Dozens of spells are available for magically-inclined characters in Skyrim. Most spells (other than starting spells) are learned by reading Spell Tomes.
For spells added by the Dragonborn add-on, see this page.
Spell Tome Locations
Most spell tomes can be purchased from merchants. Novice- and apprentice-level spell tomes can be purchased from the regular spell vendors found in each of Skyrim's cities. Most higher-level spell tomes, however, can only be purchased from the specialist mages in the College of Winterhold. Also, adept- and expert-level spell tomes only appear in the mage's merchandise when your magic skill is high enough (40 for Adept and 65 for Expert spells). After reaching the required skill level, you must wait for the mage's merchandise to be reset (typically two days in-game), or, save, then attack the merchant and reload, before the new tomes will appear. Master-level spell tomes can only be acquired once that school's ritual spell quest has been completed.
Nearly all spell tomes can also be found randomly as loot. The only spell tomes that can not be found randomly are quest-specific spell tomes (those that can not be purchased), tomes added by Dawnguard or Dragonborn, and master-level tomes. The appearance of random tomes is dependent upon your character's overall level (but is not related to your skill in the magic school, unlike tome purchases):
- Novice: level 1+
- Apprentice: level 11+
- Adept: level 23+
- Expert: level 35+
Those random loot tomes may be found in boss chests and safes. With the Merchant perk unlocked, there is a small chance that tomes are sold by blacksmiths. With the Dawnguard add-on installed, tomes can also be purchased from Morven Stroud.
Additionally several chests may contain low level tomes dependent on character level. Those may be carried by several spellcasters too:
- Novice: level 1+
- Apprentice: level 10+
Master Level
Master-level spells are different from lower-level spells:
- They always require both hands.
- They take 3 seconds to complete.
- You cannot move while casting.
- They may be interrupted by stagger attack.
Other than the Alteration spell Dragonhide and the Restoration spell Guardian Circle, master-level spells do not benefit from dual casting perks.
When in combat, master-level spells are tricky to use because of the time required to cast them. Furthermore while casting them, you are completely vulnerable and can be interrupted by power attacks. Some ways around this weakness are:
- to stagger your enemy first with a dual-cast spell. Ice Storm can stagger multiple enemies at once.
- to combine them with shouts such as Become Ethereal or Ice Form.
- to combine them with illusion and alteration crowd control effects, such as Pacify.
- to use followers or conjurations as distractions.
- to combine them with high level flesh spells.
- to cast them from sneak.
Alteration Spells
Spell Name (IDs) |
Skill Level | Tome Value |
Magicka Base Cost | Skill XP | Description and Effect Details | Where to Get | |||||
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Candlelight
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0 Novice |
44 | 21 | 2.5 | Creates a hovering light that lasts for 60 seconds:
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Oakflesh
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0 Novice |
44 | 103 | 103 | Improves the caster's armor rating by 40 points for 60 seconds:
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Magelight
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25 Apprentice |
87 | 84 | 12 | Ball of light that lasts 60 seconds and sticks where it strikes:
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Stoneflesh
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25 Apprentice |
95 | 194 | 194 | Improves the caster's armor rating by 60 points for 60 seconds:
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75px | Ash ShellDB
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50 Adept |
425 | 251 | 251 | Targets that fail to resist are immobilized in hardened ash for 30 seconds:
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Detect Life
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50 Adept |
332 | 100/s | 6.5/s per target | Nearby living creatures, but not undead, machines or daedra, can be seen through walls:
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Ironflesh
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50 Adept |
341 | 266 | 266 | Improves the caster's armor rating by 80 points for 60 seconds:
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Telekinesis
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50 Adept |
326 | 170/s | 170/s | Can pull an object to you from a distance. Add it to your inventory or throw it:
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Transmute
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50 Adept |
200 | 100 | 15 (scripted) | Transmutes one piece of unrefined Iron ore to Silver, or Silver ore to Gold if the caster is carrying any:
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Waterbreathing
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50 Adept |
340 | 222 | 222 | Can breathe water for 60 seconds:
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75px | Ash RuneDB
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75 Expert |
635 | 418 | 418 | Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes when enemies are nearby, immobilizing them in hardened ash for 30 seconds:
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Detect Dead
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75 Expert |
600 | 148/s | 9.25/s per target | Nearby dead can be seen through walls:
