The Elder Scrolls 6is going to need to make a major change fromSkyrim’s approach to destruction magic when it is released. While magic is a staple ofThe Elder Scrollsseries,Skyrimadmittedly did not have the series' best approach to it as a mechanic. Thankfully,The Elder Scrollshas reworked its own mechanics before, andThe Elder Scrolls 6can address the issues that affectedSkyrim’s magic, particularly the Destruction school. That’s not to say thatSkyrim’s Destruction magic was completely broken, but it had one big issue that made it lackluster in the long run.
There are six schools of magic includingDestruction magic inSkyrimthat players can train in during the game. Each school has its own corresponding skill tree that can grant the player perks when using spells of that type. All schools have the ability to cut magicka costs of their spells, but they also featured some more unique, occasionally powerful upgrades, like the Illusion tree ability to cast any spell silently. With the wide variety of spells inSkyrim, in addition to enchanting and alchemy, there are a lot of magical elements available for players to use in their character builds.
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Skyrim’s Destruction Magic Needs a Serious Upgrade
Unfortunately,Skyrim’s Destruction magic has one major weakness. Although players can perform someamusing tricks inSkyrimwith spells, Destruction tends to be the school with the least tricks to pull off. It features the classic Fireball spell, in addition to many other spells that deal damage, either directly or indirectly, These spells are sorted into fire, frost, and shock, with each element being resisted by or extra effective against various types of enemies. Out of all ofSkyrim’s magical schools, Destruction is easily the most straightforward. Its spells do exactly what the name implies, dealing damage at the cost of magicka.
The drawback of Destruction magic inSkyrimlies in the fact that Destruction magic doesn’t get stronger as the player levels up,makingSkyrim’s Destruction magic feel uselessafter a while. Rather than perks to increase Destruction damage similar to the other weapon-based skills, there are instead three different perks that empower fire, frost, and shock spells individually, and they aren’t even as strong as the weapon-boosting perks at max level. The other main ways to improve Destruction damage are either through consumables or wearing certain Dragon Priest masks. As a result, Destruction magic’s damage falls off quickly, making dedicated mages suffer in the long run.
Elder Scrolls 6will need to give Destruction magic a significant overhaul compared to its treatment inSkyrim, even if it requiresElder Scrolls 6making a new magic systemin order to do so. For one thing, Destruction magic would need to either increase via leveling up, or have the same damage-increasing perks that warriors and archers get. After all, spells already cost magicka to cast, so making them weaker at the same time makes playing a Destruction mage an unappealing choice. Other ideas could include more feats or items that interact with Destruction spells, or even bringing back the ability to make custom spells.
The flaws withSkyrim’s Destruction magic made it a less-than-stellar choice, butThe Elder Scrolls 6can learn from those mistakes and replace them with something better.The Elder Scrolls 6can’t fail magic usersagain by making their combat abilities too weak, so making sure that spell-slinging fighters can remain relevant throughout the game should be a priority. After all, magic is a big part of fantasy worlds likeThe Elder Scrolls, and it should feel suitably powerful.Skyrimmay have missed the mark, butThe Elder Scrolls 6’s magic could deliver on its promise.
The Elder Scrolls 6is in development.
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