Skyrim Spell Cost Comparison
Base magicka costs from UESP, from Firebolt at 41 to Fire Storm at 1426. Pick any two.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebolt Cheapest here. 25 damage per cast. | 41 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, missile | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Firebolt base cost 41 |
| Ice Spike Seven over Firebolt. | 48 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, missile | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Ice Spike base cost 48 |
| Lightning Bolt Three over Ice Spike. No travel time. | 51 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, instant hit | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Lightning Bolt base cost 51 |
| Fireball Over two Lightning Bolts per cast. | 133 magicka | Adept Destruction, explosion | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Fireball base cost 133 |
| Ice Storm Eleven over Fireball. | 144 magicka | Adept Destruction, traveling storm | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Ice Storm base cost 144 |
| Chain Lightning Twelve over Ice Storm. Hits crowds. | 156 magicka | Adept Destruction, leaping bolt | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Chain Lightning base cost 156 |
| Fire Rune Priciest apprentice row. 50 damage trap. | 234 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, ground trap | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Fire Rune base cost 234 |
| Frost Rune Five under Incinerate. | 293 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, ground trap | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Frost Rune base cost 293 |
| Incinerate Cheapest expert missile. 60 damage. | 298 magicka | Expert Destruction, missile | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Incinerate base cost 298 |
| Frost Cloak One cast shields a full minute. | 316 magicka | Adept Destruction, 60 second cloak | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Frost Cloak base cost 316 |
| Icy Spear Four over Frost Cloak. | 320 magicka | Expert Destruction, missile | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Icy Spear base cost 320 |
| Lightning Rune Priciest rune row. | 323 magicka | Apprentice Destruction, ground trap | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Lightning Rune base cost 323 |
| Thunderbolt Twenty over Lightning Rune. | 343 magicka | Expert Destruction, instant hit | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Thunderbolt base cost 343 |
| Lightning Cloak Priciest adept row. | 370 magicka | Adept Destruction, 60 second cloak | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Lightning Cloak base cost 370 |
| Blizzard Needs the ritual quest. Near three cloaks. | 1,106 magicka | Master Destruction, ritual quest | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Blizzard base cost 1106 |
| Fire Storm Top here. Almost thirty five Firebolts. | 1,426 magicka | Master Destruction, ritual reward | UESP Skyrim:Destruction Spells, Fire Storm base cost 1426 |
About this converter
Skyrim destruction spells run on fixed base magicka from 41 to 1426. Firebolt opens at 41, Ice Spike at 48, Lightning Bolt at 51, Fireball at 133, Ice Storm at 144, Chain Lightning at 156, Fire Rune at 234, Frost Rune at 293, Incinerate at 298, Frost Cloak at 316, Icy Spear at 320, Lightning Rune at 323, Thunderbolt at 343, Lightning Cloak at 370, Blizzard at 1106 and Fire Storm at 1426. That makes one Fire Storm equal almost thirty five Firebolts of magicka. Every value here is the UESP base cost with skill discounts left out.
How to use it
Pick two spells and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. One box holds a count of the first, one holds the matching count of the second, one holds the total in magicka. Try 1 Fire Storm against Firebolts.
Concentration spells bill per second instead of per cast, for example Flames at 14 per second and Walls of Flames at 118 per second, so they stay out of this flat-cost table. Skill at 100 cuts costs by 41 percent before gear, which is why high level mages spam expert spells. Master rows need the ritual quest first.
FAQ
How much is Firebolt?
41 base magicka, per UESP. The cheapest spell here.
What costs most here?
Fire Storm at 1426 base. Blizzard follows at 1106.
Why no Flames or Sparks?
They bill 14 to 19 magicka per second held, which never matches a per-cast row.
Do perks lower these?
Yes. Skill, school perks and Fortify gear cut costs, so rows pin the zero-skill base.
Sources
- UESP Wiki Skyrim:Destruction Spells, apprentice table (Firebolt 41, Ice Spike 48, Lightning Bolt 51, Fire Rune 234, Frost Rune 293, Lightning Rune 323)
- UESP Wiki Skyrim:Destruction Spells, adept table (Fireball 133, Ice Storm 144, Chain Lightning 156, Frost Cloak 316, Lightning Cloak 370)
- UESP Wiki Skyrim:Destruction Spells, expert and master tables (Incinerate 298, Icy Spear 320, Thunderbolt 343, Blizzard 1106, Fire Storm 1426)
- UESP Wiki Skyrim:Destruction Spells notes (base cost at zero skill, 41 percent less at 100, concentration per-second billing)
Last verified: 2026-09-28 · 16 entries
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