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Ebonyflesh
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75 Expert |
650 | 341 | 341 | Improves the caster's armor rating by 100 points for 60 seconds:
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Paralyze
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75 Expert |
685 | 450 | 450 | Targets that fail to resist are paralyzed for 10 seconds:
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Dragonhide
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100 Master |
1389 | 837 | 837 | Caster ignores 80% of all physical damage for 30 seconds:
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Mass Paralysis
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100 Master |
1280 | 937 | 937 | All targets in the area that fail to resist are paralyzed for 15 seconds:
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Equilibrium
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N/A | 250 | 1/s + 25 health/s | 0.01/s | Convert 25 points of health into magicka per second. Caster can be killed by this effect:
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Conjuration Spells
Spell Name (IDs) |
Skill Level | Tome Value |
Magicka Base Cost | Skill XP | Description and Effect Details | Where to Get | |||||
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Bound DaggerDB
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0 Novice |
38 | 53 | 269 | Creates a magic dagger for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel:
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Bound Sword
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0 Novice |
49 | 93 | 469 | Creates a magic sword for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel:
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Conjure Familiar
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0 Novice |
49 | 107 | 64 | Summons a Familiar for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Raise Zombie
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0 Novice |
49 | 103 | 515 | Reanimate a weak dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds:
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Bound Battleaxe
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25 Apprentice |
99 | 169 | 84 | Creates a magic battle axe for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel:
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Conjure BonemanDG
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25 Apprentice |
75 | 129 | 64 | Summons a Boneman Archer from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Conjure Flame Atronach
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25 Apprentice |
99 | 150 | 37 | Summons a Flame Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Flaming Familiar
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25 Apprentice |
250 | 57 | 57 | Summons a flaming familiar which will charge into battle and explode:
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Reanimate Corpse
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25 Apprentice |
99 | 144 | 434 | Reanimate a more powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds:
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Soul Trap
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25 Apprentice |
100 | 107 | 215 | If target dies within 60 seconds, fills a soul gem:
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Summon ArvakDG
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25 Apprentice |
N/A | 136 | 0 | Summons Arvak in the Soul Cairn or Tamriel wilderness to act as your steed:
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Banish Daedra
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50 Adept |
346 | 196 | 196 | Weaker summoned daedra are sent back to Oblivion:
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Bound Bow
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50 Adept |
335 | 207 | 103 | Creates a magic bow and 100 magic arrows for 120 seconds. Sheathe it to dispel:
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75px | Conjure Ash SpawnDB
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50 Adept |
338 | 186 | 139 | Summons an Ash Spawn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Conjure Frost Atronach
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50 Adept |
347 | 215 | 80 | Summons a Frost Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Conjure MistmanDG
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50 Adept |
75 | 193 | 96 | Summons a Mistman from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Conjure SeekerDB
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50 Adept |
307 | 157 | 118 | Summons a Seeker for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Revenant
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50 Adept |
340 | 183 | 183 | Reanimate a powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds:
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75px | Conjure Ash GuardianDB
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75 Expert |
720 | 340 | 221 | Creates an Ash Guardian that guards that location until destroyed. Consumes a Heart stone from your inventory, without which it will be hostile. |
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Command Daedra
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75 Expert |
660 | 243 | 242 | Powerful summoned and raised creatures are put under your control:
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Conjure Dragon Priest
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75 Expert |
N/A | 358 | 717 | Summons a Dragon Priest for 60 seconds.
