Forums » Elder Scrolls

Most Underused Spells

    • 168 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:39 AM EDT

    I can totally understand, and I use cloak spells all the time. In first person, frost and flame cloaks can obstruct your vision and make themselves very obvious. Lightning cloak and whirlwind cloak aren't nearly as bad in that aspect. Flame cloak is really swirly for some reason, the Dunmer racial power that does the same thing doesn't have as much swirly flames so maybe you could try that? Or you could try third person.

    • 249 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:42 AM EDT
    Useless familiars?!? Back of the line!
    • 249 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:43 AM EDT
    Useless familiars?!? Back of the line!!!
    • 237 posts
    May 9, 2015 1:17 AM EDT

    Well... they kinda are.

    Would you rather summon a wolf that dies in one hit from bandits found in level 6 dungeons, or an otherworldly being of flame who can hurl firebolts and sports a flame cloak to boot?  The latter costs a mere 30 gold.  And Stormy can tank like a boss compared to some wolf.

    • 367 posts
    May 9, 2015 6:05 AM EDT

    I'd rather summon the wolf. It follows me around and howls. ( It's a werewolf thing I guess )

    • 1483 posts
    May 9, 2015 8:10 AM EDT

    Except you can use Ash Shell on the wolf and have enemies hit an immortal decoy for 30-45 seconds while you blast them from afar with Destruction. That's what Alastor referred to... 

    • 367 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:23 AM EDT

    I'll have to try that, as long as he stills howls...

    • 773 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:43 AM EDT

    Looking at this thread it seems that Turn Undead is almost universally redundant.

    Has anyone ever found a really creative use for it? Never used it myself...

    • 739 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:48 AM EDT

    Turn Undead is a great spell, not sure what peoples problem with it is...

    It provides alot of Restoration experience and we all know what a PITA that spell school is to level.

    If you raise a simple zombie you can spam turn undead at it to give resto a well needed pick me up, good way of getting that Respite perk earlier...

    • 485 posts
    May 9, 2015 10:07 AM EDT

    I cant recall anyone using it to its full potential, whatever that may be. This might make a good tips and tricks field test: Find a way to make Turn undead and similar spells useful. 

    Mason has already hit on one method of getting use out of it. It levels restoration fast. 

    • 739 posts
    May 9, 2015 10:22 AM EDT

    Turn Undead is basically Fear...

    ...and Fear is an amazing spell.

    It can quickly turn a 2v1 into a 1v1. Spike a tough draugr with MfD and then send them running with turn undead and you just won the fight...

    • 485 posts
    May 9, 2015 10:37 AM EDT
    And it negates the need for master of the mind in order to make the undead run in fear. Combine this with the slowing effect of freeze and you have a feared target that cannot escape fast enough to avoid slaughter.
    • 490 posts
    May 9, 2015 10:46 AM EDT

    It is an awesome spell and the turn/repel spells I do use, but I only use them for an RP with most Restoration centered builds and characters.

    I guess most people know this, but if the spell doesn't actually turn or repel due to the enemy being too high of a level, the enemy staggers, so it is almost like using your magic to "bash" with a "magic shield". Kinda cool.

    • 1483 posts
    May 9, 2015 10:55 AM EDT

    I once used Turn Lesser Undead to push Volsung down the cliff to his death on my "no direct kills" character. I also regularly used it to push undead into traps. 

    • 249 posts
    May 9, 2015 11:19 AM EDT
    Yeah with Ash Shell the wolf becomes an invincible decoy. It's the only summon you can do that with. It's the cheapest summon aside from Arniel so he's easily dual cast. This keeps him around for 2 minutes and 12 seconds. You can cast it as a distraction to sneak by enemies. If you allow the enemy to focus on you, your familiar acts as a cloak spell slowly whittling away at opponents. I'll take free damage anyday! I love the flavor of a phantasmal wolf sidekick that howls. He feels like a pet with his own little attitude, faithful as ever. The Atronachs appear emotionless. I think the familiars only problem is that he isn't a meat shield which is how summons are used most of the time, which explains why you like the Storm Atronach. But if you treat your summon like a friend and ally and take care of them a little even the familiar is useful to the end of the game. His damage doesn't scale but MfD allows him to do just fine. The familiar was a main focus of my Transient Sorcerer and he became my favorite summon and friend/follower. Kind of like Drizzt and Guenhwyvar. #familiarrant
    • 490 posts
    May 9, 2015 11:20 AM EDT

    Haha! Nice! I gotta try that.

    • 237 posts
    May 9, 2015 11:44 AM EDT

    'MfD allows him to do just fine.'

    And MfD turns Stormy into an unstoppable god!

    Also, Ash Shell meh.  I'll take 60+ seconds of mobile lightning turret over relying on my own magicka pool to damage enemies while praying the AI doesn't 'figure it out'.

    • 237 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:05 PM EDT

    There are other ways to power level Restoration, but they're not really better per se.  For me a spell needs to have more function than just power leveling in order to get used outside of that context.  Turning undead has always seemed a weak tactic compared to just, like... doing anything else.  Say, bashing their skulls in, or lighting them on fire, or...

    • 1483 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:19 PM EDT

    Do you use your Storm Atronachs against dragon priests as well? 

    There is no need to pray, as long as enemy is closer to the Familiar than to yourself he'll attack the decoy.

    • 237 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:27 PM EDT

    Yes, actually!  Considering I normally rely on magicka absorption to fight dragon priests anyway, having my storm atronach occasionally turned on me is hardly a problem.  It's like they want me to have even MORE free magicka!

    • 1483 posts
    May 9, 2015 12:30 PM EDT

    Lol, if you have that much absorption, magicka is of no issue altogether, regardless of what summons you use! You can actually refill it by casting Familiar 

    • 51 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:33 PM EDT

    Definitely Telekinesis.I mean what's the use of this spell rather than making stuff float XD 

    • 485 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:39 PM EDT

    You havent read Emer Dareloth and No snakes Alive's character build, 'The Shadowscale', have you?

    • 51 posts
    May 9, 2015 9:52 PM EDT

    Nope, I Haven't seen those builds before nor the page of no Snakes alive  XD I Will look at it later....

  • Tom
    • 624 posts
    May 9, 2015 11:31 PM EDT

    Are you calling me out?

    *takes off pointy hat*

    WIZARD BATTLE!