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I admit I have yet to make a dedicated mage-type, and have only tried with the Dual Cast perk for Destruction and Restoration, and have only used Novice and Apprentice spells in each school. But so far I haven't noticed much of a difference just casting the same spell from each hand, and dual-casting with the perk.

Does dual-casting get better with more powerful spells, and/or with spells from schools other than Restoration and Destruction? Or is it not really worth the Dual Casting perks and just cast from one hand with a sword or board in the other, or have two different spells readied?

Dual-casting can become VERY effective. Later on though.

This guy's Let's Play of Skyrim that I used to watch (I think his YouTube was like ... ForceSC2Strategy or something) used Dual-Casting with a stronger Fire Ball spell I think and it shot it's damage through the roof from what I remember.

I suggest investing points into it and seeing for yourself though.

As a pure mage I can testify that it's worth a perk, especially if magic is your main weapon. Though I've only used it for restoration and destruction so far but it definitely ups the damage by a noticeable amount, not to mention the perk that makes your dual casting stagger enemies.

I have tried it without perks, using destruction and restoration. It does help some. I even tried mixing it up some, casing Fire and Frost, Frost and Shock, ect. I imagin it would be much more potent with Dual Casting. I plan on testing that out next week/weekend. I do have to head back to work next week, so my time playing will be much less.

It's totally worth. It makes the effects of any spell stronger. Plus it looks cool.

It's absolutely effective. On dragons even though I'm a battlemage, I primarily use dualcast Fireball or Ice Storm and they are extremely effective against them, even if it hits a guard (happened to me yesterday, but then the dragon finished him off ).

While I don't use those perks on my current character, the couple of pure mages I've made have greatly benefited from the dual casting perk. The increased mana usage is pretty inconsequential for a pure mage build, as your mana's so high up, while the extra damage is totally worth it. The faster you kill something (for destruction,) the less chance it has to kill you. Of course, all magic schools have a dual casting perk, though I believe Destruction is the only one with a perk needing dual casting.

For destruction dual casting is the best paired with the impact perk, as even dragons stagger all the time and against solo enemies Impact makes every fight trivial.

Some people on other boards are saying that dual casting increases the damage by .10, but you use an additional .40 o mana. If this is true then the perk isn't worth it. It might be if you wanted to get that stagger perk after in the destruction school. I have no idea how to confirm this data though.

I definitely think it is worth it when I use it for restoration spells.

But like noobishlord said, if you are a pure mage your mana pool will be so large you might not notice it.

I personally find the perk to be trivial and have never bothered to get it. Once you get the the master level destruction spells (or any master level spells for that matter) they all are cast with both hands, so you are unable to use the dual casting perk with your most powerful spells (probably a good thing because the spells are already ridiculously powerful).

For the master spells, I must say I often use lower spells mostly expert because without distraction you are an easy prey with master spells. They take very long to be fire ready and have some other downsides I must admit.

Destruction: Mostly they take long to be fire ready and your opponents don't stagger like they do from dual thunder bolt.
Conjuration: Minions are stupid and can easily get lost, frost and storm atronach often can't go through smaller passways and two dremora lords are often the better choice.
Alteration: Dragonhides time is short compared to ebonyflesh

Other two schools not 100.

I have largely found the same thing with master spells, however I also have found that Lightning Storm absolutely destroys dragons of any kind.

I'm level 9 and it has been very useful for me.