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Conjure Dremora Lord
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75 Expert |
730 | 358 | 717 | Summons a Dremora Lord for 60 seconds:
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Conjure Storm Atronach
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75 Expert |
690 | 322 | 161 | Summons a Storm Atronach for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Conjure WrathmanDG
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75 Expert |
75 | 301 | 150 | Summons a Wrathman from the Soul Cairn for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing:
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Dread Zombie
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75 Expert |
630 | 302 | 302 | Reanimate a very powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds:
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Expel Daedra
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75 Expert |
620 | 215 | 215 | Powerful summoned daedra creatures are are [sic] sent back to Oblivion:
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Flame Thrall
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100 Master |
1260 | 900 | 0 | Summons a Flame Atronach permanently:
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Dead Thrall
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100 Master |
1270 | 1000 | 1000 | Reanimate a dead body permanently to fight for you. Only works on people:
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Frost Thrall
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100 Master |
1300 | 1100 | 3850 | Summons a Frost Atronach permanently:
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Storm Thrall
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100 Master |
1350 | 1200 | 4800[1] | Summons a Storm Atronach permanently:
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Spectral Arrow
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N/A | 250 | 50 | 50 | Fires a Spectral Arrow at the target doing 30 points of damage and staggering the target:
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Summon Arniel's Shade
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N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | Summons the Shade of Arniel Gane for 60 seconds wherever the caster is pointing.
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Summon Unbound Dremora
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N/A | N/A | 100 | 0 (scripted) | Summons an unbound Dremora for 999 seconds
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- ^ Skill XP is reduced to 0 with Elemental Potency.
Destruction Spells
Spell Name (IDs) |
Skill Level | Tome Value |
Magicka Base Cost | Skill XP | Description and Effect Details | Where to Get | |||||
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Flames
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0 Novice |
50 | 14/s | 20/s 14/sDB |
A gout of fire that does 8 points per second. Targets on fire take extra damage:
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Frostbite
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0 Novice |
47 | 16/s | 23/s | A blast of cold that does 8 points of damage per second to Health and Stamina:
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Sparks
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0 Novice |
46 | 19/s | 26/s | Lightning that does 8 points of shock damage to Health and Magicka per second:
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Fire Rune
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25 Apprentice |
90 | 234 | 234 | Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of fire damage when enemies come near:
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Firebolt
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25 Apprentice |
96 | 41 | 41 | A blast of fire that does 25 points of damage. Targets on fire take extra damage:
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FreezeDB
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25 Apprentice |
N/A | 30 | 0 | A spike of ice that does 20 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina and slows the target for 15 seconds:
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Frost Rune
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25 Apprentice |
92 | 293 | 293 | Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of frost damage when enemies come near:
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Ice Spike
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25 Apprentice |
96 | 48 | 48 | A spike of ice that does 25 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina:
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IgniteDB
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25 Apprentice |
N/A | 30 | 7 | A blast of flame that sets targets on fire, doing 4 damage per second for 15 seconds:
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Lightning Bolt
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25 Apprentice |
95 | 51 | 51 | A bolt of lightning that does 25 points of shock damage to Health and half that to Magicka:
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Lightning Rune
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25 Apprentice |
93 | 323 | 323 | Cast on a nearby surface, it explodes for 50 points of shock damage when enemies come near:
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Chain Lightning
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50 Adept |
390 | 156 | 78 | Lightning bolt that does 40 points of shock damage to Health and half to Magicka, then leaps to a new target:
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Fireball
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50 Adept |
345 | 133 | 66 | A fiery explosion for 40 points of damage in a 15 foot radius. Targets on fire take extra damage:
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Flame Cloak
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50 Adept |
325 | 289 | 0 | For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range take 8 points fire damage per second. Targets on fire take extra damage:
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Frost Cloak
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50 Adept |
340 | 316 | 0 | For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range take 8 points frost damage and Stamina damage per second:
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Ice Storm
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50 Adept |
360 | 144 | 72 | A freezing whirlwind that does 40 points of frost damage per second to Health and Stamina:
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Lightning Cloak
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50 Adept |
355 | 370 | 0 | For 60 seconds nearby opponents take 8 points of shock damage and half magicka damage:
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75px | Whirlwind CloakDB
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50 Adept |
395 | 338 | 0 | For 60 seconds, opponents in melee range have a chance of being flung away:
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Icy Spear
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75 Expert |
725 | 320 | 320 | A spear of ice that does 60 points of frost damage to Health and Stamina:
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Incinerate
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75 Expert |
710 | 298 | 298 | A blast of fire that does 60 points of damage. Targets on fire take extra damage:
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Thunderbolt
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75 Expert |
750 | 343 | 343 | A Thunderbolt that does 60 points of shock damage to Health and half that to Magicka:
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Wall of Flames
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75 Expert |
680 | 118/s | 118/s | Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of fire that does 50 points of fire damage per second:
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Wall of Frost
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75 Expert |
700 | 137/s | 137/s | Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of frost that does 50 points of frost damage per second:
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Wall of Storms
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75 Expert |
725 | 145/s | 145/s | Sprayed on the ground, it creates a wall of lightning that does 50 points of shock damage per second:
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Blizzard
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100 Master |
1350 | 1106 | 1106 | Targets take 20 points of frost damage for 10 seconds, plus Stamina damage:
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Fire Storm
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100 Master |
1290 | 1426 | 1426 | A 100 point fiery explosion centered on the caster. Does more damage to closer targets:
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Lightning Storm
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100 Master |
1400 | 138/s | 0 | Target takes 75 points of shock damage per second to Health, and half that to Magicka:
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Arniel's Convection
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N/A | N/A | 1/s | 1/s | Burns the target 1 points per second. Targets on fire take extra damage.
