One of the exciting things about Skyrim is the ability to cast magic spells, regardless of the type of character you play. Want to play a fighter or a thief? No worries — Skyrim magic is right at your fingertips. Unlike other RPGs, the ability to use magic isn’t limited by the class of your character build. This open-ended character system adds interest to the game, and really allows players to craft a unique character to their liking.
Note: to learn what races make the best Skyrim magic users, checkout our previous article The Best Skyrim Character: Warrior, Thief, Or Mage.
Skyrim Magic
The ability to cast Skyrim magic is based on a character’s Magicka level. Magicka is one of three basic resource pools in the game (the other two being Health and Stamina). In essence, Magicka is the energy used to cast spells. Your character’s race determines your starting Magicka, and this resource can be increased as your character levels up. The higher your character’s Magicka level, the more Skyrim magic you can cast. As your Magicka level increases you’ll also be able to cast more powerful spells in the game.
Magicka is drained as spells are cast. The higher the spell level, the more quickly Magicka is drained. Magicka can be replenished a number of ways:
- Waiting
- Drinking special potions
- Eating special food (for example, a home cooked meal prepared by your spouse).
- Sleeping
- Fast traveling to a different location
- Leveling up
The rate at which Magicka is replenished can be increased by wearing special armor or apparel bearing the Fortify Magicka enchantment. These Skyrim magic items can either be found as treasure throughout the game, purchased from merchants, or crafted at an arcane enchanter.
Skyrim Spells
In Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, players had the ability to create their own magic spells. Spell creation is no longer possible in Skyrim however, and there are a set number of spells available to learn in the game (96 spells to be exact). Skyrim magic spells fall under one of the five schools:
- Alteration
- Conjuration
- Destruction
- Illusion
- Restoration
In addition, every Skyrim magic spell has a specific difficulty level. You’ll need sufficient Magicka in order to cast higher level spells. The spell difficulty levels are as follows:
- Novice (skill level: 0)
- Apprentice (skill level: 25)
- Adept (skill level: 50)
- Expert (skill level: 75)
- Master (skill level: 100)
Spells can be learned by reading special books called Spell Tomes (purchased from merchants, mages, or found as treasure). More powerful, higher level Spell Tomes won’t be available for purchase until your character’s skill level is at or near the required difficulty level (for example, the Expert level spell Wall of Storms cannot be obtained until your character’s Destruction skill level is around 75). Skyrim’s system of learning spells helps keep the game balanced, and provides incentive for players to increase their character’s skills. Striving to improve your character in Skyrim’s open ended progression system makes the game challenging and addicting.
Please refer to the tables below for a definitive list of all Skyrim magic spells available in the game:
Alteration Spells
Spell Name | Spell Level | Comments |
|---|
Candlelight | Novice | Creates ball of light for 60 seconds |
Equilibrium | Novice | Converts 25 health points into 25 mana points per second |
Oakflesh | Novice | Increases armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds |
Magelight | Apprentice | Creates stationary ball of light for 60 seconds |
Stoneflesh | Apprentice | Increases armor rating by 60 points for 60 seconds |
Detect Life | Adept | See living creatures through walls |
Ironflesh | Adept | Increases armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds |
Telekinesis | Adept | Pull an object to you from a distance |
Transmutation | Adept | Change iron ore to silver or silver ore to gold |
Waterbreathing | Adept | Breathe underwater for 60 seconds |
Detect Undead | Expert | Detect undead through walls |
Ebonyflesh | Expert | Increases armor rating by 100 points for 60 seconds |
Paralyze | Expert | Paralyze opponents in affected area for 10 seconds. |
Dragonhide | Master | Ignore 80% of received physical damage |
Mass Paralysis | Master | Paralyze all opponents in affected area for 15 seconds |
Conjuration Spells
Spell Name | Spell Level | Comments |
|---|
Bound Sword | Novice | Creates a magic sword for 120 seconds |
Conjure Familiar | Novice | Summons a familiar for 60 seconds |
Raise Zombie | Novice | Reanimates a dead body (level 6 or lower) to fight alongside you for 60 seconds |
Summon Unbound Dremora | Novice | Summons an unbound dremora for 999 seconds |
Bound Battleaxe | Apprentice | Creates a magic battleaxe for 120 seconds |
Conjure Fire Atronach | Apprentice | Summons a fire atronach for 60 seconds |
Flaming Familiar | Apprentice | Summons a flaming familiar |
Reanimate Corpse | Apprentice | Reanimates a dead body (level 13 or lower) to fight alongside you for 60 seconds |
Soul Trap | Apprentice | Fills a soul gem if enemy dies in less than 60 seconds |
Summon Arniel’s Shade | Apprentice | Summons Arniel’s shade for 60 seconds |
Banish Daedra | Adept | Banishes Daedra (level 15 or lower) to Oblivion |
Bound Bow | Adept | Creates a magical bow for 120 seconds |
Conjure Frost Atronach | Adept | Summons a Frost Atronach for 60 seconds |
Revenant | Adept | Reanimates a dead body (level 21 or lower) to fight alongside you for 60 seconds |
Command Daedra | Expert | Control Daedra (level 20 or lower) |
Conjure Dremora Lord | Expert | Summon a Dremora lord for 60 seconds |
Conjure Storm Atronach | Expert | Summon a Storm Atronach for 60 seconds |
Dread Zombie | Expert | Reanimates a dead body (level 30 or lower) to fight alongside you for 60 seconds |
Expel Daedra | Expert | Banishes Daedra (level 20 or lower) to Oblivion |
Dead Thrall | Master | Reanimates a dead body (level 40 or lower) to fight alongside you permanently |
Flame Thrall | Master | Summons a Flame Atronach permanently |
