Spells

Spells are cast using Magicka, the equivalent of energy or mana in other games. The spells of the Elder Scrolls universe are divided into several magical schools. Increasing your proficiency depends on gaining uses and training to increase your skill level. New spells can be learned by buying them from characters or by completing certain quests. The total magicka cost is based on your skill level in the school, with the costs going down the higher the skill level you're in for that school. Single-use spells can be created with the aid of scrolls that can be purchased or given to you to help with a certain quest. Generally, you start the game with Flare and Heal Minor Wounds. You may be given other spells depending on which major skills or race you choose related to magic. The six schools of magic are:

For a list of merchants who sell spells, see spell merchant.
 * Alteration – Alter the physical world, such as shielding yourself with defensive spells, walking on water, opening locks, and lightening the load when carrying heavy items
 * List of Alteration spells
 * Conjuration – Summon creatures to do your bidding or bind weapons and armor to aid you in fights
 * List of Conjuration spells
 * Destruction – Inflict damage, drain health and attributes, and cause weakness in your enemies
 * List of Destruction spells
 * Illusion – Calm or create rage; demoralize or rally; charm or take command; paralyze or silence others; conceal yourself or make the night shine as bright as day
 * List of Illusion spells
 * Mysticism – Trap souls, use telekinesis, detect life, and reflect harm away from you
 * List of Mysticism spells
 * Restoration – Heal and restore the injured, cure the diseased and poisoned, and fortify the weak
 * List of Restoration spells

Spell terminology

 * Absorb – Temporarily transfers a portion of the target's health, fatigue, magicka, attribute or skill to the caster. Changes to health, magicka and fatigue are permanent.
 * Damage – Lowers health, fatigue, magicka, attribute or skill. Can only be restored with a Restore effect, such as a blessing from the chapel, a spell or a potion.
 * Drain – Temporarily and gradually lowers health, fatigue, magicka, attribute or skill for a duration of time
 * Resist – Reduces shock, frost, fire, magicka, the damage afflicted by a normal weapon or reduces the chance of being poisoned, paralyzed, or diseased. Shield is similar to Resist.
 * Restore – Recovers health, fatigue, magicka, attribute or skill back to normal level
 * Fortify – Similar to Restore, but can temporarily increase the skill in question beyond the normal level
 * Weakness – Decreases resistance to shock, frost, fire, magicka, the damage afflicted by a normal weapon or to disease, poison, and paralysis
 * Reflect – Reflects normal or spell damage back at the opponent

Spell mechanics
One thing that should be noted about spells is the character's spell efficiency. It can be found as a percentage at the bottom of the spells tab, and tells you how well your character can cast spells. For example, 95% means that any spell that is cast will work up to 95% of its magnitude and duration. Wearing an armor will decrease your spell efficiency, based on your skill level with the type(s) of armor you're wearing, but wearing clothing does not affect the spell efficiency.

For example, placing a 100% chameleon spell on yourself will not make you invisible due to the decrease of spell efficiency to 95%, leaving you visible. To get past these problems you have to take off your armor to restore the spell efficiency, equip a ring with a chameleon effect, equip a necklace to add the effectiveness, drink a potion of chameleon, or go into sneak mode to keep hidden (the higher the sneak level the better).