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Vampiric Drain
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N/A | N/A | 6/s 10/s 13/s 17/s |
6/s 10/s 13/s 17/s |
Absorb <mag> points of health per second from the target
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Illusion Spells
Spell Name (IDs) |
Skill Level | Tome Value |
Magicka Base Cost | Skill XP | Description and Effect Details | Where to Get | |||||
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Clairvoyance
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0 Novice |
50 | 25/s | 0.25/s | Shows the path to the current goal:
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Courage
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0 Novice |
46 | 39 | 39 | Target won't flee for 60 seconds and gets some extra health and stamina:
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Fury
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0 Novice |
43 | 67 | 20 | Creatures and people up to level 6 will attack anything nearby for 30 seconds:
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Calm
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25 Apprentice |
91 | 146 | 36 | Creatures and people up to level 9 won't fight for 30 seconds:
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Fear
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25 Apprentice |
80 | 153 | 38 | Creatures and people up to level 9 flee from combat for 30 seconds:
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Muffle
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25 Apprentice |
88 | 144 | 144 | You move more quietly for 180 seconds:
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Frenzy
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50 Adept |
330 | 209 | 104 | Creatures and people up to level 14 will attack anyone nearby for 60 seconds:
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Frenzy RuneDB
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50 Adept |
310 | 278 | 278 | Targets up to level 20 that fail to resist are frenzied for 30 seconds:
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Rally
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50 Adept |
300 | 113 | 34 | Targets won't flee for 60 seconds and get extra health and stamina:
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Invisibility
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75 Expert |
625 | 334 | 83 | Caster is invisible for 30 seconds. Activating an object or attacking will break the spell:
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Pacify
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75 Expert |
610 | 290 | 72 | Creatures and people up to level 20 won't fight for 60 seconds:
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Rout
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75 Expert |
653 | 316 | 79 | Creatures and people up to level 20 flee from combat for 30 seconds:
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Call to Arms
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100 Master |
1150 | 655 | 65/target | Targets have improved combat skills, health and stamina for 10 minutes:
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Harmony
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100 Master |
1220 | 1052 | 841/target | Creatures and people up to level 25 nearby won't fight for 60 seconds:
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Hysteria
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100 Master |
1240 | 866 | 216 | Creatures and people up to level 25 flee from combat for 60 seconds:
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Mayhem
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100 Master |
1250 | 990 | 396 | Creatures and people up to level 25 will attack anyone nearby for 60 seconds:
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Vision of the Tenth Eye
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N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | See what others cannot.
