Destruction (Oblivion)

For other instances, see Destruction.

Destruction is a magic arts skill that imbues the player with the ability to cast destructive spells that include fire spells, frost spells, shock spells, and weakness to fire, frost, and shock spells. It also allows the player to reduce damage from other magical attacks. The Skingrad Mages Guild specializes in Destruction. It is the most commonly used magic type for mages to defend themselves with.

Governing attribute: Willpower

Spell effects

• Damage (spell)
  • Fire Damage
  • Frost Damage
  • Shock Damage
• Drain
• Weakness to Magic
  • Weakness to Fire
  • Weakness to Frost
  • Weakness to Shock
• Weakness to Poison
• Disintegrate (Weapon or Armour)

Spells

• See List of Destruction Spells (Oblivion)

Spell merchants

Main article: Spell Merchants (Oblivion)

• Calindil at Mystic Emporium in the Imperial City, Market District: various
• Edgar Vautrine at Edgar's Discount Spells in the Imperial City, Market District: various
• Selena Orania at the Bruma Mages Guild in Bruma: various
• Tumindil at The Great Chapel of Julianos in Skingrad: Conjuration and Restoration
• Ungarion at A Warlock's Luck in Bravil: various
• Volanaro at Bruma Mages Guild in Bruma: various
• Orag gra-Bargol at Chapel of Stendarr in Chorrol: various
• Alberic Litte at Chorrol Mages Guild in Chorrol: Conjuration, Mysticism and Illusion
• Athragar at Chorrol Mages Guild in Chorrol: Conjuration and Illusion
• Thaurron at Anvil Mages Guild in Anvil: various
• Marc Gulitte at Anvil Mages Guild in Anvil: various
• M'raaj-Dar at Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Cheydinhal: various

Destruction magic trainers

See also: Trainer

• Novice: Trayvond the Redguard at the Mages Guild in Cheydinhal
• Apprentice: J'skar at the Mages Guild in Bruma
• Journeyman: Delphine Jend at the Mages Guild in Bravil
• Journeyman: Marc Gulitte at the Mages Guild in Anvil
• Master: Bralsa Andaran at the Wayshrine of Kynareth in the north-west of Skingrad and Fort Dirich, requires level 50 skill, collect 20 bear pelts to be trained

Destruction Skill Books

• The Horrors of Castle Xyr
• Response to Bero's Speech
• Mythic Dawn Commentaries 2
• A Hypothetical Treachery
• The Art of War Magic
• Mystery of Talara, v 3

Tips for leveling

• If you have the ability to make your own spells, purchase a drain health spell, then go to a spellmaking altar and create a spell that drains health 3 pts for 1 second on self. This will level your destruction skill and not cause you to take actual damage.
• If you wish to level Restoration at the same time, create a 3-point, 1-second damage-on-self spell, using a tiny healing spell after every cast.
• As a third option, you can make a fairly weak disintegrate armor or weapon which is cast on self. If alternated with repair hammers, one can easily train of Armorer as well as Destruction.
• A spell of Weakness to Fire will also level destruction without lowering the character's health or armor.
• The Vile Lair prisoner will never wake up or die, making him a use. Simply cast Destruction spells on him.
• Following The Purification you can use Shadowmere for target practice seeing as it is an NPC that won't die or attract the guards.
• In the quest Whom Gods Annoy, you come into possession of the Staff of the Everscamp. This staff continuously conjures scamps which you can use as target practice.
• Before completing the Daedric quest at Peryite's Shrine, the NPCs at the location are permanently frozen. They cannot be hurt and they will not fight back, making them excellent Destruction targets. (Some players report the huge stack of unreported assaults can cause crashes when using this method.)

Notes

• Casting destruction spells at a living target trains the skills.
• Casting destruction spells at walls and objects will not train the skill.
• Ranged destruction spells have "mass" and can therefore move or knock over objects in the environment.
• Conjured creatures can be used as targets to train the skill, but will turn against you after 3 hits.
• Casting Destruction spells on yourself will also train the skill; damage fatigue works particularly well in this capacity as it will never kill you.
• DoT spells (damage over time) require less magicka to cast than spells of the same effect and total magnitude over less time (in other words, fire damage 10 points for one second costs more magicka than 5 points for 2 seconds, even though the total damage is the same).
• Touch spells cost less magicka to cast than target spells, granted everything else (including effect, magnitude, area, and time) are equal.

Leveling text

Apprentice

Fire, frost and lightning have flowed from your fingertips. You are now an Apprentice in Destruction magic and can cast Apprentice level Destruction spells.

Journeyman

Fire, frost and lightning have flowed from your fingertips. You are now a Journeyman in Destruction magic and can cast Journeyman level Destruction spells.

Expert

Fire, frost and lightning have flowed from your fingertips. You are now an Expert in Destruction magic and can cast Expert level Destruction spells.

Master

Fire, frost and lightning have flowed from your fingertips. You are now a Master of Destruction magic and can cast Master level Destruction spells.

NPC Dialogue

When your Destruction skill is 70 or higher, NPC's will say "There's a charge in the air! Been casting Destruction spells?"

Usefulness

Destruction is extremely useful. It helps raise your Willpower which in turn helps your magic regeneration. Many creatures in Oblivion are weak to either Shock or Fire damage. Destruction is the best way to take out multiple opponents. Spells can be made to affect a wide area hitting several opponents per spell.

One of the most useful spells in the game (although many consider it a form of "cheating") is to create a 100-point, 1-second Touch Drain Health spell. It costs very little to actually cast, and, until your character is around level 25, will instantly kill almost every enemy you encounter. Carry a back-up plan if using this, though; some enemies are immune.

See also

• Magic
• Skill leveling tips