Restoration Spells & Healing — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guide

Restoration Spells & Healing — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guide

Restoration magic in Skyrim is dedicated to healing, protection, and warding off the undead. While not as flashy as Destruction or as versatile as Conjuration, Restoration spells are indispensable for survival, offering vital healing, defensive buffs, and powerful tools against specific enemy types. Mastering Restoration ensures your Dragonborn can withstand even the harshest of battles.

The core of Restoration magic lies in its ability to mend wounds and bolster defenses. Healing spells are the most obvious application, allowing you to recover health during combat or after strenuous activities. However, Restoration also offers potent wards that absorb incoming spells, and turn undead spells that repel or destroy the undead.

Healing Spells

These spells are your primary means of recovering health:

• Healing: The most basic healing spell, restoring a small amount of health.
• Fast Healing: Restores health more quickly than the basic spell.
• Close Wounds: A powerful healing spell that instantly restores a sificant amount of health.
• Greater Ward: Creates a magical ward that absorbs incoming spells.
• Circle of Protection: Creates an area of protection that reduces damage taken by allies within it.
• Turn Undead: Causes undead creatures to flee from you. Higher-level spells can affect more powerful undead.
• Repel Lesser Undead: A more potent version of Turn Undead.
• Banish Daedra: Banishes Daedra back to their plane of Oblivion.

Perks and Synergies

The Restoration skill tree offers several vital perks:

• Novice/Apprentice/Adept/Expert/Master Restoration: Reduces the magicka cost of spells in each tier.
• Recovery: Increases your Magicka regeneration rate.
• Respite: Healing spells also restore Stamina. This is incredibly useful for warriors and spellswords.
• Avoid Death: Automatically casts a powerful healing spell when your health drops to a critical level.
• Magic Resistance: Increases your resistance to magical damage.
• Necromage: All spells are more effective on undead targets, and you are more vulnerable to them. This is a double-edged sword but can be powerful for certain builds.

Key Strategies and Applications

• Combat Healing: Always have a healing spell ready. Dual-casting Fast Healing or Close Wounds can quickly restore your health mid-fight.
• Against Undead: Restoration spells are your best friend when facing Draugr, Vampires, and other undead foes. Turn Undead and Banish Daedra can trivialize these encounters.
• Defensive Wards: Use Greater Ward to block powerful incoming spells from mages or dragons.
• Stamina Management: The Respite perk is a game-changer for melee characters, allowing healing spells to also replenish Stamina, which is crucial for power attacks and sprinting.
• Synergy with Other Schools: A spellsword can benefit greatly from Restoration's healing and Stamina restoration, allowing them to stay in melee combat longer. Mages can use wards to protect themselves while casting offensive spells.

Acquiring Spells and Training:

Restoration spell tomes can be found in chests, purchased from court wizards, or bought from general goods merchants. The College of Winterhold is a prime location for finding these spells and for training in Restoration. Colette Marence is the primary Restoration trainer at the College.

By investing in Restoration, you not only ensure your own survival but also gain powerful tools to combat specific threats, making you a more well-rounded and resilient Dragonborn.