Phinis Gestor

Phinis Gestor is a Breton mage found working and studying at the College of Winterhold. He can be found in the Hall of Countenance, but can also appear in The Arcanaeum. He is the college's expert-level Conjuration master and a former pupil of Falion. During a conversation with the Dragonborn, he admits to be practicing Necromancy.

Merchandise

Phinis sells the following Spell Tomes (all of which are Conjuration):

Related quests

Conjuration Ritual Spell
Lost Apprentices (Broken Quest): Phinis mentions that four students from the college, Yisra, Ilas-Tei, Borvir and Rundi have gone missing. However, the discussion doesn't create a quest entry in the logbook. After finding the students and their respective belongings, there's no dialogue option to inform Phinis of their fate. It does, however, provide some loot.

Lecture

Phinis Gestor delivers a lecture on the Eye of Magnus and the College's efforts to learn more about it. The lecture is held in the Hall of the Elements, during which most of the members of the College come to listen. After he finishes, everyone goes back to their usual schedule.

"Projects are underway to discern the origin and nature of the College's recent find in Saarthal. Any and all theories are currently being considered. Those with ideas should please speak with Mirabelle."

"At this time, there is no indication that, as has been rumored, the object is in fact a physical part of Magnus, the god of magic. It has been suggested that the object is a gateway to the realm of Aetherius, but nothing has proven that idea one way or the other. It has been proposed that the object is in fact the entirety of Aurbis in one physical space. This would of course mean that Tamriel, indeed all of Mundus, is actually contained within the sphere.

"It further suggests that we are somehow then outside our own existence while looking in at it. While the idea seems dubious at best, it has not, at present, been entirely ruled out."

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Phinis Gestor. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX / PS5 , XS , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

Sometimes he will not sell certain spells even when one's conjuration is high enough. Waiting 48 hours to a game week usually fixes this problem. (The master-level spells will not be available until the quest to obtain them has been completed.)
PC 360 When fighting Ancano, Phinis sometimes goes into the Hall of Elements and begins fighting Ancano with his fists. When Ancano is killed, Phinis resurrects him as a zombie.
Upon giving Phinis the sigil stone for the master level quest he ends the conversation and won't reward the master spells, (fix try to talk to him again).
Sometimes Phinis appears to disappear entirely. Different sources have reported finding him in various places for no discernible reason such as in the town of Winterhold, or trapped behind the gate of Winterhold College. Another place to check for him if he is missing is far below the college a few hundred yards outside the exit from the Midden. He has been found loitering in the snow fields down there and never leaving the area once he goes there.
- Fix: Attack Phinis or put something in his pocket to start a fight. Use Rally to force him to keep fighting while moving to some place near Winterhold. When near enough, some guards will intercept the Dragonborn. Pay the bounty. Phinis will return to the College.

Appearances

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim