Summary
Wizardry inSkyrimmay not be as memetic as the eternally-popular stealth archer, but fans have nonetheless sparked a fierce discussion on what the best spell in the Dragonborn’s arcane arsenal could be. Though it allowed players to indulge in their Gandalf fantasies by holding a staff in one hand, and wielding a blade in the other, dedicated spellcasters (be it Destruction or Conjuration) remained on a tier above. Similarly,shouts inSkyrimadded a new layer to combat, especially with examples such as Slow Time or Marked for Death, but spells ultimately remained the bread-and-butter for mage builds.
However,Skyrimalso represented a clear departure from one of the most iconic features of pastElder Scrollstitles. Players could no longer design custom spells of their own, but instead had to rely on the limited pool of pre-built spells made available by the game. Though many fans lamented the removal ofOblivion’s spell making, it did not take long forquality-of-lifeSkyrimmodsto transform its magic system to suit each individual player.
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Despite the limitations of unmoddedSkyrim, the game still had a respectable amount of spells, and over the years, reliable favorites began to emerge. WithSkyrimbeing over 11 years old, jamiedadawg’s thread on the game’s official subreddit resumed a debate filled with opinions that had over a decade to crystallize. Though the example from the thread is reserved toSkyrimmods, the comments largely stuck with the base game’s list of spells.
While the Fireball, Lightning Rune, or even Sparks will remain aSkyrimclassic, it is ultimately Clairvoyance that has earned a special spot in the heart of many Dragonborn. The brilliance of the spell lies in the simple convenience it offers: showingSkyrimplayers the best possible path to a quest marker. The usage of Clairvoyance can dramatically reduce backtracking inSkyrim’s many dungeons and Dwemer ruins, and it’s a spell that exists outside specialized builds. Warriors, archers, mages, rogues – any would benefit with a cast of Clairvoyance, and for that reason, it seems to have emerged as the debate’s clear front-runner.
An honorable mention goes to the Summon Dremora Lord spell, which perfectly highlights theConjuration gameplay ofSkyrim. For certain players, there are few greater joys than being able to sic a dremora army on the denizens of a Nordic tomb, before collecting the piles of treasure left in its wake. Ultimately, while manySkyrimplayers are undoubtedly looking forward to the release ofStarfield, spells will be the one component that they will no doubt miss from the upcoming Bethesda title.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
