents a fun and winnable, if challenging, gateway boss to test your skills against before facing Alduin atop the Throat of the World.

The beautifully realized Nordic ruins of Sovngarde have always struck me as some of Skyrim‘s most memorable locales to explore. And the booming voice and sheer physical size of Tsun make for an unforgettable guardian figure barring your way across the bridge. He cements the epic atmosphere of ascending to Sovngarde to take down Alduin once and for all.

So while he may not possess the deepest lore legacy or most unique mechanics, Tsun‘s place as the God of Trials and his towering height make him one of my favorite figures I‘ve encountered in my many journeys across Skyrim. I hope this guide gave you some new insights and strategies for overcoming his test as well if you choose to accept the mighty Tsun‘s challenge!

Let me know in the comments if you have any other favorite Tsun tidbits or memorable moments facing off against him. And as always, thanks for reading! This was William Decker, signing off.