Top 10 Best Skyrim Restoration Spells
Restoration may not be the most popular form of magic in Skyrim but it’s definitely an important and powerful one you should be familiar with. Sure, it may not be the most offensive-based type of magic. But when it comes to healing and buffing, these spells can help you out in a pinch. We at Nerds & Scoundrels have compiled a list of ten of the best Restoration spells in the game. Check out this list of the top ten Restoration spells in Skyrim!
Our Top 10 Skyrim Restoration Spells
Below are the top ten restoration spells in Skyrim:
10. Turn Greater Undead
Isn’t it great when you can just force your enemies to run away whenever you need a quick recharge and a break? If that sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to use Turn Greater Undead, a restoration spell that causes nearby enemies (up to level 21) to flee for 30 seconds. It’s a great spell when dealing with large groups of undead, and will give you a second to regain your bearings and give you a minute to breathe. There are also a couple of lower level variants of this spell (e.g. Turn Undead, Turn Lesser Undead) if you’re dealing with lower-level enemies.
9. Steadfast Ward
If you’re lacking in armor and are in need of a magic shield, try casting Steadfast Ward. Wards are a staple of Restoration magic, basically functioning as projectible shields that can absorb spell damage and other related effects. Steadfast Ward increases your armor by 60 while negating up to 60 spell damage. Sure, actual shields are great; but unless you have the Spellbreaker shield, there’s no way to guard and block spells using armor. Note that the Ward won’t project against physical attacks, but with a combination of Alteration spells, you can definitely get around that. Ward casting is also a great way to level up your restoration skills early on in the game.
8. Sun Fire
Here’s a great offensive option for you! The aptly named Sun Fire casts some hardcore sun damage to undead enemies – a total of 25 damage points to be exact. While it won’t save you against any dragon attacks, it’s definitely still a great option especially when clearing out draugr dungeons or any Dawnguard DLC content.
7. Poison Rune
Magic users may not have been able to use poison when Skyrim first came out, but thanks to the Dragonborn DLC, now they can! Poison Rule is a spell that inflicts 3 points of poison damage on a target per second for 30 seconds. This is an incredibly useful spell, given that most enemies don’t resist poison (compared to magic or elemental damage resistance). What makes this spell even more amazing is that all dealt poisons can and will stack, making it a great spell to use during boss fights for either seriously damaging or even thoroughly killing your opponents.
6. Greater Ward
If you thought Steadfast Ward sounded cool, wait until you hear about Greater Ward. Known as the strongest ward spell in the entire game, it provides 80 additional armor points and can block up to 80 damage points from any spells cast your way. It’s useful against many attacks, but particularly against nasty dragon breath attacks, and can help to significantly reduce damage you’d otherwise take. There is also an exploit that exists that can allow you to keep your ward up with no magicka cost.
5. Circle of Protection
As the name would imply, Circle of Protection creates a protective circle around the caster. The circle will cause any undead (up to level 20) to immediately flee upon entering it, keeping you safe from their attacks. The spell also interacts with spell absorption, which will cause Dragonborn to regenerate magicka while standing inside the circle, turning the Circle of Protection spell into a considerably powerful magicka well in the process. It’s a great way to keep your magicka levels in check throughout fights.
4. Grand Healing
Wouldn’t it be great to have the ability to instantly heal all of your allies at once? Well with Grand Healing, that power is yours! Casting the spell will give 200 health points to anyone standing around you, rendering you and your team basically unkillable against enemies. Note that it is an Expert level spell, but it’s definitely worth the time grinding and leveling up.
3. Bane of the Undead
Sometimes, you just have to set everything on fire. Use Bane of the Undead to essentially nuke all your enemies, as it sets all undead (up to level 44) on fire, forcing them to flee in terror. Use your wards and healing spells as you lead an army of the undead, then whip out this spell to set all of them aflame in one go. It’s a great and versatile spell to use in any dungeon, and even though it’s a Master level spell that requires you to complete the Restoration Ritual Spell quest, it’s totally worth it in the end.
2. Guardian Circle
Bane of the Undead might be a bit too aggressive; so for a slightly less intense approach, check out Guardian Circle. It still causes undead (up to level 35) to flee in terror, but it also heals allies inside the appropriately named Guardian Circle you cast. The circle provides 20 healing points per second without perks, making it similar to dual casting Healing. Plus you and your allies can use the time your enemies are fleeing to restore HP and gear up for another attack.
1. Close Wounds
Close Wounds may seem like a simple, straightforward spell, but it’s definitely not one to sleep on. The spell replenishes 100 health points to the caster; which, when coupled with other healing perks, can even heal up to 150 HP per cast. Beyond simply healing the caster, the spell is also incredibly magicka efficient when compared to other healing spells like Fast Healing or Healing, which cost a significantly higher amount of magicka. Though it does take some time to charge, the time prepping to use it is definitely worth it in the end.
Nerds and Scoundrels
And that concludes our Skyrim Restoration Spells Top 10. Did we leave anything out? If so, don’t forget to let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to check out our guide to the Best Skyrim Illusion Spells.
