User:Borbarad/Chain Spells

The article below is supposed to be a new section for Useful Spells.

Chain Spells

Chain Spells are custom spells with high magicka cost which can be cast infinitely. In order to maintain the chain, the spell must be re-cast within a certain time interval (otherwise the chain is "broken"). When the chain is broken, you end up with 0 magicka (but will regenerate of course). Using other spells might also break the chain (especially different chain spells).

How chain spells work

The mechanics are similar to casting a Fortify Magicka 100 and immediatly using the bonus magicka for other spells. However for Chain Spells both the Fortify and other effects are included in one spell. As soon as you cast a Chain Spell, this one provides the magicka you need for the next spell at the same time, only as long as Fortify Magicka 100 is still active of course. As soon as it wears off, you most likely have 0 magicka. For yet unknown reasons you also lose all magicka when you chain the spell with another Fortify Magicka spell.

To increase the available magicka for Chain Spells (Fortify Magicka 100 in fact only allows 50 magicka), both Fortify Intelligence and Drain Magicka can be used to regain more magicka. The reasons are described in Chain Spell mechanics, but it is not needed to know them.

Important notes

Before you read any further, these things have a high impact whether your Chain Spells work or not.

• Spell Effectiveness (SE)

(if less than 100, you gain less magicka from spells because Spell effectiveness reduces the effects)

• Order of the effects chosen while making the spell

(read Chain Spell mechanics for more info or just use the exact order described later on, do not modify.)

• Do not combine different Chain Spells

(The game seems to handle the order differently when the previous effect was caused by a different spell)

If you need to wear armor, multiply your SE with the original fortified magicka to calculate your new maximum spell costs. To make things simplier, the following content only considers 100% SE.

General Setup for Chain Spells

As the sheer amount of possible useful Chain Spells is infinite, this section tells you how to create your own Chain Spells. This article only features three possible setups for Chain Spells, but more are possible. Again, keep in mind to care the order of the effects. X is the desired re-cast time, remember the spell has to be cast within the time-interval.

The 50 Magicka Chain Spell:

• Fortify Magicka 100 for X secs
• [Any effects you desire to use the 50 magicka]

The classic Chain Spell. Good for beginners.

The 100 Magicka Chain Spell:

• Fortify Magicka 100 for X secs
• Drain Magicka 3 for X secs
• [Any effects you desire to use the 100 magicka]

The 300 Magicka Chain Spell:

• Fortify Intelligence 100 for X secs
• Fortify Magicka 100 for X secs
• Drain Magicka 3 for X secs
• [Any effects you desire to use the 300 magicka]

This Chain Spell is a true powerhouse. Keep in mind that you will have to regenerate a lot of magicka without the use of other Fortify effects in order to re-use it once the chain is over.

Of course, the Spell may also cost less than the stated magicka, but not more.

Examples for Chain Spells

Those who still question the usefulness of Chain Spells or lack ideas how to use them, here are some simple ideas. If magicka increases beyond 100, add Fortify Intelligence 100 for 3 pts on Self. Remember, re-cast the spells within the given time interval (which is 3 seconds in all cases here) as long as you need to.

Infinite Fireball

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Fire Damage X pts for 1 secs on Target

Really simple example, modify X to set the cost of the spell to 100 or lower. Add more damage effects if needed.

Unseen thief

• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Chameleon for 100 pts for 3 secs on Self
• Fortify Security for 100 pts for 3 secs on Self

As you can simultaneously cast and interact with objects, this provides a solution to sneak through dungeons and houses to take anything you desire without ever wearing off your cloak.

Advanced Chain Spell

• Fortify Intelligence 100 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Fortify Magicka 100 pts for 2 sec on Self
• Drain Magicka 3 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Fire Damage 80 pts for 1 secs on Touch
• Frost Damage 80 pts for 1 secs on Touch
• Shock Damage 80 pts for 1 secs on Touch
• Silence for 5 secs on Touch
• Weakness to Fire 100 pts for 5 secs on Touch
• Weakness to Frost 100 pts for 5 secs on Touch
• Weakness to Shock 100 pts for 5 secs on Touch
• Weakness to Magic 100 pots for 5 secs on Touch
• Detect life for 100 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Feather 100 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Light 100 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Resist Magic 100 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Restore Health 40 pts for 1 secs on Self
• Shield 85 pts for 2 secs on Self
• Water Breathing for 2 secs on Self

This is one of my spells I use in my adventures. I also have a target area spell with basically the same stats (just lower damage of course). It is very powerful and even the hardest difficulty setting won't be much of a problem for you. Only downside is that you need to be a very experienced mage, it requires at least 100 in Destruction, and also other relatively high Magic Schools to keep the Mana cost at about 300.

Weakening Damage Spells

An example of a weakening damage spell is this one:

• Fire Damage X pts for 1 secs on Target
• Weakness to Fire 100% for 5 secs on Target

Weakening Damage spells are those spells which apply a resist-weakening debuff on your target, so the next same spell will deal more damage. The need for casting one spell only is what makes this kind of spell especially chain-spell friendly. For those who have forgotten or not read my Chain Spell analysis above, I want to remind the reader of the following fact:

• A buff is applied in reverse order of the spell description
• A buff is removed in the order of the spell description when the spell is re-applied

However, there are specific rules for damage which are out of order. Technically, this spell should deal double damage by default:

• Weakness to Fire 100% for 5 secs on Target
• Fire Damage X pts for 1 secs on Target

It applies the resist, deals damage, after recast it should do so again right? Well no, it does not. The damage is applied first, and then the weakening debuffs are applied.

Now we may think its alright, it deals double damage on second impact right? Well no, it does not do that either. The debuff is removed before the fire damage is applied.

So we come to the conclusion that its impossible to chain weakening damage spells.

Sadly we do not, they are possible.

The previously named example still is possible. I can't tell yet why, technically the buff should also be removed before the damage is applied, however it is not. If the damage spells are above the weakening spells, the damage is applied before the buff is removed.

Of course we can now also add Weakness to Magic to the pool. Now that we know the order is important, where does it fit best?

The optimal choice is

• Fire Damage
• Weakness to Fire
• Weakness to Magic

I concluded that by testing, but I have not yet reached an acceptable analysis. The only reasoning I can offer so far is that spells which do not affect yourself have other orders of applyings and removals. I will still work on this one though for sure. For those not interested in the deeper mechanics, all you need to know that the last order I have given is the one you should choose by creating your chain spells.