Least Useful Magic School

[King Acunasti]

Illusion - by far. The only useful part of Illusion is charm spells, and you can create a charm spell that increases an NPC's disposition towards you for a super low price. The rest is useless. Night-vision? Come on people - are you blind? I'd rather see normally than have a big bright-blue screen in front of you that could drive you into total MADNESS if the spell lasts long enough. Paralyze? Stand and fight, n00b! Don't know why, but I just never use Illusion at all. Alteration is my masteromgwtfroflmaolol magic school.

[Siken]

I dont know whay you think like that but ilusion govern personality and i think its most powerful defence and ofense skill.
I think you will change your opinion if ilusion spells worck for enemy like for you.
Then you will feel like puppet.

[Redguard_Master]

I say conjuration. I've never found summons terribly effective, and since conjuration has no other applications.

[Caractacus]

I say conjuration. I've never found summons terribly effective, and since conjuration has no other applications.

I have to agree. Expensive spells that to me aren't worth the cost. Turn undead spells are only marginally effective as they give you time to run, but that's about it. Another one would be destruction. I only use it if I'm in a bind.

[Sonixboom]

Restoration is by far the most helpful... healing yourself

but mysticism is jsut worthless, if you have the grey cowl or even a low level soul trap spell thats really all you need in the way of mysticism since the cowl has detect life and soul trap can be used... well all the time

-Sonix

[Cinema_cat]

i think is alteration because echantin clothes with shield is more easy than casting and mysticism has better protection spell

[azuarc]

Looking at the poll, I'm surprised by a couple things:

1) NOBODY has picked Destruction (or Restoration.)
2) Illusion is ranking almost as highly as Alteration. Illusion is one of the more useful spell schools!
3) Mysticism has so far ranked in about 2/3 of the total vote. I'm not surprised to see Mysticism leading, but by that much?

[Redguard_Master]

Restoration and destruction? Making things die and preventing yourself from that fate is essential.

[azuarc]

Restoration and destruction? Making things die and preventing yourself from that fate is essential.

I don't argue that, however the implementation of destruction makes it less desirable than boom spells are in other games. The only destruction spells I ever use are the default fireball spell and sometimes the one you get from the Skingrad quest. I wasn't expecting anyone to pick Restoration -- even if it had everything else removed from it besides healing spells.

[Nitron]

Oh, and something I didnt mention in my above post. Another reason Mysticism is less useful than it was in Morrowind, the lack of teleport-style spells. Mark/Recall and Intervention spells. With no fast travel, these were essential for transporting loot and reporting back to quest givers. Or you could quickly port out when in danger, injured or diseased, hit an altar, and if needed, buy some new equipment and train.

[philayre]

Also generally buying/making spells is badly implemented in oblivion: Why cant you delete them as its too messy having to buy a few dozen training spells just to make a few dozen better ones which usually get replaced with higher skills aswell. For ES V itd be good to see greater powers representing all spell types, so for those who dont like most premade spells, you can just wait for the greater powers bundles to access each new spell type.

[grannas211]

Oh, and something I didnt mention in my above post. Another reason Mysticism is less useful than it was in Morrowind, the lack of teleport-style spells. Mark/Recall and Intervention spells. With no fast travel, these were essential for transporting loot and reporting back to quest givers. Or you could quickly port out when in danger, injured or diseased, hit an altar, and if needed, buy some new equipment and train.

If mark and recall were still here, Id definately say Alteration

[azuarc]

Also generally buying/making spells is badly implemented in oblivion: ...

I don't think *anybody* questions that magic is excessively weaker in Oblivion than Morrowind.

[Pancake]

Restoration and destruction? Making things die and preventing yourself from that fate is essential.

that sums everything up

[Cinema_cat]

Also generally buying/making spells is badly implemented in oblivion: Why cant you delete them as its too messy having to buy a few dozen training spells just to make a few dozen better ones which usually get replaced with higher skills aswell. For ES V itd be good to see greater powers representing all spell types, so for those who dont like most premade spells, you can just wait for the greater powers bundles to access each new spell type.

i agree

[Lord Voldemort]

Also generally buying/making spells is badly implemented in oblivion: ...

I don't think *anybody* questions that magic is excessively weaker in Oblivion than Morrowind.

Yeah, it makes me sad. When I first started Oblivion I was like "OMG, 2x Int = Magicka, and Magicka even restores naturally!!!". Now, I'm like - "oh... on target spells move really slow, I can't aim fast or well on PS3 (I guess not magic's fault), and my summons die after two hits." But I'm still dedicated to beating the game for the first time with a pure mage character.