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Restoration Spells
Spell Name (IDs) |
Skill Level | Tome Value |
Magicka Base Cost | Skill XP | Description and Effect Details | Where to Get | |||||
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Healing
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0 Novice |
50 | 12/s | 12/s | Heals the caster 10 points per second:
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Lesser Ward
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0 Novice |
45 | 34/s | 34/s | Increases armor rating by 40 points and negates up to 40 points of spell damage or effects:
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Fast Healing
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25 Apprentice |
94 | 73 | 73 | Heals the caster 50 points:
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Healing Hands
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25 Apprentice |
89 | 25/s | 25/s | Heals the target 10 points per second, but not undead, atronachs or machines:
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Necromantic HealingDG
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25 Apprentice |
115 | 37/s | 37/s | Heals the undead target 10 points per second, but not the living, atronachs or machines:
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Steadfast Ward
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25 Apprentice |
92 | 58/s | 58/s | Increases armor rating by 60 points and negates up to 60 points of spell damage or effects:
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Sun FireDG
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25 Apprentice |
80 | 24 | 12 | Ball of sunlight that does 25 points of damage to undead:
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Turn Lesser Undead
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25 Apprentice |
89 | 84 | 84 | Undead up to level 6 flee for 30 seconds:
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Close Wounds
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50 Adept |
360 | 126 | 126 | Heals the caster 100 points:
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Greater Ward
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50 Adept |
341 | 86/s | 86/s | Increases armor rating by 80 points and negates up to 80 points of spell damage or effects:
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Heal Other
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50 Adept |
300 | 80 | 80 | Heals the target 75 points, but not undead, atronachs or machines:
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Heal UndeadDG
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50 Adept |
370 | 115 | 115 | Heals the undead target 75 points, but not the living, atronachs or machines:
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Poison RuneDB
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50 Adept |
290 | 246 | 246 | Targets that fail to resist take 3 points of poison damage per second for 30 seconds:
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Repel Lesser Undead
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50 Adept |
333 | 115 | 115 | All affected undead up to level 8 flee for 30 seconds:
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Stendarr's AuraDG
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50 Adept |
335 | 248 | 0 | For 60 seconds, undead in melee range take 10 points sun damage per second:
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Turn Undead
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50 Adept |
323 | 168 | 168 | Undead up to level 13 flee for 30 seconds:
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Vampire's BaneDG
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50 Adept |
340 | 72 | 36 | Sunlight explosion that does 40 points of damage in a 15 foot radius to undead:
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Circle of Protection
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75 Expert |
650 | 171 | 171 | Undead up to level 20 entering the circle will flee:
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Grand Healing
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75 Expert |
680 | 254 | 382+[2] | Heals everyone close to the caster 200 points:
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Repel Undead
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75 Expert |
655 | 353 | 353 | All affected undead up to level 16 flee for 30 seconds:
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Turn Greater Undead
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75 Expert |
664 | 267 | 266 | Undead up to level 21 flee for 30 seconds:
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Bane of the Undead
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100 Master |
1200 | 988 | 988 | Sets undead up to level 30 on fire and makes them flee for 30 seconds:
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Guardian Circle
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100 Master |
1220 | 716 | 716 | Undead up to level 35 entering the circle will flee. Caster heals 20 health per second inside it:
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i The Respite perk is necessary to gain a Restore Stamina effect with these spells.
- ^ The full formula is 382 for the caster plus 127 for each healable target in the area. As usual, all amounts are proportional to the amount of health actually healed.
- ^ The spell may not be available for sale after the quest. See the spell page for details.
Spell Notes
- The base cost for spells is the amount of magicka that would be necessary to cast the spell at 0 skill without any perks. The magicka cost at 100 skill is 41% less than the base cost; the cost can also be reduced via enchanted apparel and by unlocking various perks. See Spell Cost for the full magicka cost equation.
- Skill level indicates which skill perk needs to be unlocked to decrease the spell's magicka cost. "N/A" is used for special spells whose cost is not affected by any perks.
- The "Where to Get" column only lists guaranteed locations for obtaining the spell tomes. Most spell tomes are also available in random loot; see Spell Tome Locations for details.
- For higher-level spell tomes to become available for purchase, your skill in the school must be high enough. Also, master-level spell tomes can only be acquired once that school's ritual spell quest has been completed.
- All spell tomes have a weight of 1.
- Skill XP can be modified by scripts and by the game engine itself under various circumstances. The exact XP you receive may vary from the numbers listed here.
- Magicka cost and skill XP are rounded down, both in game and on this page. Because of this, you may find that you cannot cast a spell even though it appears you have exactly enough magicka to do so.