Frost Thrall | Master | Summons a Frost Atronach permanently |
Storm Thrall | Master | Summons a Storm Atronach permanently |
Destruction Spells
Spell Name | Spell Level | Comments |
|---|
Arniel’s Convection | Novice | Deals 1 fire damage per second (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Flames | Novice | Fire blast that does 8 points of damage per second (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Frostbite | Novice | Frost blast that does 8 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina |
Sparks | Novice | Lightening blast that does 8 points of damage per second to Health and Magicka |
Vampiric Drain | Novice | Absorbs the target’s health points |
Fire Rune | Apprentice | A magical rune that explodes for 50 points of damage if activated by enemies |
Firebolt | Apprentice | Fire blast that does 25 points of damage per second (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Frost Rune | Apprentice | A magical rune that explodes for 50 points of damage if activated by enemies |
Ice Spike | Apprentice | Ice spike that does 25 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina. |
Lightning Bolt | Apprentice | Lightening blast that does 25 points of damage to Health and half that to Magicka |
Lightning Rune | Apprentice | A magical rune that explodes for 50 points of damage if activated by enemies |
Chain Lightning | Adept | Lightening blast that does 40 points of damage to Health and half that to Magicka then leaps to new target |
Fireball | Adept | Fire explosion that does 40 points of damage in 15 foot radius (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Flame Cloak | Adept | Nearby targets take 8 points of damage per second for 60 (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Frost Cloak | Adept | Nearby targets take 8 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina for 60 seconds |
Ice Storm | Adept | Creates a frost whirlwind that does 40 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina |
Lightning Cloak | Adept | Nearby targets take 8 points of damage to Health and half that to Magicka for 60 seconds |
Icy Spear | Expert | An ice spear that does 60 points of damage to Health and Stamina |
Incinerate | Expert | A blast of fire that does 60 points of damage (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Thunderbolt | Expert | Thunderbolt that does 60 points of damage to Health and half that to Magicka |
Wall of Flames | Expert | Creates a wall of flames that inflicts 50 points of damage per second (targets on fire take extra damage) |
Wall of Frost | Expert | Creates a wall of frost that inflicts 50 points of damage per second |
Wall of Storms | Expert | Creates a wall of lightening that inflicts 50 points of damage per second |
Blizzard | Master | Enemies take 20 points of damage to Health and Stamina for 10 seconds |
Fire Storm | Master | Causes 75 points of damage per second to Health and half that to Magika |
Lightning Storm | Master | Causes 75 points of damage per second to Health and half that to Magika |
Illusion Spells
Spell Name | Spell Level | Comments |
|---|
Clairvoyance | Novice | Shows path to the active quest’s current destination |
Courage | Novice | Target won’t flee for 60 seconds and gains extra Health and Stamina |
Fury | Novice | Forces creatures and people level 6 or lower to attack everyone in sight |
Vision of the Tenth Eye | Novice | Notice unseen things |
Calm | Apprentice | Forces creatures and people level 9 or lower to stop fighting |
Fear | Apprentice | Forces creatures and people level 9 or lower to flee |
Muffle | Apprentice | Move silently for 3 minutes |
Frenzy | Adept | Forces creatures and people level 14 or lower to attack everyone in sight |
Rally | Adept | Target won’t flee for 60 seconds and gains extra Health and Stamina |
Invisibility | Expert | Become invisible for 30 seconds |
Pacify | Expert | Forces creatures and people level 20 or lower to stop fighting |
Rout | Expert | Forces creatures and people level 20 or lower to flee |
Call to Arms | Master | Increases the combat skills Health and Stamina of targeted beings for 10 minutes |
Harmony | Master | Forces creatures and people level 25 or lower to stop fighting |
Hysteria | Master | Forces creatures and people level 25 or lower to flee |
Mayhem | Master | Forces creatures and people on level 25 or lower to attack everyone in sight |
Restoration Spells
Spell Name | Spell Level | Comments |
|---|
Healing | Novice | Regenerates 10 health points per second |
Lesser Ward | Novice | Increases armor rating by 40 points and negates 40 points of received magic damage |
Fast Healing | Apprentice | Regenerates 50 health points |
Healing Hands | Apprentice | Heals the target 10 points per second |
Steadfast Ward | Apprentice | Increases armor rating by 60 points and negates 60 points of received magic damage |
Turn Lesser Undead | Apprentice | Regenerates 100 health points |
Greater Ward | Adept | Increases armor rating by 80 points and negates 80 points of received magic damage |
Heal Other | Adept | Heals the target 75 points |
Repel Lesser Undead | Adept | Forces the undead to flee for 30 seconds (level 8 or lower) |
Turn Undead | Adept | Forces the undead to flee for 30 seconds (level 13 or lower) |
Circle of Protection | Expert | Creates a magical circle that forces all the undead standing inside it to flee (level 30 or lower) |
Turn Greater Undead | Expert | Forcing the undead on level 21 or lower to flee for 30 seconds. This spell works on only one targeted creature. |
Repel Undead | Expert | Forces the undead to flee for 30 seconds (level 16 or lower) |
Grand Healing | Expert | Heals everyone close to the caster 200 points |
Bane of the Undead | Master | Sets the undead (level 45 or lower) on fire and forces them to flee for 30 receive a lot of damage. |
Guardian Circle | Master | Creates a magical circle that forces all the undead (level 35 or lower) standing inside it to flee and allows caster to regenerate 20 health points per second |
