Not many games maintain their popularity ten years after their release, but somehow Skyrim is the rare exception. The game is easy to mod, which has led to it having mind-blowing amounts of content. It's likely that even when Elder Scrolls 6 releases there will be many players still sticking with Skyrim. A lot of players think that magic is vastly underpowered in the game. However, that's simply because they just aren't using the right spells. If players know the best spells in Skyrim, they can manage to do amazing things in combat. So, the Dragonborn has no excuse not to hit the spellbooks already.
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From summoning powerful creatures to freezing enemies in their tracks, the best spells in Skyrim that the Dragonborn can use are pretty vast. Players can genuinely utilize numerous forms of magic to make Skyrim more engaging than ever before, which goes to show just how underutilized and game-changing the magic system in this game is. With so many schools of magic available for the player to master, it's easy to see why they have so many options to completely alter the way they approach this game, especially once they learn the best spells in Skyrim.
Updated on December 22, 2024, by Gerardo Molina: It's understandable that, when playing Skyrim, most players prefer to focus their efforts on getting massive weapons that deal absurdly high amounts of damage rather than on reading spellbooks and increasing their Magicka. After all, the Melee gameplay is a lot more brutal and personal, which befits the Nords from Skyrim. However, if enough time is spent studying various magical tomes, players will be able to unlock their full potential and even deal with enemies from a distance without the need for a bow and arrow, which can come in handy from time to time. Here are some spells that players will definitely not want to miss out on.
33 Dead Thrall
School: Conjuration
- Skill Level: Master
- Magicka Required: 618
Dead Thrall is probably one of the best spells in Skyrim, as it allows the caster to raise the dead bodies of humanoid beings under level 40 to fight alongside them permanently. The raised undead will fight until they're either killed, banished, or turned by a foe.
This spell is great for situations where the Dragonborn is outnumbered, as raising the dead can not only serve as an effective distraction, but also, as a way to bring in more allies to the battlefield during a difficult encounter.
32 Bane Of The Undead
School: Restoration
- Skill Level: Master
- Magicka Required: 988
Who hasn't found themselves exploring an ancient Nordic tomb, only to realize that the Draugr there are too powerful to face, even at the higher levels? As players level up, so do the Draugr they'll encounter, which ensures that there's always a challenge to face. Bane of the Undead allows the Dragonborn to make quick work of these creatures, as it sets the undead up to level 30 on fire and makes them flee for 30 seconds.
This is a great spell to cast when players are feeling overwhelmed by enemies, as it not only allows them to deal damage to their undead foes, but also provides a most welcome pause to a challenging fight as the creatures flee for half a minute.
31 Transmute Mineral Ore
School: Alteration
- Skill Level: Adept
- Magicka Required: 88
Players who want to make a quick buck in Skyrim should check out the Transmute Mineral Ore spell. It lets players upgrade the quality of the ore they have. As a result, players can take basic materials and turn them into extremely valuable ones. Amassing a fortune becomes a breeze with this spell.
Of course, this spell is also great for players who want the best crafting materials possible to create awe-inspiring weapons that hit like a truck. Skyrim's best weapons can be looted, but players can stay ahead of the curve by actively engaging with the crafting system of the game.
30 Soul Trap
School: Conjuration
- Skill Level: Apprentice
- Magicka Required: 100
There are three crafting skill trees in the game, and the ideal choice for some mage builds is enchanting. However, with soul gems being an important and sometimes expensive resource that might be rare to come by, any help in filling empty ones is much needed.
That's where Soul Trap comes in. It's a utility spell, a curse to put on a target moments before they die. Depending on the strength of the spell, the window of time needed for the dead enemy to fill a gem might be longer or shorter. Find it in the Conjuration school of magic, and use it towards the middle of the fight just before a kill is secured to fill an empty soul gem.
29 Close Wounds
School: Restoration
- Skill Level: Adept
- Magicka Required: 126
Restoration is an underrated school of magic, as Colette always preaches. The truth is that Restoration spells can help players seriously save on health potions, which can have a fairly steep price tag at a general store. Moreover, health potions aren't that common in dungeons either.
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Close Wounds is one of the best, most balanced spells in the skill tree. It demands quite a bit of Magicka since it's an Adept-level spell, but it's worth it. Close Wounds instantly gives the Dragonborn 100 health points. Since it doesn't take time to charge like Healing, it's a nice burst spell to use mid-combat as well.
28 Pacify
School: Illusion
- Skill Level: Expert
- Magicka Required: 290
While it's true that Skyrim has a ton of combat that can make it pretty hard to manage at times, players can easily turn the tide of battle in a flash by using certain spells to manipulate their enemies. One such spell that does a great job of reducing the threat of most enemies is Pacify, which can work wonders at high levels.
Players who don't care about killing and looting every enemy in sight can just use Pacify to render them completely harmless. This allows players to circumvent tough combat encounters, which can be a boon for players who aren't decked out in the best gear around and just want to have fun with the game instead of looking over their shoulder in every dungeon, worrying about the next enemy that crosses their path.
27 Call To Arms
School: Illusion
- Skill Level: Master
- Magicka Required: 655
Players who love the Illusion spell tree in Skyrim and want to rely on their allies in battle can use a spell to bolster their abilities significantly. Call to Arms may require a decent amount of magicka to activate, but the end result is worthwhile for Followers who love to jump into the action and draw the attention of enemies.
While the Dragonborn sits back and peppers enemies with damaging spells, they can use a single cast of Call to Arms to help their companion become a one-man army in no time. It may be more of a situational spell than most players would prefer, but those who don't mind playing a support role in battle will find this to be one of the best spells in Skyrim that they can get their hands on.
26 Conjure Wrathman
School: Conjuration
- Skill Level: Expert
- Magicka Required: 301
There are several creatures that the Dragonborn can summon to aid them in combat. One of these spells is the Conjure Wrathman spell, which summons a powerful ally with balanced stats. Players who want the best of a tanky summon with good attack skills will have their wishes granted by the Wrathman.
It's a great ally to have in the heat of battle, even though it might be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Easily the best thing about this summon is how cool this creature looks in the heat of battle, adding a ton of flair to what is otherwise a pretty simple combat system. Most summon spells are useful in Skyrim since they take the heat off the player, and the Wrathman will certainly help in this regard.
25 Fury
School: Illusion
- Skill Level: Novice
- Magicka Required: 67
Fury has the potential to be one of the most broken spells in Skyrim if the player uses it right. It sends the target into a berserk state, causing them to attack anyone in the nearby vicinity. Players who love hunting from the shadows will find this spell to be invaluable.
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Of course, it's also great for splitting up attention between groups to make combat more manageable. Players who want to turn combat into a chaotic and hilarious affair should use this spell to sow discord among the ranks and cause enemy AI to go haywire as they try to split their attention between the Dragonborn and their allies.
24 Mara's Wrath
School: Destruction
- Skill Level: Expert
- Magicka Required: 388
Battlemages who prefer close-range combat will love what Mara's Wrath brings to the table. It essentially covers the caster in a coat of flames that does damage to enemies in melee range, adding more of a punch to the player's attacks in the game. To make things better, any undead affected by Mara's Wrath end up losing their morale and fleeing from the player, making any battle against them pretty entertaining if a tad frustrating at times.
Players love how effective their spell is at enhancing their DPS, making them look pretty powerful in the process. As long as players have invested enough points in their magical stats, they'll find most encounters in the game to end quickly as long as players are prudent about using this spell and keeping themselves well-equipped from time to time.