The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim offers magic-using players a broad range of spells to utilize in a number of situations. As the player levels they gain access to even stronger spells, and upon reaching level 100 in a certain magic school, they gain access to powerful Master level spells that can only be purchased after completing a quest for the College of Winterhold professor associated with that skill.
RELATED: Best Magic Systems In Games, Ranked
All sorts of builds would find value in the Restoration skill, which offers players protection against magic, powerful spells for destroying undead, and the ability to heal wounds. With clever use of the Restoration school and knowledge of its strongest spells, players can become unstoppable.
10 Heal Undead
It might seem like a contradiction to have this sort of spell in a school focused on combating the undead, but this spell can be quite useful for necromancer builds or players who have vampire followers such as Serana.
Most healing spells don't work on undead, so this spell is a must for players who rely on them, as it heals targets by 75 points. It can be purchased from Ronthil in Castle Volkihar.
9 Poison Rune
This spell was added by the Dragonborn DLC and can be purchased from Talvas Fathryon at Tel Mithryn after helping him deal with a summoning mishap.
The spell plants a rune on the ground that explodes when enemies come near, dealing a total of 90 points of poison damage over 30 seconds to any within range (3 per second). The damage also stacks with other poison effects - including those from other poison runes! It can be a powerful alternative to the original three Destruction rune spells.
8 Heal Other
Players who travel with a companion would get a lot of use out of this spell. As the name suggests, Heal Other restores the Health of living targets by 75 points, so it can be crucial for keeping followers alive during those tough boss fights.
RELATED: Skyrim: The Most Powerful Enemies, Ranked
A tome for this spell can be found in Shalidor's Maze, and it begins appearing in random loot at level 23. Colette Marence at the College of Winterhold begins selling it when the player's Restoration skill reaches level 40.
7 Stendarr's Aura
Added by the Dawnguard DLC and purchasable from Florentius Baenius at Fort Dawnguard (after he is rescued during Bolstering the Ranks), this spell is perfect for any paladin or cleric build, or just about anyone who ends up in combat with undead.
It is similar to the cloak spells from the Destruction school in that it surrounds the player with an aura of light lasting 60 seconds, dealing 10 points of damage per second to any undead within melee range.
6 Close Wounds
There are several self-healing spells available to the player in Skyrim, and although Close Wounds is not the most powerful, it is the most efficient and versatile. It instantly grants 100 Health points, costs 126 Magicka, and takes only half a second to cast, so it is quite useful for getting players out of those near-death situations.
Close Wounds is sold by Colette Marence or can be acquired as a quest reward for completing Pilgrimage when the player's Restoration skill reaches level 40, and it appears in loot from level 23.
5 Turn Greater Undead
Of all three Turn Undead spells, this spell is the most powerful and becomes available to purchase from Colette Marence once the Restoration skill reaches level 65, and in random loot from level 35.
RELATED:
It works similarly to the Fear spell from the Illusion school, but against the undead, causing those up to level 21 to flee for 30 seconds. It can even be useful against undead higher than this level as, although they won't flee, they will stagger. It's an effective crowd-control spell, and useful in any player's arsenal as Skyrim's dungeons are full of undead.
4 Vampire's Bane
Despite its name, Vampire's Bane works against all undead, not just vampires. It is a projectile spell unleashing a ball of light which explodes violently upon impact, dealing 40 damage to any undead within a radius of 15 feet.
There's no need to worry about harming any melee followers either (unless they are undead), as it deals no damage at all to the living. Thus, it makes for an excellent alternative to the Fireball spell when fighting undead. To get it, players can head to Fort Dawnguard and buy it from Florentius Baenius.
3 Grand Healing
Close Wounds may be the most efficient healing spell in terms of Magicka cost, but Grand Healing is the most powerful by far. It heals the caster and every ally within 15 feet by 200 points - or 300 with the Regeneration perk. However, it has a base Magicka cost of 254, so in many situations, it may be better to use Close Wounds.
Nevertheless, Grand Healing is a vital spell to have for times the player and their companions need to rapidly restore a lot of Health. Like all Expert-level Restoration spells, Colette Marence sells it once the player's Restoration skill reaches level 65, and it can be found in random loot from level 35.
2 Greater Ward
One of the first spells players learn when they join the College of Winterhold is the Lesser Ward spell. Greater Ward is simply a more powerful version of that spell, appearing in random loot from level 23 and sold by Colette Marence at Restoration level 40.
Greater Ward blocks up to 80 points of damage from spells, meaning only the most powerful of mages can penetrate it. However, it does have a considerably high Magicka cost, so it should be used strategically.
1 Bane of the Undead
Bane of the Undead is similar to Turn Greater Undead in that it causes undead creatures that are maximum level 30 to run away for 30 seconds. However, that flight is futile, as it also causes them to burn for 4 seconds, taking a total of 200 points of fire damage. Only the strongest undead could survive this.
Bane of the Undead is a Master-level spell, acquired by finishing the Restoration Ritual Spell quest once the player's Restoration skill reaches level 100. It has a base Magicka cost of 988, must be cast with both hands, and takes 3 seconds to charge, so it is best to use when overwhelmed by numerous undead enemies.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
MORE: Skyrim: Ranking Every Playable Race From Worst To Best
